Installation and Use of Server 2008 Backup

Windows Server Backup is available on all versions of Server 2008, including 64-bit versions. Install it as a feature via Server Manager, either interactively or with the following command:

servermanagercmd.exe -install Backup-Features

The utility is available on Server Core systems, as well. Use the command

start /w ocsetup WindowsServerBackup

to install it on those systems.

You need to be an administrator or a member of Backup Operators to use this tool, which appears in the Administrative Tools folder after installation. When you run it, the tool presents you with a wizard interface (see Figure 1) having the following steps:

• Backup options (do the same operations as in a previously-defined scheduled backup, or do something else via "different options")
• Select backup configuration (full versus custom, where "full" means all data, applications, and the System State)
• Select backup items (designate volumes to include or exclude)
• Specify destination type (local drive, e.g. DVD, or remote shared folder)
• Select backup destination (you can only select a volume, and it normally cannot be the same one you're backing up; the program creates a folder named "Windows Image Backup" on the destination)
• Specify advanced option ("VSS copy backup" retains application log files and does not clear the archive bit; "VSS full backup" clears application log files and updates the archive bit)
• Confirmation

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