Multiple Exchange Database Backups?

[hindgrinder]

I'm trying to backup the exchange database using the exchange database client. What i need is 2 subclients for one database.
I need to do full backups of the database to hard drive nightly (mon - fri) and a full back up of the database to tape on the weekend for DR pruposes.
I already have the storage policies in place for the filesystem backups we do for various other servers.
Right now I can only create one subclient for the database, Commvault won't allow a second subclient for the same database unless i'm missing a step somewhere.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[arsponger]

All that is nessassary to do this is a storage policy with a primary copy to disk and secondary aux copy selecting the weekly full.

It is not posible to create a second subclient under the exchange datbase ida, only iDA's where you can duplicate the defaultbackupset you can create multiple subclients for the same content.

 

[rodneysmith]

Simpana (V7) can now support multiple instances installed on the same host (it does require 2 licences) but I would only do this in some rare scenarios, as you have to take into account truncation of log files etc.

I would agree and defiantly recommend the Aux copy method as it does exactly what you want, all you do is set up a secondary copy as selective and specify that you want it to copy the last weekly full backup from the selective tab and then don’t use auto schedule when you click ok, instead schedule the copy to run AFTER the weekly full has finished and it will copy the last backup completed to the secondary location.

Can go through the steps in detail if you need
Rgds rod

 

[hindgrinder]

Thanks for all the valueble info. I forgot all about the aux copy. We set this up last year and its been working great since and we havn't had to change it until now.
I have set it up as described and I will see on weekend if it works.
I will keep you posted.

Thanks

 

[hindgrinder]

I just checked to see if the Aux copy took place and it didnt. I may need you to go into detail Rod.


Thanks

 

[rodneysmith]

No Worries you will probably find it just the schedule not running but i will go through the process in full.

First you go down to your storage policy and pick the one you wat to create the copy of (we'll call this SP_Exchange)
In SP_Exchange you want to rick click on the SP and select all tasks and click "Create new copy" in general give it a name like "Exchange DB DR"
Click the combine to Streams and put 1 there (this will write it to a single tape if you dont it will write to 1 tape per stream (or the max of how many drives you have)
Tick the "Selective Copy" (this will un-grey the Selective copy tab)
And down the bottom select the library etc you want to use
retention tab do the usual thing here
Copy Policy Untick the all backups and select from the dropdown the date you want copies to start from, you can also specify the copy you want to copy from if there are multiples.
Now go to the Selective tab and pick "Weekly fulls" pick the day of the week the week starts (if fridays back is the one you want to copy leave it set as Friday)
leave the radio box on first full backup
In association unselect every thing but the Exchange DB sub-clients
Click OK then it will prompt you to pick a schedule I say "do not schedule" as I like to do this manually later after I have tested it

To test this
right click on SP_exchange, all tasks and pick run Auxiliary Copy
pick select a copy and pick "Exchange DB DR" click allow maximum (to test that your streams are correct in the copy)
tick “start new media” and “mark as full after successful operation” (this is so it can be taken offsite with out other jobs on it)
you don’t need to worry about the advanced setting for this test.
in Job Initiation select run immediately and it should now load a tape and copy last Friday’s exchange DB backup to tape.
If this all works fine
then do the same as the test again but pick any advanced options eg export after job finishes and this time instead of saying run now select schedule and pick it to run AFTER the backup you want to copy has completed eg Friday backup run the aux copy on Saturday
Hope this helps if you have any problems/questions or if you need more in-depth I can do something with screen shots via an external source (I'll have to create it)
rgds rod

 

[hindgrinder]

I managed to finally setup the Aux copy and get it to run before I had a chance to read your responce. What you described is close to what i did execpt for the start new media option. On the weekend we also have an other policy that uses the same data retention times.
The test Aux copy worked and the scheduled one is set to go for early sunday morning.
I will let you know how it made out.

Thanks for all the help, its been very insightfull.

Mike

 

[hindgrinder]

The scheduled aux copy for the weekend worked.

Thanks for the help with this.

Mike