Missing Exchange Media Sets on Backup Exec 12.5

[Qas]

Hi

I am missing Exchange media sets on my Back Exec 12.5 Server, I can only see media sets for up to last 1 months.

I have 7 Tapes and I run 1 tape weekly (Friday Full Back and Monday to Thursday Incremental Backup) than tape 2 on second week, 3 on third week and so on.

When it comes to Tape 1 turn again I simply save all the Backup from Tape 1 to External Harddrive and Format the Tape for re-use.

For Full Backup I use  5 weeks overwrite protection period and 5 weeks Apend Protection
For Incremental I use 5 weeks overwrite protection and 1 week apend protection

My first question is

I have my Exchange Backup for last year on external storage and I need to recover 2 emails accounts from the backup how can I do this as I can not see the media on the Backup Exec 12.5.

And my second question is

How can I keep all the Exchange Media sets on Backup Exec 12.5, at the moment it only shows me last one month of backup media.


Thanks in advance

Qas

[CraigV]

Hi there,

Let's see if I can give you an answer here...

1. If your backups are on external storage, they are obviously in *.bkf format, or in flat-file format (all your *.doc files; Exchange *.edb etc.). If they are in *.bkf format, you can go into Devices on your media server, and add in a B2D folder, choosing the folder that those *.bfk files are in. Once done, you can inventory the folder, and then restore from there (making sure to choose a date 1 year back so that it filters correctly).
If in flat-file form, you can look at using something like Ontrack Powertools to pull the data out of an *.edb file, and then push that into a *.pst file.

2. To keep your Exchange media for 1 month will be tricky if you use the same media set for all your backups. Whenever that expiry period for your media is reached, it marks the tapes as scratch. The only way around this that I can think of is to create 2 different media sets, and use additional tapes. Direct Exchange to 1 set with a different protection period, and keep your other backups directed at the original set.
Alternatively, send Exchange directly to disk if you don't have something like a tape library/autoloader.

Laters!

[sksujeet]

My first question is

I have my Exchange Backup for last year on external storage and I need to recover 2 emails accounts from the backup how can I do this as I can not see the media on the Backup Exec 12.5.

If you have the data on disk or removable disk then attach the same to the server. In the backup exec go to the devices tab and create a new b2d folder or removable b2d. In the browse point to the location where you have the backups(on the external storage). Once done you will be able to see the media on the right side. Select all of them and run the inventory and then run the catalog. Once done you can click on restore and restore the data from it.
You are not able to see the data as it is no longer in the catalog information. So you have to catalog it again to see it.

And my second question is

How can I keep all the Exchange Media sets on Backup Exec 12.5, at the moment it only shows me last one month of backup media.

It is showing you last month because your overwrite protection period is 30 days so you can only see the data on those tapes for 30 days and older data gets overwritten. If you want to get the older data then you have to get it from the harddisk where you keep storing the data befor erasing it on tape. So attach that external storage device and run the inventory and catalog or copy the data from external storage location to local server and do the same.

[RahulG]

1st thing to check would be if there is any filter set in the restore selection list window. It can be there is some filter set for the dates to show data for just one month ....
Clear the check box or set to a date to display the data from last year ...

[Qas]

I attached the Removable Harddrive as B2D and run inventory (didnt see any thing and the catalog option was grayed out) attached as Removable B2D but after running Inventory didnt see any thing and the catalog option was grayed out.

In browse point option I have choosed the Drive letter G:\ option and even the folder inside that Drive but nothing worked.

Just to let you know the back up I am trying to recover is not the .bkf file (even though I have tried what you have said for old .bkf didnt work either) they are the flat Exchange files which will allow the individual mail box recover.

Am i doing any thing wrong here.

Thnaks for the help

[Qas]

tried that nothing comes even i uncheck the tick and move the dates to last year

[Qas]

Old .bkf backup works if I point it to the folder inside the Removeable Harddisk.

But How can I recover from Flat (IMG) Exchange backup on Backup Exec 12.5

[Qas]

Is there any way that I can I recover from Flat (IMG) Exchange backup on Backup Exec 12.5 instead of Ontrack Powertools?

[CraigV]

Hi,

If you go into your restore operation, and choose to view by media, it would show you the IMG file. You should be able to restore from there...

[Qas]

Hi Craig

in my restore option, I can only see my last 1 month IMG file, how can I add my old IMG file to the library and Catalogue it.

Let me know please

Thanks

[CraigV]

Hi Qas,

Where is the old IMG file located?
If it is on disk, then you will see this in your restore selection.
Might be a good idea now to put down some screen dumps...

[Qas]

This is where I save the old IMG files on my external Harddrive which is connected to the Backup EXEC Server



As you can see I have attached the G Drive as B2D but can not see any thing.






View by media also does not help as I can not see the IMG 082 on it, I can see all my old B2D.bkf but not the IMG Exchange flat folders




If you need more screen shots please let me know

Thank you

[CraigV]

...have you inventoried the B2D folder?
You actually wouldn't see flat files in Backup Exec for a restore after duplicating the data. It would be the IMG file, or *.bkf if you have done a disk backup.
You would be able to use Ontrack Powertools in evaluation mode to pull the necessary data out, and use that as a fall-back if it is urgent. Obviously you want this sorted out...

[Qas]

Yes I did inventor the B2D folder but I can not see the IMG files as you said.

Craig for future, how can I sort this out?

I do disk backup for 6 weeks than duplicate the backup to external harddrive and format the disk after 6 weeks for re use

How can I keep all my .BKF and IMG media on the Backup server (lets say from now on the media will stay on the backup server and I can recover from the media if i want to next year or so)

Thanks

[RahulG]

There is bkf associated with every Img folder . For eg if you run a backup og IS it will create 1 bkf file and 1 img folder ...
As the bkf files are missing backup exec is not able to read the IMG files

[CraigV]

Hi,

Unless you're going to get copies onto a disk and then remove that disk and place it in a safe, the best way to ensure your data is accessible down the line is to look into tape storage. Even if you use a single-slot tape drive for a monthly backup, it would have better protection than a disk (platters moving around vs. a tape with no moving parts), while still being able to use your current infrastructure.
That is what I would suggest. More expensive hardware would mean looking into storage that does WORM (Write Once-Read Many), but that would far outweight the cost of a single LTO4 drive and a couple of tapes.
You would simply duplicate what you have on tape to disk, and then restore from there.

Cheers!

[CraigV]

Any news here?