Backup virtualized Exchange Server 2003 with Shadow Copy

[ScottHastings]

Hi,

I use Backup Exec 2010 with the Hyper-V Agent to backup a Hyper-V R2 server. On of the VMs is a Windows Server 2003 machine with Exchange Server 2003. I realized that the transaction log is never deleted during the backup. Here is what I would expect:

1. 
   BackupExec Backup starts
2. The Agent triggers Shadow Copy on the Hyper-V R2 host
3. The Shadow Copy on the Host also triggers Shadow Copy within the VMs
4. The Backup Exec agent on the VM is a Shadow Copy Provider for Exchange and informs Exchange to write all cached data to the information stores but also clears the transaction log after the backup succeeds
5. The Virtual harddisk files are backup on the Hyper-V R2 host

Recently I discovered that the transaction log is not deleted. Did I miss something?

Regards,
ScottHastings

[Dev_T]

Hello,

Backup Exec is not backing up Exchange as particular, but its backing up the whole virtual machine. If you want to backup Exchange and the logs, you need to get the Exchange License and install the remote agent on the virtual Exchange server.

Hope this helps....

[sksujeet]

Install the exchange license on the Media server and remote agent on the exchange server and try the backup again. It should truncate the logs from there

[Dev_T]

@sazz

Did you read the previous thread......?

[ScottHastings]

Hi,

Thank you for your valuable input. I have of course Exchange Agent license but would prefer to backup Exchange only once. But if this is not possible, I will add Exchange Backup in addition.

Regards,
ScottHastings

[Dev_T]

Hello,

If you have exchange license, I would recomend you to install Exchange license and remote agent on the Virtual Exchange Server and take the backup of the Information Stores with GRT, you will be able to restore individual email and the logs will be truncated as well.....

[ScottHastings]

Will definitly do so. Remote agent is already installed. The reason why I haven't used the native Exchange backup option was the intention to avoid backing up Echange twice. Once with the VHD and then a second time with native Exchange backup API. DBs are 150 GB, so this makes a difference.

Regards,
ScottHastings

[Dev_T]

***Please mark it as a solution only if your query is resolved***

[Hemant_Jain]

This is not a solution. Hyper V agent is supposed to truncate the logs. If it is not doing so, you may want to call tech support for logs to be reviewed. Backing up through Exchange Agent is not a solution. Hyper V agent is supposed to backup exchange database and truncate logs. You may want to check event logs on Exchange Virtual Machine, to look for any errors.

@ScottHasintgs you are correct when you say you want to avoid duplicate backups. That is what hyper v agent should help you in doing. Exchange Agent level backup should not be done. Although, you do need to be licensed for Exchange Agent, but just hyperV agent backup is enough.

[ScottHastings]

I made an inersteing discovery: I run also an Exchane Server 2007 within a VM: There shadow copy deletes the transaction logs. I noticed, that when I review the backup log I can see that that Exchange server was discovered by the agent: Backup Exec has discovered and protected Microsoft Exchange Server data on virtual machine.

On the Exchange 2003 VM, I only see entries for every harddisk within the VM, but not for Exchange. That explains why transaction logs are not truncated: Backup Exec did not notice it even all.

Shadow Copy Backup of Exchange 2003 is supported, isn't it? Backup Exec Remote Agent is properly installed within the VM.

[Dev_T]

Hello,

Please check if you are able to restore an individual email OR Mailbox from the exchange backups.....

I will be testing Hyper-V with Exchange 2007 GRT restores

[ScottHastings]

Hi Dev T,

no I'm not. I'm not even offered Microsoft Exchange Informations store items at restore. As I mentioned in a previous post, it seems that BE doesn't recognize Exchange. Although I have eventlog entries inside the VM mentioning that shadow copy of Exchange is prepared, in the logs I see only an entry like Backup Exec has discovered and protected 'C:' on virtual machine for each internal harddisk. But I don't see a an entry like this: Backup Exec has discovered and protected Microsoft Exchange Server data on virtual machine. On a second VM with Exchange 2007, everything runs smooth.

Regards,
Dominik

[Hemant_Jain]

Yes, Exchange 2003 is supported. There is some information which might help:
1. Are exchange databases located on any other volume than c:\ in the virtual machine?
2. Is the volume partitioned as GPT? GPT is not supported by the hyper V agent.
3. Please provide the job log.

Thanks

[ScottHastings]

Hi,

1. Yes: Exchange DBs and Exchange transaction logs are on different disks than C:. But no problem for example for Exchange 2007
2. No, just ordinary partition scheme
3. Job log is attached. Please look at server "mainsrv" on HyperVCluster.

Regards,
Dominik