Backup Selection list

Backup selection is always confusing, there is no point of taking a full backup of Windows, you cannot restore c:\Windows or most of the Application binaries so if your OS crashed then you have to reinstall OS and reinstall the Application binaries.Similarly other OS also having same scenarios.

If you affectively prepare your backup selection list then you will save the backup window and backup media.

I have made a backup selection list for my organization, this is based on OS and Application, this may not be accurate but probably it will help you to have a good start for your backup selection list.

Windows 2003/2008

• System State (This includes Quarum if it is on Windows Cluster(MSCS))
• User Data

Windows 2003/2008 with IIS Web Server

• System State Backup
• Certificate backup (Export certificate to local drive and copy to backup media)
• MetaData(use IISBack.vbs tool,copy it on local drive and then copy to backup media)
• %Windir%\System32\inetsrv
• Web Contents

Unix/Linux

• /etc
• User Data
• Web server configuration (if any)
• Web contents (if any)
• Application mount points

MSSQL Server

• All DBs
• Transaction logs

MS-Exchange Server

CAS:

• AD
• IIS -Metafile
• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14

HUB

• Active Directory
• Transport queue databases
• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14(Message tracking logs)

EDGE

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V14\Scripts
• Export Edge configuration to xml the copy to backup media(.\ExportEdgeConfig.ps1 -cloneConfigData C:\EdgeConfig\ex2-edgeconfig.xml)

Mail box Server

• Mail box store
• Public store

SharePoint Server

• Active Directory
• Full Farm backup

TMG/ISA Server

• Export the configuration to local drive and copy to backup media.

Oracle

• Entire Database
• Archive logs

These are the common OS and Applications used in our environment, please note each Application will have it’s on method of backup and also please read the Application documentation for vendor backup recommendations.