Incremental backup is getting too high

to exclude database directories from filesystem backup

And if its still too high, switch to differential.

Hi,

Thanks for suggestion,

could you please suggest me that what will i need at the time of Exchange Mailboxes database server recovery ?

HI,

If i will switch to differential backup then at the time of restoration i have to restore the multiple backups,

Could you please tell me about the cause of unexpected growth of the Exchange Database backup ?

sunnyc

The Exchange database should be backed up using a Exchange Policy type so that you information store is backup up the in correct manner.

The file system backup is for the server itself and should not include any database (SQL, Exchange etc.)

You need to exclude the exchnage databses and logs from the file system backup as they are constantly changing and will always be backed up, if the system can get a lock on them.

So set an exclude in the client host properties against the database and logs directories, should be something like:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\ or similar but it is quite likely that the database and logs may be in other paths so open your Exchaneg System Manager and look at the properties of each database (Storage Group) to see where its files live.

If in real doubt then exclude *,edb and *.stm and that will at least help things.

Different topic....

No Exchange data can be restored from a filesystem backup.

You need to backup Exchange with the agent. For mailbox restores, you will need GRT backups. See NBU for Exchange Server Admin Guide  http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC3669 and  http://symantec.com/docs/HOWTO41825 for details.

Hi,

Thanks for response.

Thats fine that you have suggested me but i have to give a perfect cause for exclude the *.edb file from the file level backup to our Customer.

Customer is demanding that when this backup was running fine the past then how can it goes to too much high.

Regards

Sunny Chauhan

Check the growth trend of the Database in the past six months and update the customers that since the size of the db was not too much in the past NBU did not have any difficulties in processing the jobs on time.

But due to the increase in the size of the DB the incrementals are taking much time and hence raise a RFC to exclude the unwanted files.

Tell them that is the best practice (to exclude unwanted files) to backup . As the load was lesser in the past months they didnt experience any performance issues and this is how it needs to be configured to avoid issues in future.

CUSTOMERS ARE ALWAYS CUSTOMERS. YOU JUST NEED TO GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL WORK PERFECTLY AFTER THE REQUESTED CHANGE IS IMPLEMENTED.

Also, if you have upgraded recently from a older version, you might feel these kind of performance issues as they have kept a check on a few parameters.

"I have to give a perfect cause for exclude the *.edb"

The simple fact that Exchange data cannot be restored from a filesystem backup should be sufficient.

Don't wait for a failure/disaster to proof that.....

I hope you're understanding Exchange database must be backed up under MS-Exchange type policy and not MS-Windows policy.  There is no need and no value to back up live .edb file at the filesystem level as you will not be able to restore it!