Automate creation of recovery media (iso)?

[souperstar]

We're working on getting the Windows Agent setup on our endpoints and have noticed the much needed automated processes of installing, configuring, and scheduling of Agent backups. But, we are not seeing how we can do the same for the creation of the recovery media for each endpoint. We've searched the documentation, the "Create Recovery Media" application, and the forums. It is our understanding each endpoint will need its own .iso unless the hardware is identical - and we definitely do not have this in our environment. It's also not going to be feasible for us to go to every workstation at all our locations and disrupt the end-users while we create an .iso.

So, the question is: how does someone fully automate and schedule the creation of the recovery media .iso to an authenticated network share like the Agent will do with backups? An KB number, or page number in a guide would be great.

If we're missing it or not understanding a concept along the way, I apologize and ask you to advise us!

[Mike Resseler]

Hi Chris

So no, that automation is not there. Sounds like a good FR to me. But, you don't need specifically a recovery ISO for each computer. In my (admitted, it is a small lab) I work with one USB stick that has the recovery media on it. (Well, one stick per OS so one for windows 7, 10 and server 2016). I do have added a set of .inf drivers (for USB since I protect to USB devices for my laptops, network and storage) for each machine. When I boot from the recovery media, I look to see if I miss drivers, and then simply load them through that little folder on the USB stick that contains the .inf drivers.

Is that possible in your case?

[souperstar]

Sounds like I would need to test the recovery media on each endpoint model to see if it is missing any .inf files (USB recovery is likely the method we would use as well). That's less work than creating an .iso for each and every endpoint. It doesn't give me that "it's 100% going to work" feeling a dedicated .iso does, nor would it cut down on trips to branch offices to see if it would actually work.

How would I submit a FR, create another thread?

[Mike Resseler]

This would be considered a FR. But we base the priority of our FR based on the amount of request (amongst other criteria obviously )

[souperstar]

I was surprised this wasn't already in place to be honest, so yes I would definitely like this to be a FR.

Is there any other workaround available?

[Mike Resseler]

As far as I know, there is not a workaround besides the one that I described. any change you are using something like SCCM or similar to deploy your endpoints or servers? Because that would mean you have the drivers already in place and can use those inf files to add them to the USB stick

[souperstar]

We are using MDT and the drivers for each model are loaded there. I bet we can pull the .inf's there, and we may not need separate .inf's for each model. Thanks very much Mike!

[vClintWyckoff]

FWIW, this will no longer be an issue with the v10 Agent Integration that was announced at VeeamON.

In v10, as part of the Agent backup the Recovery Media will automatically be created and then stored in the repository.



Obviously this doesn't help today but in the future this will be a non-issue. I have mentioned to the devs before myself that it would be nice to be able to run the Recovery Media creation wizard from a command prompt with a switch that would initiate the Recovery Media creation remotely and silently because I too saw your use case and thought it would be a good feature.

[souperstar]

Clint, this is fantastic news! By Agent Integration, I think you mean the Veeam Agent for Windows integration with Veeam B&R? If so, we should be able to do just that. So all we should need is B&R v10, not a new version of the Agent for Windows?

[Mike Resseler]

Chris,

By that time (v10) there will most probably be an update for VAW also (as it will also include cluster support for example)

[KevinM]

I'm very happy to see that this is in the works! We're currently deploying Veeam Agent v2.0.0.700 to our environment via PDQ Deploy using silent install and configuration import parameters, but having to manually create the Recovery Media each time was a bummer. We, too, have a very mixed endpoint hardware environment and prefer keeping individual ISOs for each PC, just to be safe. The storage cost of the recovery media is pretty insignificant compared to the backups themselves, plus I'll bet the ISO's dedupe well

[friko]

FWIW, this will no longer be an issue with the v10 Agent Integration that was announced at VeeamON.

In v10, as part of the Agent backup the Recovery Media will automatically be created and then stored in the repository.



Obviously this doesn't help today but in the future this will be a non-issue. I have mentioned to the devs before myself that it would be nice to be able to run the Recovery Media creation wizard from a command prompt with a switch that would initiate the Recovery Media creation remotely and silently because I too saw your use case and thought it would be a good feature.

Just trying to figure this out, was this feature ever released?