exchange agent vs. VSS

[Rob_Bosch]

Hi all. I am running Backup Exec version 10.0 sp 4, with Exchange 2003. When attempting to use the Open File option during a backup of the exchange information store, I get the "e000fed1 - A failure occurred querying the Writer status" error on a fairly consistent basis. If I restart the server it goes away for a backup or two, but always returns at some point. My post here is not to fix that problem, as I have noticed that many people seem to have this issue and there are many threads regarding this problem. My question is more of a general one.

If I turn off "use advanced open file agent" and just use the exchange agent for my backup of the information store, it works every time. The backups are speedy and there are no errors. My question is...do I need to be running the open file agent at all? What am I missing by not running it (if anything at all)? I am just trying to cover all my bases here and make sure I have a full understanding of the process. Thank you in advance for your help.

-Rob

[Robert_Schmidt_]

Rob

When you use the Exchange Agent to back up a Storage Group, you are backing up the mail data as database container files, not as individual messages.

Each Storage Group will have a *.edb & *.stm file for EACH Store in the Storage Group and one *.edb & *.stm for your Public Folder store, in the Storage Group to which it belongs.

Please refer to my most recent post in:
http://forums.veritas.com/discussions/thread.jspa?threadID=62429&tstart=0
for what you should see in your Application logs.

Because you are backing these 'containers' as a single file, not individual messages, you do NOT use the Open File option; that's why we have the Exchange Agent! - you may also want to check that it is flushing your transaction logs properly.

Cheers

[Rob_Bosch]

Hi Robert thanks for the speedy response. Yes my transaction logs have been flushing just fine, ever since I went to using the Exchange Agent alone. We had our disk fill up once with transaction logs because the job hadn't run properly for a few days, but we are all set now. This does lead me to another question though. Is the exchange agent alone good enough for the individual mailbox backup, or is AOFO needed in this case? Right now I have the individual mailboxes together in the same job with the priv and pub databases, with AOFO turned off. It seems to be working just fine this way. Am I ok?

[Robert_Schmidt_]

Personally, I wouldn't do an Exchange store backup and mailbox backup in the same job. The store backup is much much faster, and is the one you need in case of disaster recovery. (as you know, also flushes the logs) Get it done and safe each night, first.

If you have a small enviroment, no auto-loader, and all the data fits on one tape, you can still do both. Just create two jobs. Have the first job overwrite the tape, do the stores, and not eject the tape. Have the second job follow at a later time, and append to the tape. - gives you more flexibility in job options.

As for AOFO with mailbox backup - no experience here. The std. help file has sections for both AOFO and the Exchange agent, and addresses using the two together for mailbox level backup.

In any case, be sure to check out the Exchange Agent section of the help file; refer particularly to the document "Backing Up Mailboxes and Public Folders" - it has good tips on option settings, space saving on selections, AND which system level mailboxes to always exclude from your backup.

Cheers