Disaster Recovery

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/uksharepoint/archive/2011/08/31/sharepoint-server-2010-10-steps-to-disaster-recovery.aspx


Disaster Recovery:

Situation - SharePoint server is down because the DISK we used for the server is dead. And restoring the complete farm backup will not work because SharePoint will store all of its content and most of Its Configuration details (but not all) in SQL databases.

• Some configurations will store only in IIS and web.config files
• Custom code is often stored in 12/14/15 Hive Folders or Global Assembly Cache (GAC)

Recommendations:

1.Document Everything in the farm like

• Which Content database each Web application using
• Domain Service accounts info
• Any Third party applications or Custom solutions(.wsp) that needs to be reinstalled
• Any web application based settings like Alternate Access Mapping, mail configuration et

2. Perform Regular Backup's and store them in a Shared Location

3. Since everything will not be saved, 

• we have to backup inetpub/wwwroot folder
• 12/14/15 Hive folder
• IIS using appcmd.exe

                         \system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe add backup "My Backup Name"

to restore that backup, run this command:

                         \system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe restore backup "My Backup Name"

4. Create a recovery Farm. Test it by restoring at regular intervals, so that we can't stuck when the problem occurs

5. Using naming conventions when creating the Content DB's like Wss_Content_"Webapplication Port Number"

ex: wss_content_80

6. Keep the content databases small. Larger the database, longer the time taken to restore. So keep  each content DB size under 200GB

Recovery Process:

• Install the same OS version on the new server .If possible keep the settings like Server Name, IP address same as old Server

• Add Domain admin account to Local Administrator Group and assign permissions in SQL server

        For u r info:Need dbcreator and securityadmin permissions and db_owner of all the databases

• Remove old server from domain and new one to domain

• Install the req software IIS, .Net framework, SharePoint etc. and install all updates to match our previous build version

• launch the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard and enter SQL server name and domain credentials

• Enter desired port number for Central Administration and select proper authentication

• Start services like search and any other if we needed

• Recreate each web application by -----

• Create new webapplication

• Enter Port and Host header

• Enter the name of our SQL Server and one of the content databases used for this web application. SharePoint will recreate this website in IIS, register it in the new config database, and link it to our existing content database.

• If we have multiple content databases, then goto Application Management-->Content databases--> Add content databases (check the top for webapplication to which we are adding)

• IISRESET after that install any third party solutions and Custom solutions (.wsp)

Apply additional configurations like

• alternate access mappings (AAM)
• web.config changes to your web applications
• code deployed to bin folders or global assembly cache
• IIS settings (e.g., reloading and binding your SSL certificate)
•  changes to 12/14/15 Hive (e.g., Features or Site Definitions)
•  web application policy settings and incoming/outgoing email etc
• For more powerful and granular recovery options, consider third-party backup software such as AvePoint's DocAve etc can aslo be used.

Thanks for reading. All the best :)