RDX with Server 2008

How to use Server 2008 backup with RDX drives

This works with USB or internal SATA RDX drives, Microsoft Server 2008 R2 and requires the RDX patch that allows ejects.

First you need to set up or give rights to users on server 2008 that will run the backup jobs

Next share the root of the RDX drive (with a cartridge inserted)

The share has to give individual rights to each user to access and change the rdx, groups such as backup operators DO NOT WORK.

Then set up a backup job using the 2008 backup wizard.

Select custom backup, selecting bare metal, the drives you want to back up and the system state.

Make sure you do not include the RDX drive in the choices here, and that the size of the rdx is big enough to cover all these choices.

Schedule the backup as required

Save the details and when requested put the username and password in for a user who will run the backups. Often the administrator account is good for this stage.

Complete the wizard, the backup now needs testing.

In the right hand panel select "backup once" to test the backup.

If all is well you should get a full backup with a uncompressed vhd and lots of xml files.

You can use this for bare metal restores from a server 2008 boot CD, or for individual file restores.

How to use Server 2008 backup with RDX drives, continued...

The one limitation is that it is 1 backup per RDX, you can share subfolders and make multiple backups that way, but bare metal restores then require you to move files around back to the root of the drive (otherwise the CD doesn't see the vhd).

If you want other users (not the one that schedules the backup) to check the backup or perform restores you need to give them rights as backup operators and rights to the shared RDX drive.

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