Restoring from BackUp Exec to 2003 Recovery Storage Group

[SyRenity]

Hi.

We seem to have some issue with recovering Exchange 2003 data via BackUp Exec 12.5 to Recovery Storage Group.

We have set-up a dial-tone Exchange database, and now trying to restore latest backup to new recovery group. Problem is, it seems as BackUp Exec recovers the data to the dial-tone database instead of Recovery Group.

There is no way to select destination in BackUp Exec, but I was sure Exchange alone knows where to restore data. I also double-checked the "this database can be overwritten by restore" check-boxes on dial-tone and recovery data-bases - it's unchecked on dial-tone, and checked on recovery, as instructed in every article.

Following this guide doesn't seem to help - it still restores to dial-tone:http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH29719

P.S.: if this doesn't work, how safe is restoring the backup directly to dial-tone, and just using it as the production data-base from now on?

Thanks for any ideas!

[itsmeaffinity]

Hi

Backupexec will always do resotre on dismounted database & can never perform restore on mounted one so in that case your production database is dismounted & also your one in recovery storage group is dismounted though it is selected with overwirte with restore

So ensure your prodcution databasse is up & running & then try doing restore

Thank You

[SyRenity]

In my case, the dial-tone was mounted, and the recovery was dismounted - and yet, BackUp Exec started restoring to dial-tone.

So question, if I do let it continue, how problematic is this, as this goes against dial-tone guidelines? Or it just will restore all the data to production and let users work in same time?

Thanks.

[itsmeaffinity]

Hi

If that is the case & part of emergency you can do that but I will definitely like to verify this as backupexec will never do restore on mounted database

Thank You

[SyRenity]

I just see that no new files are added to recovery group, moreover the TEMP folder is not created.

The amount of mail items for the dial-tone group is increasing rapidly, that how I see that dial-tone is used and not the recovery group.

Are there any clear and tested steps to how recover data to recovery group, and not to dial-tone?

Thanks!

[itsmeaffinity]

Hi

Yes few thing which you can enusre would be

1 I pesume backupexec version is BE 12.0 sp5 in your case & remote agent on exchange server is also upto date

2 Now try to delete the existing RSG & recreate it & then add database to recover

3 When you do so please right click on that dismounted database & select the box this database can be overwritten by restore

4 Once done I presume & as said your production database is mounted & in working state

5 Then now go to restore selection & select the that mailbox database to restore with log & ensure it should be the full backup you are using to do restore if you see snapshot full backup instead then restore to RSG is not supported

6 So once you select from full backup of exchang 2003 which is mailbox database & logs

7 Now please go to exchange tab & select the option purge existing data

8 For path give C-temp on exchange server were it will restore the restore.env file in there so ensure before ding the restore that C-temp on exchnage server is blank

9 Finally on same page commit option should be checked & mount after restore shouldnot be checked

10 Run the restore with system log on account no need of selecting exchage redirection option as backupexec will be smartenough to see dismounted database to do restore

11 Once restore is done go to RSG & then mount the database & you are set to go

Additionally please check this too

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998947(EXCHG.65).aspx

Hope this help

Please mark this solved if this help you

Thank You

[Sush---]

Can you check and confirm that the Exchange backups are not snapshot backups?? Because as per the limitation of Exchange 2003, snapshots backups can not be restored to the Recovery Storage Group (RSG).

Thanks,

-Sush...

[itsmeaffinity]

Hi

Sush it seems to be a you are trying to say the same thing which I have explained the customer

5 Then now go to restore selection & select the that mailbox database to restore with log & ensure it should be the full backup you are using to do restore if you see snapshot full backup instead then restore to RSG is not supported

Thank You

[Sush---]

Yes the information is repeated. But if you read carefully there is very important point added to the post that this is Microsoft limitation and not "Backup Exec" limitation. Here is the technote for your reference.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH44580 : Limitations of snapshot backup of Exchange 2003 databases

@SyRenity: Request you to please refer to the technote too... Thanks.

Thanks,

-Sush...

[SyRenity]

Hi.

I double checked, and both the back-up type, and the restore, show full back-up type.

It just seems as the Exchange is being recovered to running dial-tone DB, but I will try the instructions posted by isme and check how it goes.

Thanks!

[itsmeaffinity]

Hi

Thanks for your update & will wait for your response on same

Keep posted

Thank You

[RahulG]

If you have a recovery storage group created the restore would by default go the recovery storage group .