http://www.magikmon.com/mkbackup/wbadmin.html#how_it_works
WBAdmin frontend
Windows Backup System is the new block-level backup technology Microsoft provide for
Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7. WBAdmin is its command line interface.
How it works
Getting started
Job parameters
Systemstate backup
Tips
Mail report
How it works
MKSBackup run the wbadmin command using the parameters found in the configuration file. Then
it try to collect all evidences about the backup and send them by email.
related events from the Event Viewer
a directory listing of the target directory
the configuration file
the command line used to start the backend
All these information should allow the backup operator to have a good idea about the status of the
backup.
For now MKSBackup allow only backup to disk operations !
[WBADMIN]
program=wbadmin
include=C:,D:
user=domain\username
password=password
destination=\\nas01\backup\server-${nweekdayname}
\\nas02\backup\server-week${nweek}
options=-allCritical -noInheritAcl
Getting Started
Installation
Download and extract the binary package in C:\magik\mkbackup. Create the following file
C:\magik\mkbackup.ini
[DEFAULT]
smtp_host=smtp.myprovider.com
smtp_port=25
sender=backup.operator@server01.example.com
recipients=me@example.com
[JOB]
program=wbadmin
include=C:
destination=\\nas01\backup\server-${nweekdayname}
Then you can check your configuration using the checkmail command.
C:\magik> c:\magik\mkbackup\mkbackup.exe -c C:\magik\mkbackup.ini -v checkmail JOB
The -v switch display the debuging to the console. Create the \\nas01\backup\ directory to avoid a
warning about non existing directory !
logging in mkbackup.log
13:50:07,405 INF start ['c:\\magik\\mkbackup\\mkbackup.exe', '-c', 'C:\\magik\\mkbackup.ini', '-v',
'checkmail', 'JOB']
13:50:07,515 INF cmdline=wbadmin.exe start backup -quiet -
backupTarget:\\nas01\backup\server-Fri -include:C:
13:50:07,530 INF No error in section: JOB
13:50:07,530 INF Destinations day by day:
13:50:07,530 INF Fri 07 May 2010 copy \\nas01\backup\server-Fri
13:50:07,953 INF Sat 08 May 2010 copy \\nas01\backup\server-Sat
13:50:07,953 INF Sun 09 May 2010 vssfull \\nas01\backup\server-Sun
13:50:07,967 INF Mon 10 May 2010 copy \\nas01\backup\server-Mon
13:50:07,967 INF Tue 11 May 2010 copy \\nas01\backup\server-Tue
13:50:07,983 INF Wed 12 May 2010 copy \\nas01\backup\server-Wed
13:50:07,983 INF Thu 13 May 2010 copy \\nas01\backup\server-Thu
You should have received these lines by email. If not correct all errors and retry.
When everything is ok, start the backup for real using the backup command.
C:\magik> c:\magik\mkbackup\mkbackup.exe -c C:\magik\mkbackup.ini -v backup JOB
When the backup is done, you have a short resume of the status of the backup.
logging in mkbackup.log
06:39:03,437 INF start ['C:\\magik\\mkbackup\\mkbackup.exe', '-c', 'mkbackup.ini', '-d', '-v',
'backup', 'JOB']
06:39:03,562 INF cmdline=wbadmin.exe start backup -quiet -
backupTarget:\\nas01\backup\server-Fri -include:C: -vssFull
06:39:03,562 INF No error in section: JOB
06:39:03,562 INF start command=backup job=JOB archiver=wbadmin
06:39:03,592 INF run: wbadmin.exe start backup -quiet -backupTarget:\\nas01\backup\server-Fri -
include:C: -vssFull
06:39:29,796 INF run: WEVTUTIL.EXE qe Microsoft-Windows-Backup /rd:true /e:root
/f:RenderedXml /q:*[System[TimeCreated[timediff(@SystemTime)\\nas01\backup-${nweekdayname}
\\nas02\backup-week${nweek}
The type can take value in copy, vsscopy, vssfull, none. copy and vsscopy are synonymous. vsscopy
and vssfull generate identical backup, but vssfull update the file's history to reflect that it was backed
up. Be careful when you are mixing copy, vssfull and other backup tools.
user (optional)
When the destination is a network path, you can specify the credential used to connect to it.
user and password must be defined together !
user=username
password (optional)
When the destination is a network path, you can specify the credential used to connect to it.
user and password must be defined together !
password=secret
options (optional)
You can specify additional options using the options parameters. Options will be added to the
wbadmin command line. Check your wbadmin help for more.
Options are separated by spaces. If one option contains space, it must be quoted using double quote
charactere ".
Valid options are:
-allCritical
-noInheritAcl
Windows 2008 R2 allow more options :
-exclude
-nonRecurseInclude
-nonRecurseExclude
-systemState
options=-allCritical -noInheritAcl
wbadmin_bin (optional)
This is the path of the wbadmin executable. You should never change this value ! Default is
%SystemRoot%\system32\wbadmin.exe. On 64bits system running a 32bits MKSBackup version,
%SystemRoot%\sysnative\wbadmin.exe is used instead.
wbadmin_bin=C:\Windows\System32\wbadmin.exe
wevtutil_bin (optional)
This is the path of the wevtutil executable. You should never change this value ! Default is
%SystemRoot%\system32\wevtutil.exe. On 64bits system running a 32bits MKSBackup version,
%SystemRoot%\sysnative\wevtutil.exe is used instead.
wevtutil_bin=C:\Windows\System32\wevtutil.exe
machine (optional)
This is the hostname. Don't change this value ! The value is used in command wbadmin get version.
machine=
Backup systemstate
You can also make a system state backup.
[SYSTEMSTATE]
program=wbadminsys
destination=E:
keepversions=2
program
This time the program must be wbadminsys.
program=wbadminsys
destination
The only valid types are systemstate and none. The target must be a local drive, network share are
not allowed.
destination=E:
For more information check the common parameters page.
keepversions
This is the maximum number of system state backup you want to keep.
keepversions=2
MKSBackup will run the command
wbadmin delete systemstatebackup -backupTarget:e: -keepVeersions:1
before to start the systemstate backup. Please note the 2 become 1 in the command to make some
free space before to start the backup.
wbadmin_bin (optional)
See above
wevtutil_bin (optional)
See above
Tips
When the backup is running, you can follow its status by running the command :
> wbadmin get status
Mail report
The mail report reproduce the usual structure but can also include the following attachments.
wba_out.txt This is the wbadmin log file.
wba_versions_out.txt Lists details about the theoretically available backups stored in multiple
location.
wevt_out.txt This is a selection of records from the event log related to the backup. This file is in
XML format.
dir.txt This is the listing of the target directory.
dir_up.txt This is the listing of the parent ot the target directory.