Backup Exec 12.0 not able to restore Exchange 2003

[Alex_Conti]

 Hi,

Before I state my problem, I'd like to say that I am still working with Symantec to figure out the problem I am having and will update this thread with any new information I receive.  Because I am not able to do any restores of Exchange 2003 at the moment, I am posting here as well to try and figure out the problem as fast as possible.

Network Specs:
  -Backup Exec 12.0 SP3 w/hotfix #319698 running on Server 2003 SP2
  -Exchange 2003 running on Server 2003 SP2

The problem I am having lies with not being able to see anything in the backup that Backup Exec has performed on Exchange 2003.  I am able to sucessfully backup the entire Exchange Infomation Store (about 52 gigs, takes ~15 hours) with no errors whatsoever.  When I try to do a test restore from the backup, I click on the "View by Resource" tab, then browse to:  All Resources >> EXCHANGE_SERVERNAME >> Microsoft Information Store >> First Storage Group >> Click on the backup I just did and on the right pane it says "No Selections for this resource."

This has been an ongoing issue with Backup Exec ever since we implemented it about 5 months ago.  While working with 1 support technition, we got one full backup to work successfully and these were his notes:     
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issue :- Unable to view the restore selections for the Exchange 2003 Information Store backup.

Diagnosis :-
The backup set was consistent with 47 GBs of data backed up.
IMG000008 was created as a result of the successful backup job.
BEWS reports the size of IMG000008 as 0 bytes.

Resolution :-
Deleted the Backup to Disk folder from BEWS and also deleted the changer.cfg and folder.cfg files from the physical folder.
Recreated the B2D and ran an inventory on the folder to have BEWS re-recognize the files.
Subsequently, the restore selections for the backup set from the 7th were visible.
Also, configured and successfully redirected the restore of one of the mailboxes to a test mailbox.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've done these same steps since and it still does not work.  Any ideas or things to try?

Thank-you

[Alex_Conti]

 I just recieved an update from my support technician after she reviewed some logs generated by both the exchange and backup exec servers:


The problem with the GRT backup is with a dll file named esebcli2.dll. We've documented this behavior in this technote:
http://support.veritas.com/docs/302028 "Microsoft Exchange Information Store is not present in the backup selections list "

Microsoft has also documented errors with this .dll file and states that updates were made and sent out with service pack 2 for Exchange 2003. Please apply SP2 to Exchange 2003, restart the Backup Exec services and run the FULL backup again tonight. You should see that the restore selection list is viewable once this new backup completes.

[Alex_Conti]

 I installed Service Pack 2 for Exchange 2003 and the same error occurs.  The file "esebcli2.dll" was still throwing errors in the log file on the backup server.

[Alex_Conti]

 Any ideas?

Symantec hasn't gotten back to me about this issue since last week.

[Alex_Conti]

 Me and Symantec pushed out the remote agent again to the Exchange server.  After doing this it fixed the versions and modified dates for files in question, so we were pretty confident that fixed the problem.  It did not and the problem still persists.  I have done vxgather logs on both the backup exec and exchange servers and sent them to Symantec.  

More info to come...

[HelloWorld]

I have a similar problem. After the bckup for the Information Store completed. I could not select a single email or a folder from an individual mailbox to restore. Nothing to be shown on right pane after I clicked on a mailbox on left pane. If I select the entire mailbox to restore. It shows error that "Access Denied" and the job was failed.

My Exchange 2003 is running on Win 2000 server with Symanted Endpoint Mail Security for Exchange and BE remote agent only. The services of  Backup Exec 12 such as Devices & Media Server and Job Engine etc. are running on a single Win2000 server.

[CraigV]

Silly idea, and depends on how much space you have on your Exchange server, but have you considered installing BE on your Exchange server, and trying a backup of the Exchange Information Store to disk? Just to see what the issue is?
If it works there, I would consider backing up my BE DB, and dumping and reloading from base to get everything freshened up!
Alternatively, are you able to upgrade to BE 12.5? Or download a trial version to test the backup of Exchange that way using another server?

[HelloWorld]

CraigV,

I think the key is not the version of BE. I had tried to setup a new BE server and a new Exchange 2003. They were working perfectly. I could see individual item (email or folder) on right pane and it could be restored. When I used the new BE to backup old Exchange 2003. The problem still happened. When I used the new BE to redirect individual mailbox from the backup of the new Exchange 2003 to the old Exchange 2003. It worked!

I tried the following cases:

<-- = backup
--> = restore

Case 1:
New BE <-- new Exchange = OK
New BE --> new Exchange = OK

Case 2:
New BE <-- old Exchange = OK
New BE --> old Exchange = Failed

Case 3:
New BE <-- new Exchange = OK
New BE --> old Exchange = OK

Case 4:
New BE <-- old Exchange = OK
New BE --> new Exchange = Failed

Case 5:
Old BE <-- new Exchange = OK
Old BE --> new Exchange = OK

Case 6:
Old BE <-- old Exchange = OK
Old BE --> old Exchange = Failed

Case 7:
Old BE <-- new Exchange = OK
Old BE --> old Exchange = OK

Case 8:
Old BE <-- old Exchange = OK
Old Be  --> new Exchange = Failed

[Benny_Giebens]

I have exactly the same problem.
A month ago..everything worked fine with BE 11D.
For some reason i stopped working (did backup but no mailboxes visible).
So i installed 12.5 (with sp2 and all updates) in the hope it would resolve the problem.....but not...

So i do backups, but don't know if it will restore...

is there someone who has got an anser to this one...

[Benny_Giebens]

Maybe to say..exchange 2003 SP2