Re: Disaster Recovery - Virtualized environment

If I understanded correctly, this isn't about running VM, but imaging an existing DC, or create an equal one, take it off the network, and place it online in case of disaster recovery.

--

I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.
Jorge Silva
MCSE

"Erik Cheizoo" <echeizoo.XenD.nl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:0075F82C-961D-4F2A-835F-B946615055FA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jorge,

although Microsoft did not support DCs in a virtual environment, they have seen the light and actually do support it at present: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888794

--
Kind regards,

Erik Cheizoo
eXcellence & Difference - we keep your business running
============================================
Always test in a non-production environment before implementing
Guidelines for posting: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=555375
============================================


"Jorge Silva" <jorgesilva_pt@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:AB7302C1-5608-467D-844A-6B94A61A97B5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Inline
What if I brought up one of the virtulaized DC such as DC01 which I took
from an image of the physical server using Vmware converter as mentioned
earlier.
But I do not configure it to connect to DC04 virtual network and leave it on
its own virtual network.
The following operations are not supported:
1. Starting an Active Directory domain controller whose operating system was restored to a hard disk by using an imaging program.
2. Starting an Active Directory domain controller whose operating system resides in a virtualized hosting environment such as Microsoft Virtual PC, or EMC VMWARE
3. Starting an Active Directory domain controller that is located on a volume where the disk subsystem loads using previously saved images of the operating system without requiring a system state restoration of Active Directory.
The only supported way to roll back the contents of Active Directory or the local state of an Active Directory domain controller is to use an Active Directory-aware backup and restoration utility to restore a system state backup that originated from the same operating system installation and the same physical or virtual computer that is being restored.
Microsoft does not support any other process that takes a snapshot of the elements of an Active Directory domain controller’s system state and copies elements of that system state to an operating system image. Unless an administrator intervenes, such processes cause a USN rollback. This USN rollback causes the direct and transitive replication partners of an incorrectly restored domain controller to have inconsistent objects in their Active Directory databases.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875495
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885875

I then restore the system state from the last good backup (Veritias), this
system state is from the physcial DC01 which has been lost due to the
disaster but restored on the virtual DC01. Then connect it the virtual
network that DC04 is using.
This process is like restoring a System state backup to a different hardware configuration, all you have to do is to test it regularly, and make sure that is an option in case of hardware disaster recovery; you don't need to have an image of an existing DC to do that.

Would that work?
My advice (if that means anything to you), is: don't play with fire, you can burn yourself out, by believing that you have a valid System recovery but at the end will cause more problems than resolutions.
--

I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.
Jorge Silva
MCSE

"TonyP" <TonyP@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:ABF6F29C-E9FA-43D0-8690-4145123D24D8@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


"Jorge Silva" wrote:

Hi
Not sure if I understand you correctly but... Imaging is 1 of the backup
methods that isn't supported in Active Directory domain, or you'll end up
with USN ROLLBACK, another aspect is that all DCs need to replicate within
your tombstonelifetime forest value.
--

I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.
Jorge Silva
MCSE

"TonyP" <TonyP@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:52F11986-ECE6-4490-B0C7-A7DAF53C65E1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> What I intending to do is:
>
> 1) Install VMware Infrastructure 3 on a server at my disaster > recovery
> site.
>
> 2) Configure a 4th Virtualized domain controller (DC04 - Windows 2003 > SP2
> R2
> license) which replicates with my physical Domain Controllers at my > main
> Data
> Centre site.
>
> 3) Take P2V (VMware Converter Beta) images of my 3 Physical Domain
> Controllers and bring them into Virtualized Environment
>
> 4) Leave the copies of virtualized physical Domain Controllers > inactive ,
> no
> need to license again (using R2)
>
> In the event of loss to my physical Domain Controllers (serious > disaster
> the
> site is down long-term) at my main Data Centre.
>
> I intend to bring online and make active the 3 virtualized domain
> controllers (DC01, DC02, DC03) on the VMware Infrastructure > environment.
> They will be identical to physical servers in always such as IP , > name etc
>
> Issue is there Active Directory Databases will not be current due to > the
> P2V
> images be taken on a monthly basis.
>
> 4th Domain Controller (DC04) will have the last current and good copy > of
> the
> AD Database.
>
> Active virtualized Domain Controllers (DC01, DC02, DC03) should now
> synchronise there databases with the DC04 ? and become current?
>
> Is my logic ok ?
>
> Any issues I have not foreseen?
>
> Advice greatly appreciated?
>
> Tony
>
Umm missed that one .. just read about it .. there goes that plan .

Would this work:

What if I brought up one of the virtulaized DC such as DC01 which I took
from an image of the physical server using Vmware converter as mentioned
earlier.

But I do not configure it to connect to DC04 virtual network and leave it on
its own virtual network.

I then restore the system state from the last good backup (Veritias), this
system state is from the physcial DC01 which has been lost due to the
disaster but restored on the virtual DC01. Then connect it the virtual
network that DC04 is using.

Now wouldnt the virtual DC01 have a system state restored from Active
Directory aware backup program.

"So the invocation ID is reset before Active Directory starts. Therefore,
the domain controller is identified to its replication partners as a new
instantiation of an existing domain controller. This situation prompts other
domain controllers to reset their replication high-water marks and update the
restored domain controller with changes that occurred because its system
state backup was performed."

Would that work?




.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Disaster Recovery - Virtualized environment
    ... Starting an Active Directory domain controller whose operating system resides in a virtualized hosting environment such as Microsoft Virtual PC, ... Starting an Active Directory domain controller that is located on a volume where the disk subsystem loads using previously saved images of the operating system without requiring a system state restoration of Active Directory. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Disaster Recovery - Virtualized environment
    ... Starting an Active Directory domain controller whose operating system resides in a virtualized hosting environment such as Microsoft Virtual PC, ... Starting an Active Directory domain controller that is located on a volume where the disk subsystem loads using previously saved images of the operating system without requiring a system state restoration of Active Directory. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Disaster Recovery - Virtualized environment
    ... Starting an Active Directory domain controller whose operating system resides in a virtualized hosting environment such as Microsoft Virtual PC, ... Starting an Active Directory domain controller that is located on a volume where the disk subsystem loads using previously saved images of the operating system without requiring a system state restoration of Active Directory. ... The only supported way to roll back the contents of Active Directory or the local state of an Active Directory domain controller is to use an Active Directory-aware backup and restoration utility to restore a system state backup that originated from the same operating system installation and the same physical or virtual computer that is being restored. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: DR question; should a full backup of domain controllers be done?
    ... Just System satte would be fine.As with any backup, ... restoration of a user or group to get familiar with the process. ... a domain controller, and join it back to the domain (siezing/transferring ... "fresh" domain controller and then restore the system state. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Preparing AD for the PKI
    ... When you back up the System State on a domain controller you are also ... backing up the Active Directory which includes the schema. ...
    (microsoft.public.security)