Doing this on a Development (Test) Server...

Our software:

Solidworks Premium Solidworks
PDM Professional Solidworks

Electrical Schematic Professional

Solidworks Electrical 3D

Goal: Perform all necessary backups and be able to upgrade to 2017 SP4 Products, and then revert back to 2016 SP4 Products. Without involving our Networking team.

Presently, I get our networking tech to clone our production VM server to another server. And I test the upgrade process on the test server only. For each testing cycle; to get back to the exiting production environment, I have to get the networking tech to reclone the production server 3-5 times.

Questions:

1) Is there a way I can do the necessary backups; test the upgrade process (update my notes, etc.), then revert back to 2016 products myself?

2) After a upgrade test cycle, how do I get back to the previous version server software and files? Is it possible?

3) Does anyone have a process (solution) for these testing cycles and it not involve recloning the server? Please share.

Presently I'm doing the following:

1) Backup SQL Server File Vault Database - using SQL Server Management Studio

     Full Database Backup

2) Backup Solidworks PDM Archive Server Settings - presently this is done each week on Sunday 12am.

3) Backup the Entire Vault Database (Files) -  this is performed by the IT/Networking Team

     Incremental - Daily at 1am

     Saturdays (Full Backup)

     Maintains a 30 day history

4) Archive Solidworks Electrical