Exchange DAG backup remote node slowing backup job

[Symantics]

I have an Exchange 2010 passive node mailbox server located at a remote site (over WAN link) that I would like to exclude from the BE 2014 backup job.   I am having an issue where the job rate is 40MB/min given it is trying to backup over the WAN link. Does anyone know if this is possible?  I never had this issue with BE 2010 R3.

[VJware]

Have a look @ these 2 KBs and then you can setup the Exchange backup options accordingly ~

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO98934

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO99684

In a nutshell, you would setup a preferred server (active node in this case) and then specify the backup job to backup from the active node only.

[Symantics]

That's excellent.  Thank you.  I'm shocked to see that Symantec has realized the gravity of this situation and put this option in to allow for it. I attempted to add a preferred server however when I attempt that I get a "Browse Failure" error.  The drop down under my domain has a status of "Loading..." and then it times out with the error and the detail says it cannot connect the SQL. Any ideas?

[LegAEI]

You don't need a preferred server, it's just good to have them. If you set the job to active only it will just pull from the active server. It took me a month to figure out how to load in a preferred server, but my backups never stopped pulling from the active node.

You will still back up from the remote server if your DAG is failed over to it with this setting enabled.

[Symantics · Accepted solution]

@LegAEI, Thanks for the info. I was finally able to resolve this error by deleting my DAG server instances in BE2014. One entry under the servers section was showing the DAG as "Cluster of Windows Servers" and the other server entry was showing as DAG "Exchange Database Availability Group".  After deleting both of those and re-adding just the DAG servers as "Microsoft Exchange servers" using the Add server button, I was able to then add the 'preferred server' properly without the errors.  As you stated, this seems to not have made a difference in forcing a passive 'preferred server' to be used.  The job again attempted to use a remote server over my WAN link even though I specified a local one.  I was able to just add another preferred server as the active one on my local site and the backup is working properly.  I assumed it would be better to use a passive server to perform the backup but I have been unable to make that work. I'm over it, given I can at least force it to backup from a local active DAG server and keep it from trying to backup the server over my WAN link.