Online Backup exchange 5.5 to the tape on another server

[davidlfliang]

We have two servers both running Windows NT 4.0, one domain server with backup tape drive and backup software Arcserve 6.6. The other server is Exchange server 5.5.

We would like to make the backup system be able to backup the Exchange server 5.5 data. After some research, I found it's not streight forward to make this happen. The problems are:

1. Tape drive is not on Exchange server. So, no way to use NT native backup facility on exchange server directly.

2. Our Archserve 6.6 is workgroup edition, according to CA tech support web site, archserve workgroup edition along with its Exchange Agent need to be installed on the Exchange server, it can't be installed on another server.

3. If we map the Exchange server file folder into a logical drive of the domain server(with Tape installed), then I presume (not tried yet) we can use arcserve to backup this logical drive to the tape. But, I'm afraid in this approach, arceserve will skip these files because they are still in using by exchange unless we stop exchange service.

Can anyone help me on this?

Thanks in advance.
David

 

[Marcs41]

First of all, with mapping it will not work, just copying the files is not a real backup for exchange.
You WILL need the Exchange Agent for ArcServe to do that, which has to be installed on the Exchange server.

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC![/sub]

 

[andyrob]

You CAN use NTbackup on the server with the backup device. I think you need to be at a decent Service Pack level to allow it to cope with open Directory or Information stores. You need certain command line switches -

ntbackup backup DS \\server IS \\server /HCn /d "Full Backup of Server DS IS" /L c:\exchfull.log

will backup the directory and information store on \\server with hardware compression on and log to c:\exchfull.log. Of course you can change this.

Note that this will backup the stores as a big lump. Restoring is a fag and you will lose all activity since the backup unless you have disabled circular loggin etc etc.

My advise is to buy the extra Arcserve option !

 

[fuego007]

If you want to us NTBackup from another server, copy the NTBackup executable from the Exchange server to the server with the tape drive. Exchange installs an Exchange-aware version of the utility during setup. Once this is installed on the other server, you can perform an on-line backup from that server. Simply select Microsoft Exchange from the NTBackup menu, then select the server to back up.

Bob

 

[davidlfliang]

Thanks for your advice, Bob. I just tried to copy the file ntbackup.exe from exchange server to my domain server(with tape drive). But, it seems it makes no difference. What I did is as follows:

1. Do a search on exchange server to find the file ntbackup.exe. Then, this file is found under c:\winnt\system32 folder.

2. Run this file to make sure it's exchange-aware. And yes, it gives me the exchange site structure plus information store and directory. Also, it has a menu item called Microsoft exchange under Menu Operations.

3. Copy this file over to the domain server, into the same folder c:\winnt\system32

4. Run this ntbackup.exe on domain server, it just gives me a list of local hard drives on domain server. No exchange related feature is listed. Also, there is no Microsoft Exchange menu item available, so I can't choose the server at all.

Am I still missing some related files?

Thanks
David Liang

 

[andyrob]

I don't think you cn do it via the gui interface. Try the batch file I suggested !!!

 

[fuego007]

A couple of suggestions.

1. Try installing Exchange Admin on the server you want to run the backup from.

2. Ensure the account you are using on the backup server has the right to run backups on the exchange server.

Bob

 

[andyrob]

Bob is correct that you need rights, but you do NOT need to install Exchange on the server. That will cause you more trouble than you had before ! Just use the batch file solution as above and make sure you have all the up to date service packs applied to NT and Exchange. We have it running here. It works.

 

[lunatic23]

andyrob,

i'm having the same issue here, and this post has really been helpful, but one thing concerns me -

when you say "you will lose all activity since the backup unless you have disabled circular loggin etc etc" what do you mean by that?

i'm interpreting it as: if i do the backup on Wednesday & then restore it on the Friday i will lose all of Thursdays & Fridays data.

am i right? or am i picking you up wrong?

thanks
luni

someone once told me to shut up...

 

[fuego007]

Luni,

In exchange Administrator, select your server, then open the properties window. Click on the 'advanced' tab. You will see a section labeled 'Circular Logging'. Make sure both check-boxes are unchecked. This will disable circular logging. WARNING: If you disable circular logging and are not using an Exchange-aware backup utility, your hard drive will eventually fill up with transactin log files (files named edbxxxxx.log - where xxxxx is a 5-digit hexadecimal number). Exchange-aware backup utilities (including NTBackup) will delete log files that have been committed to the database - with the exception of the 5 most recent files. If you are not using an Exchange-aware utility, you must clear the log files manually, which requires determining which files have been committed.

If you need instructions on that, let me know.

Having circular logging disabled will allow you to recover virtually all mail up to the time of a crash - provided you have not lost the intermediate transaction log files.

Bob

 

[andyrob]

Can't say much more than Bob. Here is a useful doc -

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/techinfo/administration/55/ERecoverPlan.doc

Note that NTBACKUP will cope with deleting the logs too. Also note that disabling circular logging will force a restart of services !!!!

 

[lunatic23]

thanks guys,

i'll have a look at that file & have a wee nosey round exchange admin to familiarise myself with it all..


i'll b back if i've got any probs

cheers
luni

someone once told me to shut up...

 

[fuego007]

Luni,

I have two books to recommend. The first is Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Unleashed, which is published by SAMS. It is an excellent book for learning Exchange administration. The second is Microsoft Exchange Server In A Nutshell, which is published by O'Reilly. This book is especially helpful in troubleshooting Exchange. Of particular note are the appendixes, especially the one that details the directory structure. If you ever want to know why files are in a certain directory, this will tell you.

A very strong word of caution: If you ever suffer a server crash, get someone with lots of experience on the phone with you - even if you have to pay Microsoft out of your own pocket. There are a number of utilities used in solving various problems with the Exchange databases. Using them without knowing what you are doing can cause permanent, irrecoverable, damage.

Also, keep in mind that the two greatest rules of thumb when dealing with Exchange 5.5 are: 1. ALWAYS have a good backup. 2. Asside from routine administrative tasks, DON'T MESS WITH IT.

Some people perform regular manual defrags of the database. In over 99% of cases this is unnecessary - see rule #2!

Good luck,
Bob

 

[S1ick]

I also found this thread to be very useful, thanks for the command line info.

Colin

 

[andyrob]

Yeah ! Long live the command-line !!!

I am no Exchange guru but have been thrown in the deep end a few times with it. I agree with Bob. If you get into trouble, get all the help you can. Spend money. It will be worth it. Exchange utilities such as eseutil, edbutil, exmerge, isinteg etc look great, but they can do a great deal of damage.

And TEST your backup and restore process if you can to make sure it works. Again, better to spend money on a good backup solution than to suffer later. Try telling that to the purseholder !

 

[buztwet]

Bob,
I need instruction on how to delete log files manually. I have no exchange agent on my server backup and can't purchase any until 2004. However, my drive is full of log files now and shut down until I enabled circular logging as a last resort. Help!