System-Level Fault Tolerance (Clustering/Network Load Balancing) - Backing Up the Cluster Node System State
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Each cluster node's system state should be backed up regularly and before and after any hardware or software changes, including cluster configuration changes. This backup will contain the cluster quorum, local server Registry, COM+ registration database, and boot files necessary to start the system. On a domain controller, the system state will also contain the Active Directory database and the SYSVOL folder.
To back up the system state, perform the following steps:
Log on to the cluster node using an account that has the right to back up the system. (Any Local Administrator, Domain Administrator, or Cluster Service account has the necessary permissions to complete the operation.)
Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Backup.
If this is the first time you've run Backup, it will open in Wizard mode. Choose to run it in Advanced mode by clicking the Advanced Mode hyperlink. After you change to Advanced mode, the window should look like the one in Figure 31.13.
Click the Backup Wizard (Advanced) button to start the Backup Wizard.
Click Next on the Backup Wizard Welcome screen to continue.
On the What to Back Up page, choose the Only Back Up the System State Data button, shown in Figure 31.15, and click Next to continue.
Choose your backup media type and choose the correct media tape or file. If you're creating a new file, specify the complete path to the file, and the backup will create the file automatically. Click Next to continue.
If the file you specified resides on a network drive, click OK at the warning message to continue.
Click Finish to complete the Backup Wizard and start the backup.
When the backup is complete, review the backup log for detailed information and click Close on the Backup Progress window when finished.
Figure 31.15 Choosing the correct option for backup.
Backing Up the Local Disks on a Cluster Node
The cluster node local disks should be backed up regularly and, if possible, should be backed up with the system state. This allows both the system state and local disks to be recovered if a complete server failure should occur.
To back up a cluster node's local disks, perform the following steps:
Log on to the cluster node with an account that has the right to back up the system. (Any Local Administrator, Domain Administrator, or the Cluster Service account has the necessary permissions to complete the operation.)
Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Backup.
If this is the first time you've run Backup, it will open in Wizard mode. Choose to run it in Advanced mode by clicking the Advanced Mode hyperlink. After you change to Advanced mode, the window should look like the one in Figure 31.13.
Click the Backup Wizard (Advanced) button to start the Backup Wizard.
Click Next on the Backup Wizard Welcome screen to continue.
On the What To Back Up page, choose the Back Up Selected Files, Drives, or Network Data button and click Next to continue.
In the Items To Back Up window, shown in Figure 31.16, expand Desktop\My Computer and choose each of the local drives.
Choose your backup media type and choose the correct media tape or file. If you're creating a new file, specify the complete path to the file, and the backup will create the file automatically. Click Next to continue.
Figure 31.16 Choosing items to back up.
If the file you specified resides on a network drive, click OK at the warning message to continue.
Click Finish to complete the Backup Wizard and start the backup.
When the backup is complete, review the backup log for detailed information and click Close on the Backup Progress window when finished.
Backing Up Shared Disks on a Cluster
Shared storage disks can be backed up in a few different ways. The first way is to back up the disks from the node that is currently hosting them. This way, the disks can be backed up using the same process used to back up local disks, except the shared disks are chosen in the Backup Selection window.
The second way requires knowledge of the disk drive letters or mount points; it can be run and scheduled from any machine on the network using an account with permission to back up the cluster disks. If the drive letters are known, the cluster administrator can create network places that point to the cluster disk's administrative hidden shares. Alternatively, the hidden drive shares can be mapped to a local drive letter and backed up using the appropriate mapped network drives.
For example, in a cluster called CLUSTER1 with nodes named SERVER1 and SERVER2 and two shared disks named Q and F, the administrator can back up the drives by creating a network place or mapping a drive to \\cluster1\F$ and \\cluster1\Q$. If the disk resources are currently running in groups active on SERVER1, the administrator can connect to those hidden drive shares using the UNC of \\SERVER1\F$ and \\SERVER1\Q$. Using the cluster name or the network name of the particular cluster group containing a disk resource is preferred because the path will be absolute regardless of which node the group is active on.
Note - If shared disks are defined as volume mount points, backing up the drive also backs up data under the mount points.
 This chapter is from Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed, by Rand Morimoto, et al. (Sams Publishing, 2004, ISBN: 0672326671). Check it out at your favorite bookstore today.
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