INFO: Standard Partition Level Image Backup

UBQ ID Number: UBQ000043

Last Modified: 2000-06-05 at 10:43:27

SUMMARY:

There are two kinds of partition level image backups – Standard Partition Level Image, and Static Mirror Partition Level Image. A Standard Partition Level Image set may include multiple partitions, while a Static Mirror Partition Level Image may only include one partition. Also, a Static Mirror Partition Level Image may only be backed up to a target device that is defined as a Partition Storage Device. The following UBQ discusses the Standard Partition Level Image Backup.

See UBQ000052 – Defining a Partition Storage Device.

DETAILS:

To create a Partition Level Image set, you would create an Image backup set.

See UBQ000054 Creating an Image/Partition Backup Set

If "Load Set" is selected, and more than one partition is available on the physical disk selected, you may get a screen that appears similar to the following:

One or all of the partitions may be selected for the Image backup set, for either an ad-hoc or scheduled backup. A partition level backup may also be run from the boot floppy disks.

A Standard Partition Level Image is typically stored on tape (but may be stored in an UltraBac defined disk-path) and includes some overhead information in addition to the data being backed up. A Standard Partition Level Image Set may include multiple partitions while a Static Mirror Partition Level Image Set may only include one partition.

When creating a Standard Partition Level Image Set, load the set and select partitions. Do not select all of the partitions, unless using
UltraBac 6.3 or above (see note below). Give the set a unique description and save the set.

Note: UltraBac 6.3 and above provides the user with the "Always Backup Partitions Individually" option. The "Always Backup Partitions Individually" option applies to images of hard drives where unallocated free space exists. With the "Always Backup Partitions Individually" option enabled, UltraBac will image only the partition\s; not the free space.
In versions prior to UltraBac 6.3, if all partitions of a hard drive are selected the image becomes a (Disk) Image - not a Partition Image - making it impossible to restore a Boot Partition without restoring the entire physical drive including the boot sector.
Individual partitions can be restored from a (Disk) Image backup when using the Integrated GUI but the Integrated GUI can only be used when restoring Non-Boot Partition Level Images and NOT when restoring Boot Partition Level Images.

See UBQ: UBQ000178 - Image Preferences

Backup

Performing a Standard Partition Image backup is basically the same as performing a Standard (Disk) Image backup other than at least one partition per hard drive is not selected when creating the set (unless using UltraBac 6.3 and above). The MBR (Master Boot Record) is backed up with any Standard Partition Image backup.

Defining a Target Storage Device

To perform a Standard Partition Level Image Backup, a target storage device must be defined. Two suggested options exist - a tape device or a disk-path.

Note: A Device Set Storage Device cannot be used for image backups of boot disks but may be used for non-boot (data) disks. This is because a boot disk image restore requires booting from the UBDR (UltraBac Disaster Recovery) network-enabled DOS boot floppy; or SADR (Stand Alone Disaster Recovery) floppies/CD-ROM, which do not have the Device Set software RAID(T) defined.

See UBQ: UBQ000048 Defining a Tape Storage Device

See UBQ: UBQ000049 Defining a Disk (disk-path) Storage Device

See UBQ: UBQ000050 Defining a DeviceSet Storage Device

Select a storage device.

See UBQ: UBQ000041 Selecting a Storage Device

Creating a Standard Partition Level Image Backup Set

When creating a Standard Partition Level Image Set, load the set and select as many partitions as desired with the exception that at least one partition per hard drive cannot be selected; unless using UltraBac 6.3 or above (see note below). Give the set a unique description and save the set.

See UBQ: UBQ000054 Creating an Image/Partition Backup Set

Performing an Ad-hoc or Scheduled Backup

At this point, either an ad-hoc or scheduled backup may be performed.

See UBQ: UBQ000055 Performing a Single Partition Ad-hoc Backup

See UBQ: UBQ000056 Performing a Scheduled Backup

UBDR Image Backup and Restore

The UBDR utility is a 16 bit disaster recovery application run from a bootable DOS diskette with network support. The UBDR executable provides for a disk or partition level image backup and restore, to or from, a local ASPI supported tape device; or to or from, a local or remote disk. Note: Due to the use of the DOS boot floppy with network support, unlike SADR, the UBDR disk or partition level image backup or restore may use remote diskpaths as a target or source (respectively) for the operations.

See User Manual: UBDR: UltraBac Disaster Recovery

See UBQ: UBQ000179 - Adding an ASPI Driver to the UBDR DOS Floppy

Creating SADR (Stand Alone Disaster Recovery) Floppies

In order to restore a Boot Disk Image, we recommend that the user create UltraBac's SADR Floppies before the boot disk fails. In order to ensure the floppies are made correctly, these floppies should be tested on the computer where the restore will be performed before a restore is actually needed. You should do this because the hardware on the computer during the floppy creation may not be compatible with the hardware of a different machine. The boot floppy disks may be created on a different computer, but crucial files may end up being missing from the disks, and the floppies may be unable to boot up the original disk. NOTE: The "MakeDisk.exe" utility, which provides for the creation of the SADR diskettes, will not be included in UltraBac 6.3 and above, in favor of the UltraBac Disaster Recovery (UBDR) utility. See User Manual: UBDR: UltraBac Disaster Recovery

See UBQ: UBQ000057 Creating SADR (Stand Alone Disaster Recovery) Floppies -Intel & Alpha

MORE INFORMATION:

See UBQ: UBQ000024 – What is an Image Backup?

See UBQ: UBQ000027 – Restoring Individual Files from an Image Backup

See UBQ: UBQ000051 – Defining an Image Storage Device

See UBQ: UBQ000052 – Defining a Partition Storage Device

See UBQ: UBQ000054 – Creating an Image/Partition Backup Set

See UBQ: UBQ000057 – Creating SADR (Stand Alone Disaster Recovery) Floppies - Intel & Alpha

See UBQ: UBQ000058 – Stand Alone Image Backup/Restore Using Floppies – Intel & Alpha

See UBQ: UBQ000059 – Integrated GUI Image Recovery (Non-Boot Disk)

See UBQ: UBQ000060 – Static Mirror Image Recovery

See UBQ: UBQ000061 – Stand Alone Backup & Disaster Recovery Utility

See UBQ: UBQ000119 – Static Mirror Partition Image Backup

CATEGORIES:

Backup Sets, Disaster Recovery

VERSION:

5.x-6.1