Cannot access User Redirect Folder on SBS.

[milfner]

My question relates to Veeam, because the issue effects Veeam's ability to recover these directories, but the main issue is concerned with Windows and Security permissions.

My question has two parts. Why can I not access User's Folder Redirect share in SBS and why can I not recover this directory in Veeam Windows File Level recovery due to insufficient security permissions (obviously both questions are related).

Windows Small Business Server 2008/2011 uses Folder redirection. A users desktop and documents get redirected to the Folder Redirect share on the SBS via Group Policy. No-one apart from the end-user has access to their designated redirected folder on the SBS. Administrators DO NOT have access to these folders.

My overall question is how do I as an administrator access a user's re-direct folder to acquire or recover any files for them on their behalf and then my veeam targeted question is...I have not been able to recover the Folder Redirect directory via Windows File level recovery in Veeam because of insufficient security permissions. How do i get around these two obsticles?

I realise that any normal situaton regarding Windows Security Permissions would be to simply add whoever (administrator) to have access to that particularl parent folder and push those permissions down through child objects but I did not want to stuff around with this on a SBS as I know everything needs to be ran through the 'console' and i did not want to break anything in group policy from doing so.

[foggy]

Apparently, there is a permission issue with restoring files from user's profile using FLR. However, it is already addressed in soon-to-be-released version 6.1. For the time being, if you are using Enterprise Edition, you can leverage 1-Click Restore functionality available in Enterprise Manager for this same purpose, this should work. Thanks!

[Gostev]

Actually, 1-Click File Restore may not help as it uses the same FLR engine under the hood.

[milfner]

I am using Standard License. I am interested in the 'fix' in upcoming v6.1, but what about a general work around or fix for Windows where this issue originates. Is there a well-known work around i simply do not know about, or is this just how it is.... Because i would have thought if the issue was controlled in Windows then Veeam wouldnt have an issue either.

[foggy]

I do not think that we are talking about the issue here, this is just a security model design, according to which administrator does not have access to the users' profile folders by default. But backup solutions usually get access to everything to be able to restore everything and this is where the Veeam B&R issue is: for some reason it could not get access to these folders while trying to restore them and this will be fixed in v6.1.

[milfner]

Ok that is good to know.

FYI - I contacted Veeam Support about this and they had a quick fix solution which works quite well and that is to instead of using Windows File level recovery option, use the 'Other OS' Linux based Virtual Appliance. I tested this and it works successfully.