Active directory backup / restore question

Hi,
I'm planning Symantec backup exec solution for domain controllers.
Our production environment is composed of 2 AD domain controllers running on
Windows 2008 R2 OS.
Both servers are global catalogs and one of them is FSMO roles holder:
SERVER1 - GC / DNS / FSMO roles holder
SERVER2 - GC / DNS / DHCP SERVER

Q1.: In case of SERVER2 crash, should I restore whole system from the backup
or should I just install new server with identical name/ip adress, include
it into domain and dcpromo it and import DHCP database and authorize it on
the AD level to start serving clients?
Q2.: In case of SERVER1 crash I think that I don't have other solution but
restore the system from backup.

Am I right?

Thank you

Nicolas

I would opt for this after cleaning the remnants of the crashed server out
of AD:

just install new server with identical name/ip adress, include
> it into domain and dcpromo it and import DHCP database and authorize it
> on the AD level to start serving clients?

In the case of server1 crashing I would clean up the remnants of the crashed
server from AD, sieze the FSMO roles to the second server, restore the DHCP
scope from backup and:

just install new server with identical name/ip adress, include
> it into domain and dcpromo it and import DHCP database and authorize it
> on the AD level to start serving clients?

hth
DDS


"Nicolas" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi,
> I'm planning Symantec backup exec solution for domain controllers.
> Our production environment is composed of 2 AD domain controllers running
> on Windows 2008 R2 OS.
> Both servers are global catalogs and one of them is FSMO roles holder:
> SERVER1 - GC / DNS / FSMO roles holder
> SERVER2 - GC / DNS / DHCP SERVER
>
> Q1.: In case of SERVER2 crash, should I restore whole system from the
> backup or should I just install new server with identical name/ip adress,
> include it into domain and dcpromo it and import DHCP database and
> authorize it on the AD level to start serving clients?
> Q2.: In case of SERVER1 crash I think that I don't have other solution but
> restore the system from backup.
>
> Am I right?
>
> Thank you
>
> Nicolas

Howdie!

Am 29.04.2010 14:31, schrieb Nicolas:
> Q1.: In case of SERVER2 crash, should I restore whole system from the
> backup or should I just install new server with identical name/ip
> adress, include it into domain and dcpromo it and import DHCP database
> and authorize it on the AD level to start serving clients?
> Q2.: In case of SERVER1 crash I think that I don't have other solution
> but restore the system from backup.

I have a hard time doing plans as such as long as "crash" isn't defined
correctly. I guess it all depends on what "crash" means. Can you bring
the machine back online with the same OS installed in a "certain amount
of time" or can't you? Is replacing the hardware (-> reinstall the OS)
an option?

That's all questions you might wanna answer - cause I think it depends
on those metrics.

Cheers,
Florian

If you have nothing special running on a dc, I always cleanup metadata and
install fresh. We increment the name of the lost dc by one but keep the ip
address the same.

Example:
dcWashingto01 would become dcWashington02

--
Paul Bergson
MVP - Directory Services
MCITP - Enterprise Administrator
MCTS, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, Security +, BS CSci
2008, Vista, 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT4
Microsoft's Thrive IT Pro of the Month - June 2009

http://www.pbbergs.com

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"Nicolas" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi,
> I'm planning Symantec backup exec solution for domain controllers.
> Our production environment is composed of 2 AD domain controllers running
> on Windows 2008 R2 OS.
> Both servers are global catalogs and one of them is FSMO roles holder:
> SERVER1 - GC / DNS / FSMO roles holder
> SERVER2 - GC / DNS / DHCP SERVER
>
> Q1.: In case of SERVER2 crash, should I restore whole system from the
> backup or should I just install new server with identical name/ip adress,
> include it into domain and dcpromo it and import DHCP database and
> authorize it on the AD level to start serving clients?
> Q2.: In case of SERVER1 crash I think that I don't have other solution but
> restore the system from backup.
>
> Am I right?
>
> Thank you
>
> Nicolas