We use a tool called "Cristie CBMR" (http://www.cristie.com).
It is a desaster recovery tool (backup, not image based) where the restore can be done to different hardware in case of Windows. There is also a linux and Solaris version available (same look and feel where possible, makes a enterprise wide recovery documentation easier). At least for linux is a documentation available, how to recover this to different hardware.
The hardware independent recovery makes it a cool desaster recovery, p2p, p2v and v2p tool. You can save a lot of time and work, if you have to move from one hardware vendor to another one, for example. Take a backup and restore it wherever you want. No reinstallation, patching an configuration of your whole system is necessary. In the worst case you have to add some new NIC drivers and remove some management software.
Backups can be done during working ours because of the integrated OFM (NT, 2000) or VSS (2003 an newer). They can include the all data or just the system data (makes backups very short in time). You can save your backups to files on CIFS shares (Windows, Linux + Samba; in case of the linux version to CIFS and NFS), tapes, tape libraries or directly (via API) into TSM. Because of the batch processing capabilities it can be integrated into your standard backup very easily (pre-/post jobs). The restore can be done by using a linux or Windows PE recovery console (available on CD, USB stick, PXE).
For larger installations you can use a console for installation, configuration and log and status management.
Our experience showed that you can bring a W2K3 server back online (or migrate it) in about 20 minutes (only system and the standard backup client, no data). You can then choose to continue with the restore by using CBMR or your standard backup software.
Andreas Woithon
vExpert 2009/10/11
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