ServerBackup : Restoring OS X Server from a Time Machine Backup

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Level 1

101 points

ServerBackup : Restoring OS X Server from a Time Machine Backup

I'm trying to follow the instructions in Restoring OS X Server from a Time Machine backup - Apple Support and it is not working for me.

I'm running 10.10.3 with Server.app 4.1 and am trying to restore to a known good status. I've tried this twice now, once restoring back to 10.10.3 with server 4.1, and once restoring back to 10.9.5 with Server 3.2.2.

Neither time has worked - when I start Server.app again I've lost all my network users & I get all sorts of errors.

Reading the article more closely, it says

OS X Server also includes a process called ServerBackup which works with Time Machine. ServerBackup performs daily backups of Open Directory (if it is enabled). These daily backups are included in the Time Machine backup of Server. ServerBackup also takes part in the restoration of server services, running during the first startup after a server has been restored, and restoring server services and databases into place after the server has started up.

My guess is that this step "restoring server services and databases into place after the server has started up" is not being triggered for some reason?

This raises the question: How does it know? What magical file or setting (or lack thereof) lets the Server app know that it's been restored from a Time machine backup? Is there a way to trigger this after the fact?

Another question: The article seems to suggest that you have to create a brand new drive to restore onto for your external service data drive:

"Create or make sure that you have a new service data volume"

I'm trying to restore onto my existing service data volume. I wonder if you really do need to restore onto a brand new / empty drive? If so, why?

Or maybe it just doesn't work? Has anyone actually restored their 10.10 server from a Time Machine backup and had it work?

Mac mini, OS X Server, OSX 10.9.4 with Server 3.2

Posted on May 22, 2015 11:08 AM

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Answer 1

jepping

Level 3

785 points

May 22, 2015 11:42 AM in response to xmddmx

Hi Michael,

The backup you need, the export from the OpenDirectory Master is there, but hidden in the timemachine backups in /var/db/backups/

For my servers I rely on this little addition:

http://robotcloud.screenstepslive.com/s/2459/m/5322/l/94467-bender-automated-bac kup-of-os-x-server-settings

It does it's work every night, during every reboot and it creates separate exports, that folder can be backupped as well with timemachine and gives direct access to all required files.

For now, dive into the timemachine folders as root and look for /var/db/backups, that will contain your opendirectory archive.

Basically I wouldn't recommend using timemachine as a reliable stable clone, use cloning software like Carbon Copy Cloner, that will give a better starting point than timemachine.

Goodluck

Jeffrey

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Answer 2

xmddmx Author

Level 1

101 points

May 22, 2015 11:52 AM in response to jepping

Hi Jeffrey,

You say "For now, dive into the timemachine folders as root and look for /var/db/backups,"

I'm looking at my Time Machine backup and inside

/Volumes/TimeMachine/Backups.backupdb/MyServer/Latest/MyServerBoot/var/db

I don't see anything called "backup" or anything similar to this.

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Answer 3

xmddmx Author

Level 1

101 points

May 22, 2015 1:51 PM in response to xmddmx

Ok, this is just bizarre.

I decided to just reconfigure the server from scratch, and this time I decided I would store the service data on the boot drive to reduce the chance of errors.

In Server.app / Settings / I edited the Service Data location back to the boot drive. It said 'copying'. I then rebooted the server.

Lo and behold, suddenly my Users & Groups are back!

So it seems like there is something buggy in Server 4.1 in terms of restoring from a backup when you have the Service data not on the boot drive.

I'm still having other problems with my calendar server crashing, but at least now I don't have to re-create my users and groups. Progress, I guess?

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Answer 4

jepping

Level 3

785 points

May 23, 2015 12:50 AM in response to xmddmx

Hi Michael,

Sorry, I went one step too far, you need the OpenDirectory.sparseimage from /var/backups not from /var/db/backups.

Access to that folder is only from a root account, so copy that sparseimage from that location to the desktop and proceed from there.

As for the progress: I would not proceed on such a shaky foundation. Although it does seem to work for now, except for CalendarServer.

Getting that to work will be difficult, what kind of errors do you get? Do you have an export of the calendars locally? Starting fresh from an export like that, might be faster than fixing errors.

Goodluck

Jeffrey

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