Cannot restore a mailbox store (exchange 2003) to a Recovery Storage Group

[Rosy]

I recently upgraded from backup exec 9.1 to backup exec 11d.

I'm using the Exchange Agent to backup/restore the Information Store but I cannot restore a mailbox store to a Recovery Storage Group.

I restored the database to its original location but not to a RSG. I'm not using AOFO options.

When trying to restore my selections show "Full" and not Snapshot full backups; I read that if you use AOFO or VSS you cannot restore to a RSG; however I'm not using those options...

The restore always failed saying that the database is mounted or because the Recovery Storage group is not properly configured (like if the job restore ignores the RSG)

I already created the proper RSG and the database to be restored; it's dismounted and with the option of this database can be overwritten by a restore enabled, so the problem is not the configuration.

I have used the RSG with the same logon account and properties without any problem in Backup exec 9.1

When I run a backup of the Information store the options is: Backup method: Full - Database & logs (flush committed logs). No other special options (as CPS, GRT,VSS, AOFO) are enabled; however when I got the job summary it's showing: Use advanced open file option as Yes ; Open file configuration as MS Volume shadow copy,  and the Snapshot provider as Automatic- Allow VSS to select the snapshot provider.

I think that even I see the backup of the information store as full and not like snapshot it's taking the VSS to perform it, so the RSG is not an option to restore the db.

My media server is W2003 SP1 and my exchange server is 2003 SP1 too.

Can you tell me how I can restore the db to a RSG? Thanks for your help.

Message Edited by Rosy on 06-06-200704:06 PM

[thegoolsby]

Hello,

This is not Small Business Server, correct?

Try dismounting Recovery Storage Group, then deleting all of the files created by the RSG.  Mount the store again, and hit YES to the message that you get.  This should create and mount a new, empty RSG database.

Verify the database is able to be overwritten, and then dismount the store.

Reconfigure the restore in Backup Exec, and select the following options selected:

-Purge existing data and only restore the databases and transaction logs from the backup set
-Commit after restore selected
-Mount database after restore NOT selected

Also verify that you are not restoring any public folder stores.

If the restore fails again, look for any ESE errors in the application log on the Exchange server.

Let us know if you have any questions.

[Rosy]

Thanks Collin, the operating system is W2003 SP1 Standard edition. I followed all the steps but the restore job failed again with the same error (seems like the job continues ignoring the RSG).

After I created a new, empty RSG database, I didn't delete the files created by the RSG, this is correct, right?

All the setting were put as you said: Purge existing data..., Commit selected, Mount db not selected. I'm only restoring a db, there is not any public folder selected.

There is not any ESE errors in the application log in the exchange server. What else I can try? thanks again.

[thegoolsby]

"After I created a new, empty RSG database, I didn't delete the files created by the RSG, this is correct, right?"

Correct, if you created a new RSG then you accomplished what I wanted to accomplish, which was starting off fresh. Did you try mounting the database prior to performing the restore to make sure you can mount an empty store?

Also, make sure that the temp path specified under the Exchange settings in your restore job does not have a restore.env file inside the folder or its sub directories. If it does, detele it prior to running your restore.

You should see events from Exchange and from ESE in the Application Event log whenever you attempt a restore.
Give

[Rosy]

Yes, I tried and mounted the database prior to perfoming the restore, I did it without any problem. Then, I dismounted the db and make sure it was ready to be overwritten by a restore.

I tried several times the job restore. The first time, a restore.env file was created, and the next  time, I deleted those temp files before I ran the job restore.

I have been checking the application event log and no errors have been created during the restores. Any other thing to try? Thanks Collin.

[thegoolsby]

Rosy,

You won’t necessarily see errors in the application log. Are you even seeing Exchange attempt to restore the database in application log? There maybe informational alerts and not errors.

Can you try taking a live backup of the Exchange Information Store and then restoring it to the RSG, or try restoring from another backup?

Also, try restore to another temp path. Make sure the temp folder is empty prior to the restore.

[Rosy]

Collin. I don't see anything in the application log  about any attempt of the restore job. I have tried the restores from different backups (new backups and from other days). The backups have been done to tapes.

I also changed the temp path and made sure it was empty.

As I told you in the first message, I can restore the db to the original location (the production mailbox store); but whenever I try to use the RSG if failes. So, I think permissions to the exchange server and exchange server configuration is fine.

When I ran the job backup I only selected as the Backup method: Full - Database & Logs (flush committed logs). No other options in the MS Exchange settings were selected.

Why do you think the RSG is ignored by the restore job? I'm not using AOFO, CPS,... but not sure if the VSS option is taken by default. The backup is showed as Full.

We always use the RSG so I need to make this work... please help me. Thanks.

[thegoolsby]

Rosy,

Can you create and run a new backup from scratch of the Information Store, and verify that there is no Advance Open File Option selected under the Advance Open File Option settings, and see if you still see VSS being used in the job log of the backup?

Also, are you performing a redirected restore?

It’s odd that you see the backup type as Full and not Snapshot Full in your restore selection list. This is why I haven’t focused on VSS being the issue, but if the backup was in fact a VSS backup then you could be limited on whether or not you can use the RSG. This is starting to sound like this is the issue.

When we perform a restore of Exchange 2003, we have no idea whether the restore is going to the RSG or directly to the production store. We treat each restore the same, and do not perform anything different with the two restores.

This is why there is nothing to configure in Backup Exec to make the restore go into the RSG. This is fully handled by Exchange.

Since you can restore to the production store, I suggest either contact use and opening a support case or contacting Microsoft to see if they can determine why the RSG restores are failing.

[Rosy]

Collin, I have created and run new backups during these tests. No AOFO options are being selected, however VSS options seems to be enabled  as Automatic, but they are grey out and I cannot modify them. The job summary is indicating that those options will be used for the backup.

I understand that if you use those options you cannot use a RSG, but how can I remove those options so I can use the RSG?

I am not using redirect options in the MS Exchange redirection settings.

With Backup Exec 9.1  I can restore without any problem to a RSG in the same exchange server I'm testing, but with the version 11d it's not working. I understand that if you have created the RSG in the exchange server, then the restore job will use it first, and if it's not created it will go to the production store. So the RSG is working fine with 9.1; I don't think the exchange server configuration or RSG will have a problem.

What else I can try? Thanks Collin.

[Rosy]

Can anyone help me on this problem? Thanks a lot.

[Dean_Bliss]

Rosy,

As mentioned before - Backup Exec does not know that the Recovery Storage Group exists. BE simply sends the command to Exchange to initiate a restore. Exchange is suppose to direct the restore to the RSG.

Sometimes, Exchange replies stating that the IS is mounted - which is correct as the original IS is mounted but the RSG is not. To force Backup Exec to ignore this mount state reply you can add the following registry key:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\BackupExec\Engine\ESE value name = IgnoreMountState
Value = Dword 1

Put this key on both the Exchange server and Backup server - restart BE services for the setting to take effect.

Don't worry, this will not overwrite your Production store as it is not set to be overwritten and the job would just fail.

If you continue to have problems you should open a case with our Tech Support.

Thanks, 

Message Edited by Dean Bliss on 06-12-200704:06 PM

[Rosy]

I tried with the registry values but the restore failed again. Thanks for your help. I will try to open a case.

[BBL]

Hi Rosy,

Is your problem solved?

Since i'm facing the same problem , I really need to know the outcome of it.