Backup of Protected Computer System State
Applies To: System Center Data Protection Manager 2007
System state is a collection of system-specific data maintained by the operating system that must be backed up as a unit. It is not a backup of the entire system. The backup of a computer's system state can be used when you need to return the computer to a known state, such as after an installation that puts the computer in an undesirable state.
DPM can protect the system state for any computer on which a DPM protection agent can be installed, except computers running Windows Vista.
Important
For complete protection on a Windows Server 2008 operating system, including system state protection, you must install Knowledge Base article 949779 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=122512).
The system state of a protected computer can be added to a protection group. DPM leverages the Windows Backup utility on the protected computer to back up the system state to a backup (.bkf) file, which is saved to the DPM medium you specify for that protection group (disk, tape, or both).
Because system state does not change frequently, consider placing system state in protection groups separate from file and application data so that you can specify the most efficient protection schedule for each data source.
Member Server and Desktop System State
When DPM backs up the system state of a member server or desktop, the following components are protected:
The boot files
The COM+ class registration database
The registry
Domain Controller System State
When DPM backs up the system state of a domain controller, the following components are protected:
Active Directory (NTDS)
The boot files
The COM+ class registration database
The registry
The system volume (SYSVOL)
For more information about backing up and restoring system state for a domain controller, see "Introduction to Administering Active Directory Backup and Restore" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=90626).
Server Running Certificate Services System State
When DPM backs up the system state of a member server or domain controller with Certificate Services installed, Certificate Services is protected in addition to the member server or domain controller system state components.
Cluster Server System State
When DPM backs up the system state of a cluster server, the cluster service metadata is protected in addition to the member server system state components.
To Change the Location of the Backup File
The backup file of system state is created at %systemdrive%\DPM_SYSTEM_STATE.
To change the location of the system state backup file
On the protected computer, open PSDatasourceConfig.xml in an XML or text editor. PSDatasourceConfig.xml is typically located at install path\Program Files\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\Datasources.
Change the <FilesToProtect> value from %systemdrive% to the desired location.
Save the file.
On the DPM server, if there is a protection group protecting the system state of the protected computer in step 1, run a consistency check.
The consistency check will fail and generate an alert. Perform the recommended actions in the alert as follows:
In the alert details, click the Modify protection group link, and then step through the wizard.
Perform a consistency check.
System State Backup Logs
The logs for system state backup are stored at C:\Document and Settings\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\NTBackup.
Log files will be named NTBackup0.log, NTBackup1.log, and so forth. You can view these logs to help resolve any issues that occur with the system state backup.