Backing up Mail with Backup EXEC

[gomobile]

We are in the process of installing Backup EXEC for NT and the Agent for Exchange and we are wondering has anyone experience any problems during the initial setup? We are new to this SW as we have nothing in place. The ex-tech here used NTBACKUP but we decided that we should use something else especially if we have in the shop. Suggestions are welcome - PLZ.

 

[MJoyce]

I have been using BKUPEXEC in it's various form with all sort of agents including Exchange for years.

ATM, I use BKUPEXEC v8.6 + Exchange 5.5 agent.

I perform one job for the NTFS files, the Exchange directory and the Exchange store and another jop to backup the individual mailboxes. (same tape)

The mailboxes can be a little slow to backup or restore.

There will be many skipped files during the files job, chaeck with veritas to make sure they are not critical, and that you have enough to do a restore, should you need to.

Also chack vertas web site for articles on setup.

good luck.

 

[Guest_imported]

It's so simple to carry out an off-line back-up that I recommend this above all other methods. Schedule a task to run a batch file which stops exchange services, schedule a backup job for 5 minutes later, time the job and schedule another batch file to start the services again. No missing files from your back-up!!!
Okay, you lose the feature to restore individual mailboxes, but if you set-up your 'tomb-stone' length for several weeks then lost messages can be retrieved anyway. (Make sure you have plenty of disk space for the IS.)
Recovery using an offline backup, on a new server is quite simple - even the MS knowledge is helpfull if you encounter problems.

 

[Zelandakh]

Justpassin would have a problem if there is a corrupt state in the database as the services will stop and won't restart. It will cover some eventualities, but if you are copying the database to disk and the whole server goes, you've no DR plan. Most of the time you are looking for old emails, not whole DR so if you pass the "tomb-stone" (deleted item retension) you are stuffed.

Tape backup and take it off site.

 

[MJoyce]

Most restores will be because of human error, they have deleted email and want them back, or you need access to a mailbox of an employee who left 6 months ago.

Also, I personally do not think that the exchange services start with 100% certainty, this mean one day you will come in and the mail system will be down.

For me, full backup + mailboxes, and lots of tapes.

 

[godcom]

I agree with Zelandakh, I have just had to restore an Exchange server using a tape backup and although it was slow, the only reason we got it working was the fact that we did a full backup every day. Backup Exec worked fine for this.