Data backups aren’t as exciting as dual-core Intel chips that dual-boot Mac OS X and Windows XP, but maintaining a sound backup strategy can prevent excitement of a different kind (the kind you don’t want). Although technology professionals can choose from a confusing array of OEM, proprietary, and third-party solutions, Windows’ native backup program often proves adequate for meeting the data backup and recovery requirements of most small and medium businesses. The trick is in knowing Windows Backup’s benefits and drawbacks. By playing to the utility’s strengths, you can eliminate unwanted excitement and keep your workday low key.

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#1: It’s proven (i.e., no one ever got fired for buying IBM…)

No one in their right mind wants to explain to a client or director why a backup or recovery operation failed. Losing data is among the greatest technology sins, so it’s only appropriate that the job be entrusted to a reliable solution. The old saying reminds that, “No one ever got fired for buying IBM.” The same holds for technology professionals in small or medium-size businesses who opt for using Microsoft tools.

Although many criticize Microsoft’s native Backup tool for its lack of sophistication and flexibility, the Windows utility’s lack of complexity is its greatest strength. Windows Backup provides a simple and proven method for safeguarding data. Further, it’s a capable tool for backing up data to a medium that’s easily stored offsite.

#2: The wizard is your friend

Sure, you can elect to work in Backup’s Advanced mode (Figure A), but wizards simplify complex tasks. More important, they help ensure that you don’t forget a step. And let’s face it, when the phone’s ringing and you’re downloading a service pack, applying a patch, and configuring a backup, it’s easy to overlook a setting.

Figure A

Windows Backup’s Advanced Mode let’s you specify all backup configuration details manually.

There’s a reason wizards dominate Windows Small Business Server administration: They work. When creating a critical backup, take a few extra moments to allow the wizard (Figure B) to walk you through the process.

Figure B

The Windows Backup Or Restore Wizard simplifies backup creation and helps ensure that you don’t miss critical configuration settings (such as scheduling the backup to occur daily or configuring an Incremental versus a Normal backup).

The Backup Or Restore Wizard first asks whether you want to back up or restore files and settings. Assuming you specify a backup operation, the next step involves specifying the data you want to back up. You can elect to back up local files and folders as well as network shares, of course.

After you configure the data to be backed up, you’ll have to select the backup location. I’ve encountered clients who back up data to the same hard disk, believing it’s a second disk (due to its being partitioned and possessing a different drive letter). Backups always work best when a copy is stored offsite, thereby protecting against fire/smoke/water damage that might occur at the central place of business.

Next, the wizard will prompt you to provide a name for the backup. It will then provide a summary screen (Figure C). But you’re not through yet.

Figure C

The wizard’s summary screen leads you to believe you’re just about finished configuring the new backup; you’re not. You still need to configure advanced settings.

Click Advanced to configure the type of Backup:

• Normal backs up all files and marks each as backed up.
• Copy backs up files but does not mark them as backed up.
• Incremental backs up files only if they were created or modified since the last backup operation completed and marks them as backed up.
• Differential backs up only those files created since the last backup completed, but unlike Incremental backups, a Differential backup doesn’t mark the files as backed up.
• Daily backs up only files created or modified that day (without changing files’ archive bits).

Once you’ve specified the backup type, the wizard presents two options: Verify Data After Backup and Disable Volume Shadow Copy. A third option, Use Hardware Compression If Available, will appear if the system has the appropriate equipment. Make your selections and specify whether to append or replace the backup, select a time for the backup to run, and enter a backup name (this name identifies the backup operation, not the .BKF file the backup creates). Enter a user account with the appropriate permissions to run the backup operation and then provide the password.

Before clicking Next to finish creating the backup routine, click Set Schedule. Use the Schedule tab to specify how often and when the backup runs. Use the Settings tab to configure additional options, such as the length of time the backup has to complete the process and whether the backup should run even if the power fails and the system’s battery power kicks in.

Once those settings are configured, you’re finished with the wizard. You can rest assured all important steps have been considered (even if you’re interrupted mid-process by a telephone call).

#3: You must watch names when creating new backups

When creating backups using Windows Backup Or Restore Wizard, you need to provide a name for the backup routine. In fact, you must enter two names, one to identify the backup operation itself (the job name) and another for the actual .BKF file that Backup creates (the backup name). They’re easy to confuse, and worse, Windows Backup remembers the last names you used and displays them by default; it’s easy to overwrite an existing routine or backup file when creating a second backup operation. Take care to ensure you don’t accidentally overwrite an old backup file or mistakenly alter an existing backup operation when configuring new backups.

When using the Backup Or Restore Wizard, the first name you specify is for the backup file itself. This is the data file the backup operation creates. It’s entered on the wizard’s Backup Type, Destination, And Name screen.

Scheduling a backup triggers the Job Name box, found on the wizard’s When To Back Up menu. The name you enter there determines the job name used to administer the backup operation.

#4: Advanced options are key

Advanced Options, accessed using the Advanced button found on the Backup Or Restore Wizard’s summary screen (shown in Figure C) provides access to critical settings. In addition to configuring the backup type as described above, you use Advanced options to specify whether backups append or replace older backups and whether a backup is scheduled to run regularly.

When scheduling backup routines, the Set Schedule button provides access to yet another set of tabs. The Schedule tab enables configuring the backup’s frequency, while the Settings tab (Figure D) permits customizing Scheduled Task completion parameters, how the system should manage idle time, and power management.

Figure D

Critical power management and idle time settings are configured using the Settings tab reached by clicking the Set Schedule button from within Advanced options.

Full article @ http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=758