Fitting SharePoint Into Your Organization’s Disaster Recovery Plans Randy Williams, MVP MOSS Synergy Corporate Technologies

Session Overview Recovery overview Backup options ● Web export ● Site collection backup ● Farm backup ● SQL database backup ● Third party products ● Other items to backup Recommendations

But first…a little humor

Operations Planning Ensure alignment between DR and business continuity plan (BCP) Define recovery objectives (RTO/RPO) Diminishing returns cost curve UPTIME % COST ($)

Content vs Disaster Recovery Content Recovery ● Restoring individual files or lists/libraries ● Rely on versioning, recycle bin Disaster Recovery ● OMG! ● A critical SharePoint service/resource is unavailable ● Rely on various forms of backup

A Few Points on Recycle Bin Files aged from first do not go to second Age setting applies to both bins Turning off at web app will empty both bins Only first bin is part of your quota Web deletion does not go into bin

Backup Choices for Content Web (export/import) Site collection Farm SQL Server content databases Third Party

Web Backup Use stsadm –o export to backup Also captures sub webs Not full fidelity Can use SPD to backup ● 24MB limit creates issues Avoid on large sites/webs

Export Demo

Web Restore Use stsadm –o import to restore Will create web(s) or merge into existing ● For merge, webs must have same base site definition Content is recreated ● Original created values are lost

Site Collection Backup Use stsadm –o backup Serialized into a single file Full-fidelity backup of whole site collection Scheduled with task scheduler Easily list sites with stsadm –o enumsites Microsoft IT Site Delete Capture

Site Collection Restore Use stsadm –o restore Can create or overwrite existing site If restoring a duplicate site ● Must restore into a different content db Must restore into farm with same SharePoint build

Major SharePoint Build Numbers ReleaseBuild Number RTM4518 SP16219 Infrastructure Update6318 Aug 08 Cumulative6327 Oct 08 Cumulative6331 Dec 08 Cumulative6335 Feb 09 Cumulative6341

Site Collection Restore If restoring to different path in same web application ● File not found error with publishing sites ● See

Site Collection Restore Demo

Farm Backup Use stsadm –o backup –directory Supports full or differential Does SQL-based database backups ● Truncates the transaction log Only supported way to backup SP indexes Backup is done to UNC path ● SQL Service account and account running backup must have write permissions

Farm Backup Can back up whole farm or certain items ● Web application, content db, SSP, et al Can be issued (but not scheduled) using central admin Maintain your backup sets ● Make sure you keep spbrtoc.xml in sync ● Use PowerShell scriptPowerShell

Farm Backup Demo

Additional Items to Backup IIS ● IIS6 use iisback.vbs; IIS7 use appcmd.exe ● SSL certificates 12 Hive ● Easy to zip up Web App files in wss\VirtualDirectories Other third party tools (e.g. IFilters)

Farm Restore Only needed if farm is lost Must create a new farm with same build Use stsadm –o restore –directory or central admin Spbackup.xml lists backup items Keep content and indexes in sync Must recreate AAM, certain IIS settings, 12 hive changes, web.config changes

SQL Server Backup Common to also backup config and content databases through SQL Server Supports full, differential and incremental At the VERY least, backup your content databases Easily scheduled using agents Also backup system databases (master, msdb)

SQL Backup & Restore Demo

Third Party Backup Solutions AvePoint’s DocAve CommVault Neverfail Quest’s Recovery Manager Microsoft’s Data Protection Manager

Data Protection Manager Part of System Center Provides comprehensive protection of your farm ● Farm, WFE system state Farm, Site and Item Recovery SP1 improvements ● Catalog performance gains ● Index support

Recommendations Keep a SharePoint change log Use SharePoint WSP solutions Actually do trial restores ● Use a staging/test farm to perform restores Keep content db’s small (< GB) Appropriately name content db’s Do a backup before and after an upgrade No one solution is best for all

In Conclusion SQL backups yield the best performance ● site/web export is the worst Third party solutions address ● Integration with existing backups ● Item, list or library level recovery ● Large content stores (>200GB) High availability Options

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