Windows Server Backup: How-To Set It and Forget It! [VIDEO]

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Written and recorded by Tyler Johnson, Microsoft Premier Field Engineer.

Windows Server Backup: How-To Set it and forget it! Anyone that has used Microsoft Windows Server Backup (WSB) in Windows Server 2008 might immediately experience feelings of nostalgia for days gone by, of a simple and fast backup with NTBACKUP.  Granted there have been some changes that may appear to be negative at first glance.  The backups are larger, they take a longer time to complete, and, by default, you can’t backup your system drive to your system drive.  That being said, Windows Server Backup was given an overhaul.  It’s been improved with the following features:

  • Faster backup technology
  • Simplified restoration
  • Simplified recovery of your operating system
  • Ability to recover applications
  • Improved scheduling
  • Offsite removal of backups for disaster protection
  • Remote administration
  • Automatic disk usage management
  • Extensive command-line support
  • Support for optical media drives and removable media

You can read more here if you’re interested in the details.

You might be thinking, “Those all look like great improvements, but the fact that a system state backup is now six times larger than it used to be means I’m going to stay away from WSB.”

Well one of the bullets above should wash all your concerns away.  Automatic Disk Usage Management means you turn on a backup schedule and you forget about it for the rest of the time (or until you need to restore).  No fussing with scheduled tasks, scripts to manage disk usage, or backup tapes.   Have a watch!