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After your server has become corrupted or doesn’t start anymore or hardware died it would be nice if there is a simple way to restore the whole server. This is how it works with the build in server backup program.

What you need is you’re SBS 2011 dvd or iso and a successful windows server backup. In this blog post (click here) I described how to configure the sbs server backup.

If you have a hardware error fix this first. Then start the server from your SBS dvd or iso.

Choose your language and next to continue

Now we choose Repair your computer

If you are restoring to same hardware and the old installation is still on that disks you will see this here and can try to use the recovery tools before you are going to do a full restore.
If you use a storage controller that has to load additional drivers then choose Load drivers before you continue.

In this case we are going to restore to complete new disks so there can be found no earlier installation. Choose next.

If you got an error make sure you have connect the device with your sbs server backup on it.
Choose if you would like to use the last available backup or select another backup.

Now you can choose if you would exclude disks to restore to, install drivers for you storage controller if your disk aren’t detected or choose to only restore system drives from your backup.
Choose next to continue

An overview what will be restored. Choose Finish

Another warning that your disks will be formatted and all data on i twill be lost. Choose Yes to continue.

Now the restore is in progress, this can take a while depending your hardware and amount of data. After restore is finished the server will reboot automatically. When you first logon it could take a while before everything is started successful please be patient.

You now have successful restored your SBS 2011 server.

Go directly to SBS 2011 index file. With links to all articles from this serie.

After we are finished with Part 6 configuring “Move server storage (data) to other partition(s)” and moved all data to another partition. We go back to “Home” page of the SBS console and choose for “Configure Server Backup”.

The wizard start with some information about what we are going to do.

In this screen you will see your attached external disk drives. Because I have installed SBS 2011 in a Hyper-V virtual machine I have to check “Show all valid internal and external backup destinations” so I can use a special created disk for backup purposes.

Advice is to use a minimum of 2 or better more disks for your backup, so you can always keep minimal one disk away from the server or better out of the office for something happens with the server or building.

Note that the disk you choose will be formatted and can only be used for backup storage and nothing else. If you use SCSI vhd files you can evenly hotswap the virtual drives from your SBS 2011 virtual machine.

If you use your SBS 2011 as a virtual machine you can also attach your usb disk connected to your host, read here how to attach your usb disk.

Give your disk a meaningful label. You will see here all disk you checked in the previous window.

Choose the partitions you would like to backup.

Choose your backup schedule, you can create it the way you like.

An overview of your selections.

You get a warning because now your disks will be formatted and all data on the disks is lost.

Depending on the size, type and number of the disks it could take some time.

Your server backup is now configured.

You can find the backup job under Backup and Server Storage and then the tab Backup.

This is also the place where you can change the backup job, schedule, selected partitions, remove or add backup disks and restore a backup job.
I would write something about restoring a backup job later.

For how to do a full server restore click here.

Go back to Part 6 configuring “Move server storage (data) to other partition(s)”
Continue with Part 8 Configure “POP3 connector”