Dell PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance 5.13.0.0 Administrator Guide for DM5500

System recovery for server DR

The system recovery process creates periodic backups of a PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance server, from which you can restore the server after a disaster. Each backup is considered a full backup although it is created in an incremental manner.

System recovery backups include persistent data such as the lockbox and the PostgreSQL and ElasticSearch databases. The backup operation quiesces the server and creates a point-in-time snapshot of the databases. This quiescent state limits user functionality. After the snapshot completes and while PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance copies the snapshot to Protection Storage, the server restores full user functionality. System recovery backups also include File Search indexes and other component DR backups.

The system protection service enables you to manage the frequency and retention of an automated server DR backup. You can also perform manual backups. However, the system protection service does not manage the retention of manual backups and you must delete any outdated manual backups yourself. Manage PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance server DR backups provides instructions.

You can select one protection storage system as a server DR backup target and one protection storage system as a replication target. Replication provides an extra layer of protection for server DR backups. Manually configure server DR backups provides instructions for configuring server DR replication, while Preparing the protection storage system recovery target contains instructions for restoring from a replica.

Since only one backup target and one replication target are supported at a time, when you specify a new protection storage system, you overwrite the existing selection. If you have more protection storage systems, you can change which protection storage system holds the server DR backup or receives the replica.

PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance server DR replication is independent of any legacy methods, such as MTree replication on an individual Protection Storage system. Backups and configuration from legacy methods are not detected or migrated.