Platform Backup

Step 1: To perform a DocAve Platform Backup, click on the Data Protection Suite, and then click “Platform Backup & Restore.”

Step 2: On the Backup tab, click “Start with Wizard Mode” in the middle of the screen. Give your plan a name, select “New Plan”, and select a farm from the “Farm” drop-down (if you only have one farm, it will already be selected). Click Next.

Step 3: Select the components you wish to backup. You can select content databases, configuration databases, IIS settings, and even custom databases by browsing.  The most popular method is to backup the entire farm, which you do by checking “Farm” below your farm’s name. Click Next.

Step 4: At step 3 of the wizard, you inform DocAve whether or not you are backing up the databases with SQL server, as well as defining whether or not you wish it to perform a Log Backup. Refer to the Platform Backup and Restore user guide for detailed information on these important choices. Click Next.

Step 5: A Storage policy must be specified. This is where backup data will be stored. Storage Policies are created in the DocAve Control Panel. If for any reason you didn’t create one beforehand, you can create a new Storage Policy by selecting “New Storage Policy” from the drop-down.

Step 6: Select whether or not backup data will be compressed and/or encrypted. If you choose to encrypt, you also must select a security profile. A default security profile is provided, and you can build your own in the DocAve Control Panel. After you’ve defined your options, click Next.

Step 7: Choose whether or not to create persistent snapshots. Persistent snapshots are an aspect of using Microsoft CSS as part of the backup solution. If you choose to create persistent snapshots, you must specify how many snapshots you want to keep, and for how long. Click Next.

Step 8: Configure advanced options. You can enable InstaMount for granular index, select a Staging SQL server for InstaMount, define options for Broken Log Chain, add this plan to a Plan Group, and select a Notification profile. Refer to the Platform Backup and Restore user guide for detailed information on these options. Click Next.

Step 9: Define a schedule (optional). If you choose to run your plan on a schedule, you must select a backup type, and choose the granularity level, which will dictate to what level you can perform a granular restore. Click Next.

Step 10: The last step in the wizard is an Overview page, on which you can review the choices you’ve made. By selecting Finish, your plan will be saved, and will run on its schedule.

Platform Restore

Step 1: In the Data Protection suite, Click on Platform Backup and Restore, then the “Restore” tab.

Step 2: Click “Start with a time-based restore”, which will pull up a calendar to show you all your recent backup jobs.  Select the backup in question and click Next. To select the data to be restored, expand the farm.

Note: If nothing is automatically checked, that indicates the entire farm was backed up. If only a database was backed up, it would be located under Microsoft SharePoint Foundation web applications, under the web app, and only that database would be available.

Step 3: If you wish to restore an individual item, you must select the database and click “View Granular Content”. Select the content to be restored, and click Next.

Step 4: If you are restoring individual documents, and that content was externalized outside SharePoint, stubs and blobs will be a concern. Here you can restore data from the stub or blob database. Refer to the Platform Backup and Restore user guide for detailed information on these options. Click Next.

Step 5: Content can be restored to its original location (in place) or to a different location in SharePoint (out-of-place). If you select out-of-place restore, you must specify where the content will go by browsing through the farm and selecting a location. If you’re concerned about load balancing the restore against other operations, select an appropriate Agent Group to perform the restore. Click Next.

Step 6: If you’re restoring a container (folder or higher) select an appropriate conflict resolution setting (Skip, Merge, or Replace). At the content level, you can select between Skip, Overwrite, and Append New Version. Conflict resolution can also be set for apps. This is necessary if you are restoring an entire site collection, and have apps deployed.

Step 7: Decide whether or not to check the recycle bin contents as part of the restore job. If you do so, and the items to be restored are found in the recycle bin, the restore will cancel. Click Next.

Step 8: Restores can be performed immediately or on a schedule. Running the restore on a schedule lets you push it off to a more appropriate time. Click Next.

Step 9: The last step in the wizard is an Overview page, on which you can review the choices you’ve made. Click Finish. The job will either run or be scheduled, based on previous choices.