Protecting Windows SharePoint Services

Last updated on 2015-05-20 09:33:55

Yosemite Server Backup is designed specifically to protect the databases of Windows SharePoint Services. These databases will appear in the Yosemite Server Backup Administrator GUI with the name of the database instance. This name will depend on the version of SharePoint Services that is installed. When using SharePoint 2.0 “SHAREPOINT” is the default name. When using SharePoint Services 3.0, “Microsoft ##SSEE” is the default name. In addition to storing Web site content in a WMSDE/SSEE SQL database, Windows SharePoint Services stores certain files including Windows SharePoint Services virtual server configuration, style sheets (CSS), themes, and customization information for site definitions are stored in the SharePoint installation directory on the file system.

Regular backups of the “SHAREPOINT” databases in conjunction with File System backup will ensure protection and integrity of SharePoint Services virtual servers, the document repository, users, security settings, and permissions.

It is recommended that the user enable Microsoft Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) option for backup jobs when creating DR backup sets. Enabling the VSS option will ensure that the user can restore all WSS components in a consistent state during the disaster recovery process.

The instructions for the additional steps are outlined in the Disaster Recovery section of this appendix

To allow a consistent restore, the backup set for WSS must include the following components (if you select the entire system for backup, these components are all included):

WSS Installation directory – This directory and its sub directories, %BootVolume%\program files\Common Files\Microsoft Common Shared\web server extensions\12, contain WSS installation and configuration files including binaries, site templates, style sheets, customization information for site definitions, etc.
Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) Virtual Servers – WSS uses one or more virtual servers to host Web sites. Unlike ASP.NET, it does not configure each Web site using an IIS virtual directory. Alternately, WSS tracks all configuration information for WSS Web sites inside the configuration database and content databases. This implies that a backup of the configuration database will be required to ensure the protection of all SharePoint extended virtual servers.
WSS Databases – By default, WSS installs a WMSDE/SSEE instance called SHAREPOINT or Microsoft ##SSEE and creates databases including a configuration database and a content database. The SHAREPOINT database instance can be backed up by selecting the instance in the Yosemite Server Backup Administrator GUI.
Usage Analysis logs – Usage analysis for WSS allows one to track how Web sites on your server are being used. If usage analysis logging process is enabled, WSS log files are created daily to track usage information. These log files are stored in %WinDir%\system32\LogFiles\STS directory.
This path can be customized. In this case, one should add the appropriate path to the backup selection list.
Windows SharePoint SQL Database – Select the Windows SharePoint SQL Databases icon in the selection tree and expand the tree.
Server Housing Windows SharePoint Services – Select the server that houses Windows SharePoint Services and expand the tree until you are able to select the SharePoint database