What to backup in Exchange 2000?

[ACraib]

Hi

My company has recently installed Exchange 2000 and I want to back using Backup Exec 8.5.

I'm a bit confised over what I need to actually back up;

C:, D:, M:, Exchange Mail Boxes, Exchange Infomation Store.

I need to be able to restore the whole of the Exchange database in the event of a disaster and to restore an individual mailbox or message.

Backup Exec is runnning locally on my E2K server with the Exchange agent installed.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Andrew

 

[Guest_imported]

To fully protect Exchange 2000 you need to backup Information store(storage groups) and Active Directory.If you want to be able to restore induvidual mailboxes/messages you need to back up the mailboxes. If you backup the above you exchange server is fully protected. You should also backup the drives c$ and so on to protect other aspects of your server.

 

[ACraib]

Thanks for that Canta.

I get skipped errors on certain files in the \Program Files\Exchange directory (.log and .edb files)do I need to include these in the backup (using the open file agent) or can I exclude them from the backups?

Thanks for your help.

Andrew

 

[0672992843]

Do not skip those files as They are the actual data files.

In your case I do a weekly or monthly full off line backup of the disks and a daily full or incremental backup of

For the off line backup : Stop Exchange services, that will realese the locs on thoses files. backup all disks. restart Exchange services. You can add the stop/start services batch in the pre/post task option of backup exec.

For the Daily backup save eache storage groupe individualy.


In order to restore a Mailbox you will need another server.

Install this restore server as a standalone W2K server. DC PRomo this server as the root of its forest. This Active Directory server will host an Exchange server. This Exchange server is configured exactly in the same way than your production server. (you will found info in the veritas support web site)

when you want to restore a mailbox : restore the all Information store on the restauration server. due to the fact that its server have exactly the same configuration you will be able to restore and start the Exchange database.

Save the needed mailbox as a .pst and send it to the user.


It is expensive (need licences and another sever) but it is more stable than mailbox restauration.

In addition with a long retention periode on both mailboxes and messages it is a good way to optimise your backups.

hope it can help

good lucke

fabrice.

 

[Guest_imported]

A question, are you using the Exchange agent?

 

[ACraib]

Yes I am using the Exchange Agent, do I also need to use the Open File Agent?

 

[Guest_imported]

Whatever you do! Do not backup the M: drive. It will give you attachment woes. There is a MS KB about it and called MS Support to confirm it.