Implementing Virtualization Software Hyper-V Backup and Recovery with the Windows Server Backup (WSB)

The Windows Server Backup (WSB) is the built-in feature in Windows Server 2012 and is not an enterprise –wise backup solution. The WSB supports backing up virtual machines on stand-alone hosts and clustered hosts with CSVs. With the improvements in the Windows Server 2012, administrators can select backup and restore virtual machines (VMs) on the same Hyper-V Server. For medium or enterprise organization, Data Protection Manger 2012 R2 is the perfect solution for centralized protection of virtual machines and data. There are also many numbers of third parties backup solutions for Hyper-V. Here, you will use the Windows Server Backup (WSB) feature to backup and restore Virtual machines. The Windows Server Backup (WSB) feature is not installed on a server by default, it must be enabled. There are two ways to enable Windows Server Backup (WSB):

• From Server Manager
  • Open Server Manager
  • Open the Manage menu and choose Add Roles and Features.
  • On the Before you begin page, click Next.
  • On the Select installation type page, click Next.
  • On the Select destination server page, click Next.
  • On the Select server roles page, click Next.
  • On the Select features page, select the check box Windows Server Backup and click Next.
  • On the last screen, click on the Install to start the installation of the Windows Server Backup feature on the server.
• From PowerShellTo install Windows Server Backup feature by using PowerShell command, open up a PowerShell command with an administrative account and then type the following:
  Install-WindowsFeature Windows-Server-Backup

After you have Windows Server Backup feature installed, now it’s ready for backing up a Virtual Machines.

Backing Up Virtual Machines, perform the following steps:

1. Open Server Manager, click Tools menu, and then click Windows Server Backup. In the Windows Server Backup console, in the Actions pane, click Backup Schedule.

2. On the Getting Started page, click Next.

3. On the Select Backup Configuration page, select Custom for the backup type, and then click Next.

4. On the Select Items for Backup page, click Add Items to open the Select Items screen.

5. In the Select Items screen page, select the virtual machines that you would like to backup with this scheduled job and then click OK.

6. Back in the Select Items for Backup page, click the Advanced Settings, and then select the VSS Settings tab, and then choose VSS full Backup and click OK. (Note: If you’re not using any other backup product to protect your VMs).

7. On the Select Items for Backup page, click Next.

8. On the Specify Backup Time, select Once a day and select time of day, and then click Next.

9. On the Specify Destination Type page, select Back up to a hard disk that is dedicated for backups (recommended) and then click Next. To use this option, you must have at least one disk attached to the server that has no existing volume. The disk should be raw, with no partition of file system.

10. On the Select Destination Disk page, select the available disks and then click Next.

11. On the Windows Server Backup dialog box, click Yes to accept the warned that finish this wizard, the selected disks will be reformatted and all the existing volumes and data on the disks will be deleted.

12. On the Confirmation page, review the selected options, and then click Finish to format the disks and schedule the backup.

13. On the Summary page, status showing Formatting disk.. and Creating backup schedule..

14. On the Summary page, showing status You have successfully created the backup schedule and click close.

15. On the Windows Server Backup console, click Backup Once.. to run scheduled backup right now.

16. On the Backup Options page, select scheduled backup options and click Next.

17. On the Confirmation page, verify the backup items and then click Backup.

18. On the Backup Progress page, showing status Creating shadow copy of volumes..

19. On the Backup Progress page, showing status Backup in progress for application: HyperV.

20. On the Backup Progress page, showing status Completed and click Close.

21. Backup paths and details.

To restore virtual machines from Backup, you will perform full deletion of virtual machine, KTM-FS-2K12 from the Hyper-V host in our environment, which you backed up in the previous section.

Restoring virtual machine from Windows Server Backup feature, perform the following steps:

1. Open the Window Server Backup console. In the Actions pane, click Recover..

2. On the Getting started page, select This server (KTM-HOST1) option to specify that the backup stored that you want to use for the recovery, and then click Next.

3. On the Select Backup Date page, select the appropriate backup date and then click Next.

4. On the Select Recovery Type page, select Hyper-V as the backup type and click Next.

5. On the Select items to Recover page, select the virtual machine you want to recover, and then click Next.

6. On the Specify Recovery Options page, select Recover to original location option and then click Next.

7. On the Confirmation page, verify the recovery items, backup date, and then click Recover.

8. On the Recovery Progress page, status showing Recovery in progress.. Upon completion of the virtual machine recovery process, Windows Server Backup will provide with you confirmation about the successful restore of the virtual machine as follows and then click Close.

 

9. For the restored virtual machine confirmation, Open Hyper-V Manager and try to locate VM, KTM-FS-2K12, in the available virtual machines.

 

 

Summary:

I hope this article will help to the Hyper-V administrators to quickly backup and restore virtual machines with Windows Server Backup (WSB) feature, in the absent of an enterprise-level backup solution, such as Data Protection Manager 2012 R2 or other third party backup solution for Hyper-V.