Add Windows server hosts to the management console
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Backup and DR Service supports Windows server application types that include Microsoft
SQL Server, SMB, and local file systems. Before you can discover and back up
data from these hosts, you must do the following:
If you have added the Windows server to Backup and DR as a Compute Engine
instance or as a VMware VM, then a host for this VM already exists and you don't
need to add it again using the following procedure.
Instead, find and edit that host and proceed from step 7.
Use the following instructions to add a new Windows Server host to management console:
Click Manage>Hosts.
Select + Add Host.
In the Add Host form, enter the name and an optional friendly name.
The name of a host should start with a letter, and can contain letters
and digits (0-9). Underscore ('_') characters are not valid in host names.
Enter the IP address of the host in IP Address. Click the plus sign (+)
to add it.
In the Appliances section, select the management console managed
appliances that serve this host. If the list is long, you can use the search
field to find a specific appliance or group of appliances.
Leave Host Type as Generic.
Enter Application Discovery Credentials to discover and protect the
database applications on the host. This field is applicable only for
MariaDB, MaxDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SAP ASE, and SAP IQ databases.
In the Backup and DR agent settings, complete the following:
The Backup and DR agent port is normally port 5106. If it is anything else,
enter the port number here.
If there are CIFS shares that need to be discovered you must supply a
username and password that can access those CIFS shares.
If you want to update the secret key or if you did not add the secret key for
the first time, you can add it in the Windows host using the following
instructions.
Click Manage and then select Hosts.
Right-click the Windows host and choose Edit.
Scroll to Backup and DR Agent Settings section and find the
Secret field.
Paste the secret key that you saved earlier in the Secret field
and click Save. Ensure the certificate status changes to Valid.
Find logs and scripts on Windows server hosts
On a Microsoft Windows server host, UDSAgent.logs are stored in
C:\Program Files\Google Cloud Backup and DR\log
You can create scripts to perform pre- and post- actions on applications on your
Windows hosts. Create a new folder in which to store all scripts:
C:\Program Files\Google Cloud Backup and DR\scripts.
Discover local file system
Use these instructions to add local file systems, you must do the following:
Discover the local file system in either of these ways:
Go to Back up & Recover and select Back up.
Go to App Manager, click Applications, and then select
Add application.
Select the All Apps tile. If you select the All Apps tile you
also discover Microsoft SQL Server apps.
After the local file systems are discovered, you can find them using the
file system filter in the Applications page.
Service access point IP address for cluster support
If a file system is a cluster resource and if you want it to be backed up
irrespective of which cluster node is hosting the file system, specify the
Cluster resource IP address as a Service Access Point IP. This allows the
backup/recovery appliance to connect to the Backup and DR agent using the
cluster resource IP and to back up the file system from the active cluster node.
For backup to work correctly across all cluster nodes, the Backup and DR agent
must be installed on all cluster nodes.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-29 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe Backup and DR service supports backing up Windows server applications like Microsoft SQL Server, SMB, and local file systems, requiring the Backup and DR agent to be installed on the Windows host.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo add a new Windows host, navigate to Manage > Hosts, select "+ Add Host," and complete the form with the host's details, including its name, IP address, and appliance association.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIf the Windows server is already added as a Compute Engine instance or a VMware VM, you can edit the existing host instead of adding it again, and must enter the Application Discovery Credentials for the supported databases.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eA secret key is required for the Backup and DR agent settings and can be added during host setup or afterward by editing the host, and it must be supplied before running the application discovery.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eLocal file systems can be discovered by going to either Back up & Recover and selecting Back up, or App Manager and then selecting Add application, where all apps can be selected.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Add Windows server hosts to the management console\n\nBackup and DR Service supports Windows server application types that include Microsoft\nSQL Server, SMB, and local file systems. Before you can discover and back up\ndata from these hosts, you must do the following:\n\n- [Install the Backup and DR agent on Windows host](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/configuration/windows-agent)\n\n- Add the Windows host\n\nAdd Windows host\n----------------\n\nIf you have added the Windows server to Backup and DR as a Compute Engine\ninstance or as a VMware VM, then a host for this VM already exists and you don't\nneed to add it again using the following procedure.\nInstead, find and edit that host and proceed from [step 7](#step7).\n\nUse the following instructions to add a new Windows Server host to management console:\n\n1. Click **Manage** \\\u003e **Hosts**.\n\n2. Select **+ Add Host**.\n\n3. In the **Add Host** form, enter the name and an optional friendly name.\n The name of a host should start with a letter, and can contain letters\n and digits (0-9). Underscore ('_') characters are not valid in host names.\n\n4. Enter the IP address of the host in **IP Address** . Click the **plus sign (+)**\n to add it.\n\n5. In the **Appliances** section, select the management console managed\n appliances that serve this host. If the list is long, you can use the search\n field to find a specific appliance or group of appliances.\n\n6. Leave **Host Type** as **Generic**.\n\n7. Enter **Application Discovery Credentials** to discover and protect the\n database applications on the host. This field is applicable only for\n MariaDB, MaxDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SAP ASE, and SAP IQ databases.\n\n8. In the Backup and DR agent settings, complete the following:\n\n - The Backup and DR agent port is normally port 5106. If it is anything else,\n enter the port number here.\n\n - If there are CIFS shares that need to be discovered you must supply a\n username and password that can access those CIFS shares.\n\n - You must supply the secret key generated on the Windows host using the\n instructions\n [Install the Backup and DR agent on a Windows host](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/configuration/windows-agent)\n or [Regenerate the secret key](/backup-disaster-recovery/docs/configuration/windows-agent#regenerate)\n section. You can add the secret key now or later using the [Add a secret key](#add)\n instructions but before running the application discovery.\n\n9. Click **Add**.\n\n### Add a secret key\n\nIf you want to update the secret key or if you did not add the secret key for\nthe first time, you can add it in the Windows host using the following\ninstructions.\n\n1. Click **Manage** and then select **Hosts**.\n\n2. Right-click the Windows host and choose **Edit**.\n\n3. Scroll to **Backup and DR Agent Settings** section and find the\n **Secret** field.\n\n4. Paste the secret key that you saved earlier in the **Secret** field\n and click **Save** . Ensure the certificate status changes to **Valid**.\n\nFind logs and scripts on Windows server hosts\n---------------------------------------------\n\nOn a Microsoft Windows server host, UDSAgent.logs are stored in\n`C:\\Program Files\\Google Cloud Backup and DR\\log`\n\nYou can create scripts to perform pre- and post- actions on applications on your\nWindows hosts. Create a new folder in which to store all scripts:\n`C:\\Program Files\\Google Cloud Backup and DR\\scripts`.\n| **Note:** The Backup and DR agent can be firewalled out if the host joins a domain after the Backup and DR agent has been installed. If this happens, uninstall and then re-install the Backup and DR agent.\n\nDiscover local file system\n--------------------------\n\nUse these instructions to add local file systems, you must do the following:\n\n1. Discover the local file system in either of these ways:\n\n - Go to **Back up \\& Recover** and select **Back up**.\n\n - Go to **App Manager** , click **Applications** , and then select\n **Add application**.\n\n2. Select the **All Apps** tile. If you select the **All Apps** tile you\n also discover Microsoft SQL Server apps.\n After the local file systems are discovered, you can find them using the\n file system filter in the **Applications** page.\n\nService access point IP address for cluster support\n---------------------------------------------------\n\nIf a file system is a cluster resource and if you want it to be backed up\nirrespective of which cluster node is hosting the file system, specify the\nCluster resource IP address as a Service Access Point IP. This allows the\nbackup/recovery appliance to connect to the Backup and DR agent using the\ncluster resource IP and to back up the file system from the active cluster node.\nFor backup to work correctly across all cluster nodes, the Backup and DR agent\nmust be installed on all cluster nodes."]]
