Hyper-V complicates the backup process on a Windows Server 2008 R2 server. The major issue is whether to backup the host server which runs Hyper-V or backup the VMs (virtual machines) individually. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Hyper-V Host Server Backup

If you elect to backup the Hyper-V host server, it is normally possible  to include the VMs in the backups, which therefore protects the entire system with a single process. The Hyper-V VSS  (Volume Shadow Copy Service) Writer  makes it possible to backup VMs from the host system. If you wish to use Windows Server Backup for an entire Hyper-V server and its VMs, you will need to register the Hyper-V VSS Writer with the backup software by adding the below registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WindowsServerBackup\Application Support\{66841CD4-6DED-4F4B-8F17-FD23F8DDC3DE}

Subsequently, in the registry key, you need to  create a String Value with the below settings:

• Name: Application Identifier
• Type: REG_SZ
• Value: Hyper-V

Continues…