Can I use Acronis Home to backup a 2003 server?

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lchiu7

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#57335 10-Feb-2010 09:04

I have a server where the data doesnt' change much at all on it - most is on other servers. I would like to just take an image of the server at a point in time and if the HD crashes be able to restore it from the backup. If I need to actually deploy new hardware then this won't work but in that situation I would rebuild the OS and install the apps again.

Clearly Acronis 10 Server would do the job but that seems overkill not to mention expensive. Just wondering why I couldn't use Acronis Home edition, boot the server up from a restore disc and take a full image to a USB drive. Acronis wouldn't care that it might not run under Server 2003 since I am not running the OS at all.

Then in the event of a failure, I would just replace the drive, boot the server up again from the Acronis rescue CD and restore the image I saved before.

I would lose all the facilities in Acronis 10 such as backup scheduling live backups, selective restore etc. but I don't need that.

Thoughts anyone?

Thanks

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CYaBro

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#297590 10-Feb-2010 09:36

Don't think a Home version will work on a server.
You could try this:
http://www.todo-backup.com.../

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

lchiu7

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#297591 10-Feb-2010 09:57

That looks promising - will give it a shot. Thanks.

Though I would have thought if Acronis is started from its booting CD, then it wouldn't really know what core OS is on the machine it is backing up or restoring.

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freitasm

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#297594 10-Feb-2010 10:02

I think they have a trial version, you could test it...

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VEB

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#299818 17-Feb-2010 15:51

Actually, it does work.

Acronis bootable media (no matter CD or USB) doesn't care what OS is installed on the hardware; the bootable itself is some kind of Linux. You couldn't install Home version for Windows onto server OS, the setup would just terminate with corresponding message (marketing evil). But there's no OS problem with the Acronis bootable.
However, there are 2 other problems.

1. You may face a problem with the hardware drivers. Home version was made to work with common desktop hardware, and the Linux variant is equipped with a certain set of the drivers. A server may have a specific hardware that requires specific drivers, which can be absent in that Linux. And there would be no way to "install additional drivers". But, if you have a server licence and support package, you can call or write to support, and they will quickly make a Linux variant with drivers tailored for your hardware. (I had such a case, it took 2 days. This is the beauty of being legitimate customer.) However, if the bootable sees your hardware without a problem, you?re lucky, go ahead.

2. The other problem is licensing. Acronis adheres the principle of that license type and number must match the type and number of the equipment, which it?s used on. E.g. if you have 2 servers and 50 desktops, and you will use only Acronis bootable to image and restore the servers and image, deploy and restore desktops you will need 2 server licences and 50 desktop licences, even though you'll never install the software into OS. Sad. Generally, Acronis have excellent products, I use them for years for both servers and desktops, but they definitely need adjusting licensing policy.

Hope, this would help.

lchiu7

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#299905 17-Feb-2010 19:43

I thought it could be and commenting on your post.

1. No problem with hardware since the machines I am running Windows Server on are actually just desktops or workstations with decent but not esoteric hardware. All the boot disc needs to be able to do is recognise the USB drive and it does that.

2. Licensing is more challenging. It just didn't feel cost effective to spend US$999 for Acronis for Windows Server when the machine costs less than that and the goal was just to take a point in time backup in case the drive crashed. There is no changing data on the machine itself - all the data is in SQL Server on a proper server.

I am also looking at Easus backup which is free and runs on Windows Server.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

bluey

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#303561 2-Mar-2010 08:40

It definitely does work. I have backed up and restored a 2003 server with no problems using acronis home version 11. As stated above, you must use the boot cd.