Differential backups of Exchange

[tbeeber]

I'm attempting to perform differential backups on 4 Exchange servers from a central backup server. The full backups work fine, agents and permissions are humming.

I created the jobs for the differential backups, and selected Differential in the DBAgent backup option, but when I submit the job, it appears as a "Full" in the Job Detail Backup Agent Backup Method, and also if I go back and modify the job. Setting the backup agent type to Differential doesn't seem to "stick".

I also noticed that when I set the "Generate a CRC..." in the same DBAgent backup option dialog, but that change also doesn't seem to "stick", and reverts back to unchecked when the job is submitted.

We've got ARCserve 2000 AE, NT 4.0 on Arcserve server, W2K on Exchange 5.5 servers, SP3 on agents and server. This problem shows up even before the job is run, so I don't think it has anything to do with the configuration of the Exchange servers. (Circular logging is NOT enabled.)

Is this a bug, or are there any other thoughts?

 

[tbeeber]

I think I've answered my own question after a bit.

To set these options, the backup has to be specified per database. If you select the whole MS Exchange server (solid green box), you cannot specify the options. Select each of the databases separately (directory and information store) so that the MS exchange server appears as a half-filled in green box, and you can specify a differential backup for each DB, and it will truly do a differential backup.

The "Generate a CRC..." option also seems to work the same way.

Gotta love this user interface... NOT!!!!