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Redefining Data Protection

Title Page

User’s Guide
for the
NetVault: Backup APM
for Exchange Server

APM Version 3.1 MEG-101-3.1-EN-01 11/19/2007


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NetVault: Backup - User’s Guide for the NetVault: Backup APM for Exchange Server
Software Copyright © 2007 BakBone Software
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User’s Guide

Table of Contents
Section 1: Using the Exchange Server APM

Chapter 1: Introduction 9

• About the Exchange Server Application Plugin Module ............................................. 10


- NetVault: Backup APM for Exchange Server at a Glance ............................................................. 10
- Key Benefits ................................................................................................................................... 10
- Target Audience ............................................................................................................................. 12
- Recommended Additional Reading ............................................................................................... 12

Chapter 2: Installation 13

• Installation of the Exchange Server APM ..................................................................... 14


- Pre-Installation Requirements ........................................................................................................ 14
- Installation Options ........................................................................................................................ 18
- Installation Procedure .................................................................................................................... 19
- Removing the Exchange Server APM ........................................................................................... 20

Chapter 3: Configuration 21

• Configuring the Exchange Server APM ........................................................................ 22


- Configuring Authentication Details ................................................................................................. 22
- Specifying Default Configuration (Optional) ................................................................................... 24

Chapter 4: Backup with the Exchange Server APM 27

• Backing up Data with the Exchange Server APM ........................................................ 28


• Defining an Exchange Server Backup and Recovery Strategy .................................. 28
- Exchange Server Databases ......................................................................................................... 28
- Exchange Server Transaction Log and Patch Files ....................................................................... 29
- Available Backup Method .............................................................................................................. 29
- Transaction Log File Management ................................................................................................ 29
- Backup Types ................................................................................................................................ 30
- Example Backup Sequences ......................................................................................................... 33
4 Table of Contents

• Performing Backups with Exchange Server .................................................................34


- Selecting Data for a Backup .......................................................................................................... 34
- Setting Backup Options ................................................................................................................. 36
- Finalizing and Submitting the Job .................................................................................................. 37

Chapter 5: Restore with the Exchange Server APM 39

• Restoring Data with the Exchange Server APM ...........................................................41


• Understanding the Exchange Server Restore Process ...............................................41
- Restore Methods Available ............................................................................................................ 41
- Phases of a Restore ...................................................................................................................... 42
• Restoring Backups in Exchange Server .......................................................................42
- Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery ............................................................................... 42
- Selecting Data for a Restore .......................................................................................................... 45
- Setting Restore Options ................................................................................................................. 49
- Finalizing and Submitting a Restore Job ....................................................................................... 52
- Example Restore Sequences ........................................................................................................ 52
• Other Restore Procedures ..............................................................................................58
- What is a Recovery Storage Group? ............................................................................................. 58
- Restoring Data to a Recovery Storage Group in Exchange 2003 ................................................. 59
- Restoring Data to a Recovery Storage Group in Exchange 2007 ................................................. 60
- Disaster Recovery of the Exchange Server ................................................................................... 61
- Recovering to a Different Exchange Server ................................................................................... 63

Section 2: Appendix

Appendix A: The Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support 75

• Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support ..................................................................77


- An Overview of Exchange Server Failover Clustering ................................................................... 77
- About this Appendix ....................................................................................................................... 77
- Installation ...................................................................................................................................... 78
- Licensing ........................................................................................................................................ 80
- Configuration .................................................................................................................................. 80
- Backup ........................................................................................................................................... 80
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User’s Guide
5
- Restore .......................................................................................................................................... 81

Appendix B: The About Window 83

• The About Window ......................................................................................................... 84

Appendix C: Troubleshooting/Support 85

• Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................. 86
• Technical Support ........................................................................................................... 87
- BakBone Software’s Customer Support Website .......................................................................... 87
6 Table of Contents
User’s Guide

SECTIO N 1:

Using the
Exchange
Server APM
User’s Guide
Chapter 1:
Introduction
1.0.0 - About the Exchange Server Application Plugin Module ................ 10
• 1.0.1 - NetVault: Backup APM for Exchange Server at a Glance .......................................... 10
• 1.0.2 - Key Benefits ............................................................................................................ 10
• 1.0.3 - Target Audience....................................................................................................... 12
• 1.0.4 - Recommended Additional Reading .......................................................................... 12
10 Chapter 1
Introduction

1.0.0 About the Exchange Server Application Plugin


Module

1.0.1 NetVault: Backup APM for Exchange Server at a Glance


NetVault: Backup APM for Exchange Server (Exchange Server APM) increases
confidence in the recoverability of Exchange and eliminates the need to learn
Exchange internals in order to implement flexible backup policies that can account
for multiple recovery scenarios. Through an intuitive and easy-to-use GUI and
automated workflow, the Exchange Server APM offers users a centralized
console to setup, configure and define backup and restore policies for all of your
Exchange Servers. Exchange Server APM offers granular control that allows
users to restore complete Information Stores, individual Storage Groups, or
individual databases. Through automatic integration with a wide range of backup
devices, you can be confident that your Exchange Servers are being protected
and stored offsite for disaster recovery purposes.

1.0.2 Key Benefits


„ Increases Confidence and Reduces Risk While Deploying Exchange -
Exchange Server APM allows administrators to create backup policies
which are flexible enough to account for a large number of recovery
scenarios. Administrators no longer have to worry about understanding
Exchange internals before being able to implement a backup policy that
allows for recovery of complete Information Stores, individual Storage
Groups, or individual databases. This knowledge is built into Exchange
Server APM.
Exchange Server APM’s flexible backup features also include:
™ Full, Incremental, and Differential Backups while data is online and
accessible
™ Copy-only Backups
™ Protection down to the individual database

By relying on Exchange Server APM to implement your backup policies,


users can be freed to focus on more critical tasks without risking your ability
to recover exactly what is needed in the unfortunate event of a failure. In
addition, an IT managers' confidence is increased by knowing their email is
protected, no matter what.
„ Speeds Up Restores to Reduce Downtime - With Exchange Server APM,
you simply select what needs to be restored, the backup set to restore from
and NetVault: Backup's APM for Exchange Server automatically performs the
restore. To maximize availability, the Exchange Server APM is designed for
granular recoveries, allowing users to recover complete Information Stores,
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User’s Guide
11
individual Storage Groups, or individual databases. Through point-and-click
automated options, the Exchange Server APM reduces reliance on human
interaction which eliminates errors often caused by manual intervention
Additional Exchange Server APM restore features include:
™ Full, Incremental, and Differential Restores
™ Restores of complete Information Stores, individual Storage Groups, or
individual databases
™ Rename of databases during restores
™ Rename and relocate subfolders during restores
™ Restores to Recovery Storage Groups
™ Restores to alternate Exchange Server
„ Ensure Business Continuity with Automatic Integration of Backup
Devices - With offsite backups being an important part of the data protection
plan for any mission critical application, Exchange Server APM takes
advantage of NetVault: Backup's fundamental integration with a wide range of
backup devices which include: tape libraries, stand-alone tape devices,
virtual tape libraries, and shared virtual tape libraries. NetVault: Backup
allows you the flexibility to select which backup device to store the backup on.
You can store the backup online in a virtual tape library and duplicate the job
to physical tape libraries shared by multiple Exchange Servers, propriety
databases, or used for general backup purposes.
Exchange Server APM gives you the confidence that your email
environment is being protected and stored offsite for disaster recovery
purposes. At the same time, it frees administrators from being available 24x7
because less experienced Exchange administrators can initiate restores with
confidence that they will be performed correctly and as quickly as possible,
thereby reducing downtime and improving business continuity.

1.0.3 Feature Summary


„ Full, Incremental, and Differential Backups while data is online and
accessible
„ Copy-only Backups
„ Protection down to the individual database
„ Full, Incremental, and Differential Restores
„ Restores of complete Information Stores, individual Storage Groups, or
individual databases
„ Rename of databases during restores
„ Rename and relocate subfolders during restores
12 Chapter 1
Introduction

„ Restores to Recovery Storage Groups


„ Restores to alternate Exchange Server

1.0.4 Target Audience


While advanced Exchange Server skills are generally not required to create and
execute routine backup operations, they are required for defining the Exchange
Server Backup and Recovery Strategy.

1.0.5 Recommended Additional Reading


It is recommended that the following documentation be readily available for
reference when setting up and while using this APM.
„ Exchange Server 2007 Documentation
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124558.aspx
„ Exchange Server 2003 Documentation
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123872.aspx
„ Exchange Server 2000 Documentation
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/bb330828.aspx
„ The NetVault: Backup Administrator's Guide - Offers descriptions on the
use of functionality available in NetVault: Backup that can be used in
conjunction with this APM (i.e., functionality that is not unique to the
Exchange Server APM).
http://www.bakbone.com/support/product_documentation/
User’s Guide
Chapter 2:
Installation
2.0.0 - Installation of the Exchange Server APM ............................................. 14
• 2.0.1 - Pre-Installation Requirements .................................................................................. 14
- 2.0.1.a - Configuring Localization Settings .......................................................................... 15
- 2.0.1.b - Enabling Deleted Item Recovery ........................................................................... 16
• 2.0.2 - Installation Options.................................................................................................. 18
- 2.0.2.a - NetVault Client Configured as an Exchange Server (Recommended) ....................... 18
- 2.0.2.b - NetVault Server Configured as an Exchange Server ............................................... 18
• 2.0.3 - Installation Procedure .............................................................................................. 19
• 2.0.4 - Removing the Exchange Server APM ....................................................................... 20
14 Chapter 2
Installation

2.0.0 Installation of the Exchange Server APM

2.0.1 Pre-Installation Requirements


Before installing the Exchange Server APM, ensure the following requirements
are met on the machine that is to serve as the Exchange Server:

2.0.1.a Disabling Circular Logging


If either an Incremental or Differential Backup type is to be created, ensure that
Circular Logging is disabled. The Exchange Server will overwrite files if Circular
Logging is enabled, making it impossible to reliably restore from the transaction
logs. For more information on Backup Types see the section Backup Types on
page 30. Follow these steps to disable Circular Logging:

Disabling Circular Logging in Exchange 2000/2003


1. Open Exchange System Manager.
2. Expand Servers, and then expand an Exchange Server.
3. Right-click the desired Storage Group and select Properties. The Storage
Group properties dialog box will appear.
4. Deselect the Enable circular logging check box, and then click OK to
save the changes.
5. Close Exchange System Manager and restart the Microsoft Exchange
Information Store service for the change to take effect.
Complete instructions for this procedure can be found in the relevant Microsoft
Exchange 2000 and Exchange 2003 documentation. In addition, the article,
Circular logging is disabled can be consulted for this information via Microsoft’s
TechNet website. At the time this document was generated, this article was
available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/842c428a-9cc2-4a3c-b9df-
bf40c2f2727a.aspx

Disabling Circular Logging in Exchange 2007


1. Open Exchange Management Console.
2. Expand Server Configuration and expand the desired server.
3. Right-click the desired Storage Group and select Properties. The Storage
Group properties dialog box will appear.
4. In the Properties dialog box, deselect the Enable circular logging check
box.
5. Click OK to save the setting.
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6. Close Exchange Management Console and restart the Microsoft
Exchange Information Store service for the change to take effect.
Complete instructions for this procedure can be found in the relevant Microsoft
Exchange 2007 documentation. In addition, the article, How to Enable or
Disable Circular Logging for a Storage Group can be consulted for this
information via Microsoft’s TechNet website. At the time this document was
generated, this article was available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb331968.aspx

2.0.1.b Configuring Localization Settings


The Exchange Server APM uses traditional Windows code page selection to
enable localization, and is therefore subject to certain limitations. The Exchange
Server APM must be used in an environment with correctly configured
localizations settings in order to function properly.
Figure 2-1: To ensure correct operation in a
The Advanced
tab of the localized environment, all of the
Regional and following conditions must be met:
Language
Options „ All Exchange Server entities
window where
the Windows
(Storage Groups, Mailbox
Active Code Stores, Public Folder Stores,
Page is etc.) must be named using the
configured.
same language, with no
intermixing of languages.
„ The Windows Active Code
Page must be set to exactly
the same language as used in
the Exchange Server.
„ The language specified in the
NetVault: Backup
Configurator for both the
NetVault: Backup Server and
Client(s) must match the
language set in the Windows
Active Code Page.
„ If used in a clustered environment, all nodes in the cluster must be configured
to use the same language, also conforming to the previous rules.
Follow the steps below to correctly configure the Windows Active Code Page:
1. Open the Windows Control Panel.
2. Select Regional and Language Options.
3. Select the Advanced tab.
16 Chapter 2
Installation

4. Select the correct language in the drop-down menu under the text Select
a language to match the language version of the non-Unicode
programs you want to use.
If the correct language is not available in the list, it must be installed by following
the Microsoft Windows administrative procedures for installing additional language
support.
Follow the steps below to correctly configure a NetVault: Backup Server or Client
in the Configurator:
Figure 2-2: 1. Open the NetVault Configurator.
The General
tab of the 2. Select the General tab.
NetVault
Configurator 3. Scroll to the bottom of the
with the General tab and locate the
Language
Selection Language Selection field.
drop-down 4. Access the drop-down menu
menu
selected. and select the desired language.
5. Select the OK button to save the changes.

Important: When non-English languages are used in an environment that is not correctly
configured, backup and restore operations may not function as expected. The demonstrated
behavior may include, but is not be limited to:
„ Failure to backup selected items.
„ Backing up or restoring items that were not selected (e.g. you select the first Storage
Group, but second Storage Group is affected).
„ Failure to backup or restore, altogether, often with the indication that no matching items
were found.

2.0.1.c Enabling Deleted Item Recovery


It is recommended that the Deleted Item Recovery functionality be enabled in
Exchange in order to reduce the need to perform recovery for individual messages
or mailboxes. This feature enables the recovery of recently deleted items by
saving messages for a predetermined number of days. Follow these steps to
enable Deleted Item Recovery:

Enabling Deleted Item Recovery in Exchange 2000/2003


1. In the Exchange Server Administrator program, open the properties of
the Private Information Store, and select the General tab.
2. Set the number of days that you want messages saved after they have
been deleted.
NetVault®: Backup
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17

Important: You can specify that messages can not be deleted until a backup has been
done. You can override this by setting the retention time on individual mailboxes in the
Properties for the mailbox by changing the Deleted Items Retention time on the Limits tab.

3. To recover deleted items on the client, select the Deleted Items folder,
and on the Tools menu, select Recover Deleted Items, and select the
items from the list presented. Select Recover selected items to have the
items restored to your Deleted Items folder.
Complete instructions for this procedure can be found in the relevant Microsoft
Exchange 2003 documentation. In addition, the article, XCLN: Understanding
Deleted Item Recovery can be consulted for this information via Microsoft’s
Knowledge Base. At the time this document was generated, this article was
available at the following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/228934

Enabling Deleted Item Recovery in Exchange 2007


1. Open the Exchange Management Console.
2. In the console tree, expand Microsoft Exchange, then expand Server
Configuration, and then select Mailbox.
3. In the Database Management tab, expand the Storage Group that
contains the desired mailbox database.
4. Right-click the database and select Properties.
5. Select the Limits tab.
6. In the Deletion settings area, enter the number of days to retain deleted
items in the Keep deleted item for (days) field.
7. Click OK to save the changes.
8. To recover deleted items on the client select the Deleted Items folder, and
on the Tools menu, select Recover Deleted Items, and select the items
from the list presented. Select Recover selected items to have the items
restored to your Deleted Items folder.
Complete instructions for both of these procedures can be found in the relevant
Microsoft Exchange documentation. In addition, the article, XCLN:
Understanding Deleted Item Recovery and Exchange 2007 How to Recover a
Deleted Item can be consulted for this information, via Microsoft’s TechNet
website. At the time this document was generated, these articles were
available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997155.aspx
18 Chapter 2
Installation

2.0.2 Installation Options


While it is possible to set up a single machine as both the NetVault: Backup Server
and the Exchange Server (i.e., all software installation and configuration
requirements are performed on a single machine), it is recommended that these
two entities exist on separate machines.

Network Connection

Exchange Server Machine NetVault: Backup Server Machine

Software Installed/Configuration Software Installed/Configuration

„ Microsoft Exchange Software „ NetVault: Backup Server Software


„ NetVault: Backup Server/Client „ Exchange Server Added as a
Software NetVault: Backup Client (For
„ Exchange Server APM complete details on adding a Client
machine to the NetVault: Backup
Server, please see the NetVault®:
Backup - Administrator’s Guide)

2.0.2.a NetVault Client Configured as an Exchange Server


(Recommended)
The following prerequisites pertain to a NetVault Client that is configured as an
Exchange Server as depicted in the above diagram:
„ The Exchange Server Must be Added to the NetVault:Backup Server for
Access – The Exchange Server APM must be installed on the NetVault
Client serving as the Exchange Server via the NetVault:Backup Server.
„ The Exchange Server APM Must be Installed on All Exchange Servers -
If your environment contains multiple Exchange Servers the Exchange
Server APM must be installed on each Exchange Server.

2.0.2.b NetVault Server Configured as an Exchange Server


The following prerequisite pertains to a NetVault Server that is also configured as
an Exchange Server:
„ The Exchange Server APM Must be Installed on All Exchange Servers -
If your environment contains multiple Exchange Servers the Exchange
Server APM must be installed on each Exchange Server.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
19

Important: NetVault: Backup offers support for the backup/restore of Exchange Server
Failover Clustered environments. NetVault: Backup’s Application Cluster Support
Functionality is used for this purpose. For details on the installation, configuration and backup
procedures required to set up this functionality with the Exchange Server APM please see the
section, The Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support on page 75.

2.0.3 Installation Procedure


Follow the steps outlined below to successfully install the Exchange Server APM.
Figure 2-3: 1. From the machine acting
In this figure,
the Exchange as the NetVault: Backup
Server has Server, launch the GUI
already been
added to the
and access the Client
NetVault: Management window by
Backup Server clicking either of the
as a Client. To
begin Client Management
installation of buttons on the command
the APM find
the Exchange
toolbar (or select the
Server in the Client Management
Client command from the
Management
Window, right Administration pull-
click and down menu).
select Install
Software 2. Locate the machine
configured as the
Exchange Server in the Clients frame and right-click on it. Select the Install
Software command from the pop-up menu.
3. In the additional window that appears, navigate to the location of the “.npk”
installation file for the Exchange Server APM (e.g., the NetVault: Backup
APM Installation CD or the directory to which the file was downloaded from
BakBone Software’s web site). Based on the operating system in use, the
directory path for this software may vary on the installation CD.
Select the file entitled “exs-xxxx.npk” (where “xxxx” represents various
software platforms and version numbers) and click on the Open button.
4. The installation process will occur automatically and once it has completed, a
successful installation message will appear in the Install Software dialog
box. The Exchange Server APM is now successfully installed.\
Installation and removal of the Exchange Server APM can also be performed via
the NetVault Configurator. For more information please see the section entitled
“The Packages Tab” in the NetVault Backup Configurator Guide.
20 Chapter 2
Installation

2.0.4 Removing the Exchange Server APM


Use the steps that follow to remove this APM.
1. In the Client Management window, locate the machine in the Clients frame
housing the Exchange Server APM (i.e., the one configured as the
Exchange Server).
2. Right-click on this machine and select the Remove Software command from
the pop-up menu. The Remove Software window will be displayed.
3. In the list of installed plugins that is displayed, locate the Exchange Server
Application Plugin Module item and select it.
Figure 2-4:
The Remove
Software
window with
the Exchange
Server APM
selected for
removal

4. Click the Remove button to begin the software removal process.


5. A dialog box will appear asking for confirmation of the remove command.
Click OK to proceed (or Cancel to abort). Clicking OK will remove the
software and a confirmation message will be displayed. Click OK to close this
dialog box and return to the Client Management window.
User’s Guide
Chapter 3:
Configuration
3.0.0 - Configuring the Exchange Server APM .................................................. 22
• 3.0.1 - Configuring Authentication Details .......................................................................... 22
• 3.0.2 - Specifying Default Configuration (Optional) ............................................................. 24
22 Chapter 3
Configuration

3.0.0 Configuring the Exchange Server APM


Before initiating a backup, you must configure the Exchange Server APM
Authentication Details which include user name, password, and domain.

3.0.1 Configuring Authentication Details


The Exchange Server APM uses Windows Authentication to provide essential
security and access control for sensitive data contained in an Exchange Server's
databases. Windows Authentication allows you to log on to a specified Windows
user account. This Windows user account can be configured to restrict a user’s
privileges so that only backups may be performed, or can allow both backups and
restores to be performed, depending on what permissions are allocated to the
account.

3.0.1.a Required Windows User Account Permissions


In order for a user to perform a backup of Exchange the Windows user account
used must:
„ Be a valid domain or local account.
„ Be a member of the Power Users Group.
„ Be a member of the domain’s Backup Operator’s Group (for Domain
accounts).
„ Be a member of the Backup Operator’s Group on the machine that Exchange
is running on.
In order to perform a restore of Exchange the Windows user account must:
„ Be a valid domain or local account.
„ Be a member of the Power Users Group.
„ Be a member of the domain’s Backup Operator’s Group (for Domain
accounts).
„ Be a member of the Backup Operator’s Group on the machine that Exchange
is running on.
„ Be a member of the Administrators Group on the machine that Exchange is
running on.
The Domain Administrator account will have all the permissions necessary to
perform backup and restore procedures in the Exchange Server APM by default.

Important:
1. The user account information is always required. This account must have sufficient
privileges to perform the requested actions. Insufficient privileges will cause various actions
such as backup and restore to fail.
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User’s Guide
23

2. Each server that is backed up or restored, including virtual clients, must have its
authentication details configured. Failure to do so will result in an “Unable to login” error
message when attempting a backup or restore.

3.0.1.b The Configuration Process


1. From the GUI running on the NetVault: Backup Server, open the Backup
window (via either of the buttons offered on the command toolbars, or by
using the Backup command in the Operations pull-down menu). A list of
NetVault: Backup Clients will be displayed in the Selections tab.
2. Locate the Client configured as the Exchange Server, and open it to display a
list of APMs/plugins installed on the machine.
To open any node in the Selections tab, you can do either of the following:
™ Double-click on the node
™ Right-click on the node and Select the Open command from the pop-up
menu
3. Next, locate the Exchange Server APM node in the list and drill down to the
name of the Exchange Server.
4. Right-click on the Exchange Server and select
the Configure command from the pop-up
menu.
5. The Exchange Server Configuration window
is displayed which contains the Exchange
Authentication Details frame.
6. Edit the following fields in the Exchange
Authentication Details frame:
„ Exchange Server - The machine name
of the Exchange Server appears in this
field. This field can not be edited.
„ Exchange Administrator User Name - Enter either a local or domain
Windows account that meets the criteria specified in the section
Required Windows User Account Permissions on page 22.
„ Password - Enter the password associated with the user name
specified in the Exchange Administrator User Name field. For
security reasons, this field will appear blank by default.
24 Chapter 3
Configuration

„ Windows Domain - If
a domain account is
specified in the
Exchange
Administrator User
Name field, enter the
name of the domain.
The field can be left
blank if a local system
account is specified.
7. Click OK to complete the
configuration. With the authentication details properly configured, you can
click on the Exchange Server node to display the available Storage Groups.

3.0.2 Specifying Default Configuration (Optional)


The Exchange Server APM provides the ability to set default options for backup
and restore jobs. These options can be overwritten on a per job basis. The default
options can be set via the NetVault: Backup Configurator. The steps to set these
default options are outlined below:
1. Open the NetVault Configurator.
2. The Configurator window will appear. Click on the Plugin Options tab.
3. Click on the Exchange Server APM tab, where the following options will be
displayed:
„ Exchange Administrator User Name - Specify either a local or domain
Windows account to set it as the default account. When the Exchange
Server Configuration window is opened, this account will appear by
default in the Exchange Administrator User Name field.
„ Windows Domain - If a domain Windows account is specified in the
Exchange Administrator User Name field, enter the name of the
domain. When the Exchange Server Configuration window is opened,
this domain will appear by default in the Windows Domain field. This field
can be left blank if a local system account is specified.
Figure 3-5:
The Exchange
Server APM
related
configuration
options
available in the
NetVault
Configurator
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
25
4. Click on the OK button to apply the settings, and close the Configurator
window. Now, when the Restore Options tab is accessed, the Exchange
Administrator User Name and Windows Domain will automatically be set
to the values specified in the Exchange Server APM tab of the
Configurator.
26 Chapter 3
Configuration
User’s Guide
Chapter 4:
Backup with the Exchange Server APM
4.0.0 - Backing up Data with the Exchange Server APM ............................. 28
4.1.0 - Defining an Exchange Server Backup and Recovery Strategy .. 28
• 4.1.1 - Exchange Server Databases .................................................................................... 28
• 4.1.2 - Exchange Server Transaction Log and Patch Files ................................................... 29
• 4.1.3 - Available Backup Method......................................................................................... 29
• 4.1.4 - Transaction Log File Management............................................................................ 29
• 4.1.5 - Backup Types .......................................................................................................... 30
- 4.1.5.a - Full Backup Type ................................................................................................ 30
- 4.1.5.b - Copy Backup Type .............................................................................................. 30
- 4.1.5.c - Incremental Backup Type ..................................................................................... 31
- 4.1.5.d - Differential Backup Type ...................................................................................... 32
• 4.1.6 - Example Backup Sequences .................................................................................... 33
- 4.1.6.a - Full Backups Only ............................................................................................... 33
- 4.1.6.b - Full + Incremental Backups .................................................................................. 33
- 4.1.6.c - Full + Differential Backups .................................................................................... 34
4.2.0 - Performing Backups with Exchange Server ........................................ 34
• 4.2.1 - Selecting Data for a Backup ..................................................................................... 34
- 4.2.1.a - Using Selection Sets ........................................................................................... 35
• 4.2.2 - Setting Backup Options ........................................................................................... 36
- 4.2.2.a - Specifying the Backup Type ................................................................................. 36
- 4.2.2.b - Specifying the Backup Type ................................................................................. 36
• 4.2.3 - Finalizing and Submitting the Job ............................................................................ 37
28 Chapter 4
Backup with the Exchange Server APM

4.0.0 Backing up Data with the Exchange Server


APM
This chapter offers basic instructions on the use of the Exchange Server APM to
perform backups of Exchange Server data. The information in this chapter is
organized into the following sections:
„ Defining an Exchange Server Backup and Restore Strategy
„ Performing Backups in Exchange Server
Based on your environment, follow the instructions in the relevant section of this
chapter for successfully performing data backups using the Exchange Server
APM.

4.1.0 Defining an Exchange Server Backup and


Recovery Strategy
The purpose of creating Exchange Server backups is to recover an Exchange
Server that is damaged from media failure or data corruption. Reliable use of
backup and restore for recovery requires a well-designed backup and restore
strategy which maximizes data availability and minimizes data loss, taking into
account defined business requirements.
A backup and restore strategy is divided into two pieces, a backup piece and a
restore piece. The backup piece of the strategy defines the type and frequency of
backups that are required to meet the goals for availability of the Exchange Server
and for minimizing data loss. The restore piece of the strategy defines who is
responsible for performing restores and how restores should be performed to
recover from the particular type of damage or failure.

4.1.1 Exchange Server Databases


A Database is the finest granularity of storage organization within the Exchange
Server schema. Mailboxes are assigned to specific databases, allowing
segregation of data by mailbox for security or scalability purposes. Occasionally,
critical or high-volume mailboxes will be segregated to a separate database in
order to improve performance or to perform more frequent backups.
Databases are used to contain mailboxes, messages, folder stores, and various
other sundry data objects supported by the Exchange Server. While they can
contain a large variety of data objects, databases are typically one of two types:
mail stores and public folder stores. Note that in Exchange Server terminology, a
"store" is the same as a database.
Microsoft also differentiates editions of the Exchange Server product by increasing
support for concurrent databases. The Enterprise Edition is defined as supporting
more concurrent databases than the Standard Edition.
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4.1.2 Exchange Server Transaction Log and Patch Files
All changes made to the Exchange Server database are first committed to
transaction log files. Any time a user modifies data stored in a mailbox or data is
added to the mailbox, that change is written to a transaction log file before it is
written to the Exchange Server database.
Patch files are exclusive to Exchange Server 2000. They are transient files that
are used for a limited time during operation and then "merged" into the database
as necessary. They are often treated the same way as transaction log files. Patch
files became obsolete in Exchange Server 2003.

4.1.3 Available Backup Method


The Exchange Server APM utilizes the Extensible Storage Engine (ESE)
technology to backup an Exchange Server's databases. The ESE is provided from
Microsoft as a standard Exchange Server component.
Use of the ESE provides the highest levels of compatibility with all of the
supported versions of Microsoft Exchange. This minimizes the outages
traditionally needed for backing up a complex application, such as Microsoft
Exchange.

4.1.4 Transaction Log File Management


When defining an Exchange Server ESE backup strategy, transaction log file
management is a primary consideration.

Transaction Log File Truncation


Transaction log file truncation is used to "clean" the Exchange Server Storage
Group and Database, thereby improving performance, reducing the disk space
requirements and the time required to restore a database.
It is recommended that backups that perform transaction log file truncation be
performed regularly. Often, a weekly or semi-monthly backup that performs
transaction log file truncation is recommended. The optimum frequency may
vary considerably, depending on the use and configuration of each Exchange
Server.
Truncating transaction log files is performed during the backup process, when
backing up using a Backup Type that provides transaction log file truncation
such as the Full and Incremental Backup types.

Full vs. Transaction Logs-only Backups


Full Backups will backup all files for a Database, regardless of the type of file.
Transaction Logs-only Backups are those that backup only the transaction log
files for a Database.
30 Chapter 4
Backup with the Exchange Server APM

Full Backups allow all database files to be backed up, providing standalone
restore capabilities. Depending on the size of the Database, Full Backups can
be demanding in terms of storage requirements, as well as time required to
complete the backup. For very large Databases, this may be a significant
consideration.
Transaction Logs-only Backups are lighter-weight backups that are intended to
capture any new activity since the last Full Backup was performed. This can
radically reduce the backup time and storage requirements for large
databases, but introduces dependencies on one or more prior backups to
perform a complete restore.

4.1.5 Backup Types


The Exchange Server APM provides four essential backup types:
„ Full
„ Copy
„ Incremental
„ Differential
Backup types represent the complete set of options for backing up an Exchange
Server, respecting the transaction log management rules.
These may be used in conjunction with one another to develop sophisticated
backup strategies to maximize backup coverage, minimize backup time and
resources, and maintain the health and performance of the Exchange Server.

4.1.5.a Full Backup Type


A Full Backup is the most common type of backup performed. It is used to perform
a complete backup of a Database or Storage Group. A Full Backup does not
depend on any other backup and can be restored in a single step.
A Full Backup includes all files and performs transaction log file truncation.
Perform regular Full Backups to keep the Exchange Server in good health and
maintain its performance.

4.1.5.b Copy Backup Type


Sometimes a backup must be taken for a special purpose and should not affect
the overall backup and restore procedures for the Exchange Information Store. A
Copy Backup is used to backup all Database files without performing transaction
log file truncation. This provides a snapshot of the files as they existed at the time
of the backup. A Copy Backup should be used to perform a fast, non-intrusive
complete backup of an Exchange Server and is common in scaling and migration
scenarios.
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As a Copy Backup does not perform transaction log file truncation, the disk
footprint of the Exchange Server does not change as a result of the backup.
Consequently, a Copy Backup does not perform any house-keeping measures,
and therefore does not maintain the performance of the Exchange Server in any
way. Copy Backups should not be considered as a part of a regular backup policy,
but as a special purpose type of backup.

4.1.5.c Incremental Backup Type


Incremental Backups perform backups of the transaction log files that capture the
changes made to the Database since the most recent Full or Incremental Backup.
The transaction logs are then truncated which assists in the proper maintenance
of the Exchange Server Databases. Incremental Backups are generally very fast
and correspondingly small.
As a Transaction Logs-only Backup, an Incremental Backup must always have a
“base” backup, which is often a Full Backup. Performing an Incremental Backup
without first performing a Full Backup may lead to backup failures in addition to an
inability to restore and recover your Exchange Server properly.
An Incremental Backup should not be performed in the following conditions:
„ When an Initial Full Backup has Not Been Created -The transaction log
only contains changes made to the database after the last backup was
created, thus a “base” backup is required.
„ After an Incremental Backup Containing Multiple Storage Groups Fails -
In this case a Full Backup must first be performed before an Incremental
Backup can be performed. When an Incremental Backup that contains
multiple Storage Groups fails, some of the transaction logs are truncated and
permanently lost. At that point the transactions have already been deleted
from the Exchange Server logs. Though the data still exists within the
Exchange Server, errors would occur if you attempted to restore Incremental
Backups that were created after a failed Incremental Backup job. This issue
does not apply to a failed Incremental Backup that contains only a single
Storage Group.

Important: If this an Incremental Backup containing multiple storage groups fails a Full
Backup should be performed immediately to prevent any potential data loss. To perform a Full
Backup, follow the steps in the section Performing Backups with Exchange Server on page
34.

„ After the Transaction Log is Manually Truncated - In this case a Full or


Differential Backup must be performed before an Incremental Backup.
Microsoft strongly recommends against manually truncating transaction logs.
32 Chapter 4
Backup with the Exchange Server APM

4.1.5.d Differential Backup Type


Differential Backups perform backups of the transaction log files since the most
recent Full or Incremental Backup. Differential Backups do not perform transaction
log truncation, and therefore do not maintain the operating health of the Exchange
Server.
Subsequent Differential Backups will increase not only in size, but also in duration
since each backup of this type will include the transaction log files that were also
included in the previous Differential Backup as well as the transaction log files that
have been generated since the previous Differential Backup. For example, if a Full
Backup was taken on Sunday with Differential Backups scheduled Monday
through Saturday. Monday's Differential will include the transaction log files
generated since the Full Backup on Sunday, while Tuesday's Differential will
include the transaction log files generated on Monday as well as those generated
on Tuesday. Wednesday's Differential will include the transaction log files for
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, etc.
As a Transaction Logs-only Backup, a Differential Backup must always have a
"base" backup, which is often a Full Backup. Performing a Differential Backup
without first performing a Full Backup may lead to backup failures in addition to an
inability to restore and recover your Exchange Server properly.
When used in combination with Full Backups, Differential Backups provide
acceptable tradeoffs with good backup performance; good restore performance,
and reasonable overall database maintenance via the Full Backup.

Incremental vs. Differential Backups


Since Incremental Backups truncate the transaction log files after they are
backed up, subsequent Incrementals are quicker because only the transaction
log files that have been created since the last Incremental Backup are backed
up. However, restore sequences that utilize Incremental Backups require that
every Incremental taken between the Full Backup and the point of failure must
be restored in succession. This can result in longer restores due to the
increased human intervention needed to initiate the multiple restore jobs.
Differential Backups do not truncate the transaction log files after they are
backed up, subsequent Differential Backups take increasing longer because all
the transaction log files since the last Full Backup are included in the backup.
Nevertheless, restore sequences that utilize Differential Backups require that
only one Differential Backup be restored after the Full Backup is restored. This
results in quicker restores because less human intervention is required during
the restore process.
Another consideration when deciding between Incremental and Differential
Backups is the desired frequency of transaction log file truncation. When
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33
implementing Incremental Backups, the transaction log files will be truncated at
the same frequency as the Incremental Backups.
For example, if Incremental Backups are performed on a daily basis, the
transaction log files will be truncated on a daily basis. However, with Differential
Backups, the transaction log files will be truncated only when a Full Backup is
performed. Therefore, if the Full Backup is only performed weekly, the
transaction log files will only be truncated weekly.
Implementing a Differential Strategy will lead to faster restores but will require
more frequent Full Backups in order to maintain the operating health of the
Exchange Server.

4.1.6 Example Backup Sequences


4.1.6.a Full Backups Only
When business requirements define backup protection to the previous day,
performing Full Backups nightly should be sufficient under the following
conditions:
„ Backup windows are large
„ After hours email volume is low
„ Regular transaction log file truncation is required

4.1.6.b Full + Incremental Backups


When business requirements guarantee data protection up to the previous day,
backup time should be as fast as possible, and regular transaction log file
truncation is required, Full Backups coupled with Incremental Backups is the best
combination.
For example, Full Backups are performed every Sunday night at 11:00 p.m. while
Incremental Backups are performed Monday through Saturday at 11:00 p.m. Each
Incremental Backup will include the transaction log files that were generated since
the previous night's backup whether it be the Sunday evening Full Backup or one
of the Incremental Backups from a weekday.
It is important to remember that restoring this type of backup sequence will be
more time-consuming. For example, if recovery is performed on Tuesday, only
Sunday's Full Backup and Monday's Incremental Backup must be restored;
whereas, if recovery is performed on Wednesday, Sunday's Full Backup followed
by Monday's and Tuesday's, Incremental Backups must be restored. Even though
the backups are quicker, the restores can take longer due to the additional
intervention that is required to execute multiple restore jobs.
34 Chapter 4
Backup with the Exchange Server APM

4.1.6.c Full + Differential Backups


When business requirements guarantee data protection up to the previous day,
restore and backup time should be reasonably fast, and only occasional
transaction log file truncation is required, Full Backups coupled with Differential
Backups is the best combination.
For example, Full Backups are performed every Sunday night at 11:00 p.m. while
Differential Backups are performed Monday through Saturday at 11:00 p.m. Each
Differential Backup will include the transaction log files that were generated since
the last Full Backup. This may require more overall backup time than an
Incremental Backup. Regardless of the point-in-time to which recovery is
necessary, the same number of restore jobs are required. For example, if recovery
is performed on Tuesday, Sunday's Full Backup and Monday's Differential Backup
must be restored; whereas, if recovery is performed on Thursday, Sunday's Full
Backup followed by Wednesday's Differential Backup must be restored. Even
though subsequent Differential Backups will increase not only in size but in
duration, restores are quicker because fewer restore jobs must be executed.

4.2.0 Performing Backups with Exchange Server


A backup using Exchange Server APM in Exchange Server can be divided into
the following phases:
„ Selecting Data for a Backup
„ Setting Backup Options
„ Finalizing and Submitting the Job

4.2.1 Selecting Data for a Backup


1. Launch the GUI on the NetVault: Backup Server and access the Backup
window via either of the buttons offered on the command toolbars, or by using
the Backup command in the Operations pull-down menu. A list of machines
successfully added as NetVault: Backup Clients will be displayed in the
Selections tab.
2. Locate the Client configured as the Exchange Server, and open it to display a
list of APMs/plugins installed on the machine.
To open any node in the Selections tab, you can do either of the following:
™ Double-click on the node
™ Right-click on the node and Select the Open command from the pop-up
menu
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35
Figure 4-1: 3. Next, locate the Exchange Server
The Exchange
Server APM is APM node in the list and drill down
opened to to the name of the Exchange
display items
available for
Server and its available Information
inclusion in a Stores.
backup job
4. Expand the desired Microsoft
Information Store to display all of
the Storage Groups contained
within. It is also possible to open an
individual group to display all of the
databases contained within that
group.
5. Select data as desired for backup
by clicking the box to the left of that item (i.e., to mark it with a green check). It
is possible to select groups as follows:
„ The Entire Exchange Server
„ The Entire Microsoft Information Store
„ Individual Storage Groups
„ Sets of Storage Groups
„ Individual Databases
„ Groups of Databases

Important: Backing up individual databases may affect the behavior of log truncation for all
databases in the Storage Group. This may result in excess log files in the backup, premature
truncation of log files, or deferred truncation of log files depending on the conditions in your
environment and the Exchange Server version (including patches) in use.

4.2.1.a Using Selection Sets


A Selection Set allows you to save the frequently selected data items in a
composite set, which can be easily accessed for future backup jobs. This
eliminates the need to manually select these items each time a backup is required.
Moreover, Selection Sets are recommended for Differential and Incremental
Backups. If your backup strategy includes these backup types, then you should
create a Selection Set when making a Full Backup, and use this Selection Set for
the Full Backup, as well as the Differential and/or Incremental Backups. The
backup job will report a warning if a Selection Set is not used for Differential and
Incremental Backups.

Creating a Selection Set


To create a Selection Set, do the following:
36 Chapter 4
Backup with the Exchange Server APM

1. With the desired items selected, click on the Save As button in the
Backup Selection Set frame at the bottom of the Selections window.
2. In the Save Backup Selection Set window that appears, enter a unique
name for the Selection Set.
3. Click OK.

Loading a Selection Set


To use a Selection Set, follow the steps below:
1. Click on the Load button in the Backup Selection Set frame at the
bottom of the Selections window.
2. In the Load Backup Selection Set window that appears, select the
required set.
3. Click on OK.
Selection Sets are not unique to the Exchange Server APM. For details on their
creation and use, please see the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.

4.2.2 Setting Backup Options


The next phase in the backup procedure involves the following task:
Figure 4-2: „ Specifying the Backup Type
The options
available in the Click on the Backup Options tab to
Backup
Options tab for
perform this task.
Exchange
Server

4.2.2.a Specifying the Backup Type


The Exchange Server APM provides following types of backups for use with
Exchange Server. See the section Backup Types on page 30 for more information
on the types of backups supported.
„ Full - A Full Backup performs a complete backup of the set of items that have
been selected. A Full Backup does not depend on any other backup and can
be restored in a single step. A Full Backup includes all files and performs
transaction log file truncation.
„ Copy - A Copy Backup backs up the set of items that have been selected
without performing a transaction log file truncation. This provides a snapshot
of the files as they existed at the time of the backup. A Copy Backup should
be used to perform a fast, non-intrusive complete backup of an Exchange
Server and is commonly used for offline scaling and migration scenarios.
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„ Incremental - Incremental Backups perform backups of the transaction log
files of the set of items that have been selected since the most recent Full
Backup or Incremental Backup. After the backup is complete, the transaction
logs will be truncated, which helps maintain the operating health of the
Exchange Server.
„ Differential - A Differential Backup performs backups of the transaction log
files of the set of items that have been selected since the most recent Full
Backup or Incremental Backup. Differential Backups do not perform
transaction log truncation, and therefore do not maintain the operating health
of the Exchange Server.

4.2.3 Finalizing and Submitting the Job


With the desired data items selected and the necessary Backup Options set,
follow the steps below to finalize the backup job and submit it.
1. Set the additional options that are available in the Schedule, Target and
Advanced Options, as required. These options are not unique to the
Exchange Server APM. For information on these tabs and the options
within, please refer to the chapter of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s
Guide dedicated to the Backup functionality.
2. Enter a suitable name for the job in the Job Title field. Specify a detailed
name that allows you to easily identify the job for monitoring its progress or
restoring data.
3. Click on the Submit button.
4. You can monitor the backup job progress and log entries via the Job
Management, Status, and NetVault Logs windows. Please see the
NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide for details on accessing these
windows and their use.
38 Chapter 4
Backup with the Exchange Server APM
User’s Guide
Chapter 5:
Restore with the Exchange Server APM
5.0.0 - Restoring Data with the Exchange Server APM ................................ 41
5.1.0 - Understanding the Exchange Server Restore Process ................. 41
• 5.1.1 - Restore Methods Available ...................................................................................... 41
- 5.1.1.a - Extensible Storage Engine Restore Method ........................................................... 41
- 5.1.1.b - Copy Files Restore Method .................................................................................. 41
• 5.1.2 - Phases of a Restore ................................................................................................. 42
- 5.1.2.a - Restore Phase .................................................................................................... 42
- 5.1.2.b - Recovery Phase ................................................................................................. 42
5.2.0 - Restoring Backups in Exchange Server ................................................ 42
• 5.2.1 - Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery ........................................................... 42
- 5.2.1.a - Setting Overwrite Permissions .............................................................................. 43
- 5.2.1.b - Dismounting Information Stores in Exchange 2000/2003 ......................................... 44
- 5.2.1.c - Dismounting Mailbox Databases in Exchange 2007 ................................................ 45
• 5.2.2 - Selecting Data for a Restore ..................................................................................... 45
- 5.2.2.a - Restore Limitations ............................................................................................. 47
- 5.2.2.b - Additional Functionality Available in the Restore Selections Tab ............................... 47
• 5.2.3 - Setting Restore Options ........................................................................................... 49
• 5.2.4 - Finalizing and Submitting a Restore Job .................................................................. 52
• 5.2.5 - Example Restore Sequences ................................................................................... 52
- 5.2.5.a - Restoring a Standalone Full Backup ...................................................................... 53
- 5.2.5.b - Restoring an Incremental Backup Sequence .......................................................... 53
- 5.2.5.c - Restoring a Full + Differential Backup Sequence .................................................... 56
5.3.0 - Other Restore Procedures ............................................................................ 58
• 5.3.1 - What is a Recovery Storage Group?......................................................................... 58
• 5.3.2 - Restoring Data to a Recovery Storage Group in Exchange 2003 ............................... 59
- 5.3.2.a - Creating a Recovery Storage Group (RSG)............................................................ 59
- 5.3.2.b - Restoring Data to the Recovery Storage Group (RSG) ............................................ 59
- 5.3.2.c - Viewing Data Restored to a Recovery Storage Group (RSG) ................................... 60
• 5.3.3 - Restoring Data to a Recovery Storage Group in Exchange 2007 ............................... 60
- 5.3.3.a - Creating a Recovery Storage Group (RSG)............................................................ 60
- 5.3.3.b - Restoring Data to the Recovery Storage Group (RSG) ............................................ 60
- 5.3.3.c - Viewing Data Restored to a Recovery Storage Group (RSG) ................................... 61
40 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

• 5.3.4 - Disaster Recovery of the Exchange Server .............................................................. 61


- 5.3.4.a - Restore Procedure .............................................................................................. 62
• 5.3.5 - Recovering to a Different Exchange Server .............................................................. 63
- 5.3.5.a - Recovering to a Different Exchange Server in Exchange 2000/2003 ........................ 63
- 5.3.5.b - Recovering to a Different Exchange Server in Exchange 2007................................. 70
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5.0.0 Restoring Data with the Exchange Server APM


This chapter offers basic instructions on the use of the Exchange Server APM to
restore and recover Exchange Server databases. The information in this chapter is
organized into the following sections:
„ Understanding the Exchange Server Restore Process
„ Restoring Backups in Exchange Server
„ Other Restore Procedures

5.1.0 Understanding the Exchange Server Restore


Process
When preparing to restore an existing backup, several key concepts are useful to
understand. This section will explore these concepts in the following sections:
„ Restore Methods Available
„ Phases of a Restore

5.1.1 Restore Methods Available


The Restore Method is the technology that is selected to perform the restore. The
Exchange Server APM supports two different Restore Methods, each with its own
specific purpose.

5.1.1.a Extensible Storage Engine Restore Method


The Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) is the native technology used to perform
restore and recovery operations for the Microsoft Exchange Server. ESE is
provided from Microsoft as a standard Exchange Server component.
When using the ESE Restore Method, all databases being restored must first be
manually dismounted using a Microsoft-approved approach. Failing to dismount
the database prior to performing the restore will result in either a "Restore Failure"
or a "Restore Completed with Warnings" log message.

5.1.1.b Copy Files Restore Method


The Exchange Server APM provides the ability to restore the raw files from
storage to a specific target directory. This provides greater freedom in restoring
database files, particularly when restoring file for non-traditional purposes, such as
data mining or compliance auditing.
The Copy Files Restore Method does not require databases to be dismounted
from the Exchange Server. Database Recovery, however, is not supported when
using this restore method.
42 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

5.1.2 Phases of a Restore


Each Exchange Server restore scenario has two distinct phases, the Restore
Phase and the Recovery Phase.

5.1.2.a Restore Phase


The Restore Phase is used to transfer all the files included in a backup from
storage to the local disk. This can be done using either of the Restore Methods
defined in the section Restore Methods Available on page 41.
When performing restore sequences that include Incremental or Differential
Backups, the Restore Phase will be performed for each backup that is restored.
Ensure that adequate disk space is available on the volume(s) where the
databases are stored during a restore. If disk space is exhausted during the
Restore Phase the restore job will fail.

5.1.2.b Recovery Phase


In the Recovery Phase, changes that were logged in the transaction log files are
reapplied to the corresponding databases in order to bring the Exchange Server
forward in time. This phase is only available when using the ESE Restore Method.
When restoring sequences of backups, as in the case of Incremental or Differential
Backups, the Recovery Phase will be performed one time as the final step in the
restore sequence. Recovery is only performed once, regardless of the number of
backups included in the restore sequence.

5.2.0 Restoring Backups in Exchange Server


A standard restore with the Exchange Server APM in Exchange Server can be
divided into four phases:
„ Phase 1: Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery
„ Phase 2: Selecting Data for a Restore
„ Phase 3: Setting Restore Options
„ Phase 4: Finalizing and Submitting the Job
This section outlines the various steps to be performed in these four phases in
order to complete data restoration successfully.

5.2.1 Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery


Each Storage Engine that is to be restored must be dismounted prior to performing
the restore.
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5.2.1.a Setting Overwrite Permissions
Before submitting a restore, each Information Store must have an option set
allowing for its data to be overwritten during a restore. To complete this process,
perform the following steps:

Important:
1. Overwrite permissions must be set for each Information Store contained in all Storage
Groups to be recovered by a restore, otherwise the restore will fail.
2. The option This Database can be Overwritten by a Restore automatically reverts to
deselected as a restore job completes (thereby protecting the store). If it is necessary in
the future to perform further restores for an Information Store, this property must be set
every time a restore is performed.

Setting Overwrite Permissions in Exchange 2000/2003


Figure 5-1: 1. Launch the Exchange System
The
Information Manager on the target
Store machine and navigate to the
Properties
window with
desired Storage Group. Open it
the Database to reveal the individual
tab active and Information Stores contained
the ‘This
Database can within.
be Overwritten
by a Restore’
2. Right-click on a store and
option select Properties from the
selected pop-up menu.
3. From the Information Store
Properties window, select the
Database tab and select the
This Database can be Overwritten by a Restore option.
4. Click OK to close this window and confirm the selection.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 until this option has been activated for all Information
Stores in the target Storage Group.

Setting Overwrite Permissions in Exchange 2007


1. Launch the Exchange Management Console on the target machine and
navigate to the desired Storage Group. Open it to reveal the individual
database contained within.
44 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Figure 5-2: 2. Right-click on a mailbox


The pop-up
menu that database and select
appears when Properties from the
you right-click
on a selected
pop-up menu.
Storage Group 3. From the Database
database.
Properties window, in
the General tab select
the This Database can
be Overwritten by a
Restore option.
Figure 5-3: 4. Click OK to close this
The Database
Properties window and confirm the
window with selection.
the General
tab active and 5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 until
the ‘This this option has been
Database can
be Overwritten activated for all mailbox
by a Restore’ databases in the target
option
selected
Storage Group.

5.2.1.b Dismounting Information Stores in Exchange 2000/2003


Figure 5-4: Dismount the Information Store to be restored by
The pop-up
menu revealed doing the following:
when right-
clicking a 1. Launch the Exchange System Manager.
Storage Group
in Windows.
2. Expand the Administrative Groups to show the
available stores.
3. Right-click on the desired store and select
Dismount Store from the pop-up menu.
4. A warning dialog box will appear indicating that the selected Information
Store will not be available if this process takes place. Click on Yes to accept
the warning and dismount the store.
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Figure 5-5: 5. Once the Information Store has been
A dismounted
Information successfully dismounted, its icon will change to
Store reflect this (i.e., the normal icon of an
Information Store will be replaced by one with a
circled red dot).

Important: NetVault: Backup can be configured to issue a request to the Exchange Server
to automatically mount the store again once the restore has completed.

5.2.1.c Dismounting Mailbox Databases in Exchange 2007


Figure 5-6: Dismount the mailbox database to be restored by doing the following:
The pop-up
menu revealed 1. Launch the Exchange
when right-
clicking a Management
Storage Group Console.
in the
Database 2. Expand the Server
Management Configuration node
tab
3. Select the Mailbox
node.
4. In the Database
Management tab, drill-down to the desired mailbox database.
5. Right-click on the store and select Dismount Database from the pop-up
menu.
6. A confirmation dialog box will appear. Click on Yes to dismount the mailbox
database.
Figure 5-7: 7. Once the mailbox
A dismounted
Storage Group database has been
successfully
dismounted, its icon
will change to reflect this and its status will change to Dismounted in the
status column.

5.2.2 Selecting Data for a Restore


With the restore preparations completed and a proper restore strategy in mind,
follow the steps below to select data for the restore:
1. From the NetVault: Backup GUI, launch the Restore window by clicking
either of the Restore buttons available on the command toolbars (or by
choosing the Restore command from the Operations pull-down menu). You
will see a list of NetVault: Backup Clients that have been the target of
successful backup jobs in the Selections tab.
2. Locate the Client configured as the Exchange Server, and open it to display a
list of the APMs/plugins which have been used to backup data.
46 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

To open any node in the Restore Selections tab, you can do either of the
following:
™ Double-click on the Node
™ Right-click on the Node and Select the Open Command from the Pop-up
Menu
Figure 5-8:
The Selections
tab of the
Restore
window with
various
Information
Stores
selected for a
restore

3. Locate the Exchange Server APM in the list and open it to display the
backup savesets created with the APM. Each saveset will be labeled with it’s
given “Job Title” followed by its backup type and the time that the backup was
performed. The backup type identifiers are outlined in the table below:

Backup Type Backup Type Identifier


Full Backup FULL
Copy Backup COPY
Incremental Backup INCREMENTAL
Differential Backup DIFFERENTIAL

4. Open the desired backup saveset to display the individual Exchange Server
Storage Groups that were the target of the backup. From this level, double-
click on a node to open it (the right-click + Open method is not available).

5. Each Storage Group can be opened to reveal the individual stores that were
included in the backup. Select the data for restore by clicking in its associated
check box. NetVault: Backup makes it possible to select from the following
items for inclusion in a restore job.
„ Entire Information Store
„ Individual Storage Groups
„ Sets of Storage Groups
„ Individual Databases
„ Sets of Databases
„ Transaction Logs/Patch Files
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
47
5.2.2.a Restore Limitations
The Exchange Server APM does not support the relocation or renaming of
restored items. NetVault: Backup’s Rename/Relocate functionality can not be
used when restoring a backup to an Exchange Server. Relocating a database file
path must be performed in the Exchange Management Console or the
Exchange System Manager (depending on what version of Exchange you are
using). Complete instructions for this procedure can be found in the relevant
Microsoft Exchange documentation. In addition, the articles, Moving Store Files to
a New Directory in Exchange 2003 and How to Move a Storage Group Path in
Exchange 2007 can be consulted via Microsoft’s TechNet website. At the time this
document was generated these articles were available at the following links:
Exchange 2003
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124863.aspx
Exchange 2007
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125252.aspx

5.2.2.b Additional Functionality Available in the Restore Selections


Tab
In addition to direct data selection, the Selections tab offers a variety of other
functionality that can be used to perform tasks from locating specific data to
managing entries in the NetVault: Backup Database. This functionality is not
unique to the Exchange Server APM (it is available for use with all NetVault:
Backup APMs/Plugins), and descriptions on their use can be found in the
NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide. The points below offer a brief
description of this functionality as well as a reference to where information can be
found in the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.
Figure 5-9: „ Selection Method Pull-down Menu - This
The Selection
Method menu allows you to select a method for the
options, which organization of data items displayed in the
allow you to
choose how
Selections tab, based on three basic
items are selections:
displayed in
the Selections ™ APM/Plugin Used in the Backup
tab (Default)
™ Backup Selection Set Used
™ Job Title

Information on this functionality can be


found in the section “The Selection Method Pull-down Menu” located in the
chapter of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide dedicated to the
Restore functionality.
48 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Figure 5-10: „ Filter Options Frame - Filter Options can be set to


The Filter
Options, which customize how data is displayed in the Restore
allow you to Selections window. The following options are
filter how items
are displayed
available:.
in the ™ By Date Range - To list the savesets
Selections tab
generated during a given period, select this
option and set the dates in the fields provided.
™ Show On-line Status - Select this option to list
only the currently available media.
Click on the Apply Filter button.
Details on this functionality are covered in the section “The Filter Options
Frame” located in the chapter of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s
Guide dedicated to the Restore functionality.
Figure 5-11: „ Search Functionality - At
Right-clicking
a node in the various levels of the selection
Selections tab tree, you can access the
of the Restore
windows
“Search...” command by right-
accesses the clicking on a node. This allows
Search, you to search for specific data
Media List,
and Compress items based on an item’s name.
commands Information on this functionality can be found in the section “The Search
Facility” located in the chapter of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s
Guide dedicated to the Restore functionality.
„ Media List - This command provides information pertaining to the media
used for this backup saveset. Complete information on this functionality can
be found in the section “The Media List Tool” located in the chapter of the
NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide dedicated to the Restore
functionality.
„ Index Compression Functionality (Compress/Uncompress Commands)
- Each job generates an index entry in the NetVault: Backup Database
(NVDB), and this entry is required by NetVault: Backup to restore the job.
However, as job numbers increase, so do the number of index entries, and as
an end result, the NVDB will continue to grow and occupy increasing amount
of hard disk space. This functionality allows you to compress these entries
and reduce the overall size of the NVDB. In turn, these entries can be
decompressed as required, to allow for a restore. Complete information on
this functionality can be found in the section “NetVault: Backup Database
Management and the Restore Window” located in the chapter of the
NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide dedicated to the Restore
functionality.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
49
5.2.3 Setting Restore Options
Figure 5-12: With the desired data items selected
The Restore
Options tab for for a restore, click on the Restore
the Exchange Options tab. This tab contains
Server APM.
options that can be set in conjunction
with items selected for a restore in
the Selections tab.
The following options will be
available:
„ Backup Type - The type of
backup that was performed,
based on the saveset chosen
for a restore in the Selections
tab, is displayed here.
„ The Restore Method Frame -
This frame contains two options
that allow you to select the
restore method of Exchange
Server APM.
™ Extensible Storage Engine
(ESE) - Select this option to
perform the restore of
selected data using the
Extensible Storage Engine method which allows for the recovery of Full,
Differential, and Incremental Backup types. For more information refer to
the section Extensible Storage Engine Restore Method on page 41.
™ Copy Files to Target Directory Only - Select this option if you want to
restore the raw files from storage to a specific target directory. Note that
when choosing this method database recovery is not available. When
restoring using the Copy Files to Target Directory Only method,
databases do not need to be dismounted from the Exchange Server prior
to the start of the restore job.
„ The Restore Options Frame - This frame contains the following two options:
™ Restore Files From Backup (Default Selected) - This option is selected
by default in order to restore the files selected in a backup set. In the
event that the Perform Recovery (Enable Only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) option was not selected for the last restore job in a restore
sequence, an additional restore job should be run. This restore job should
have the same backup saveset selected, the Restore Files From
Backup option deselected, and the Perform Recovery (Enable Only on
Last Step in Restore Sequence) option selected. With these options set,
50 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

NetVault: Backup will perform the recovery without re-transferring the data
from the backup media to the Exchange Server.
™ Temporary Directory for Restored Log Files - Transaction log and
patch files will be stored in a temporary location during the restore and
recovery process. Specify the temporary directory for this restore job in
this field.
„ The Recovery Options Frame - This frame contains several options that can
be selected to modify certain procedures during the recovery process.
™ Perform Recovery (Enable Only on Last Step in Restore Sequence) -
Select this option when performing the last job of a restore sequence. If
the restore sequence only includes a Full Backup, select this option for the
Full Backup. If the restore sequence includes Incremental or Differential
Restores, select this option when restoring the last backup in the restore
sequence. This option finalizes the restore process upon completion of
the restore job for which it was selected (i.e., the Exchange Server will
then be alerted to perform any necessary recovery tasks). All other
options in the Recovery Options frame will be greyed-out unless this
option is selected.
™ Verify Completion (Default Selected) - With this option selected,
NetVault: Backup will wait for the Exchange Server to complete its own
recovery operations for each selected Storage Group, before continuing
with the data restore of any additional Storage Groups. These results are
then recorded in the NetVault: Backup logs for the job (i.e., these logs
would be viewable via the Logs window of the NetVault: Backup GUI).
This may increase the elapsed time of the restore, but the end results of
the Exchange Server recovery operations for each Storage Group can be
viewed locally on the NetVault: Backup Server. If this option is
deselected, NetVault: Backup will proceed to restore each selected
Storage Group, without waiting for the final results from the Exchange
Server. As a result, none of this data will be recorded in the NetVault:
Backup logs. Regardless of this option’s setting, these results will be
logged in the Windows Application Event Log on the Exchange Server
and can be viewed with the Windows Event Viewer utility.
Important:
1. If the Verify Completion option is deselected, NetVault: Backup will not report the overall
successful completion of a restore job. Therefore, it will be necessary to log on locally to the
target Exchange Server and verify the status of any restored data.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
51

2. Due to the nature of this option, when it is used in conjunction with the Mount Databases
After Recovery option, NetVault: Backup may not automatically re-mount all databases
included in the restore, once the recovery completes. The Storage Groups the selected
databases belong to can be successfully mounted using the Exchange System Manager
(2000/2003) or Exchange Management Console (2007) utility. Please see the relevant
Exchange documentation for information on re-mounting stores.

™ Replay Current Logs - With this selected, NetVault: Backup will request
that the target Exchange Server access any additional transaction log files
that were generated after the point in time the backup was taken. Once
the transaction log files have been accessed, they will be applied during
the Exchange Server’s recovery operations (i.e., after data restore is
complete) in order to bring any applicable databases to their most recent
state.

Important: If the Replay Current Logs option is deselected, once the restore job has
completed the current transaction logs will not be applied during the recovery phase. This will
result in the loss of all data that is new or has been changed since the time of the backup.

™ Delete Temporary Log Files After Recovery (Default Selected) - Leave


this option selected to delete temporary files and temporary log and patch
files from the directory in the Temporary Directory for Restored Log
Files field after the recovery process is completed. Deselecting this option
will retain the log and patch files after the recovery process is completed.

Important: The Delete Temporary Log Files After Recovery option should be selected in
nearly all cases. In situations in which this option is not selected, subsequent restores that use
the same directory for Temporary Log Files may result in restore failures in which Microsoft
Exchange reports incomplete, incongruous, or out-of-sequence log files and may result in
database errors.

™ Mount Databases After Recovery (Default Selected) - This option can


be selected to automatically mount the dismounted databases within the
databases once the restore completes. It is recommended that this option
be left default selected, otherwise it will be necessary to manually mount
the databases upon completion of the restore in order to bring it back
online.
„ Authentication Details - This frame is used to specify job-specific
authentication details. If the authentication details specified in this frame are
not successfully validated, the authentication details that have been
configured for the server are used instead. To specify the authentication
details for a server, see the section Configuring Authentication Details on
page 22. The available options for this frame are:
52 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

™ Target Exchange Server - The machine name of the original target


Exchange Server will appear in this field by default (i.e., the Exchange
Server from which the selected backup saveset was generated). You can
enter a different machine name to target a different Exchange Server for
the restore. Unless you are restoring to an alternate Exchange Server, it is
recommended that this field be left at its default.
™ Exchange Administrator User Name - By default, this field will contain
the administrator-level account that was used to backup the original target
Exchange Server. This value can be changed as required, but the account
named must have the proper backup and restore permissions for the
machine that is to serve as the target of the restore.
™ Password - Enter the password associated with the user name specified
in the Exchange Administrator Username field. For security reasons,
this field will appear blank by default.
™ Windows Domain - If a Domain Account is specified in the Exchange
Administrator User Name field, enter the name of the domain. The field
can be left blank if a local system account is specified.

5.2.4 Finalizing and Submitting a Restore Job


With desired data items selected and the desired options set in the Restore
Options pane, these last few steps are to be followed to finalize the restore job
and submit it to be run.
1. The remaining available tabs (e.g., Target Client, Schedule and Advanced
Options) contain additional options that can be set as desired. These options
are consistent throughout all plugins and APMs in NetVault: Backup. For
more information on these tabs and the options available within, please see
the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.
2. Enter a suitable title for the job in the Job Title field. It is strongly
recommended that a specific name value be used to allow for easy
recognition of the restore job in the other windows of the NetVault: Backup
GUI (e.g., the Logs and Job Management windows).
Submit the restore job by clicking the Submit button. As with a backup, the job
status, progress and log entries can be viewed in selected windows of the
NetVault: Backup GUI. Please see the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide
for information on accessing these windows for this purpose.

5.2.5 Example Restore Sequences


All restore scenarios using the Exchange Server APM are seen by NetVault:
Backup as a sequence of restores; from the recovery of a series of 10 Incremental
Backups to the recovery of a single Full Backup. Therefore, it is necessary to
follow a specific set of steps to successfully recover data using the Exchange
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
53
Server APM. The following sub-sections offer examples on the steps required to
restore the various backup types.

5.2.5.a Restoring a Standalone Full Backup


The restore of a single Full Backup is seen as a restore sequence by the
Exchange Server APM. Therefore, certain steps must be followed to successfully
restore a standalone Full Backup, in order to make its recovered data suitable for
use by Exchange.

Important: This section offers an example of the steps required to successfully recover a
single Full Backup. The instructions offered here do not apply to the recovery of the Full
Backup associated with a Differential or Incremental sequence of restores.

1. Dismount the target database(s) on the target Exchange Server as outlined in


the section Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery on page 42. The
target Exchange Server database(s) must be dismounted prior to launching a
restore job, otherwise it will fail.
2. In the Exchange Server APM Selections tab of the Restore window, select
the objects to be restored, i.e., the entire Information Store or only the
databases that have been corrupted as detailed in the section Selecting Data
for a Restore on page 45.
3. Select the Log and Patch Files data item for inclusion in addition to any
desired data item(s).
4. In the Restore Options tab, ensure the options are as follows:
„ Backup Type is labelled FULL.
„ Select Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as the Restore Method.
„ Select Restore Files from Backup in the Restore Options frame.
„ Select Perform Recovery (Enable only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) in the Recovery Options frame.
„ Select Mount Databases after Recovery.
„ Enter the proper values in the Authentication Details frame.
5. Complete the Schedule, Target Client and Advanced Options tabs, enter a
suitable Job Title and submit the job. See the section Finalizing and
Submitting a Restore Job on page 52 for details on submitting the job to run.
6. On job completion, NetVault: Backup will finalize the restore and recovery
process and all restored data will be readily accessible to the Exchange
Server.

5.2.5.b Restoring an Incremental Backup Sequence


The process required to successfully recover a sequence of Incremental Backups
can be broken down into three phases:
54 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

„ Phase 1: Restore the Original Full Backup


„ Phase 2: Restore All Intermediary Incremental Backups
„ Phase 3: Restore the Final Incremental Backup
This example will assume that Full Backups are performed every Sunday night at
11:00 p.m. while Incremental Backups are performed Monday through Saturday at
11:00 p.m. Since recovery is being performed on Wednesday, Sunday's Full
Backup followed by Monday's and Tuesday's Incremental Backup must be
restored.

Restore the Original Full Backup


1. Dismount the target database(s) on the target Microsoft Exchange Server
(as outlined in the section Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery
on page 42. The target Exchange Server database(s) must be
dismounted prior to launching a restore job, otherwise it will fail.
2. From the Selections tab of the Restore window, access the desired
Exchange Server and locate the Full Backup saveset that served as a
starting point for the desired Differential Backup sequence.
3. Drill-down in the backup saveset and select the objects to be restored,
i.e., the entire Information Store or only the databases that have been
corrupted as detailed in the section Selecting Data for a Restore on page
45. Make note of the exact items that were selected for the restore.
4. Select the Log and Patch Files data item for inclusion in addition to any
desired data item(s).
5. In the Restore Options tab, ensure the options are as follows:
„ Backup Type is labelled FULL.
„ Select Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as the Restore Method.
„ Select Restore Files from Backup in the Restore Options frame.
„ Deselect Perform Recovery (Enable only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) in the Recovery Options frame. All other options in the
Recovery Options frame should be greyed-out.
„ Enter the proper values in the Authentication Details frame.
6. Leave all other options in this tab at their default.
7. Complete the Schedule, Target Client and Advanced Options tabs,
enter a suitable Job Title and submit the job. See the section Finalizing
and Submitting a Restore Job on page 52 for details on submitting the job
to run.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
55
Restore All Intermediary Incremental Backups
1. From the Selections tab of the Restore window, access the desired
Exchange Server and locate the backup saveset that served as first
Incremental Backup in the sequence.
Figure 5-13: 2. Open this backup
With the
original Full saveset and select the
Backup items to be restored.
restored, the
backup
Since this is an
saveset for the Incremental Backup,
first only the transaction log
Incremental
Backup in the and patch files are
series is included in the backup.
selected.
It is recommended that
you make note of the
exact items selected for
this restore job as the same items should be selected for every
Incremental Backup in the restore sequence.
3. In the Restore Options tab, ensure the options are as follows:
„ Backup Type is labelled INCREMENTAL.
„ Select Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as the Restore Method.
„ Select Restore Files from Backup in the Restore Options frame.
„ Deselect Perform Recovery (Enable only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) in the Recovery Options frame. All other options in the
Recovery Options frame should be greyed-out.
„ Enter the proper values in the Authentication Details frame.
4. Leave all other options in this tab at their default.
5. Complete the Schedule, Target Client and Advanced Options tabs,
enter a suitable Job Title and submit the job. See the section Finalizing
and Submitting a Restore Job on page 52 for details on submitting the job
to run.
6. Repeat steps 1 - 5 for all additional Incremental Backups in the order they
were performed except for the last Incremental in the sequence. Specific
settings must be made for this final restore which are covered in the
following section.

Restore the Final Incremental Backup


1. With all previous restores successfully completed, including the original
Full and subsequent Incrementals, access the Selections tab of the
Restore window and drill-down to the last Incremental Backup saveset in
the sequence.
56 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

2. Open this backup saveset and select the items to be restored. Refer to the
data items that were restored in all previous Incremental Backup restore
jobs and select these exact same items for the restore.
3. In the Restore Options tab, ensure the options are as follows:
„ Backup Type is labelled INCREMENTAL.
„ Select Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as the Restore Method.
„ Select Restore Files from Backup in the Restore Options frame.
„ Select Perform Recovery (Enable only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) in the Recovery Options frame.
„ Select Mount Databases after Recovery.
„ Enter the proper values in the Authentication Details frame.
4. If the most recent Incremental Backup is selected for restore then the
Replay Current Logs option should be selected. If the Incremental
Backup selected for restore is not the most recent, i.e., you are restoring
an Exchange Server to a specific point in time prior to the last available
Incremental Backup job, then the Replay Current Logs option should be
deselected. If this option is selected, the Exchange Server will scan all
recent logs and update all data to its most recent state, rather than leaving
the restored data at the state it was in at the time the Incremental Backup
was completed.
5. Complete the Schedule, Target Client and Advanced Options tabs,
enter a suitable Job Title and submit the job. See the section Finalizing
and Submitting a Restore Job on page 52 for details on submitting the job
to run.

5.2.5.c Restoring a Full + Differential Backup Sequence


The process required to successfully recover a Full + Differential Backup can be
broken down into two phases:
„ Phase 1: Restore the Original Full Backup
„ Phase 2: Restore the Desired Differential Backup
This example will assume that Full Backups are performed every Sunday night at
11:00 p.m. while Differential Backups are performed Monday through Saturday at
11:00 p.m. If recovery is performed on Tuesday, Sunday's Full Backup and
Monday's Differential Backup must be restored. If recovery is performed on
Thursday, Sunday's Full Backup followed Wednesday's Differential Backup must
be restored.

Restore the Original Full Backup


1. Dismount the target database(s) on the target Microsoft Exchange Server
as outlined in the section Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery on
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
57
page 42. The target Exchange Server database(s) must be dismounted
prior to launching a restore job, otherwise it will fail.
2. From the Selections tab of the Restore window, access the desired
Exchange Server and locate the Full Backup saveset that served as a
starting point for the desired Differential Backup sequence.
3. Drill-down in the backup saveset and select the objects to be restored,
i.e., the entire Information Store or only the databases that have been
corrupted as detailed in the section Selecting Data for a Restore on page
45. Make note of the exact items that were selected for the restore.
4. Select the Log and Patch Files data item for inclusion in addition to any
desired data item(s).
5. In the Restore Options tab, ensure the options are as follows:
„ Backup Type is labelled FULL.
„ Select Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as the Restore Method.
„ Select Restore Files from Backup in the Restore Options frame.
„ Deselect Perform Recovery (Enable only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) in the Recovery Options frame. All other options in the
Recovery Options frame should be greyed-out.
„ Enter the proper values in the Authentication Details frame.
6. Leave all other options in this tab at their default.
7. Complete the Schedule, Target Client and Advanced Options tabs,
enter a suitable Job Title and submit the job. See the section Finalizing
and Submitting a Restore Job on page 52 for details on submitting the job
to run.

Restore the Desired Differential Backup


Figure 5-14: 1. With the restore of
The Selections
tab of the the original Full
Restore Backup successfully
Window with
the last
completed, access
Differential in the Selections tab of
the sequence the Restore window
expanded and
its data items and drill-down to the
selected. backup saveset
belonging to the
desired Differential
Backup in the
sequence.
2. Open this backup saveset and select the items that are to be restored.
Since this is a Differential Backup, only the transaction log and patch files
58 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

should have been included in the backup. Select the Log and Patch Files
node for all the Storage Groups that were selected during the Full Backup
restore.
3. In the Restore Options tab, ensure the options are as follows:
„ Backup Type is labelled DIFFERENTIAL.
„ Select Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) as the Restore Method.
„ Select the Restore Files from Backup is selected in the Restore
Options frame.
„ Select Perform Recovery (Enable only on Last Step in Restore
Sequence) in the Recovery Options frame.
„ Select Mount Databases after Recovery.
„ Enter the proper values in the Authentication Details frame.
4. If the most recent Differential Backup is selected for restore then the
Replay Current Logs option should remain selected. If the Differential
Backup selected for restore is not the most recent, i.e., you are restoring
an Exchange Server to a specific point in time prior to the last available
Differential Backup, then the Replay Current Logs option should be
deselected. If this option is left selected, the Exchange Server will scan
all recent logs and update all data to its most recent state, rather then
leaving the restored data at the state it was in at the time the Differential
Backup was completed.
5. Complete the Schedule, Target Client and Advanced Options tabs,
enter a suitable Job Title and submit the job. See the section Finalizing
and Submitting a Restore Job on page 52 for details on submitting the job
to run.
6. On job completion, NetVault: Backup will finalize the restore and recovery
process and all restored data will be readily accessible to the Exchange
Server.

5.3.0 Other Restore Procedures

5.3.1 What is a Recovery Storage Group?


The Recovery Storage Group (RSG) is a resource that was first made available in
Exchange 2003. This utility allows for the creation of this special Storage Group
that can be mounted outside of an actual Exchange Server’s configuration to
serve as a target for the restore of backed up data. With an RSG in place,
previously backed up data can be restored to an RSG without disrupting the
existing structure of the Exchange Server. This can be ideal when previously
backed up individual Storage Group data (e.g., Mailbox Stores and their contents)
must be reviewed, but the Exchange Server must stay up and running. RSGs can
also be useful when correspondence is accidentally deleted or must be recovered
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
59
in the case of a legal inquiry. Lost correspondence can be retrieved by performing
individual mailbox or mailbox component recovery.
A complete description of Recovery Storage Groups and their usage can be found
in the relevant Microsoft Exchange documentation. In addition, the Exchange
2007 article Understanding Recovery Storage Groups can be consulted via
Microsoft’s TechNet website. At the time this document was generated this article
was available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124039.aspx

5.3.2 Restoring Data to a Recovery Storage Group in


Exchange 2003
The procedures that follow illustrates the steps required to establish an RSG in
Exchange 2003 as well as how to use NetVault: Backup to restore backed up data
to it.

5.3.2.a Creating a Recovery Storage Group (RSG)


Setting up a recovery Storage Group involves two basic steps:
„ Creating the Recovery Storage Group
„ Adding the Databases to be Restored
Complete instructions for both of these procedures can be found in the relevant
Microsoft Exchange documentation. In addition, the article, Setting Up a Recovery
Storage Group can be consulted for this information, via Microsoft’s TechNet web
site. At the time this document was generated, this article was available at the
following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997784.aspx

Important: The Database File Locations section detailed in the article Setting Up a
Recovery Storage Group requires that the logical name of the desired database be known so
that it can be selected for addition to the RSG. Therefore, it is recommended that the desired
backup saveset be browsed in the Selections tab of the Restore window in order to record
this information prior to performing this procedure.

5.3.2.b Restoring Data to the Recovery Storage Group (RSG)


With the RSG successfully created and the appropriate database(s) added to it,
perform the following steps for a restore of the desired data to the RSG.

Important: To avoid complications in a restore of this type, it is recommended that


individual Storage Groups be restored on a one per job basis, i.e., only select an individual
Storage Group for inclusion in a single restore job.
60 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Depending on your backup and recovery strategy, refer to one of the applicable
procedures outlined in the section, Example Restore Sequences on page 52 for
instructions on restoring data items in a Backup Saveset to an RSG.
During an RSG restore operation the Exchange Server APM will redirect
recovered data to the RSG rather than overwriting the original database.

5.3.2.c Viewing Data Restored to a Recovery Storage Group (RSG)


Once data has been restored to the RSG, it must be extracted for viewing. For
Exchange 2003, the Mailbox Merge Wizard (ExMerge) tool is the only supported
method of extracting data from a database in an RSG. Please see the relevant
Microsoft Exchange documentation pertaining to the use of this utility. In addition,
the article, Salvaging Data from the Recovery Storage Group in Exchange Server
2003 can be consulted for this information via Microsoft TechNet website. At the
time this document was generated this article was available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998516.aspx

5.3.3 Restoring Data to a Recovery Storage Group in


Exchange 2007
The procedures that follow illustrates the steps required to establish an RSG in
Exchange 2007 as well as how to use NetVault: Backup to restore backed up data
to it.

5.3.3.a Creating a Recovery Storage Group (RSG)


Setting up a recovery Storage Group involves two basic steps:
„ Creating the Recovery Storage Group
„ Adding the Databases to be Restored
Complete instructions for both of these procedures can be found in the relevant
Microsoft Exchange documentation. Additional information about using Recovery
Storage Groups in Exchange 2007 can be found in the article, Working with
Recovery Storage Groups via MSExchange.org’s website. At the time this
document was generated, this article was available at the following link:
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Working-Recovery-Storage-Groups-
Exchange-2007.html?printversion

5.3.3.b Restoring Data to the Recovery Storage Group (RSG)


With the RSG successfully created and the appropriate database(s) added to it,
perform the following steps for a restore of the desired data to the RSG:
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
61

Important: To avoid complications in a restore of this type, it is recommended that


individual Storage Groups be restored on a one per job basis, i.e., only select an individual
Storage Group for inclusion in a single restore job.

Depending on your backup and recovery strategy, refer to one of the applicable
procedures outlined in the section, Example Restore Sequences on page 52 for
instructions on restoring data items in a Backup Saveset to an RSG.
During an RSG restore operation the Exchange Server APM will redirect
recovered data to the RSG rather than overwriting the original database.

5.3.3.c Viewing Data Restored to a Recovery Storage Group (RSG)


For Exchange Server 2007, the Exchange Troubleshooting Assistant (ExTRA)
and Windows PowerShell included with Exchange 2007 may be used to extract
data from a database in an RSG. Please see the relevant Microsoft Exchange
documentation pertaining to the use of these utilities. In addition, the article,
Exchange 2007 How to Recover a Mailbox by Using a Recovery Storage Group
can be consulted for this information via Microsoft TechNet website. At the time
this document was generated this article was available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997694.aspx

5.3.4 Disaster Recovery of the Exchange Server


This section offers a brief synopsis on how to fully recover an Exchange system
utilizing backups performed with the Exchange Server APM. This procedure can
be used to rebuild an Exchange Server completely if the original was destroyed or
is otherwise unusable. If you are completely rebuilding an Exchange Server the
Active Directory service should be available in Disaster Recovery Mode.
The restore sequence performed should bring the Exchange Server up to the most
current point before the failure of the Exchange Server. This could include
restoring a Full Backup, a Full Backup + a Differential Backup, or a Full +
Incremental Backup(s) depending on your Exchange Server backup and recovery
strategy. However, it is strongly recommended that the Microsoft documentation
for the Exchange version in use be consulted for complete details on the proper
way to perform this type of recovery. In addition the following articles can be
consulted via Microsoft’s website. the time this document was generated, these
articles were available at the following links:
Disaster Recovery for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=6E55DD49-8A6C-4F30-947E-
BDE95917F585
62 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Exchange Server 2003 Member Server Recovery Methods


http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998116.aspx
Exchange 2007 How to Recover a Lost Exchange Server
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123496.aspx

5.3.4.a Restore Procedure


1. Re-install the operating system. The operating system and service pack must
be identical to the operating system and service pack that was installed when
the Backup Saveset was created.
2. Re-install Exchange in Recovery Mode. The Exchange version, edition, and
service pack must be identical to the version, edition, and service pack of
Exchange that was installed when the Backup Saveset was created.
Complete instructions for this procedure can be found in the relevant
Microsoft Exchange documentation.
For Exchange 2003, the article, Exchange 2003 Running a Disaster
Recovery Setup can be consulted via Microsoft’s Knowledge Base website.
At the time this document was generated, this article was available at the
following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;257415&product=exch2003
For Exchange 2007, the article, Exchange 2007 How to Recover a Lost
Exchange Server can be consulted via Microsoft’s TechNet website. At the
time this document was generated, this article was available at the following
link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123496.aspx
3. Create an Exchange Server. This will serve as the target of the relocation
restore. Not only must this Exchange Server be properly set up and
configured, it must also be accessible to the Exchange Server APM on the
new restore target. See the section Configuring Authentication Details on
page 22.
4. Re-install the NetVault: Backup Client and the Exchange Server APM.
5. Add the Exchange Server to the NetVault: Backup domain as a Client. (For
details on this procedure, please see the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s
Guide.)
6. Depending on your backup and recovery strategy, refer to one of the
applicable procedures outlined in the section Example Restore Sequences
on page 52 to recover the remaining Exchange data.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
63
5.3.5 Recovering to a Different Exchange Server
NetVault: Backup’s Exchange Server APM also makes it possible to take the
backup of a Storage Group performed on one Exchange Server and restore it to a
secondary Exchange Server. This can be beneficial when it is necessary to
recover a Storage Group to access its contents while leaving the initial Exchange
Server untouched and operational. In addition, restoring to a secondary Exchange
Server can be a good method for testing the integrity of backed up data (while not
interfering with a running Exchange Server). This section offers instructions on
restoring Full, Incremental, and Differential Backup types to a secondary
Exchange Server.

5.3.5.a Recovering to a Different Exchange Server in Exchange


2000/2003
Restore Preparations
Prior to performing a restore of data in this manner, the following actions must
be performed on the machine that is to serve as the new target for the restored
Exchange Server data:
„ A Clean Installation of Exchange has been Performed on the New
Target Server - It is recommended that this operation be performed on a
newly installed Exchange Server, rather than an existing one.
„ Target Server Established in a Different Network Domain - In order for
this operation to work properly, the target machine for this operation must
reside on a different network domain than where the original Exchange
Server resides. If these two machines are set up on the same domain,
NetVault: Backup will always attempt to recover the selected data to the
original Exchange Server.
„ Storage Groups Set Up on the Target Machine must Match the
Original Exchange Server Exactly - Before attempting the restore of a
specific Storage Group, the target machine must be set up to mirror that
Storage Group’s structure as it appeared on the original machine, in
regards to names and directory paths. For example, if the Marketing
Storage Group contains five individual stores as shown in Figure 5-4 and
originally existed in the root of the C:\ partition, a Storage Group must be
established on the target machine with the same name, it must contain
five stores all named exactly the same as the originals, and it must be
located in the root of the C:\ partition.
64 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Figure 5-15:
Two Exchange
Servers, one
with a new
Storage Group
set up to mirror
the original

Storage Storage Group


Group structure set
structure on up to match on
the initial the target
Exchange Exchange
Server Server

Important:
1. As Exchange is set up on a new The First Storage Group on
the Original Exchange
target machine, all of the Server. Information Stores
Information Stores contained in the are automatically named with
the Exchange Server name
automatically created First Storage in parenthesis (e.g.
Group will be given a title which EXCHANGE1).
includes the name of the Exchange
Server itself, enclosed in
The First Storage Group on
parenthesis. To ensure proper the newly created Exchange
recovery, these Information Stores Server that is to serve as a
recovery target. Its
must be renamed to identically Information Stores have
match those from the original been renamed to match
those of the original.
Exchange Server. For example, if
the Information Stores on the original Exchange Server were accompanied by the name
Mailbox Store (Exchange1), the newly created Information Stores on the target machine
must be renamed to match. Failure to rename the Information Stores in this manner will
result in a failed restore.
2. The previous process must take place for all Storage Groups that are to be recovered by a
restore.

„ Dismount the Information Stores - Each individual Information Store


must be dismounted on the target Exchange Server prior to initiating the
restore. For complete details on dismounting a store, please see the
section, Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery on page 42.
„ Set Overwrite Permissions - See the section Setting Overwrite
Permissions on page 43.
„ NetVault: Backup Must be Installed on Both Machines - For this
operation to work properly, NetVault: Backup must be installed on both
the original Exchange Server as well as the machine set up as the new
target.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
65
„ Both Machines Must be Added to the NetVault: Backup Server as
Clients - From the Client Management window of the NetVault: Backup
Server, ensure that both machines have been successfully added as
Clients. (For details on adding Clients to the NetVault: Backup Server,
please see the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.)

Restore Procedure
With the pre-requisite operations complete, it is now possible to perform the
restore of desired Storage Groups with the NetVault: Backup GUI. This process
is similar to the standard restore process illustrated earlier in this manual, with
the exception of a few steps.
This example procedure assumes that a Full Backup is being restored and not
an Incremental or Differential Backup. In the event that a series of Incrementals
or a Differential is to be recovered, this procedure would be followed to first
recover the initial Full Backup. Subsequent Incremental or Differential Backups
would then be recovered as a standard restore of this type. The only
differences being that the new Exchange Server would need to be entered in
the Target Exchange Server field of the Restore Options tab and the new
Exchange Server should be selected in the Target Client tab. Depending on
your backup and recovery strategy, you can refer to one of the applicable
procedures outlined in the section, Example Restore Sequences on page 52
for further instructions on restoring data items in a Backup Saveset.
1. Follow steps 1 - 5 in the section Selecting Data for a Restore on page 45.
2. Access the Restore Options tab and set the following options in the
Authentication Details frame accordingly:
„ Target Exchange Server - Enter the system name (not the NetVault:
Backup name) for the machine serving as the target for relocation.
„ Exchange Administrator User Name - By default, this field will
contain the administrator-level account that was used to backup the
original target Exchange Server. This value can be changed as
required, but the account named must have the proper backup and
restore permissions for the machine that is to serve as the target of the
restore.
„ Password - Enter the password associated with the user name
specified in the Exchange Administrator Username field. For
security reasons, this field will appear blank by default.
„ Windows Domain -This field can be left blank as it is not requirement
for recovering to a different Exchange Server.
66 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Figure 5-16: 3. The other options of the Restore Options


The Target
Client tab with tab can be changed as desired or left at their
the new target default settings. For more information see
machine
selected
the section Setting Restore Options on page
49.
4. Select the Target Client tab. From this tab,
select the desired target machine.
5. Input an appropriate name for the job in the
Job Title field.
6. Start the job by clicking on the Submit button.

Important: For this process to complete successfully, it is recommended that all of the
databases contained in a given Storage Group be selected for a recovery rather than only
selecting certain databases.

Post-Restore Requirements
Once the restore has been completed, it is necessary to perform a few
operations on the new Exchange Server to bring it up and online.
1. Launch the Exchange System Manager on the newly recovered
Exchange 2000/2003 Server and navigate to a restored Storage Group.
Open it (by double-clicking on it) to reveal the individual Information
Stores.
Figure 5-17: 2. Double-click on an Information Store to
Selecting the
Run Cleanup open it and locate the Mailboxes item.
Agent Right-click on it and select the Run
command on
the Mailbox
Cleanup Agent command from the
item in the pop-up menu to establish the mailbox.
Exchange
System 3. With the Mailboxes item successfully
Manager established, new user accounts must be
created for each mailbox contained
within the Information Store. By clicking
the Information Store’s Mailboxes item
in the Tree tab, individual user mailboxes that have been restored to it will
be revealed in the Mailboxes window.
4. User accounts must be created for each of these user mailboxes, and
they must be given the same name.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
67
Figure 5-18:
With a
Mailboxes item
selected,
individual
mailboxes
contained
within are
revealed,
including those
requiring the Individual User Account mailboxes,
set up of new requiring the set up of an actual user
user accounts account

Important: Once the Run Cleanup Agent command has been successfully run, individual
mailboxes revealed when a Mailboxes item is selected will be marked with a red circle
containing a white “x” indicating that the mailbox as disconnected.

5. Make a note of the mailbox names contained within this window (e.g.
“testusr26” and “testusr29” in the example image above).
Figure 5-19: 6. Access the Active Directory
The first pane
of the New Users and Computers
Object - User window and locate the Users
window,
accessed to
folder in the Tree tab. Right-
create a new click on this folder and select
user account the New User command from
the pop-up menu.
7. In the first pane of the New
Object - User window that
appears, enter one of the
noted user account names in
the First Name and User
Logon Name fields and click
Next to continue.
Figure 5-20: 8. In the next pane, enter a password for
The second
pane of the this account. It is recommended that a
New Object - generic password is used, and the
User window,
requesting
Password Never Expires option is
password selected. With these options set click
information on Next to continue.
68 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Figure 5-21: 9. In the third pane of the New Object -


The third pane
of the New Users window, ensure that the Create
Object - Users an Exchange Mailbox item is
window
contains this
deselected. This mailbox was
option which already restored to this Exchange
must be de- Server, and this process is being performed simply to create an account to
selected
associate with it. With the option deselected, click Next to continue.

Important: If this option is not deselected, Exchange will return an error when it attempts to
create a mailbox that already exists (i.e., the mailbox recovered by the previous restore that
this account is be set up to link to).

10.The final pane of this window will be revealed, giving confirmation of the
creation of the user account. Click Finish to complete the process and
close the New Object - Users window.
11. Repeat Steps 5 - 10 for each restored user account mailbox that exists in
this Information Store (as was noted in Step 4, above).
Figure 5-22: 12.With the new accounts established, connect the
Accessing the
Reconnect restored mailboxes to the newly created
command from accounts. From the Exchange System
the pop-up
menu
Manager, with the Mailboxes item still active to
reveal the user account mailboxes contained
within, right-click on one of the mailboxes and
select Reconnect from the pop-up menu.
13.With the command selected, the Select a New
User for this Mailbox window will appear. This
window will contain several pre-created users,
including those created in the previous steps of this section. Locate the
desired user from the displayed list, click on it to select it and click OK.
Figure 5-23:
After the
Reconnect
command is
selected the
Select a new
user for this
mailbox
window will
appear. Select
a desired user
and click the
OK button.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
69

Important: When performing the operation described in Step 12, a warning dialog box may
appear stating that the selected object has not been replicated to the destination server. This is
a known Microsoft Exchange issue that appears when attempting to recover a user mailbox.
The message has no bearing on NetVault: Backup recovering the mailbox, and this process
should recover it (i.e., this message can be ignored). When issued, click on OK to close the
dialog box, and attempt the reconnect procedure again (as detailed in Steps 11 - 12).
Figure 5-24:
The dialog box issued by
Microsoft Exchange
when attempting to
reconnect a mailbox to a
User Account

14.Repeat Steps 11 - 12 for each recovered mailbox contained in the


Information Store.
15.Finally, the procedures outlined in Steps 1 - 13 must be performed for
each Information Store contained within the recovered Storage Group.

Accessing Recovered Mail


When all of the steps covered in the previous section have been performed for
all Information Stores with the recovered Storage Group, it will be possible to
access Microsoft Outlook to view recovered mail for a selected user. To
accomplish this, complete the following steps.
1. Logged in as an Administrator, access Outlook on the Exchange Server
and log in as the desired user (i.e., one that was recovered and re-
established via the previous instructions).
2. The account will open in Outlook revealing the recovered mail for the
selected user, all of which will appear as new, un-read messages.
Figure 5-25:
Microsoft
Outlook
opened to a
specific User
Account to
reveal
recovered mail
items
70 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

5.3.5.b Recovering to a Different Exchange Server in Exchange


2007
Restore Preparations
Prior to performing a restore of data in this manner, the following actions must
be performed on the machine that is to serve as the new target for the restored
Exchange Server data:
„ A Clean Installation of Exchange has been Performed on the New
Target Server - It is recommended that this operation be performed on a
newly installed Exchange Server, rather than an existing one.
„ Target Server Established in a Different Network Domain - In order for
this operation to work properly, the target machine for this operation must
reside on a different network domain than where the original Exchange
Server resides. If these two machines are set up on the same domain,
NetVault: Backup will always attempt to recover the selected data to the
original Exchange Server.
„ Storage Groups Set Up on the Target Machine must Match the
Original Exchange Server Exactly - Before attempting the restore of a
specific Storage Group, the target machine must be set up to mirror that
Storage Group’s structure as it appeared on the original machine, in
regards to names and directory paths. For example, if a Storage Group
contains five individual mailbox databases and originally existed in the
root of the C:\ partition, a Storage Group must be established on the
target machine with the same name, it must contain five mailbox
databases all named exactly the same as the originals, and it must be
located in the root of the C:\ partition.
„ Dismount the Databases - Each individual mailbox database must be
dismounted on the target Exchange Server prior to initiating the restore.
For complete details on dismounting a database, please see the section,
Preparing the Exchange Server for Recovery on page 42.
„ Set Overwrite Permissions - See the section Setting Overwrite
Permissions on page 43.
„ NetVault: Backup Must be Installed on Both Machines - For this
operation to work properly, NetVault: Backup must be installed on both
the original Exchange Server as well as the machine set up as the new
target.
„ Both Machines Must be Added to the NetVault: Backup Server as
Clients - From the Client Management window of the NetVault: Backup
Server, ensure that both machines have been successfully added as
Clients. (For details on adding Clients to the NetVault: Backup Server,
please see the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.)
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
71
Restore Procedure
With the pre-requisite operations complete, it is now possible to perform the
restore of desired Storage Groups with the NetVault: Backup GUI. This process
is similar to the standard restore process illustrated earlier in this manual, with
the exception of a few steps.
This example procedure assumes that a Full Backup is being restored and not
an Incremental or Differential Backup. In the event that a series of Incrementals
or a Differential is to be recovered as well, this procedure would be followed to
first recover the initial Full Backup. Subsequent Incremental or Differential
Backups would then be recovered as a standard restore of this type. The only
differences being that the new Exchange Server would need to be entered in
the Target Exchange Server field of the Restore Options tab and the new
Exchange Server should be selected in the Target Client tab.
1. Follow steps 1 - 5 in the section Selecting Data for a Restore on page 45.
2. Access the Restore Options tab and set the following options in the
Authentication Details frame accordingly:
„ Target Exchange Server - Enter the system name (not the NetVault:
Backup name) for the machine serving as the target for relocation.
„ Exchange Administrator User Name - By default, this field will
contain the administrator-level account that was used to backup the
original target Exchange Server. This value can be changed as
required, but the account named must have the proper backup and
restore permissions for the machine that is to serve as the target of the
restore.
„ Password - Enter the password associated with the user name
specified in the Exchange Administrator Username field. For
security reasons, this field will appear blank by default.
„ Windows Domain - This field can be left blank as it is not requirement
for recovering to a different Exchange Server.
Figure 5-26: 3. The other options of the Restore Options
The Target
Client tab with tab can be changed as desired or left at their
the new target default settings. For more information see
machine
selected
the section Setting Restore Options on page
49.
4. Select the Target Client tab. From this tab,
select the desired target machine.
5. Input an appropriate name for the job in the
Job Title field.
6. Start the job by clicking on the Submit button.
72 Chapter 5
Restore with the Exchange Server APM

Important: For this process to complete successfully, it is recommended that all of the
databases contained in a given Storage Group be selected for a recovery rather than only
selecting certain databases.

Post-Restore Requirements
1. When restoring into a domain that may already have user accounts created, it
is recommended that the mailbox database be scanned and cleaned. This
will ensure that any previously disconnected mailboxes will be updated
appropriately. Complete instructions for this procedure can be found in the
relevant Microsoft Exchange 2007 documentation. In addition, the article,
Exchange 2007 Clean-MailboxDatabase can be consulted via Microsoft’s
TechNet website. At the time this document was generated, this article was
available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124076.aspx
2. Due to the fact that the Exchange Server acting as the target for the restore
was established on a different network domain, none of the user accounts
from the original Exchange Server’s Active Directory exist in the new
domain. Therefore, all the user accounts from the original Exchange Server’s
Active Directory must be imported to the new Exchange Server’s Active
Directory. In Exchange 2007 this is accomplished using Exchange
Management Shell scripts. Complete instructions for this procedure can be
found in the relevant Microsoft Exchange 2007 documentation. In addition,
the article, Exchange 2007 How to Generate Active Directory Accounts By
Using the Mailbox Information in the Mailbox can be consulted via Microsoft’s
TechNet website. At the time this document was generated, this article was
available at the following link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb430758.aspx
User’s Guide

SECTIO N 2:

Appendix
User’s Guide
Appendix A:
The Exchange Server Failover Cluster
Support
A.1.0 - Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support.......................................... 77
• A.1.1 - An Overview of Exchange Server Failover Clustering .............................................. 77
• A.1.2 - About this Appendix................................................................................................ 77
• A.1.3 - Installation .............................................................................................................. 78
- A.1.3.a - Pre-Requisites.................................................................................................... 78
- A.1.3.b - Installation Procedure ......................................................................................... 79
• A.1.4 - Licensing ................................................................................................................ 80
• A.1.5 - Configuration .......................................................................................................... 80
• A.1.6 - Backup ................................................................................................................... 80
• A.1.7 - Restore ................................................................................................................... 81
76 Appendix A
The Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
77

A.1.0 Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support

A.1.1 An Overview of Exchange Server Failover Clustering


The Exchange Server Failover Clustering is designed to provide high-availability
for an Exchange Server environment. For example, an Exchange Server can be
configured on one node of a failover cluster to fail over to any other node in the
cluster during a hardware failure, operating system failure, or a planned upgrade.
A failover cluster is a combination of one or more nodes (hosts) with shared
storage. The combination of a resource group, along with its network name, and
an IP address that makes up the clustered application or server is referred to as a
“Virtual Server”. A virtual server appears on the network as if it were a single
computer, but provides failover from one node to another node if the current node
becomes unavailable.

Important:
1. In NetVault:Backup terminology, a cluster node is referred to as a “Virtual Client”. The
references to “Virtual Client” in the Exchange Server APM is basically a reference to the
“Virtual Server” in the Exchange Server Failover Cluster environment.
2. In Exchange 2007 documentation, Failover Clustering is also referred to as a Single
Copy Cluster.
3. Active/Active, Cluster Continuous Replication, and Local Continuous Replication is not
supported in the Exchange Server APM.

The Exchange Server APM provides support for Exchange Server Failover
Clustering. Using the failover cluster network name, the Exchange Server APM is
able to identify the current node which is in control of the Exchange Server virtual
server and target it for backup.
The installation, configuration, backup and restore procedures differ slightly in an
Exchange Server Failover Cluster environment. This section of the documentation
is intended to offer specifics on how the Exchange Server APM operates in a
Failover Cluster environment.

A.1.2 About this Appendix


This section of the guide is designed to point out any differences between the
setup and usage of the Exchange Server APM in a Failover Cluster environment
vs. a traditional one. It is broken down in sections to mirror the sections found in
the standard instructions, as follows:
„ Installation
„ Licensing
„ Configuration
78 Appendix A
The Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support

„ Backup
„ Restore

Important:
1. Unless outlined in the sections that follow, backups and restores performed with the
Exchange Server APM of clustered data are the same as those performed with traditional
Microsoft Exchange data.
2. The following sections of this guide only offer information on Microsoft Exchange-specific
settings required for the use of this APM in a Failover Cluster environment. They do not
offer instructions on how to set up NetVault:Backup’s Application Cluster Support to
administer backups/restores of non Exchange Server related data/files. This process is not
APM-specific and complete details can be found in Appendix D: NetVault:Backup’s
Application Cluster Support of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.
3. Prior to viewing the contents that follow, it is strongly recommended that Appendix D:
NetVault:Backup’s Application Cluster Support of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s
Guide be thoroughly reviewed to obtain a better understanding of how the information
presented here works in conjunction with Exchange Server Failover Cluster functionality.
4. NetVault:Backup’s Encryption functionality is not supported for use in Exchange Server
Failover environment. If you intend to use Application Cluster Support in conjunction with
the Exchange Server APM, NetVault:Backup’s Encryption functionality must be disabled.
Please see the NetVault:Backup Administrator’s Guide for details on disabling this
functionality.

A.1.3 Installation
A.1.3.a Pre-Requisites
The following pre-requisites must be met before it is possible to install the
Exchange Server APM in a clustered environment:
„ Microsoft Exchange Failover Clustering Environment in Place - You must
have a properly configured Failover Clustering environment. Failover
Clustering is only supported with Exchange Server Enterprise Editions. Refer
to the following articles via Microsoft’s TechNet website for more information
on installing Failover Clustering:
Exchange Server 2003 Understanding Exchange Server 2003 Clustering
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997507.aspx
Exchange 2007 Single Copy Clusters
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125217.aspx
„ Separate NetVault:Backup Server Machine - The machine that is to serve
as the NetVault:Backup Server must be properly configured and it must exist
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
79
outside the Exchange Server cluster, but have network connectivity to the
nodes/hosts within the cluster.

A.1.3.b Installation Procedure


Installation of the Exchange Server APM for a clustered environment is different
than the traditional installation of this APM. This process is completed through the
creation of a “virtual client” on the NetVault:Backup Server. Simply put, a virtual
client is a group of nodes/hosts within the cluster that are seen by the
NetVault:Backup Server as a single client, that is created to backup a single
clustered resource (e.g., an Exchange Server “virtual server”). During the virtual
client creation process, the Exchange Server APM is transferred from the
NetVault:Backup Server to selected nodes within a cluster and installed there.

Installation Specifics - Creating a Virtual Client


As noted in an earlier section, the virtual client creation process is not APM-
specific and complete details can be found in Appendix D: NetVault:Backup’s
Application Cluster Support of the NetVault®: Backup - Administrator’s Guide.
However, a couple of points should be taken into consideration during the
virtual client creation process:
Figure A-1: „ Assign a Name to the Virtual Client - It
A Virtual Client
that has been is highly recommended that the “virtual
set up with the server” network name assigned to the
same name as
its associated
Exchange Server be used as the
Exchange NetVault:Backup virtual client name.
Virtual Cluster. When a virtual client is browsed,
NetVault:Backup will locate the node
currently in control of the clustered
application, and reveal the Exchange
Server instance (i.e., in the Selections tab of the Backup window). With a
virtual client name set up as the Exchange Server “virtual server” network
name, it will be easy to recognize the Exchange Server instance for which
the virtual client was created.
„ Only Include Relevant Cluster Nodes in the Virtual Client - The hosts
that are to be included in the creation of a virtual client should only be
those nodes within the cluster that are relevant to the Exchange Server
“virtual server” that is to be backed up/restored.
After the creation of the virtual client, the APM is transferred to all designated
cluster nodes and installed locally. The installed Exchange Server APM can
be used via the virtual client to backup/restore shared data (only backups/
restores of data established as shared within the cluster can be performed).
80 Appendix A
The Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support

A.1.4 Licensing
Another difference between using the Exchange Server APM in a clustered
environment is how it is licensed for use.
Complete details on the licensing process, including how to obtain the proper
license keys can be found in the section, Licensing a Virtual Client of Appendix D:
NetVault:Backup’s Application Cluster Support in the NetVault®: Backup -
Administrator’s Guide.
The Exchange Server APM supports backup and restore of shared data only.
Hence, for Exchange Server failover cluster environment, only a single license
would be needed - a clustered application license for the Virtual Client. When
reviewing the section mentioned above in the NetVault:Backup Administrator’s
guide, note that only Scenario A: Backup and Restore of Shared Data Only will be
applicable along with Step 2: Obtaining and Applying License Keys.

A.1.5 Configuration

Important: This section assumes that a virtual client has already been created for use with
the Exchange Server APM.

You must configure the actual virtual client from the NetVault:Backup Server by
following the steps given below:
1. From the GUI on the NetVault:Backup Server, access the Backup window.
2. In the Selections tab, locate the newly created virtual client and open it.
3. Locate the Exchange Server APM in the list and open it. Drill-down to the
Exchange Server cluster, right-click and select Configure from the pop-up
menu.
4. In the window that appears, set the desired configuration options. The
options available are exactly the same as those covered in the section,
Configuring Authentication Details of Chapter 3 on page 22.
5. With the desired options set, click on the OK button to confirm the settings
and close this window.

A.1.6 Backup
Backing up data using the Exchange Server APM that has been set up for use in
a virtual client is relatively simple. Open the Exchange Server APM node in the
Selections tab of the Backup window and select the Exchange Server “virtual
server” (or the items contained within) for inclusion in the backup as shown in
Figure A-1.
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
81
A.1.7 Restore
Figure A-2: Restoring a backup of a virtual client is
Even though
an individual conducted in the same manner as a restore
Client machine performed to a traditional NetVault:Backup
was actually
used for each
Client. All options available for a restore with
backup, the the Exchange Server APM are also available
restore is for failover clustering environments, and data
classified
under the selection is performed in the same way as
name of the well. The only difference is that restorable
virtual client in
the Restore
backups of a virtual client are displayed in the
window Selections tab of the Restore window under
the name of the virtual client, not the specific NetVault:Backup Client or node that
was active during each backup. When a restore job is initiated, NetVault:Backup
will communicate with all member Clients, to determine which machine is currently
in control of the failover cluster and target this machine for the restore.
All of the instructions for performing a restore offered in this guide can be used in
the recovery of a virtual client. Please see, Chapter 5: Restore with the Exchange
Server APM on page 39 for complete information on restoring a Exchange
Server APM backup.
82 Appendix A
The Exchange Server Failover Cluster Support
User’s Guide
Appendix B:
The About Window

B.1.0 - The About Window ........................................................................................... 84


84 The About Window

B.1.0 The About Window


The About window shows you the software version. You can access this window
from the Backup Selections tab. The steps are given below:
Figure B-1: 1. Launch the GUI on the NetVault:Backup
The Exchange
Server APM Server and access the Backup window (via
About window either of the buttons offered on the
command toolbars, or by using the Backup
command in the Operations pull-down
menu). A list of machines successfully
added as NetVault:Backup Clients will be
displayed in the Selections tab,
2. Locate the Client configured as the
Exchange Server, and open it to display a
list of APMs/plugins installed on the machine.
3. Locate the Exchange Server APM in the list and right-click on it.
4. Select About from the pop-up menu.
5. To close this window, click on OK.
User’s Guide
Appendix C:
Troubleshooting/Support

C.1.0 - Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 86


C.2.0 - Technical Support ............................................................................................ 87
• C.2.1 - BakBone Software’s Customer Support Website...................................................... 87
86 Troubleshooting/Support

C.1.0 Troubleshooting
The table below details commonly encountered problems and possible solutions.
In cases where an error occurs and it is not described in this table, view the job log
to extract the Microsoft Exchange Server error number and then refer to the
relevant Microsoft Exchange Server documentation for the resolution.

Symptom Error Message Explanation


Backup/Restore Fails Failed to connect The Exchange System Attendant Ser-
vice needs to be running before any
Exchange backup or restore operations
can be performed. This service is never
shut down by either NetVault:Backup or
Exchange itself.
Backup Job Fails Failed to connect Make sure all relevant Exchange ser-
vices are started before backing up,
including Exchange Directory, Event
Service, Information Store, Exchange
system attendant and Message transfer
agent.
Log File Errors Failed to log on as Check to make sure you are entering the
user <username> correct user in the Backup Options tab.
Ensure that the correct permissions are
allocated to your Windows User Name
as detailed in Configuring Authentication
Details on page 22.
Log File Errors An error occurred. The specific Storage Group(s) to be
Please check that restored needs to be dismounted. Use
databases are dis- the Exchange System Manager or
mounted. Exchange Management Console to dis-
mount them as detailed in Preparing the
Exchange Server for Recovery on page
42
Log File Errors An error occurred. Check that the directory entitled “tmp”
Please check that (default: “...\WINNT\tmp”) doesn't con-
databases are dis- tain files that belong to a previously
mounted. failed restore. See Preparing the
Exchange Server for Recovery on page
42
NetVault®: Backup
User’s Guide
87

Symptom Error Message Explanation


Log File Errors An error occurred. Even if a specific database has been
Please check that dismounted, if the option This Database
databases are dis- can be Overwritten by a Restore is
mounted. not selected in the Database Proper-
ties window, this error will be given. See
the section Setting Overwrite Permis-
sions on page 43.
Backup Completed Once this status is Method 1:
with Warnings revealed for backup, Access the Device Management win-
check the NetVault dow of the NetVault GUI and perform a
Log entries for the job scan of the media targeted by the job
to see if they display (i.e., by right-clicking on a the target
one or both of the fol- media and selecting the Scan command
lowing messages: from the pop-up menu). NetVault stores
„ “Failed to add index information for backup jobs in two
backup record” locations: in the NetVault Database and
„ “Failed to write on the media targeted by the backup. By
index of backup performing this scan, the index informa-
to the database” tion will be added to the NetVault Data-
These messages indi- base. To verify this, open the Restore
cate that the selected window and locate the specific job. If it
data was actually can be browsed and a restore job set up,
backed up, but the the scan process has corrected the
job’s index information problem.
was not properly Method 2:
added by NetVault to If the previous method failed, it will be
its database. Without necessary to re-run the backup job.
this index information,
the data can not be
properly restored.

C.2.0 Technical Support


BakBone Software is dedicated to providing friendly, expert advice to our
customers. Our highly trained professionals are available to answer questions,
offer solutions to problems and generally help make the most of any BakBone
software purchase. Log on to our web site for more information.

C.2.1 BakBone Software’s Customer Support Website


http://www.bakbone.com/supportportal/
88 Troubleshooting/Support

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