The latest release of ShadowProtect SPX support Virtual Boot using Hyper-V 2012 R2, and I decided to try it out using the 15 Days Trial license
- Download the 15 Days Trial version (Estimated Size = 60.5MB)
- Prepare a Hyper-V 2012 R2 Server with Minimal GUI enabled
- ShadowProtect SPX can be installed on Server Core, but failed to open the GUI for configuration
- I try to enable the remote management in Hyper-V, and manage it remotely, but it show the the virtual boot can NOT be start remotely
[hyperv]: PS C:\Program Files\StorageCraft\spx> .\spx_cli.exe remote –enable
Enabled Remote Management on port 13581.
#Insert Windows 2012 R2 ISO File and map it to D Drive Get-WindowsImage -ImagePath "D:\Sources\Install.wim" #Create a Directory C:\sources New-Item C:\sources -ItemType Directory #Mount the Image from D to C\sources -index 2 - Windows 2012 R2 Standard Version Mount-WindowsImage -ImagePath D:\Sources\Install.wim -path C:\Sources -index 2 -ReadOnly #Install Minimal GUI on Server Core Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra -Source C:\Sources\Windows\WinSxs
- Install ShadowProtect SPX on Hyper-V without activating the license and restart the Hyper-V Host – we are not going to backup the Hyper-V host here
- Download StorageCraft Virtual Boot for Hyper-V Plug In and installed it on Hyper-V Host
Installation of ShadowProtect SPX on Windows 2012 R2
Double Click on ShadowProtect_SPX-6.0.16.win64.msi to start the installation and complete the installation with all default setting – Server Restart is required once the installation is completed
Launch the Management Console and login using Domain Administrator
Click “Get Trial Key” by filling up all the information, and trial key will be delivered to your mailbox in 5 minutes
Full System Backup
Click Backup > New Job
Provide a Friendly name, and define a Disk Storage (Local / Network Share)
Compress = Standard , Encryption = None (To improve the backup performance) and select all the volumes to backup
Defined the Backup Schedule here ** Once the schedule had been defined, it cannot be changed / Edited unless delete and recreate a new Policy / Backup Job
Review on the several options in Advanced Tab and configure it accordingly
The backup take 32 Minutes to backup the C Drive (30 GB) to local D Drive and store it .spf (Shadow Protect Full Image) with only 22 GB Size (Compression rate 22/30 , around 36%)
Go to D Drive where the .spf file located and Right Click > StorageCraft Quick Mount to mount it to Z Drive. Select the files / folders you want to restore, and copy and paste it back to original location
Right click Z Drive –> > StorageCraft Quick DisMount to dismount the volume once you had completed
I will continue to test on the following and update soon
- Virtual Boot using Hyper-V 2012 R2
- StorageCraft ImageManager Premium License
- Network Replication
- Recovery with HeadStart Restore
- Offsite Replication with ShadowStream Technology
