Operating system
Restore the protected system environment so teams do not have to reinstall and reconfigure the OS before recovering data.
DPX feature
Bare Metal Recovery
When file restore is not enough, Catalogic DPX Bare Metal Recovery rebuilds a complete Windows or Linux system from block backup, including the operating system, point-in-time data, applications, and configuration.
Complete system recovery when rebuilding by hand is too slow
After hardware failure, ransomware, operating system corruption, or a failed update, restoring a few files may not bring the business back. DPX Bare Metal Recovery provides a disk-based disaster recovery path for an entire machine. Boot a bare physical or virtual target with the appropriate recovery media, connect to the storage system, select a backup instance, and restore both the protected data and its system environment.
What DPX Bare Metal Recovery restores
DPX Bare Metal Recovery is designed for recovery scenarios that require the full machine state rather than individual files.
Applications and settings
Recover applicable Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle application data with the selected system recovery point.
Protected volumes
Use block-level backups to restore full system images and protected data volumes to a supported recovery target.
Point-in-time snapshots
Choose the recovery point that best fits the incident, whether the goal is rollback before corruption or recovery after hardware loss.
Physical server recovery
Recover supported physical Windows and Linux servers when the original machine is unavailable or must be rebuilt.
Physical or virtual targets
Restore supported systems to physical hardware or VMware virtual machines, with advance testing for the target environment.
A practical recovery workflow for critical systems
DPX keeps the BMR process focused on selecting the right recovery point and restoring the full system image.
- Schedule recurring Block backups of each Windows or Linux node, including its special BMR volume.
- Prepare the appropriate DPX recovery media and any storage, network, SCSI, or RAID drivers the target may require.
- Boot the replacement or rebuilt machine into the recovery environment.
- Connect to the storage system containing the backups, such as Catalogic vStor or NetApp ONTAP.
- Select the protected node, job, volume, and snapshot that match the recovery objective.
- Restore the full system image, then reboot into the recovered environment.
Recover after system loss
Bare Metal Recovery is useful when the original system cannot be trusted or repaired quickly. Hardware failure, ransomware, accidental system changes, storage corruption, and operating system damage can all make manual rebuilds risky and slow. DPX restores the operating system, point-in-time data, and supported application data from the selected backup.
That matters for physical servers, specialized application hosts, and systems where configuration is as important as the data itself.
Pair full-system restore with cyber resilience
BMR should be part of a broader recovery strategy. DPX can pair full-system recovery with immutable vStor storage, GuardMode ransomware detection, backup verification where applicable, and replicated recovery points. The goal is to bring the system back from a recovery point that is protected and appropriate for the incident.
For ransomware scenarios, review recovery points carefully and combine BMR with cyber-resilient recovery practices.
Where BMR fits in a DPX recovery plan
DPX gives teams multiple restore paths. Bare Metal Recovery is the right choice when the entire machine must come back.
Hardware failure
Restore a supported system to replacement hardware when the original machine is unavailable.
Ransomware recovery
Rebuild compromised systems from selected recovery points as part of a clean recovery workflow.
System corruption
Recover the operating system and protected data after failed updates, configuration damage, or boot problems.
Dissimilar hardware
Recover to supported replacement hardware with a different configuration when required drivers are available and the workflow has been tested in advance.
Application hosts
Restore the application host, configuration, and protected data together where the backup type and workload support it.
Disaster recovery
Combine BMR with replication, off-site copies, tape, or object storage to support larger recovery scenarios.
Bring a BMR backup up as a VMware virtual machine
When replacement hardware is not ready, or the workload can move to VMware, DPX can restore a BMR backup stored on vStor as a new virtual machine through vCenter. You start it from the DPX web interface as a Virtualization restore job and choose the host, datastore, network, and VM folder for the new machine.
Full Virtualization
Full Virtualization copies the BMR backup from vStor onto the new VM’s internal volume. The result is a production VM on the datastore you selected.
Use it when the original server is gone for good, or to keep a service running on VMware while replacement hardware is on order.
Instant Virtualization and Rapid Return to Production
Instant Virtualization maps the BMR backup on vStor to the new VM as an external volume, so the machine comes up without waiting for a full data copy. Reads go to backup storage and can carry higher latency, which makes it a fit for testing, validation, and short-term access.
If the temporary VM should stay, Rapid Return to Production (RRP) converts it into a production VM.
Instant Virtualization applies to Windows BMR backups. On Linux, DPX supports Instant Access mapping of block backups but not Instant Virtualization.
Bare Metal Recovery FAQ
What is Bare Metal Recovery?
Bare Metal Recovery is a disk-based disaster recovery method that restores a complete system to a bare or rebuilt machine. Instead of reinstalling the operating system and applications first, DPX restores the system environment and point-in-time protected data from Block backup.
When should I use BMR instead of file restore?
Use BMR when the whole machine must be recovered: failed hardware, corrupted operating system, ransomware-compromised servers, or systems where manual rebuild would take too long. For small user mistakes, file or object recovery is usually faster.
Does DPX BMR work for Windows and Linux?
DPX supports Bare Metal Recovery for supported Windows and Linux configurations. Exact support depends on the DPX version, operating system, file system, disk layout, boot mode, target hardware, and compatibility requirements. Review the current Bare Metal Recovery documentation before deployment.
How does BMR work with ransomware recovery?
BMR can rebuild a compromised system from a selected recovery point. For ransomware incidents, combine BMR with immutable backup storage, GuardMode detection, backup verification where applicable, and careful recovery point selection to avoid restoring compromised data.
Can BMR restore to different hardware?
Yes. DPX is designed to recover to dissimilar hardware and supports physical and virtual recovery targets. Because server hardware combinations vary, Catalogic recommends careful advance testing. Additional storage, network, SCSI, RAID, or other drivers and post-recovery steps may be required.
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Related DPX resources
Learn more about full-system recovery, rapid restore, and cyber-resilient backup with Catalogic DPX.
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Catalogic DPX for Proxmox VE Datasheet
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Plan full-system recovery with DPX
See how Catalogic DPX Bare Metal Recovery helps rebuild critical Windows and Linux systems after hardware loss, corruption, ransomware, or disaster.
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