Restoring domain controllers from backups

A domain controller is a crucial component of your network, responsible for managing user authentication, Group Policies, and other directory services. A corrupted domain controller brings your business to a standstill.

The primary challenge posed by domain controller failure is the inability to log in, access files, or connect to network resources. Domain controller recovery refers to the process of restoring a domain controller from a backup to a functional state after it experiences a failure or disruption. Here is why a strong recovery strategy for restoring domain controllers is vital in disaster recovery:

• Business continuity: A non-functional domain controller disrupts core business operations. Recovering quickly gets your network back online and enables employees to work productively.
• Data security: Backing up domain controllers is important to safeguard the AD database, which stores information about users, groups, computers, and other data, from accidental loss, corruption, or hardware issues.
• Revenue impact: Every minute your domain controller is down translates to a loss of revenue. Streamlining the domain controller restoration process saves money.
• Comprehensive risk management: Incorporating domain controller recovery into your organization's disaster recovery framework helps identify and mitigate cyberattacks, such as ransomware or hacking attempts, and other problems like data loss and system outages.

How to restore domain controllers using RecoveryManager Plus

RecoveryManager Plus is a disaster recovery solution that backs up all parts of your domain controllers, including the system state, boot volume, and AD database. It allows you to schedule periodic full backups to ensure you always have a recent copy of your AD domain controllers. This allows you to restore your domain controllers to any previous state in the event of a disaster. RecoveryManager Plus also lets you configure retention periods for domain controller backups and automatically discard older backups.

RecoveryManager Plus allows administrators to restore domain controllers either authoritatively or non-authoritatively, as needed. Click here to learn more about carrying out both types of restoration.

Highlights of RecoveryManager Plus

Support for multiple servers

RecoveryManager Plus can back up domain controllers running on Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 R2, 2012, 2008 R2, and 2008 SP2.

Custom backup scheduler

Customize the time at which your domain controller backups are run. Typically, it is considered a good practice to back up your domain controllers at least once every month.

Backup retention

RecoveryManager Plus gives you the flexibility to set retention periods for domain controller backups and automatically discard older backups after the retention period expires.

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