Test Restore of Exchange

[colin_marr]

We have BU/ Exec 9.1 with the Exchange component and openfiles component.

Im trying to test restore our exchange server 2003. We have never done this. I have tried to follow various instructions but have not been able to. I keep trying.

One questions I have is what is the Exchange Redirection used for.  I am using the File redirection to redirect my restore to a different server rather than the exchange that is live. Im asuming that the exchange redirection is used for putting the exchange on a different domain but the helps dont appear to actualy tell me what the redirect is for. Should I be using this to put it onto my test server along with the file redirection.

Any other help would be good too.

Basically Im installing win 2003 on the server, then installing the veritas open file handle s/w . At  this point one note says that I should see the services running for exchange but I dont. then I am suppose to reinstall the information store for the exchange. Im merging the registry because this is a diferent machine than the one exchange is on.

Any added advice?

regards

[Scott_Meltzer]

If you're restoring Exchange 2003 to an identical testing domain, you'll still need to use the Exchange Redirection to restore to an Exchange recovery storage group rather than directly overwriting the original mail stores.

I've written a guide for performing this procedure with Exchange '07 and BackupExec 12.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-restore-exchange-2007-mailbox-store-tape-using-...

If you need to know a bit more about Exchange 2003 Recovery Storage Groups, look here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824126

[colin_marr]

The info you have provided is help full. I have read it and learned quite abit about this particular option. thanks.

I would also like to do a complete restore for test purposes to a new system, we may also be interested in moving the current exchange from its current 35 GB SCSI drives which are fairly full to a newer system with bigger drives. My reading tells me that the method you have written out doesn't do this. The MS article you pointed me to says "not intended for use in disaster recovery operations" .

I did find a fairly good article ;
http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/45110/exchange-server-2003-disaster-recovery.html

But its really missing some fleshing out as far as my understanding of it.

Can anyone provide a more detailed explanation to restore exchange to new hardware ? eg different server and bigger drives.

Regards
 

[Scott_Meltzer]

You've got two options to move your Exchange Server to different hardware.   I personally recommend Option 2 unless your existing server completely dies.

Option 1 (Disaster Recovery Restore):
Performing a Disaster Recovery Restore to different hardware is a bit tricky.  The key is to make sure that you install the exact same operating system and service pack level on the new hardware.   Once you've done that, you'll need to use the Setup /disasterrecovery switch when you install Exchange 2003.  This guide should give you the basic steps:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997176%28EXCHG.65%29.aspx

In your testing environment, you'll need to have a copy of your live Active Directory available as well, once you start the Exchange setup with the /disasterrecovery switch, it will try to pull the Exchange Server configuration out of Active Directory.

Once everything is up and running, you can then restore your mail stores from Backup Exec.

Option 2 (Additional Server):
Install the OS and Exchange on the new machine, set it up as an additional mail server along side the existing Exchange Server.    Next, gradually move the mailboxes and Public Folders from the old server to the new server.  Once you're done, remove Exchange from the old server.

[lebisol]

Option 2 is more of a migration than restore...if the mailbox or public folder is damaged then you are moving the same issue.
Exchange recovery storage group is the way to go..only be aware that Public Folders can not be restored into it.

[colin_marr]

ScottyM

Thanks some veeerry good stuff there. Lots to munch on.

Just as a little clarification on my part. Back to original question really. So in Veritas the Exchange Redirection, (not to be confused with File Redirections which I get, I hope) is it only necessary if you are restoring exchange to a Recovery Storage group, but NOT for use when restoring from scratch, since you are in a complete disaster recovery restore, putting everything back in the same place, (if you get my drift), Whether it be on a new server or the original that maybe the drive went bad on, (for argument sake). Sorry to belabor the point but  I just want to be clear in my head if I do a complete restore.

Thanks.

[CraigV]

When I needed to restore from Exchange, I used the Exchange Redirection option in 11D which didn't work. A couple of hours later on a phone call with Symantec, and they prompted me to do the following:

1. Stage the Exchange restore to disk. Make a copy of the Information Store to a disk with enough space.
2. From there, run the restore.

Apparently this is done like this because when restoring from tape, if it encountered a problem, it would have to start over again. I have done individual restores using this method successfully.

We had to do a live disaster recovery of Exchange 2 weeks ago after a server died on one of our remote sites. This involved staging the restore to disk, and restoring to another folder from here. The Exchange gurus copied the *.stm/*.edb and logs to the original locations, and ran a Disaster Recovery of Exchange 2003...worked like a charm.

[colin_marr]

Thanks. I guess you dont have any additional FAQ's or such that lead you through the steps. I find that Veritas is a bit slim on detailed instructions.
regards

[Scott_Meltzer]

Hey Colin,  The exchange redirection does not need to be used when performing disaster recovery, in which case you would actually want to overwrite an existing database.    In Exchange 2007, you specifically have to allow a mail store to be overwritten (there's an option in Exchange Manager) before you restore from Veritas or Backup Exec.   I don't think that the Exchange 2003 mail stores have that extra protection.