Steps for implementing Windows instant recovery

This section provides an overview of the steps you must follow to implement Windows instant recovery. It includes steps to perform before and after a client fails. If eligible backups run with agent version 7.3 or higher (7.4 or higher for UEFI-based clients) reside on your appliance, you can create a virtual failover client after a client fails. (For details, see About retrieving configuration data for a virtual failover client.) However, it is recommended that you plan in advance for disaster recovery of your critical servers by creating virtual failover clients as part of your data protection strategy.

Follow these steps to implement WIR:

Perform before a client fails

I          Review the General requirements and considerations for Windows instant recovery.

II         Create backup schedules for the clients you wish to protect with WIR. See Running backups for clients protected with Windows instant recovery.

III       Determine whether the VFC will reside on a Recovery-Series appliance, ESX host, or Hyper-V server. See Considerations for the virtual failover client location.

IV      Set up the virtual failover client. See Setting up a virtual failover client.

V       Audit the VFC periodically to verify that it boots successfully. See Auditing a virtual failover client.

VI      Monitor the VFC periodically using the procedures described in Monitoring and managing virtual failover clients.

Perform after a client fails

VII    Boot the VFC in live mode to temporarily replace the original client. See Booting a virtual failover client in live mode.

VIII   See one of the following depending on the location of the VFC:

     Live mode recommendations for a virtual failover client running on a Recovery-Series appliance

     Live mode recommendations for a virtual failover client running on an external hypervisor