How to backup Active Directory

In Windows Server 2003 family unit, you can restore the Active Directory database if it becomes ruined or is damaged because of hardware or software failures. Active Directory restore can be performed in several ways. Duplication synchronizes the most recent changes from every other duplication partner. When replication is finished each associate has an updated version of Active Directory. There is a new way to get these latest updates by Backup utility to restore simulated data from a backup copy. For this restore you do not require to configure again your domain controller or no need to install the operating system from scrape.

NT Backup utility

You can use the NT Backup utility to back up Active Directory. Active Directory is part of a machine’s System State.

On Windows 2000 system, the System State includes the system boot files, registry, class and registration database,. On a Windows 2000 server that is a credential server, the System State also contains the Certificate Services database. On a Windows 2000 mechanism that is a domain controller (DC), the System State also includes Active Directory and the Sysvol directory.

To use Windows 2000 Backup Wizard to back up the System State, you just have to do simply 5 to 6 things as you start NT backup just go to backup wizard and click. After that click on next in the appearing dialog box there in dialog box that ask what to back up you just have to select Only backup the distributed service set after that click on next. To continue the backup process means select the backup media and other.

If you want to do it manually you can do it like this- just start NT backup and select backup tab and select system state checkbox, as you see in screenshot after that select the backup destination and after doing this you can start backup and then conform the backup description and star backup after that you select the destination where you want to store backup.

Command line backup using NT Backup

To back up only the System State from the command line, enter

ntbackup backup systemstate /f d:\active.bkf

This command is a basic backup to file command.