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bare metal recovery of windows server 2008r2 active directory

M
Bit
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Hello,

I am newbie to commvault. The vendor just configured the backup for all physical servers in my company during the presence of previous system admin without providing any documentation or training to the system admin who left recently, now I took over his position and just learnt the basics as how to create backup of newly added servers via searches. I use commcell console as it looks easy.

Here’s my task/scenario:

Now I have a task to migrate windows server 2008 r2 active directory server (on HP proliant Gen 8 physical server whose backup is already configured in commvault) to freshly installed windows server 2019 (new HP proliant but Gen 10) via fsmo transfer.

But before doing that to be very careful, I want to test the migration on virtual setup by doing bare metal restore of win ser 2008 r2 on esxi host so that if anything goes wrong on live setup, I could immediately turn on the restored active directory vm and the clients don’t get impacted.

I added esxi host in commvault commcell console.

I know that the backup of win ser 2008 active directory has to be virtualized but don’t know the proper steps.

Please let me know the steps and tool kits needed, I read that 1-touch winpe iso is needed but from where to get the exact version for win ser 2008 and also for win ser 2019 and what are the steps, I referred some topics but they confused.

Anyone who could help me with appropriate steps will be appreciated.

NOTE: please provide the steps for bare metal recovery of active directory server on different physical server of different hardware and also for esxi.

 

Commvault Details: commserve version  11.23.3 , commvault 11.80.230.0

 

Best answer by Jos Meijer

Hi @mirza 

I am looking for some context.

Is this the only domain controller in the environment?

If not, and the migration results in changes within the AD schema whilst this specific domain controller doesn't operate as expected you cannot simply recover the original domain controller.

 

If this is the only domain controller then you can use the following 1 Touch 11.23 ISO:

https://cloud.commvault.com/webconsole/softwarestore/#!/130/616/19783

 

Add the necessary drivers for the Gen10 server:

Adding Drivers During Bare Metal Recovery Using 1-Touch for Windows (Cross Hardware Restore) (commvault.com)

EDIT: This step might not be needed as I see they included the HP OEM drivers in the ISO.

 

Combined with the general 1-Touch documentation:

https://documentation.commvault.com/11.23/expert/18887_bare_metal_recovery_using_1_touch_for_windows.html

 

If you want to recovery the server as a VM then you need a Physical to Virtual conversion:

Virtualize Me for Windows and UNIX Computers (commvault.com)

This can be used in conjunction with the 1-touch backup method.

 

Please note that if the recovery of the domain controller is performed days later, you could notice issues because objects relations may not be valid anymore from a user/server perspective.

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5 replies

Jos Meijer
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  • Jos MeijerCommvault Certified Expert
  • Commvault Certified Expert
  • 638 replies
  • Answer
  • August 25, 2022

Hi @mirza 

I am looking for some context.

Is this the only domain controller in the environment?

If not, and the migration results in changes within the AD schema whilst this specific domain controller doesn't operate as expected you cannot simply recover the original domain controller.

 

If this is the only domain controller then you can use the following 1 Touch 11.23 ISO:

https://cloud.commvault.com/webconsole/softwarestore/#!/130/616/19783

 

Add the necessary drivers for the Gen10 server:

Adding Drivers During Bare Metal Recovery Using 1-Touch for Windows (Cross Hardware Restore) (commvault.com)

EDIT: This step might not be needed as I see they included the HP OEM drivers in the ISO.

 

Combined with the general 1-Touch documentation:

https://documentation.commvault.com/11.23/expert/18887_bare_metal_recovery_using_1_touch_for_windows.html

 

If you want to recovery the server as a VM then you need a Physical to Virtual conversion:

Virtualize Me for Windows and UNIX Computers (commvault.com)

This can be used in conjunction with the 1-touch backup method.

 

Please note that if the recovery of the domain controller is performed days later, you could notice issues because objects relations may not be valid anymore from a user/server perspective.

M
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    mirza
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Bit
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  • mirza
  • Author
  • Bit
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  • August 25, 2022

Hi Jos,

Thank you so much for replying quickly and making it easy.

I do have 1 additional domain controller win 2008 r2 and that’s also on HP gen 8.

 

Let me try the steps which you explained, hope they do good

Jos Meijer
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  • Jos Meijer
    Jos Meijer
D
Vaulter
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  • Dan WhiteVaulter
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  • 54 replies
  • August 25, 2022

@mirza Just to be clear here. After the restore is done, it will be whatever version the source machine was. This does not upgrade it from 2008 to 2019.

“Now I have a task to migrate windows server 2008 r2 active directory server (on HP proliant Gen 8 physical server whose backup is already configured in commvault) to freshly installed windows server 2019 (new HP proliant but Gen 10) via fsmo transfer.”

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, they will probably burn your spot"
Aplynx
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    Aplynx
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    mirza
Onno van den Berg
Commvault Certified Expert
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@mirza looks like your environment can definitely use some tender loving care as it runs a very old unsupported Commvault version with only MR3 applied. mind you that your setup is pretty vulnerable so I would strongly recommend to upgrade your Commvault setup as soon as possible.

I assume you want to try out the activities in a isolated virtualized environment that is disconnected from the production network, because once you start with FSMO roles transfer than you can't go back to a previous point in time backup by just restoring the old AD controller. The changes on AD side are immediately replicated to all the DCs in the forest so in case you really want/need to revert than most likely you will have to recover the entire AD database. I don't think you want to go down that path and I would strongly recommend to fix forward in case an issue arises. I personally have done many AD migration over the past and on the FSMO transfer part I have never encountered issues. Also in case you run into issues than you have the possibility to forcefully seize the specific FSMO role.

Aplynx
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  • mirza
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  • August 31, 2022

Thanks to everyone for precious replies.

Just performed BMR of primary domain controller and additional domain controller on esxi after a long hassle and battle with compatible iso images. strangely the iso for the physycal HP server worked out, not the recommended one.

Will now perform AD migration in test environment easily.

Jos Meijer
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    Jos Meijer

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