trying to restore Exchange 2007 database as a flat file

[PeterKovari]

hi

We migrated to Exchange2010 and the Exchange 2007 server which we have snapshot backups of (nonGRT), has been decommissioned. On a still existing Exchange 2007 server in the environment I am now trying to restore the old Exchange 2007 databases as a flat file (as i need to restore few mailboxes into pst files). Restoring to a Recovery Storage Group would not work as I would be unable to link the restored database to an existing database in the environment, as those do not exist anymore.

I am wondering if it is possible at all to restore these databases as flat files?

I dont need them mounted as we have a tool which can open them unmounted.

Backup software: Backup Exec 12.5 with all latest service packs and hotfixes.

When I am trying to restore as per this article: http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH87383 I get the following errors:

Final error: 0xe000fe30 - A communications failure has occurred.
Final error category: Server Errors

For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-65072

V-79-57344-65072 - Connection to the restore target has been lost.  Operation canceled.

and also the Remote Agent service terminates(!?): The application, C:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\beremote.exe, generated an application error The error occurred on 06/21/2011 @ 16:39:04.235 The exception generated was c0000005 at address 0000000003509833 (bedsxese!GetTable)

do you think this is something to do with the restore job settings or I need a BackupExec reinstall?

thanks and regards

Peter

[CraigV]

Hi Peter,

Doing a normal restore doesn't do what you want...it would try restoring data directly into Exchange. What you're wanting to do can be done through a duplicate-to-disk job. This basically copies what is on tape to a disk. So the *.stm, *.edb, log files etc will be duplicated to a disk folder you specify.

if you don't know how to, read my article below, and stop once you have run the duplicate job.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/restoring-exchange-or-individual-mailboxesitems-usi...

Thanks!

[PeterKovari]

Thanks Craig, this doesnt work for me for some reason.

I created a BackupToDisk folder on a partition with plenty of space. Then I created a "New job to duplicate backup sets" and selected the database which i would like to restore from the media. the job started to run and it asked me if i want to overwrite an imported media. i selected yes (although i dont want to overwrite the media) just to see what happens, but the job runs forever and is stuck at "loading media". i let it run for 30 mins then i cancelled.

not sure what am i doing wrong?

thanks

[CraigV]

...you're not using AOFO to back up the Information Store are you?

And you're selecting the entire IS to duplicate to disk...?

[PeterKovari]

no, we didnt use AOFO for the backup.

i did not select the entire IS, just one of the databases.

do you know why it is asking me if i want to overwrite the imported media?

thanks a lot for all your help

[CraigV]

...got to select your entire Information Store...I have never seen it restore just a database.

I have no idea to be honest, why it's asking to overwrite media. That's assuming there is no media already present on the B2D with the same name!

[PeterKovari]

I havent had a chance to try this yet, but hope to do so in the next 1 week...

[PeterKovari]

I managed to duplicate the database from the tape to the disk into BKF files, but I get the same error as earlier when I try to restore the database from this image.

its not a GRT backup and the original server is not in the environment anymore.

as per the error message, BE is trying to connect to the original server...

any help is appreciated.

thanks

[CraigV]

Mmm...in this case, it might be worth your while to try doing a redirected restore from disk now. This should get around the issue of BE looking for the original Exchange server.

Check the TNs below for further information:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH29719 - Exchange 2003

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH51555 - Exchange 2007

If these don't work, it might then be worthwhile to look at a 3rd party application to pull the data out of the flat-file...

[Colin_Weaver]

If it's not a GRT backup then duplicating the data will make no digfference as all you are doing is moving an MTF backup from tape to an MTF backup in a BKF file on disk. To get at the edb files would have needed a GRT set that would then create IMG folders when on disk.

I am not sure whether not doing the complete IS but just the database will cause you a problem but because it is not GRT and the original server does not exist you may have to build a recovery environment to restore into as a flat file restore is not possible.

[PeterKovari]

Thanks Colin. Its a nonGRT, snapshot backup. We have a 3rd party tool which can open unmounted edb files, so we wanted to avoid building an isolated recovery environment. I thought that we can somehow restore the edb files as flat files as this link http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index page=content&id=TECH87383 suggets, the only difference is that the original server is gone.

so you are saying that it wont work then?

thanks.

[PeterKovari]

Thanks Craig, that type of restore with the Exchange Management Shell worked properly when we had the original server still in the environment. As you have to link the database in the RSG to an accessible online database, it will not work anymore.

regarding to getting the data out from the bkf file; is that possible? i research this then..

[Colin_Weaver]

I don't think getting the data out of bkf is easily possible - if it had been an IMG (so a GRT enabled set) then you could possibly get at the data (or at least the edb file)

Hence you need a recovery environment ((i.e. a segregated domain running the same Exchange organization details with an Exchange 2007 server with the same storage group etc configured) to restore into.

[CraigV]

Ontrack Powercontrols would be able to do it from a flat-file, but from what Colin said, it's not possible with a *.bkf file.

No way to restore to another temporary server?

[PeterKovari]

Thanks, yeah I know Ontrack Powercontrols would work, its a cool product, i tested it once and worked fine.

No way to restore to another temporary server?> We could create a recovery environment; isolate server(s) / promote a dc / install exchange etc, but thats a lot of time and effort, and we'd need to keep 1 or more isolated servers for that... not a preferable solution.

thanks for all the help!