Exchange 2010 flat file backup

[lpetersson]

One of my clients has Backup Exec 2010 on a Windows 2003 server and Exchange 2010 on a Windows 2008 server.

They don't want to install Backup Exec 2010 on the Exchange server and they can't/won't upgrade the 2003 server to 2008, so this leaves me with the flat file option.

Now my problem is that I can't figure out how to backup the Exchange database and logs so the logs are truncated/flushed.

I would have thought it would be Settings -> Advanced Open Fil -> Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service -> Automatic but this doesn't seem to achieve the desired effect.

The logs and database directories have been shared out, and it is those shares Backup Exec are using.

Here are some of the settings which might be useful:

Selections/Resource Order
Selections
Exchange2010.corp.company.com
Microsoft Information Store\*.* /SUBDIR
D:\Public Folder Logs\*.* /SUBDIR
D:\Mailbox Logs\*.* /SUBDIR

Restrict backup of the selection list to devices on the following media server or media servers in a pool: No
Allow this job to have direct access to the device: No
Eject media after job completes: Yes
Write checksums to media: Yes
Retension media before backup: No
Password protect media: No
Use Write once, read many (WORM) media: No

Advanced
Set Remote Agent priority: Normal Priority
Open file backup when Advanced Open File Option is not used:  With a lock
Enable single instance backup for NTFS volumes: No
Back up files and directories by following junction points: Yes
Back up data in Remote Storage: No

Advanced Open File
Use Advanced Open File Option: Yes
Open file configuration: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service
Snapshot provider: System - Use Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
Process logical volumes for backup one at a time: No
 

Any ideas?

[CraigV]

Hi,

BE has Active File Exclusion meaning that even if you select the directory where the Exchange flat files are located, they won't be backed up and will, instead, be excluded.

You'd have to look at running a Windows Backup Utility first on the local Exchange 2010 server as this will flush the logs. Once done, stop Exchange services and then backup the flat file. You'd need to read the TN below on how to disable AFE:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH92375

That said, it's going to make life a lot easier to transfer BE to the Exchange 2010 server with the Exchange agent. It allows online backups and restores; otherwise your client needs to be made aware they will have downtime for any backups/restores going forward as a result of this.

Thanks!

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

1) You have to stop the Exchange services and restart the Backup Exec (or disable Active File Exclusion) to do a flat file backup of Exchange - so interruption of mail services needed

2) We can't truncate the logs this way as this is a feature of the API calls made into Exchange when performing an Exchange specific backup and is not a function of a file level backup of the volume holding the Exchange data (with or without VSS on the file system job)

3) If you do a flat file backup you will have a lot of pain if you need to get one e-mail back instead of the whole Exchange server as you will have to build an offline Exchange environment (so Domain Controller Plus Exchannge server etc), then workout how to recover the flat files, then export the required data and then recover into your live environment which could easily take a period of days to complete.

As such they really really need to reconsider their plans and invest in a proper configuration to protect their setup.

Really you should be asking them how much they value their data and what their required timescales for recovery are - if the answer is very highly valued and must be recovered quickly then that would instantly be justification to invest.

Oh and if you have an SLA with your client to help restore e-mails, I hope you are on an hourly rate and not an agreed term contract covering any issues as if they go with a flat file solution, restores won't possibly require a lot of time, they WILL require a lot of time.

[lpetersson]

Many thanks for that article. If I follow those instructions, am I correct in assuming that the transaction logs that are not open should be backed up and then flushed?

Currently when I run a backup, it runs for 8 hours and it looks like it is reading the files I want to back up.

[lpetersson]

Many thanks for your reply.

When I run a backup at the moment, it runs for about 8 hours and the 'Byte Count' adds up to the amount of data in the logs and EDB files.

But I should still disable AFE *or* turn the Exchange services off while backing up? Not do both?

But if I understand your 2) right, the log files would still not be truncated?

I am aware, and I have explained this to the client, as you point out in 3) that I would have to restore the entire database to get even a single email.

They aren't concerned about speed and I am, since you ask, paid by the hour ;)

I just can't stand inefficient solutions, so I really want them to do it right, but someone else put this in and is now long gone. I got there just before the log file drive ran out of space...

[CraigV]

...increase the logging and check to see whether or not it is actually backing up those files. Exchange has full access to the *.edb etc. files and BE won't get access to them, which is why you have to stop Exchange.

The article tells you how to disable AFE...backing up the log and *.edb files is just that...flat files. No logs are committed to Exchange, and you will need to use the Windows Backup Utility if your client won't allow you to install BE on the Exchange 2010 server instead of the server it is currently on.

[Colin_Weaver]

Bascially if you stop the Exchange services and then restart BE Remote agent it should in theory have same effect as Turning off Exchange Service  with AFE disabled

So Choices in thoery would be

1) Stop Exchange services, restart BE remote agent, run your backup, restart exchange services when completed

OR

2) Set AFE as disabled (which only needs doing once). Stop your exchange services, run the backup, restart your exchange services when completed

Note running the backup without stopping the exchange services is NOT a valid option as something might end up locked and not backed up and inconsistemcies in Exchange might occur making it difficult to restore without being on phone to Microsoft.

You should also note that Symantec will only support you to the point you have the files restored with this solution, we won't support you actually trying to get Exchange to run. (beyond some basic/reasonable efforts anyway)

[lpetersson]

Ok, that's great, thanks. I guess at least this all explains why I couldn't get it to work.

I have asked my client to decide which solution he wants with an outline of all his options.

[lpetersson]

Ok, that's great, thanks. I guess at least this all explains why I couldn't get it to work.

I have asked my client to decide which solution he wants with an outline of all his options.