Exchange 2007 Logs for a managed server 2

[GeorgeTuk]

Hi guys,

We have a managed server which is backed up automatically and an image taken, however Exchange 2007 obviously still creates logs...what is the best thing to do with those? Circular logging or something like that?

At the moment I have a massive drive which is storing them but would prefer not to fill that up with just Exchange 2007 logs!

Thanks in advance for any help!

George

 

[ShackDaddy]

George, first try and find out if the backup software can be made Exchange-aware. Technically if it's not truncating the logs after backup, then it's also not telling the Exchange database to stop doing transactions during the backup, and it's likely that a restored copy of the database won't be mountable without a repair.

If you turn on circular logging, you "solve" the log file problem, but that doesn't change the fact that your backup software isn't backing up Exchange properly.

If you have plenty of space like you say you do, and your server is running Windows 2003, you could use NTBackup to back up your server once a week, and the backup would be included in the image. Between that backup file and all the logs that accumulate between each backup, you'd have a decent recovery environment.

If you are running on Windows 2008, you won't have NTBackup at your disposal, and you'll either want to wait for Exchange 2007 SP2 with bated breath since it includes a native backup plug-in or you could pursue having your images done in an Exchange-aware way. Check with your hosting provider and see what they use for imaging. You may be able to pay a bit extra to have them use an Exchange backup agent on your server.

Best to do things right, rather than have all sorts of hassles when the disaster hits.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[GeorgeTuk]

I have asked the question and yes it seems it takes a server image for a quicker restore, it is apparently tried and tested with Exchange 2007 and I have no reason not to believe since they are pretty well established!

So I think your suggestion of NT Backup seems best until SP2 comes along so thanks very much.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Ask them this: If your backup is supposed to be Exchange-aware, why isn't it doing log truncation? Is there something I need to set on my server to allow that?

Make them answer that question for you. If they can't, then don't believe that they support Exchange imaging.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net