Understanding the limitations of configuration-only backup/restore in SharePoint 2010

Understanding the limitations of configuration-only backup/restore in SharePoint 2010

When administrators initially discover configuration-only backup and restore in SharePoint 2010, a common response is elation. Finally, many think, I can copy or clone my farm configuration. Ill be able to create a common configuration template and leverage it everywhere. No more manual settings! Unfortunately, a closer look reveals that this isnt at all the case.

The ability to create a configuration-only backup can be useful, but it comes with some very noteworthy limitations. First, the configuration-only backup process does not capture any setting that isnt portable. This means that any setting which mentions a server name, an IP address, or some other environmentally dependent piece of data isnt captured.

Next, the only Web application configuration data that can be captured by a configuration-only backup is that which is tied to the Content Webs Service. Configuration data tied to individual Web applications that you create (and that serve your site collections) isnt captured. This means that quotas, alternate access mappings, authentication settings, and any other form of setting data that varies by Web application is passed over.

The final big blow comes from the Service Application Framework. Simply put, the Service Application Framework does not participate in configuration-only backups and restores. Settings that are tied to Search, Business Connectivity Services, the Managed Metadata Service, and any other service application wont be captured in configuration-only backups.

Configuration-only backups can capture truly portable settings, but they wont remove the need to document most farm configurations settings anytime soon.

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