GRT is the acronym for Granular Restore Technology. What it means is that Backup Exec can run a backup of the Exchange IS only and allow the user to restore either the entire IS or individual mailboxes. In the past Backup Exec needed to run a backup of the IS and individual mailboxes. With GRT the backup window is reduced to only the time of the IS backup with the benefit of being able to restore both the entire IS and individual mailboxes. When employing this feature be sure the Backup Exec server is completely up to date ith all hotfixes.
CPS is the acronym for Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server. CPS uses replication technology to backup data from Server-A to Server-B, the backup destination is always a remote machine.
CPS and GRT are not really related except that Backup Exec, using GRT technology, combined with CPS, can run a "continuous backup" of your Exchange server. To do this your Exchange server and your Backup Exec media server cannot be the same machine. You install Backup Exec and CPS on Server-A then on Server-B (the Exchange server) you install the BE Remote Agent and CPS. When installing CPS be sure to select the Exchange Agent.
Once everything is installed create a B2D folder on the BE Media Server.
Create the backup job that will backup the Exchange server.
Specify the B2D folder as the destination device.
On the Exchange Options page in the Backup Job Properties select the option to run a continuous backup and select the option to generate Recovery Points. It is best to leave the Recovery Point generation at the default 8 hours, but more frequent is possible although it will consume much more drive space.
The job must be a scheduled "recurring" job.
Once the job is created BE will issue the command to the CPS services on the Exchange server to create a continuous backup of the Exchange servers logs. As the logs are backed up to the BE B2D folder and a recovery point time mark is encountered BE will "harvest" the data from the backed up Exchange logs and use them to establish the Recovery Point. But everything is keyed from the Full backup. If the Full backup is erased, overwritten, or some other destructive activity takes place, then the Recovery Points will also be destroyed.
