Restore of MABS server

Question

Hi All,

I have one Backup server which is having MABS v4 installed on it. So this server is doing backup of almost 20 More VMs. i just wanted to check the steps for getting backup of this Backup server itself. i mean schedule the backup of this backup server itself and steps to restore it.

What i thinking we can schedule the Online SQL databases backup which is used by MABS and schedule a online system state backup, but i am bit confused how we will restore it if this backup server got corrupted.

Answer 1

Hello rajneesh kumar,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Yes, you can use the System State Backup in certain situations, and this can indeed remove the need to install MABS (Microsoft Azure Backup Server) for recovery. However, it’s important to understand the limitations and process behind it.

Using System State Backup for Recovery

The System State Backup contains key components that are required to recover the system, including:

• Windows registry (essential system settings)
• Boot files (to restore the system to a bootable state)
• Active Directory (if applicable)
• System files and certain other critical operating system components

If you have a System State Backup of your original server, you can use it to recover the server’s operating system and critical system settings without needing to install the full Azure Backup Server (MABS).

Scenario: Recovering Using System State Backup

Recover the System:

If you have a System State Backup from your original server, you can restore that backup on a new server (or the same server, if it's just a failure of the OS).

This will recover the Windows OS, the system settings, and critical files like the boot files and Active Directory (if applicable).

No Need for MABS Installation:

If you only need to recover system settings and the OS, you do not need to install MABS as long as you’re not recovering application-level data or protection groups that were part of your backup scope.

The System State Backup will essentially restore the system to a working state, allowing you to get back to business without needing to re-deploy MABS.

Recovery of Azure Backup Data:

However, if you want to restore backed-up data (files, folders, application data, etc.), you would still need to install MABS or use Azure Backup tools to access the recovery data stored in the Recovery Services Vault.

The System State Backup alone will not restore files that were protected by MABS or other application-level backups. For that, you'd need the original backup agent or server.

Process for Using System State Backup:

If you have a system state backup, here's a high-level overview of the steps you might take:

Restore the System State:

Use Windows recovery tools or a bootable disk to restore the System State Backup to a new machine or a restored machine.

This will recover the core OS and make the server bootable again with all the critical system settings.

Access Data from the Recovery Vault (if needed):

Once the system is back online, if you still need to restore data from the Recovery Services Vault, you will have to install the Azure Backup Agent or MABS (depending on your backup configuration) and use the Recovery options to retrieve your data.

Important Points:

System State Backup can recover the operating system and essential system components but does not recover data backed up through MABS.

If your primary goal is to recover system-level settings (like the OS and boot configuration), the System State Backup is sufficient and eliminates the need to install MABS.

If you need data from Azure Backup (files, folders, applications, etc.), you will still need to install MABS or the Azure Backup Agent.

So, long story short

• Yes, using a System State Backup can avoid the need to install MABS if your goal is to recover the operating system and system-related settings.
• No, it does not eliminate the need for MABS if you need to recover application or data-level backups that were protected by Azure Backup (e.g., file-level restores, application restores, etc.).
• So, it depends on the scope of your recovery — if you're recovering the OS and core settings, System State Backup works well. For application or data recovery, you still need MABS.

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