Windows Server 2008 R2 : Server Manager Storage Page

Windows Server Backup

The Windows Server Backup page shows a summary of the backup state of the server. This includes information on the status of backups, how much disk space the backups are using, and what the oldest and newest backups are. This allows an administrator to understand how recoverable the server is at a glance. The backup subsystem in Windows Server 2008 R2 has fundamentally changed from a backup-to-tape job paradigm to a backup-to-disk state paradigm, requiring a different understanding of where backup stands. It is not enough to know that the latest backup job completed, but rather the span of the backups and how much space they take up.

For the Windows Server Backup folder to be active, you need to install the Windows Server Backup feature. To do this, perform the following steps:

Now the Server Manager Windows Server Backup folder will be active. Selecting the folder shows the Windows Server Backup summary page, shown in Figure 1. This figure shows the latest active backup messages, status, scheduled backup, and disk usage. From this page, the administrator can also click on links to set the backup schedules, run an immediate backup, start a recovery, or perform other backup-related tasks.

Figure 1. Windows Server Backup summary page.

The Messages section shows the active messages. You can see in the figure that a backup is running and that Volume 2 is 8% complete. You can also see that backups completed successfully at 3:46 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., and that the current one started at 7:49 p.m.

The Status section shows a summary of the backups, including the last backup, the next scheduled backup, and for all backups. For each of these categories, you can click on the View Details link to get additional information. This helps the administrator quickly understand what backups are available for recovery.

The Scheduled Backup section shows a summary of the scheduled backups for the server and the disk usage of the backups. The Settings box shows what is being backed up (backup item), where it is being backed up to (the target disk), and when it is being backed up (the backup time). The backup time can be modified using the Action, Backup Schedule option.

The Destination Usage box shows the capacity, the used space, and the number of backups that are available on the target. You can click on the View Details link to see the disk usage and details of the backups. Figure 2 shows the disk usage after the backup in the previous figure completed.

Disk Management

The Disk Management snap-in is used to conduct storage disk-related tasks. The Disk Management snap-in has not changed substantially from previous versions, and most administrators will find it to be quite familiar. The snap-in allows administrators to manage disks by doing the following:

• Creating and formatting partitions

• Creating and formatting volumes

• Extending, shrinking, and mirroring volumes

• Assigning drive letters

• Viewing the status of disks, partitions, and volumes

As shown in Figure 3, the snap-in shows volumes in the top window with capacity, free space, and status information. This is a logical representation and is independent of the physical media. The bottom window shows the physical disks as recognized by Windows Server 2008 R2 and the position of the partitions and volumes within the disks—that is, the layout of the partitions and volumes. The bottom window also shows the status and the type of disks.

Figure 3. Disk Management console.