Fitting SharePoint Into Your Organization’s Disaster Recovery Plans

Randy Williams, MVP MOSS

Synergy Corporate Technologies

rwilliams@synergyonline.com

Session Overview

• Recovery overview• Backup options

● Web export● Site collection backup● Farm backup● SQL database backup● Third party products● Other items to backup

• Recommendations

But first…a little humor

Operations Planning

• Ensure alignment between DR and business continuity plan (BCP)

• Define recovery objectives (RTO/RPO)• Diminishing returns cost curve

UPTIME %

COST ($)

Content vs Disaster Recovery

• Content Recovery● Restoring individual files or lists/libraries● Rely on versioning, recycle bin

• Disaster Recovery● OMG!● A critical SharePoint service/resource is

unavailable● Rely on various forms of backup

A Few Points on Recycle Bin

• Files aged from first do not go to second• Age setting applies to both bins• Turning off at web app will empty both bins• Only first bin is part of your quota• Web deletion does not go into bin

Backup Choices for Content

• Web (export/import)• Site collection• Farm• SQL Server content databases• Third Party

Web Backup

• Use stsadm –o export to backup• Also captures sub webs• Not full fidelity• Can use SPD to backup

● 24MB limit creates issues• Avoid on large sites/webs

Export Demo

Web Restore

• Use stsadm –o import to restore• Will create web(s) or merge into existing

● For merge, webs must have same base site definition

• Content is recreated● Original created values are lost

Site Collection Backup

• Use stsadm –o backup• Serialized into a single file• Full-fidelity backup of whole site collection• Scheduled with task scheduler• Easily list sites with stsadm –o enumsites• Microsoft IT Site Delete Capture

Site Collection Restore

• Use stsadm –o restore• Can create or overwrite existing site• If restoring a duplicate site

● Must restore into a different content db• Must restore into farm with same

SharePoint build

Major SharePoint Build Numbers

Release Build Number

RTM 4518

SP1 6219

Infrastructure Update 6318

Aug 08 Cumulative 6327

Oct 08 Cumulative 6331

Dec 08 Cumulative 6335

Feb 09 Cumulative 6341

Site Collection Restore

• If restoring to different path in same web application● File not found error with publishing sites● See http://tinyurl.com/bwazun

Site Collection Restore Demo

Farm Backup

• Use stsadm –o backup –directory• Supports full or differential• Does SQL-based database backups

● Truncates the transaction log• Only supported way to backup SP indexes• Backup is done to UNC path

● SQL Service account and account running backup must have write permissions

Farm Backup

• Can back up whole farm or certain items● Web application, content db, SSP, et al

• Can be issued (but not scheduled) using central admin

• Maintain your backup sets● Make sure you keep spbrtoc.xml in sync● Use PowerShell script

Farm Backup Demo

Additional Items to Backup

• IIS● IIS6 use iisback.vbs; IIS7 use appcmd.exe● SSL certificates

• 12 Hive● Easy to zip up

• Web App files in wss\VirtualDirectories• Other third party tools (e.g. IFilters)

Farm Restore

• Only needed if farm is lost• Must create a new farm with same build• Use stsadm –o restore –directory or

central admin• Spbackup.xml lists backup items• Keep content and indexes in sync• Must recreate AAM, certain IIS settings, 12

hive changes, web.config changes

SQL Server Backup

• Common to also backup config and content databases through SQL Server

• Supports full, differential and incremental• At the VERY least, backup your content

databases• Easily scheduled using agents• Also backup system databases (master,

msdb)

SQL Backup & Restore Demo

Third Party Backup Solutions

• AvePoint’s DocAve• CommVault• Neverfail• Quest’s Recovery Manager• Microsoft’s Data Protection Manager

Data Protection Manager

• Part of System Center• Provides comprehensive protection of your

farm● Farm, WFE system state

• Farm, Site and Item Recovery• SP1 improvements

● Catalog performance gains● Index support

Recommendations

• Keep a SharePoint change log• Use SharePoint WSP solutions• Actually do trial restores

● Use a staging/test farm to perform restores• Keep content db’s small (< 100-200 GB)• Appropriately name content db’s• Do a backup before and after an upgrade• No one solution is best for all

In Conclusion

• SQL backups yield the best performance● site/web export is the worst

• Third party solutions address● Integration with existing backups● Item, list or library level recovery● Large content stores (>200GB)

• High availability Options

Questions?

• My blog● http://sharepointhawaii.com/randywilliams