Windows Server Backup
Windows Server Backup is the built-in Windows Server feature that copies files, volumes, system state or a full bare-metal image using Volume Shadow Copy. The feature is free with Windows; WebJi® adds an off-site copy from ₹1,300 a month for 200 GB, before 18% GST, for Tally, MS SQL and file servers.
For admins of Windows servers running Tally, ASP.NET with MS SQL, Active Directory or shared folders who need a restorable copy away from the machine.
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Last editorial update: 14 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
What does Windows Server Backup copy?
Windows Server Backup is the built-in Windows Server feature that copies a full server, chosen volumes, the system state or individual files and folders, using Volume Shadow Copy (VSS). Because VSS freezes a consistent point in time, open files and VSS-aware applications are captured without stopping services.
Each backup type answers a different kind of loss, so a sensible schedule mixes them instead of picking one.
| Backup type | What it contains | Recovers from | Typical rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files and folders | Selected data paths | Deleted or overwritten documents | Daily or more often |
| System state | Registry, boot files, COM+ database; Active Directory and SYSVOL on a domain controller | A server that boots badly or a damaged directory | Weekly, and before every major update |
| Custom volumes | Whole drives you pick, such as D: with data | A failed data volume | Daily |
| Full server / bare metal | All critical volumes plus system state | Dead disks or a server that must be rebuilt | Weekly or monthly |
Which Windows servers need an off-server backup copy?
Any Windows server whose data you could not re-type needs a copy that lives somewhere other than its own disks. In Indian small businesses that usually means four kinds of machine.
- Tally or ERP on RDP: company data folders change every working day, so one bad night of corruption can cost a month of vouchers. See Tally on a cloud server.
- ASP.NET sites with MS SQL: the site files are small, but the database is the business; pair the server image with native SQL backups.
- Domain controllers: a system state copy is what brings back user accounts, group policy and SYSVOL.
- Office file servers: shared folders are the first target of ransomware, so an older, unreachable copy matters more than a recent one.
How to set up and schedule Windows Server Backup
Install the Windows-Server-Backup feature, create a schedule in the wbadmin console or with wbadmin, and test one restore before you rely on it. The feature is not installed by default on Windows Server.
- Install the feature from Server Manager (Add Roles and Features) or in PowerShell as administrator.
- Open Windows Server Backup, choose Backup Schedule, then Full server or Custom and the times of day.
- Pick the destination: a disk dedicated to backups, a volume, or a network share (the trade-offs are in the next section).
- After the first run, restore one test folder to a different path and open a file from it.
# install the feature
Install-WindowsFeature Windows-Server-Backup
# one-off bare-metal-capable backup of all critical volumes to E:
wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:E: -allCritical -systemState -quiet
# system state only
wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:E:
# list the restore points on the target
wbadmin get versions -backupTarget:E:Run these from an elevated prompt. For how often each type should run, see incremental vs full backups.
Where should a Windows server backup be stored?
Keep at least one Windows server backup off the machine and off its network login, because a copy on the same disks or a mapped share fails with them. Windows Server Backup’s own destinations each have a limit worth knowing.
| Destination | Versions kept | Main weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated backup disk | Many; older points are removed as space runs out | Still in the same server or rack |
| Volume on the same server | Many | Lost with the server’s storage |
| Network shared folder | Only the latest; each scheduled run overwrites the previous one | No history to roll back to after silent corruption |
| Remote backup storage (agent) | Set by the retention you choose | Restore speed depends on data size and link |
That last row is the off-site leg of the 3-2-1 backup rule, and it is what WebJi® sells below.
What WebJi® charges for off-site Windows server backup
Off-site storage for a Windows server backup starts at ₹1,300 a month before 18% GST for the Backup.Help agent with 200 GB. The Windows feature itself ships with Windows Server and is not billed. Paying yearly for Backup.Help costs ₹13,000 instead of ₹15,600 (₹1,300 × 12), a saving of ₹2,600.
| Plan | Storage and help | Price | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backup.Help App + 200 GB | Automatic backups, 200 GB; also ₹3,900 a quarter or ₹13,000 a year | ₹1,300 a month | Order Now → |
| Managed Support — 10 queries | Managed server care plus 200 GB remote backup | ₹7,000 a month | Order Now → |
| Managed Support — 25 queries | Managed care plus 500 GB remote backup | ₹11,000 a month | Order Now → |
| Managed Support — 50 queries | Managed care plus 500 GB remote backup | ₹20,000 a month | Order Now → |
A Windows Server licence is not part of these plans. If your data is larger than 500 GB, ask for an INR figure before you pay.
Choose Backup.Help when your own admin runs the server; choose a Managed Support tier when you want WebJi® to handle restores as tickets. All plans sit under server backup solutions.
How a Windows server is restored: file, system state or bare metal
Use the smallest restore that fixes the problem: files from the Recover wizard, system state with wbadmin, and a bare-metal recovery only when the disks or the whole install are gone. A bare-metal recovery boots from Windows installation media into the recovery environment and writes the full image back.
- Files and folders: Windows Server Backup → Recover → pick the date and the paths; restore to another folder first if unsure.
- System state:
wbadmin start systemstaterecovery; on a domain controller this is done from Directory Services Restore Mode. - Bare metal: boot the installer, choose Repair your computer → System Image Recovery, and point it at the backup.
Linux machines follow a different path on the Linux server backup page, and whole-fleet agent backup with retention and encryption is covered under cloud server backup. Email support@webji.services 24/7 in Hindi and English; the average first reply is under 60 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windows Server Backup enough for an MS SQL database?
It gives a crash-consistent copy through the SQL Writer and VSS, which restores the database to the backup time. It cannot restore to a minute between backups. For that, run native SQL Server full and transaction-log backups as well and include their folder in the server backup.
Why does my network share hold only one Windows backup?
That is how Windows Server Backup treats a remote shared folder: each scheduled run replaces the previous backup there. If you need several restore points, use a dedicated disk or remote backup storage with a retention period.
Can ransomware encrypt Windows Server Backup files?
Yes, if the backup target is reachable from the infected server, such as a mapped share or a lettered drive. A dedicated backup disk without a drive letter lowers the risk, but only a copy outside the server’s reach is reliably safe.
Does a Windows Server licence come with these backup plans?
No. The plans on this page are remote backup storage and managed care. Windows Server Backup is already part of a licensed Windows Server, and the server or its licence is bought separately, for example with a Windows VPS.
How long does a bare-metal restore of a Windows server take?
It depends on the size of the image and the speed of the disk or link it is read from. A restore from a local dedicated disk is usually fastest; pulling a large image from remote storage takes longer, so agree your acceptable downtime before an incident.
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
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