Exchange 2010 uses a database called a DAG. These instructions show how to setup a NetBackup Exchange policy for Exchange 2010 with a DAG that crosses a NetBackup Domain (meaning the servers referenced in the DAG point to 2 or more NetBackup Masters). Doing full’s, with snapshot, and not GRT.
Find out the info on your dag.
First step is to log into any exchange server that has 2010 Exchange running.
Start the Exchange Management Console (found in start programs)
Expand down to Organization Configuration/ Mailbox
Here under the Database Management Tab you will see:
Name: this is one of the databases within the dag (like an old exchange storage group)
Mounted: shows that it is running
Servers: This will show the two servers involved with the Active copy and the Passive copy of each database.
Mounted On Server: shows you which server has the Active copy.
At this point ask your Exchange Admin if they want the Active copy or the passive copy backed up.
Make note of all the servers involved and which ones you want to do the backups from.
Also note which database is on which servers. (Just screen shot it for latter use)
Now we will setup NetBackup.
One thing to learn here is when a database in the dag has both an Active and a Passive version – the NetBackup master is going to want to talk to both of them.
When the Exchange backup policy kicks off it enumerates the entire dag and queries each and every server. This is where crossing 2 NetBackup domains can cause trouble.
LocationA (L.A.) LocationB(L.B.)
MasterA MasterB
clientA clientB
db1 Active db1 Passive
clientC clientD
db2 Active db2 Passive
So in L.A. MasterA has an Exchange 2010 policy to backup database db1 and db2
MasterA is going to query clientA and clientB about the db1 database
MasterA is going to query clientC and clientD about the db2 database
So there has to be come kind of trust between the two servers that says they are allowed to talk to each other. Even if you put MasterA in the other server list of clientB, it still will not talk to MasterA on this point.
MasterA HAS to have clientB and clientD in its client list (but you do not put these servers into the Exchange 2010 policy)
So to get around this issue I created an active policy with no storage unit, no volume pool, no schedules and no backup selection. I did make it an exchange policy just so we know it is related to exchange (and it can be activated or deactivated). I then added the clients from the other NetBackup domain to this policy. This now makes the servers show up in MasterA’s client list.
On MasterA I created a policy called Dag01_MasterB_clients, and added any servers that have MasterB as their backup master to this. (Only the servers listed in the dag screen shot)
On MasterB I created a policy called Dag01_MasterA_clients, and added any servers that have MasterA as their backup master to this. (Only servers listed in the dag screen shot)
You will NOT be backing up across domains – the master just needs to query the server in the other domain to continue.
Now create the Actual Exchange policy
Policy Type is MS-Exchange Server
Choose your Policy storage and volume pool
For this example we are doing Snapshot Client ( every night is a full, and we are NOT doing GRT).
Check mark Perform snapshot backups and then choose options
On the next screen, from the pull down choose VSS. Take all defaults.
Now choose which type you want to backup Active or Passive.
For our example we are going Active.
(If you were going passive and more than one server had a passive copy you could choose your preferred server)
Next setup your schedule (I will not go into details on that)
Now we want to setup our clients
We do NOT use server names for the clients but we do use the dag name.
So find out from your Exchange administrator what your name is for your dag and add that as the client (your master server should be able to ping the FQDN of the dag) it has to be in DNS.
Now for the backup selection
If everything is setup correctly so far you should be able to browse the file selection.
Do NOT use NEW_STREAM in between data base names. I tried that, where I had 8 databases in the dag I wanted to backup and it would fail at stream 6.
I took out the New_STREAMS and it works fine – and DOES create a separate job for each database you have in the Backup Selection screen.
Choose only the databases you want this side of the domain to backup.
So in creating the Policy on MasterA I would only choose databases where the Active mount is on a server that is within the MasterA Domain.
Now when the job runs you will get
Grand Parent (client will be the dag name)
Parent (client will be ClientA)
Child (client will be ClientA) – this will backup one of the databases in the Backup Selection List.
Parent (client will be ClientC)
Child (Client will be ClientC) – this will backup one of the databases in the Backup Selection List.
You can now setup the backup for the Exchange servers on the other side of the NetBackup Domain on MasterB. (Be sure to add that “do nothing” policy with the servers in the MasterA domain to the MasterB Policy list).
This is just an example of one way of setting up an exchange 2010 policy. You have many options on how you can do the backups. Take this as an outline and work out the options based on your requirements and environment. If your DAG does not cross NetBackup domains you do not need that “do nothing” policy.
Once you have this working than you only need to learn how to do a restore. Good luck.
(Screen shots have been modified to generic server and database names)
