Image Colocated Server???

This may be a silly question.

I have a colocated server that is running server 2008 R2. I use it for IIS, MailServer, SQL Server and MYSQL. I also have some custom dlls installed for some of my classic asp work.

Here is my concern... How do i back this thing up? If it were a hyper-v system i could just backup the image, but its not.

I want to have a Norton Ghost like image so that I can restore the server at anytime? Also, if there is a way to ghost a server (colocated- through RDP), can i then use the image with different hardware and expect it to work? Lets say the server explodes and I buy different hardware from Dell.

Please advise.

Frank

From serverfault frank

• I think you need a different backup strategy.

  Ghosting will require the machine to be offline whilst this happens. As ghosting requires bit level access to a non-changing file system.

  Enabling Hyper-V is certainly one strategy, the other is that your hosting provider might offer a managed backup solution. These usually have a restore aspect to them as well.

  From Phil Hannent

• The problem is that i own the hardware, and the COLO facility has no management, just cheap bandwidth. I have access to the server, at the colo, I can afford to take it down for a few hours.

  Can i convert an install of windows server 2008 to hyperv? Is that possible?

  Frank

  From Frank