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JSI Tip 6708. How do I backup and restore a Windows Server 2003 cluster?
Jerold Schulman
May 13, 2003
4 Min Read
NOTE: The text in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article is provided so that the site search can find this page. Please click the Knowledge Base link to insure that you are reading the most current information.
Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q286422 contains:
SUMMARY
The Backup tool (NTBackup.exe) has been enhanced in Windows Server 2003. This article describes how to use the Backup tool in Windows Server 2003 to perform seamless backup and restore operations of the local cluster database. You can use Backup to restore the configuration locally and to all nodes in a cluster.
MORE INFORMATION
How to Back Up the Cluster Configuration
To back up the cluster configuration, use the Backup tool to back up the system state of a node when the Cluster service is running. When you do so, a backup of the local cluster registry is created in the %SystemRoot%ClusterClusDB folder. The contents on the Quorum disk, including the Chkxxx.tmp file and the Quolog.log file are also backed up.
To back up the cluster configuration:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
After the Backup or Restore Wizard starts, click Next.
Click Back up files and settings, and then click Next.
Click Let me choose what to back up, and then click Next.
Under My Computer, click to select System State.
Enter a location to save the backup file, and then click Next.
Verify the backup settings, and then click Finish.
How to Restore the Cluster Configuration
You must make special considerations when you restore the cluster configuration. Use caution when you restore the system state because it affects the following components:
The boot files
The COM+ class registration database
The registry
The system volume (SYSVOL) (domain controllersonly)
Active Directory (NTDS) (domain controllersonly)
When the restore process starts, it stops the Cluster service on that local node. If you restore the cluster configuration to the whole cluster, the Cluster service is stopped on all nodes in the cluster. Consider how this stoppage will affect your environment before you perform the restore operation. The restore process also creates a backup of the restored checkpoint and quorum log file in the %SystemRoot%ClusterCluster_Backup folder.
To restore the cluster configuration:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
After the Backup or Restore Wizard starts, click Next.
Click Restore files and settings, and then click Next.
Select the media that you want to perform the restoreoperation from, click to select the appropriate system state, and then click Next.
On the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard page, perform one of the following tasks:
If you want to restore only the cluster configuration (ClusDB) for this local node, click Next.
If you want to restore the cluster configuration from this backup to all nodes in the cluster, click the Advanced button, and then follow these steps:
Under restore files to, click their original location, and then click Next.
Click Replace existing files, and then click Next.
Click to select the Restore the Cluster Registry to the quorum disk and all other nodes check box, and then click Next.
Click Finish.
After the restore process has completed, click Yes when you are prompted to restart the computer.
You must restart the computer because the ClusDB file is in use. It will be replaced by the system when you restart.
Note If you restored the cluster configuration to all nodes in thecluster, the Cluster service is stopped on all nodes in the cluster after thenode that was restored is restarted. As a result, the whole cluster is unavailable during the restore operation.Verify the Cluster service starts correctly on all nodesin the cluster.
Note If the cluster configuration was restored to the whole cluster,you must start the Cluster service on the other nodes in thecluster.
For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
240363 HOW TO: Use the Backup Program to Back Up and Restore the System State in Windows 2000
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