Log Backup

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

AD RMS is a stateless service that does not need to access its stored logs to perform correctly. Nevertheless, AD RMS logs can be used for several analysis, troubleshooting and discovery tasks, and as such they should be conserved appropriately. Because a single database server can always fail due to hardware, software or operational errors, proper backup of the databases is necessary.

Since records are continually added to the logging database, any data written to the database since the most recent backup is at risk of being lost. Given the typical usage of AD RMS logs, this can be acceptable in most scenarios if the risk window is kept reasonably small. We strongly recommend running the databases in full recovery model, with frequent backup of the transaction logs.

Additionally, a daily, full backup of the logging database is considered reasonable for most environments. However, you should consider the recovery needs and acceptable log loss for your own organization before defining a backup schedule for a particular scenario.