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Hey Everyone,
First time posting here! I believe SharePoint categories got removed except for one on technet.
Anyways, hope you're all doing well.
I had a question regarding backup-spfarm/restore-spfarm and when these are useful to use.
As an example, during cumulative update/public updates, if something goes wrong and I can't resolve and need to revert (this is probably very unlikely) - I can't use restore-spfarm, because the update has already been recorded in the config database.
In the central admin "perform a backup", I see the "configuration database" as the backup component. So I'm curious why that's being backed up when it cant be restored.
So if the config database / central admin database cant be restored from these backups, then what scenarios does backup-spfarm/restore-spfarm come in handy?
To resolve the issue with the cu/pu patching above, I would have to recreate the farm entirely and use db backups and restore them onto the new server.
redeploy all your wsps, and reconfigure everything else.
If I was to create a test/development farm I would do the same process.
Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding how to use backup/restore and can use backup/restore to help me with creating these farms.
Rather than just thinking its used to restore granular items such as site collections.
Backup-SPFarm extracts configuration elements from the Config database (such as WSPs, Web App settings, etc.). While you cannot restore the Config/Admin database, you can restore a farm configuration to a new farm should you run into a catastrophic issue with a patch, for example. Though I would contact Microsoft support before attempting to restore to a new farm.
@Trevor Seward good to know. Appreciate the reply. what exactly does restore-spfarm do?
On a new farm, would it add back all web applications/service applications/solution packages/content databases/ and their settings at the point of the backup? If so, it seems like a better/quicker way to create a new farm or recover one in comparison to backup and restore dbs in sql.
What’s your process in restoring/creating new farm using the same databases (dev/test farm)
Restore-SPFarm restores configuration objects. A config object example would be outgoing SMTP settings, Web Application settings, and other farm-related settings.
What I would strongly recommend is instead of that approach, use a scripted deployment methodology. If all of your configuration is scripted, building a new farm becomes trivial. This is what I do.
I would also recommend not using Backup-SPFarm for databases but rather SQL server jobs or a 3rd party solution.
@Trevor Seward something like autospinstaller?
Doesn’t seem like you really use restore-spfarm yourself.
If I use back up restore cdbs through sql and use restore-spfarm configurationonly would that be okay? If not I’ll just avoid using the restore-spfarm entirely.
AutoSPInstaller is one example, yes.
I do database backups only (sans Config/Admin) due to transaction log truncation. With that said, yes taking database backups of service apps + content databases and then using Backup-SPFarm to export the farm config is another way to go.
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Thanks Trevor for the sharing!