I am using Windows Server 2008 Enterprise edition as a platform for a web server. This machine has been on-line for over a year now with no problem. Every night, Windows Backup performas a complete backup to a USB drive. I have a second server that I want to use as a backup (in case of a hardware failure.) This machine is very similar to the primary server. Today, I did a 'bare metal recovery' to this second server using one of the backups on the USB drive. The restore was performed successfully.

Apr 16, 2017 I recently upgraded windows 7 to windows 10. I want to backup windows 10 activation for reinstallation in future. So, how to backup windows 10 activation?

The second server boots up normally and all of my data and configuration information is correct. My question is regarding the Windows Activation. On the second server, Windows indicates that it is not activated. Nyu Post Bacc Linkage Program.

I have a second Windows Server license that I have not used yet. However, I am only planning on using this second server as a hardware backup. Here is how I see things. I can wait until my primary server fails (if ever) and then do another bare-metal recovery (since I have now verified that the hardware will work.) Then, I ASSUME I would use the original activation code that was originally used to activate the primary server.

Or, I can leave the second server the way it is now (after the bare-metal recovery), and then do a restore so that all of the data is up to date. This is quicker than a bare-metal recovery and it makes me more comfortable. However, I don't know what to do about the activation. Should I not activate?

Should I activate using the code for the primary server? (This seems wrong because two servers would have the same activation. Maybe it wouldn't even work.) 3. Should I activate using the code for the second copy of Windows Server? If I had two servers, each identical except for the activation, would I be able to restore a backup made on Server 1 to Server 2? Thanks in advance. Hi, From your description, as you said, “ I would like to turn off the broken server, boot up the second server, attach the USB drive (backups) to the second server, restore the most recent backup, plug in the ethernet cable and be back on-line”, You would like to provide unremitting service when the first server stops working, the second substituted server will continue to work.

Is this your main concern? If it is, it is recommended that you read the following articles regarding to server clustering. A server cluster is a group of independent servers running Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, or Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, and working together as a single system to provide high availability of services for clients. When a failure occurs on one computer in a cluster, resources are redirected and the workload is redistributed to another computer in the cluster. You can use server clusters to ensure that users have constant access to important server-based resources.

What Is a Server Cluster? Server Cluster Overview Windows 2008 R2 Failover Clustering Technologies (Windows 2008 R2 Failover Clusters (Jeff Ren TechNet Community Support beneficial to other community members reading the thread. See the following thread for possible solution to your concern: Also, the related information in the following article may help you: Please VOTE as HELPFUL if the post helps you and remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. Thanks for the quick response. This information makes it clear that you need a seperate license for each server.