Creating a RSG ??

[colin_marr]

Im tesing out recoverying from a backup.  I have Backup Exec 9.1 with the exchange component.

I have the original server that serves mail (exchange 2003) and I created a new server and added exchange on it.

The original exchange server is down to about 1.5 gig. disk space.
I wanted to test a redirected restore to a RSG on the new server.

However when I redirect the restore to the new computer it fails.  What I want to know is when Im in the Exchange software and I create a RSG in the Original storage group, where are the restored files going to be stored. When I try to redirect the the restore to the new computer it fails. Im wondering if its becasue its not really putting the files on the new computer but on the old server which doesnt have the space. Other than that I cant figure out what is wrong. When I redirect the restore to a RSG on the new computer to a new storage group it works, but then I cant mount it. Howver is my understanding that the restore MUST be redirected to a RSG in the Original Storage group.
However ths fails with

Restore - \\NEW\Microsoft Information Store\First Storage Group Error:
The database Mailbox Store (ORIGINAL) must be created prior to
restore.
An error occurred restoring the database.
Please use the Event Viewer to examine the event log or view the
database log file for details.
Error writing file data.
The media operation was terminated by the user.
Error writing file data.
Connection to the restore target has been lost.  Operation canceled.

Thanks

[Colin_Weaver]

When you did your original backup did you perform snapshot backups (i.e. was the Advanced Open File Option enabled in the backup job and was VSP.SYS installed on your Exchange server)

If the answer is yes then you cannot redirect the restore and may therefore have to build an offline AD & Exchnage environment in order to recover your data - or possibly use an RSG on the origianl server (although the snapshot backup might also inhibit this function.)

There are some useful comments that come from the MS Information on using Recovery Storage Groups:

1) The database you are recovering must be on a server that is a member of the same administrative group as the server running the recovery storage group (if the database is from a different administrative group, the restore operation will not succeed).
2) If the server does not already have a storage group with a name identical to the name of the storage group of the database to be restored, you must give that name to the recovery storage group.

These two pionts came from information available in the below link (and it's related pages)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123631(EXCHG.65).aspx

[colin_marr]

Thanks for your response.

Checking my jobs NO Advanced Open File option is not enabled.

I think that the problem is indeed as you have pointed out, that I have created the RSG, on a different group. Where I suppose I was (am) confused is that I did create a RSG on the NEW server in the "OLD" storae group but could not restore to it.

The answer that Im slowly coming to is that if you are physically on the NEW server and create a RSG on the OLD group its not actually storing the files on the NEW server but back on the OLD server, which in my case does not have enough space. (thus it fails) I thought that if I created the RSG on the NEW server in the OLD GROUP through the Exchange Sys Mang. that it would put the files on the NEW SERVER. The added proof of this is that if I create the RSG on the NEW SERVER in the OLD group and then right click on the RSG and click on it and select properties and click Browse I get an error.

 This option is available only if the Exchange System Manager runs on the server on which the files are located. ID no: c1038af4, Exchange System Manager

Which I think means that I cant access the files because they are not physically on the computer that Im currently on.

I have asked elseware and they have confirmed that if you create a RSG that it resides on the  computer that has the original "production" db. At lease this seems to be true.

Can anyone confirm this?

My alternative is to add a spare drive to the production system and then point the RSG to that drive since the production system does not have enough space for 27 gigs of the RSG.

So one of my added question is, why does Backup exec talk about redirecting a RSG when you really cant do it, or at least why would you?
 

[Colin_Weaver]

RSG's are usually used in order to get back a small number of lost mailboxes or messages - an RSG is not used for recovery of a complete server.

Microsoft (I believe) came up with the RSG concept as before RSGs were available to restore one message or mailbox - you had to build a complete offline Exchange server to do it - which from experience (with Exchnage 5.5) was a real pain as you also had to have a copy of your Domain and a backup server in the offline environment to do the restore.

Brick Level backups were also possible (but could be exceedingly slow) that allowed you to get at mailbox content. and restore it. As well as being slow you also had to run an information store backup separately as the Brick Level backup was difficult to use in a DR situation wher you have lost the whole server..

BackuP Exec  9.1 supported both Brick Level and RSG processes.

Symantec (in newer versions of Backup Exec) then came up with a Granular Restore Technology (GRT) that allowed you to do ONLY an Information Store backup, but restore individual mail messages or mailboxes as needed. If you are trying to formulate a recovery scenario I would suggest you actually consider updating your spftware to use the GRT ability (especially as 9.1 is no longer subject to support or development. Bear in mind that GRT works best if disk storage is used for the BackuP Media (with duplication to tape if you need offsite storage)

With regards the RSG itself - the Microsoft artilces that I linked earlier do seem to imply that you can create an RSG on a different server (but in the same administrative group) and restore to it - unfortunately I have not seen anyone try this with any version of Backup Exec.

I have seen an RSG process work with Backup Exec where the RSG iis on the original mail server.

[colin_marr]

Thanks for the info.
As far as upgrading we were going to but when we called CDW to get quote they never returned the call. Now we are thinking of going to Acronis,  We shall see. Its about $3500 just to upgrade. We are charity. No discounts. The truth is we have all the software that should work. Albiet perhaps old.

I have now added a usb drive to the Exchange server. I have created a RSG and called it the same name as the production exchange and pointed the db files to use the USB drive.

My understanding is that if the production server is running that the restore will automatically go to the RSG (if there is one).  this is now what Im trying to do.
HOWEVER its not working for me.
By the way Im only trying to restore the mailboxes of the storage group (this is not a brick level restore however) because my reading tells me that the public store cannot be restored to a RSG. The backup contains the public store but the in the restore I have only checked off the mailboxes.

The error Im getting is

Job ended: November 27, 2009 at 10:34:36 AM
Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xa0008488 - Access is denied.

Final error category: Security Errors

Restore - \\EXCHANGE\Microsoft Information Store\First Storage Group 
Access denied to database Mailbox Store (EXCHANGE).
Error writing file data.
Access denied to database Mailbox Store (EXCHANGE).
Error writing file data.


In the restore the Resource Credentials of the job the System logon account is the account used. 
This is the administrator.


The error thankfully is obvious, the resolving it a little more cryptic for me.