#SCCM / #ConfigMgr 2012 :: Primary Site Server and DataBase Recovery : Part 1

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Recovery options are changed. Remember, we have to run the Site Repair Wizard (after completing the installation wizard) in ConfigMgr 2007, but this is changed for good in ConfigMgr 2012. More details about ConfigMgr 2007 Site Repair Wizard Site Repair Wizard Step by Step Guide. Now, In ConfigMgr 2012, the Recovery a Site option is part of Installation Wizard.

Site Server recovery and Site Database recovery are the TWO key parts of recovery process in CM2012. More details about recovery through TechNet documentation. Site Database recovery behaviour varies with SQL Server Change Tracking Retention Period and Site Database recovery scenarios.More details about SQL Server Change Tracking Retention Period and Site Database Recovery Scenarios. In this post, we are going to recover a primary site with GOOD backup (More details about Backup Site Server maintenance task). Note: We can ensure that from Smsbkup.log. Look for message ID 5035 which indicates that the site backup was completed without any errors. Im able to successfully recover primary site which is having a secondary server with the following process. If you DONT have a GOOD backup of the primary site and your primary server is NOT a stand alone one then refer the following post to perform the recovery- Part 1 . Ive already completed the rebuild of the server with same name, path, Drive letters and Patch level. Also, installed and configured IIS, DotNet 4, SQL and WSUS prior to the start of the recovery process. 1. Start : the ConfigMgr/SCCM 2012 Setup from the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation media, weve to run this setup from the server which you want to recover.

2. Select the option called Recover a Site to recover the primary site which you lost. Note from TechNet : When Setup detects an existing Configuration Manager site on the server, you can start a site recovery, but the recovery options for the site server are limited. For example, if you run Setup on an existing site server, when you choose recovery, you can recover the site database server, but the option to recover the site server is disabled.

3. Site Server and Database Recovery: options are available in the following wizard. As mentioned above there are TWO parts in the recovery scenario, Site Server recovery and Site Database recovery. Site Server : Select Recover this Site Server using an existing backup and browse to the backup file location. Site DataBase : Select Recover the Site Database using the backup set at the following location and browse to the backup file location.

4. Site Recovery Information:This page in the wizard is already detected our Primary site and CAS details from the backup files. Note that CAS server details are already filled in the wizard. Note : When recovering a primary site, youve the option to specify the CAS to which the primary was previously connected. Leave this setting blank when the primary site was not

previously connected to a central administration site. The option is DISABLED when Setup has detected that you are recovering a CAS.

5. Prerequisites Download : Over here, we need to provide the prerequisites file details so that the SETUP can verify the files and proceed with the recovery. Note : Weve skipped two pages called Product Key, Microsoft Software License Terms and Prerequisite Licenses.

6. Site and Installation Settings : Note that the site code, Site name details are already filled & greyed out (this information is already taken from the backup files). We can select the installation folder, remember its always better to install the configmgr in the same location.

7. DataBase Information : Most of the details are already filled and greyed out this page. Server Name, Database Name. Only option that we can change is SSB Port 4022.

8. Prerequisites Check : This will run the check and we can ignore the two warnings shown in the below pic (as this is a LAB environment, its always better to SET maximum memory allocation to SQL server). Click on Begin Install to start the recovery. Note We have skipped two pages Customer Experience Improvement Program Configuration and Setting Summary. Those are just default settings.

9. Install : This page shows us about the progress of the installation and recovery process. In the following pic, the process which is going on is Data Recovery in Progress.

10. Verify ConfigMgrSetup.log: We can find detailed information about the actions performed by the recovery in ConfigMgrSetup.log and also details about the resync (BCP) happening from CAS Database (the changes happened in the hierarchy after the last good backup).

RCM received a message from CAS Server, BCP initialization started RCM received a message from CAS Server, BCP is in Progress

11. Verify RCMctrl.log to check whether the resync has been completed at the recovered primary site PRI. More details about Site to Site Database Replication.

RECOVERY DONE: All the replicated data has been recovered at site PRI

12. Post Recovery Tasks : To complete the recovery of this site, you must manually complete the following actions which are NOT performed by setup. a) In the ConfigMgr console, re-enter the passwords for the following accounts. In our scenario, we need to re-enter the password of the account mentioned in the following pic. b) Reinstall the following hotfixes If there is any hotfix need to be installed or not. In our case there is no hotfix requirement. c) More details about post recovery activities has been saved to a file called for later reference C:\ConfigMgrPostRecoveryActions.html. More details about Post Recovery process (IIS configuration, Recover Content Files) :: http://technet.microsoft.com/library/gg712697.aspx#BKMK_PostRecovery