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Backup a Windows Server 2012 HyperV Cluster

Question
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Hi All,
I have 2 servers in a failover cluster Running Windows Server 2012 attached to a FC SAN using Cluster Shared Volumes
My question is "Can 'Windows Backup' backup virtual machines running in this environment"
Simply running Windows backup on the server fails with "Windows Backup cannot backup an application with files on a CSV volume."
I am currently using Altaro HyperV backup trial on both nodes, this works brilliantly but I would like to know if ANY level of backup can be achieved without any such 3rd party software.
I note this same question has been asked but not answered on a different thread here - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverhyperv/thread/dfd4f6ee-2f16-4ca4-ad84-89c86cdb448e
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 12:50 AM
Answers
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Hi,
There are two common methods to backup information that is stored on Cluster Shared Volumes in a failover cluster: virtual-machine based backup and management operating-system based backup. Management operating-system based backup is sometimes called parent-partition based backup.
CSV itself do support back up, but Windows Server backup in Windows Server 2008 R2 or previous version doesn’t support CSV backup.
Windows Server backup in Windows Server 2012 has feature been changed or added, which include support for CSV backup (more accurately, limited backup):
- Virtual machines hosted on CSV’s cannot be added as part of backup configuration
- Windows Server Backup has to be configured on all nodes to ensure that backup and recovery will be available in the event of a failure on one of the nodes in the cluster.
- Volumes recovery not supported
- Security access control lists are not applicable on CSV file service root. Therefore, file recovery to the root of CSV volume is not supported.
For more information please refer to following MS articles:
Backing Up Cluster Shared Volumes in a Failover Cluster in Windows Server 2008 R2
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff182356(v=WS.10).aspx
Windows Server Backup Feature Overview
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj614621
Windows Server 2012: Storage
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/3/3/833FF831-3E82-4AB7-8DA1-F03683428BE0/Module%203%20-%20CSV%20Res%20Perf%20Deployment%20Backup%20Restore%20and%20Failover%20Clustering.pdfLawrence
TechNet Community Support
- Marked as answer by Lawrence, Friday, December 28, 2012 9:03 AM
Thursday, December 20, 2012 5:54 AM
All replies
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Hi,
There are two common methods to backup information that is stored on Cluster Shared Volumes in a failover cluster: virtual-machine based backup and management operating-system based backup. Management operating-system based backup is sometimes called parent-partition based backup.
CSV itself do support back up, but Windows Server backup in Windows Server 2008 R2 or previous version doesn’t support CSV backup.
Windows Server backup in Windows Server 2012 has feature been changed or added, which include support for CSV backup (more accurately, limited backup):
- Virtual machines hosted on CSV’s cannot be added as part of backup configuration
- Windows Server Backup has to be configured on all nodes to ensure that backup and recovery will be available in the event of a failure on one of the nodes in the cluster.
- Volumes recovery not supported
- Security access control lists are not applicable on CSV file service root. Therefore, file recovery to the root of CSV volume is not supported.
For more information please refer to following MS articles:
Backing Up Cluster Shared Volumes in a Failover Cluster in Windows Server 2008 R2
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff182356(v=WS.10).aspx
Windows Server Backup Feature Overview
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj614621
Windows Server 2012: Storage
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/3/3/833FF831-3E82-4AB7-8DA1-F03683428BE0/Module%203%20-%20CSV%20Res%20Perf%20Deployment%20Backup%20Restore%20and%20Failover%20Clustering.pdfLawrence
TechNet Community Support
- Marked as answer by Lawrence, Friday, December 28, 2012 9:03 AM
Thursday, December 20, 2012 5:54 AM -
Windows Server backup in Windows Server 2012 include limited support for CSV backup. On two node Hyperv cluster (windows 2012) you could do file backup with wbadmin tool. VM should run on the same host as backup job.
wbadmin start backup -include:d:\ClusterStorege\volume1\server1 -backuptarget:\\localhost\vmbackup\server1
you cold do recovery VM to alternate location
wbadmin start recovery -version:05/22/2013-06:25 -backuptarget:\\localhost\vmbackup\server1 -itemtype:file -items:d:\ClusterStorege\volume1\server1 -recursive -recoverytarget:x:\recover -machine:hyperv1
more about wbadmin
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754015.aspx
Gorazd
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 8:52 PM