Host-based backup of Microsoft Hyper-V VMs.
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barrnunn
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Restore VM as a Test server

Post by barrnunn »

If possible, what would be the procedure for creating a stand-alone test VM from a backed up server? It would need new SID and IP address, but should otherwise be the same as the original live server. Sorry if this has already been asked, but I could not find information about it in Hyper-V forums.
Vitaliy S.
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by Vitaliy S. »

Yes, new SID, IP address and FQDN should be sufficient for that purpose. Just restore your VM, change the required settings and you should be good to go.
barrnunn
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by barrnunn »

Forgive me for not understanding the procedure... I don't want to disrupt the original server that was backed up and if I restore, it will come up and cause an IP conflict and the SID will already be in use in the domain. Is there some special steps for the restore that allow restoring and not having this disruption? I also don't know what is used to change the SID after the VM is restored.
Vitaliy S.
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by Vitaliy S. »

Ok, seems like changing the machine SID is no longer required, so all you have to do is to restore the VM first, connect it to the isolated network, then change its hostname. If you're not using DHCP, then you should also change the IP address for this VM.
barrnunn
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by barrnunn »

I don't want to say you are wrong about the SID, because technically you are not, but the article you referred to makes a gigantic distinction between the Machine SID, the Domain SID, and other unique identifiers. I am working with a Veeam full backup of an established Windows 2008 R2/SP1 (64-bit) server running Microsoft SQL 2008 R2/SP1. The article states the following:

"The Microsoft-supported way to create a Windows installation that’s ready for deployment to a group of computers is to install Windows on a reference computer and prepare the system for cloning by running the Sysprep tool. This is called generalizing the image, because when you boot an image created using this process, Sysprep specializes the installation by generating a new machine SID, triggering plug-and-play hardware detection, resetting the product activation clock, and setting other configuration data like the new computer name. "

The article is not stating that NO SIDs need changed, but that the Machine SID (which the "newsid" program that the author created modifies) does not need changed. Microsoft has taken the position that the only supported method of cloning a computer is to use the sysprep utility. Since Sysprep resets many configurations on a system to their default state and changes the way the "cloned" computer behaves, I would not end up with the test system I desire, but with a blank slate that could then be used to create the test system. Sysprep is also only supposed to be run on machines that are not joined to a domain.

This still leaves me wondering what the actual "supported" method/procedure is for restoring a working VM as a duplicate test server...
Vitaliy S.
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by Vitaliy S. »

Our QC team is using the following procedure to clone the VM:

1. Restore the VM
2. Change server hostname
3. Change the machine SID
4. Join new server to the domain
barrnunn wrote: Since Sysprep resets many configurations on a system to their default state and changes the way the "cloned" computer behaves, I would not end up with the test system I desire, but with a blank slate that could then be used to create the test system.
Can you please clarify what configuration settings you're concerned about?
IT_Vision
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by IT_Vision »

Hello Barrnunn,

Were able to accomplish this? I am looking to do the same. We are running Veeam B&R 7.0.0.839.

We have two production servers that we want to restore from backup as test servers. In doing so we do not want to disrupt the production ones. Of course name, SID, and IP address would need to all be changed.

If anyone has does this, can you provide info. on the best approach.

Much appreciated.
veremin
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by veremin »

Have you faced any issues while running procedure described by Vitaliy? Thanks.
IT_Vision
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by IT_Vision »

Hi v.Eremin,

I guess I am confused on how we go about renaming the machine. I restored the VM and currently have it disconnected from the production network. If I enable the network I am going to get a name conflict. However, to rename the machine it prompts for user name and password for the domain. I guess what is the proper procedure to get the name changed? Once the name is changed do we then run sysprep to reset the SID information?

Thank you for the response.

Cheers
IT_Vision
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by IT_Vision »

Hello,

I was able to do the following:

1. Restore the VM
2. Left it disconnected from the network
3. Consoled into the VM from vSphere
4. Changed the NIC to DHCP
5. Ran sysprep /generalize and rebooted
6. Logged in and complete the Windows mini-setup wizard. I was then able to set the new name and re-join to the domain without any issues.

Cheers
foggy
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Re: Restore VM as a Test server

Post by foggy »

Thanks for providing the step by step instructions, much appreciated.
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