Exchange transaction logs

[J_Peralta]

Hello all,

I'm running 11d with Server 2003 R2.

Currently, I've got the Exchange server setup with the transaction logs on a separate drive and I have a backup job that just backs up the transaction logs separately.  It is a full backup (reset archive bit).  The backup runs without producing an error but when you look at the job log or go to the restore, it says that "this backup may not contain data".  The backup is 4752 bytes.  Has anyone had a problem like this before?  Am I doing something wrong when I back it up?  I appreciate any help.

Thanks,
J

[D_B_5]

You should create your backup of exchange using the exchange agent, not a flat file backup of the logs separately.  When you select the exchange resource, it doesn't matter where the logs are, the agent will back them up.

Is there a reason you are running a job to backup the logs separately?

[J_Peralta]

I am running a full backup of Exchange including the info store, system state, program files\exchsvr directory, inetpub directory, etc.  Also I'm running separate backups of the public folder store, mailbox store, and transaction logs. 

I guess I was just thinking that redundancy isn't bad if you have the space but mainly because of the rotation of how long we keep each of these backups on disk.  The Exchange full is kept for 1 week (because of space) and the individual backups are kept for 3 weeks.  If we needed a particular transaction log or mailbox item or if someone deleted something from a public folder by accident, it would be easier to retrieve.

After further research and reading, and also based on what you've said, It sounds like the redundancy of the individual backups won't do what I want it to anyways. 

Two questions then:
1.  Is the optimal way to backup exchange by simply backing up the whole system without the individual backups?
2.  How would you go about restoring individual transaction logs? or would you even need to?

Thanks,
J

[D_B_5]

Redundacy is good, but what you were doing wouldn't give you what you need.  A good redundant plan is to do the full backups and then duplicate copy the set to another B2D foledr (another hard drive like a large USB drive) or to a tape device.  A 1 TB USB HD is about $500 give or take options and speed. 

Since you have 11d, you have another option if you have BE with the CPS option.  You can run a CPS Exchange job which does the Full job as you normally would, but then also runs Recovery Point jobs which ONLY backuop the transaction logs.  This keeps transaction log growth under control on the exchange server if it is real busy, as well as not requiring the backup of the database itself so the footprint can be smaller if you are normally doing many full backups currently.

Your specific questions:

1) Yes, the optimal way is to backup the IS as a whole.  You have the ability to restore individual items like mailboxes or messages from the database backup, so there is no need to do any individual mailbox backups (legacy backups)

2) You do not restore individual logs per se.  You would run the restore of a particualr backup set and let exchange play through the logs during restore.    If you use the CPS function with Exchange, it gives you the ability to do a point in time restore where you just tell it what time to restore the exchange server to and it will restore the logs it needs automatically.

 Hope this helps!

[J_Peralta]

Yes, that definately helps.  I appreciate it.  The CPS is something that I'm pushing to get but our budget doesn't allow us to buy another server and from what I've read, it can't be on the same server as BE.  We backup to tape currently in addition to backup to disk so given what you've explained, I'm going to scratch the individual backups of the trans logs, pub. folders, and mailboxes.  I'll do a full backup of things and duplicate it to tape.

Regarding  the legacy backups.  I used to just backup the info store without legacy backups or the ability to restore individual mailboxes and messages.  I tried to do a test restore and I couldn't get back individual messages.  I opted to go with the ability to restore individual mailboxes and messages and that allowed me to see the mailboxes in the restore jobs.  I think this is what you're saying is the best way to approach it. 

This approach however, led me to my other problem in the thread about the restore error.  I've tried what you suggested and it still doesnt' work.  I'll update that thread shortly.

Let me know if there is a better way but I think I'm going to stick with the ability to restore individual mailboxes and keep plugging away at the problem regarding the restore.

Thanks again,
J

[D_B_5]

CPS actually can now be installed on the BE server, version 1.0 of CPS had to be seperate from BE.  In fact, Symantec recommends CPS be installed on the same server as BE when running CPS Exchange jobs.

Yes, the best way is to use the new GRT feature to allow the restore of individual items from the database restore.  The old way was too slow and too eniificent due to issues with MAPI.