Regular backup procedures are essential for protecting your data from accidental loss. Critical data for Microsoft® Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010 is stored on the server running FIM that hosts FIM and on the server running SQL Server 2008 hosts the FIM Synchronization Service database. These might be installed on the same server. It is strongly recommended that you test your backup and restore procedures before an emergency occurs.

To back up FIM
  1. Back up the FIM encryption key. For more information, see Back up the Forefront Identity Manager Encryption Key.

    Caution

    All passwords related to FIM data are accessed by using the encryption keys. Although you can restore an FIM installation without the current encryption keys, or with no encryption keys, you might lose the following data:

    • All passwords that are used by management agents to authenticate to connected data sources. These can be reentered manually.

    • All passwords for user objects that were in the process of being provisioned. You can view a list of these user objects by searching the connector space with a scope of Pending Export/Add. You can then disconnect and reprovision these user objects or continue to export them and set the passwords manually.

  2. In SQL Server, back up the FIM Synchronization Service database.

  3. In Windows Server® 2008 operating system, use Backup to back up any log files or file-based management agent import and export files that are located in InstallationDirectory\Madata.

  4. If the server is a stand-alone server, use Windows Server® 2008 operating system Backup to back up the local Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database.

Important

If your server fails, you can restore your metadirectory to the state of your most recent backup. As a best practice, keep the following items current and available:

Note

For more information about backing up the FIM Synchronization Service database, see the FIM Technical Library on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=16888) or SQL Server Books Online.

Note

For more information about Windows Server® 2008 operating system Backup, see Help and Support Center in Windows Server® 2008 operating system.

Note

For more information about restoring your metadirectory, see Restoring Forefront Identity Manager.