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Backup VM issues after SMTP configuration

SolarP
Level 6
Partner Accredited

Hi All

I have a customer that had two EV journal servers and after an upgrade to EV 12 enabled SMTP journaling instead on the virtualised servers. This was for on prep and Office 365 journaling.  As part of this an additional LUN was added to the server for holding the temp SMTP storage area. Since then they are saying the backups of the VM fail regularly because the VSS writer could not quiesce the new disk as it was busy.

As it is just the SMTP service that is using this disk I am thinking that this could be the issue.

Can anyone confirm that putting EV into backup mode also stops the EV SMTP service within EV 12. They have not had this issue on the server untill a new disk and SMTP was configured.

I was thinking of putting a line in the pre backup script to stop the EV SMTP Service and another to start the service after backup.

I am assuming this would not be an issue since the journaled email would just queue on Exchange and O365 untill the service was back up again.

 

Thanks

SP

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

GertjanA
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Hello,

When using SMTP archiving, Backup Mode on the Vault Stores will NOT prevent messages coming in. The only way to stop messages from coming in as to stop the EV SMTP Service. You can verify that by monitoring the Holdingfolder.

I assume they do some kind of loadbalancing. What I would do is to stop the EV SMTP Service on server1, verify LB sends the messages to server2. Backup server1. start service on server1, stop it on server2. verify messages go to server1. Backup server2. Start service on server2.

I (obviously) am not sure about the time it will take backing up these servers, but you need to think worst case. What happens if the backup takes hours? Or fails? do the on-prem/O365 environment have suffient space to queue the messages? Can you be 100% sure you will not loose messages? Does the customer require 100% accuracy, or can some mails be 'missed'. 

As tip, if you are on 12.3 or earlier, make sure to restart the SMTP archiving task after backup mode is cleared, or after the SMPT service is restarted. There can be an issue with archiving. that has been fixed in 12.3.1 or 12.3.2, not sure anymore.

As an FYI, I have 5 EV SMTP servers. I get approcimately 2.5 million messages per day on these. When we perform a DR, we use SRM for this. That is working fine. queueing is not too high in the on-prem during SRM.

Regards. Gertjan

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2 REPLIES 2

GertjanA
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited Certified

Hello,

When using SMTP archiving, Backup Mode on the Vault Stores will NOT prevent messages coming in. The only way to stop messages from coming in as to stop the EV SMTP Service. You can verify that by monitoring the Holdingfolder.

I assume they do some kind of loadbalancing. What I would do is to stop the EV SMTP Service on server1, verify LB sends the messages to server2. Backup server1. start service on server1, stop it on server2. verify messages go to server1. Backup server2. Start service on server2.

I (obviously) am not sure about the time it will take backing up these servers, but you need to think worst case. What happens if the backup takes hours? Or fails? do the on-prem/O365 environment have suffient space to queue the messages? Can you be 100% sure you will not loose messages? Does the customer require 100% accuracy, or can some mails be 'missed'. 

As tip, if you are on 12.3 or earlier, make sure to restart the SMTP archiving task after backup mode is cleared, or after the SMPT service is restarted. There can be an issue with archiving. that has been fixed in 12.3.1 or 12.3.2, not sure anymore.

As an FYI, I have 5 EV SMTP servers. I get approcimately 2.5 million messages per day on these. When we perform a DR, we use SRM for this. That is working fine. queueing is not too high in the on-prem during SRM.

Regards. Gertjan

SolarP
Level 6
Partner Accredited

Thanks Gertjan

Good to know that the SMTP service does not stop when EV goes into backup mode.

Looks like we will need to look at stopping the service as part of backup. They are on 12.3.1 so should be ok for restarting the archiving task 

Yes they have sufficient transport space on the hub servers to hold email for a number of days so that is not an issue.

As far as office 365 who knows what queue lengths they can handle but I would hope quite a lot.