Last modified: 2019/08/21 (Note: Content written for AhsayCBS v7+v8, and still generally apply to latest product release)

AhsayOBM allows you to back up the whole Windows System with the Windows System Backup Module. This module of AhsayOBM provides you with a set of tools to protect your mission critical systems / personal computers on Windows operating system platforms. This includes an image-based / bare-metal backup feature, that leverages Microsoft’s native Wbadmin command-line tool (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140216), and recovery feature, to ensure that your servers and computers are protected even if they are lost or destroyed entirely. The image can be recovered onto a new device if necessary.

For the list of hardware requirements for AhsayOBM, refer to: Ahsay Hardware Requirement List (HRL)

For the list of compatible Windows operating systems platforms refer to: Ahsay Software Compatibility List (SCL)

To optimize performance of AhsayOBM on Windows, and to avoid conflict with your antivirus software, refer to Suggestion on antivirus exclusions to improve performance of Ahsay software on Windows for the list of processes and directory paths that should be added to all antivirus software white-list / exclusion list.

It is recommended that the latest version of AhsayOBM is installed on the computer to be backed up. User should also stay up-to-date when newer version of AhsayOBM is released.

For best performance, it is recommended that the temporary storage location of a MS Windows System backup set is set to a supported local volume, and not to a network volume (e.g. to improve I/O performance).

It is highly recommended to enable the Include all critical volumes option to select all critical volumes for backup automatically. This will ensure that the backup image can be used for full-system / bare-metal recovery.

The default maximum Java heap size on a 64bit Windows machine is 2048M. For better performance especially for in-file delta generation of large image files it may be advantageous to increase the maximum Java heap size.

For best performance, consider increasing the memory allocation setting for AhsayOBM (Java heap space) For more details about the modification of the java heap size setting for AhsayOBM, refer to: How to modify the Java heap size setting of AhsayOBM / AhsayACB?

An image-based / bare-metal backup should never be considered a replacement for a nightly data backup plan. Image-based backups do not lend themselves easily to recovery of a single file. The nature of image-based backup requires a complete restore of the system image file, even if you only want to recover a single file.

Consider performing routine system recovery test to ensure your system backup is setup and performed properly. Performing system recovery test can also help identify potential issues or gaps in your system recovery plan.

For best result, it is recommended that you should keep the test as close as possible to a real situation. Often when a recovery test is to take place, administrators will plan for the test (e.g. reconfiguring the test environments, restoring certain data in advance). For real recovery situation, you will not get a chance to do that.

It's important that you do not try to make the test easier, as the objective of a successful test is not to demonstrate that everything is flawless. There might be flaws identified in the plan throughout the test and it is important to identify those flaws.

Please consider the following before performing a restore:

To perform recovery using Windows Server Backup, the operating system account that you use, must be a member of the Backup Operators or Administrators group.

For recovery of operating system to a new hard disk, ensure that the disk that you restore to is at least the size of the disk that contained the volumes that were backed up, regardless of the size of those volumes within.

For example, if there was only one volume of size 100 GB created on a 1 TB disk during backup, then you should use a disk that is at least 1 TB when recovering.

For recovery of operating system, the processor architecture for a given instance of Windows Recovery Environment and the computer whose system you are trying to restore must match. For example, Windows Recovery Environment for an x64 based version of the operating system will only work on an x64 based server.

This recovery method requires the restore target system to have similar hardware and the exact same boot type as the source system from which the backup was taken. Disk adapters are especially sensitive. If dissimilar hardware is used, the restored system might not be boot. For example, if the system backup image was taken from a BIOS-based system, the recovery environment must be booted in BIOS mode.

For server with BitLocker Drive Encryption enabled, make sure to re-apply BitLocker Drive Encryption to the server after a restore. This will not happen automatically, it must be enabled explicitly.

For instructions, refers to the following: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=143722

• Windows System (Bare Metal) Backup and Restore

• Difference between Windows System and System State backup sets
• Restriction on the temporary storage location for the Windows System State and System backup

• Cannot start a MS Windows System or System State backup job after a failed backup (Another backup job is still running)
• Incorrect error message 'Another backup job is still running' is displayed (MS Windows System / System State backup)
• MS Windows System / System State backup job cannot run to completion (for backup set with backup schedule disabled)