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Exchange 2010 DAG and Public Folders Backup

msalam
Level 2

Hi,

We have 4 Exchange Servers in a Single DAG and 1 Public Folder database with 1 replica.  Let me begin by stating that Iam an Exchange Admin and not a Storage Admin so much of the information I have surrounding Netbackup is what I have been told by our Storage Admins.  

We are not using GRT.  Our Storage Admins do not want to and/or say it is impossible in our environment for whatever reasons (space/time).  That being said, our mailbox database backups are working fine.  The Public Folders however are not being backed up.  The Storage Admins say that Netbackup cannot do it.  Ok.  So I have been tring to find a solution. I have been looking at using Windows Server Backup just for the Public Folder backups.  It seemed to be okay but keeps completing with exceptions and seems to have effectively failed.  I have found the following info which Ithink is the issue:

"If a server hosting the data being backed up is a member of a database availability group (DAG) and hosts both active and passive database copies, you must disable the Microsoft Exchange Replication service VSS writer. If the Microsoft Exchange Replication service VSS writer is enabled, the backup operation will fail.If a server hosting the data being backed up is a member of a database availability group (DAG) and hosts both active and passive database copies, you must disable the Microsoft Exchange Replication service VSS writer. If the Microsoft Exchange Replication service VSS writer is enabled, the backup operation will fail."

there is also an important note which states:

"If you later want to use a different a backup solution to back up passive database copies on a server that has the Microsoft Exchange Replication service VSS writer disabled, you need to remove the preceding registry key and then restart the Microsoft Exchange Replication service."

So it appears to be a catch 22 situation.  If I disable the VSS writer the Netbackup backups will start to fail correct?  But unless I disable it the Public Folder backups using Windows Server Backup will fail.

Do I have any options here?  Really need some guidance!

Much thanks in advance.

MS.

 

 

 

 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

As i understand it Exchange 2010 just uses a Storage Group dedicated to Public Folders - so if the databases are being backed up the Public Folders database is also being backed up.

If you do use GRT - and the only real limitations are that you need to install and configure NFS on all servers and run the backups to disk rather than tape - then individual messages from both mailboxes and public folders can be restored.

So there should be no need to use another product to back up public folders, NetBAckup will do it for you - both as a Storage Group backups or as a GRT backup (which includes the Storage Groups and Mailbox / Public Folder messages in a single pass)

Hope this helps - take a look at the Exchange Admin guide for NetBackup and you will see that it can do everything you need:

NBU 7.5 http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5172

NBU 7.1 http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC3669

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4

Mark_Solutions
Level 6
Partner Accredited Certified

As i understand it Exchange 2010 just uses a Storage Group dedicated to Public Folders - so if the databases are being backed up the Public Folders database is also being backed up.

If you do use GRT - and the only real limitations are that you need to install and configure NFS on all servers and run the backups to disk rather than tape - then individual messages from both mailboxes and public folders can be restored.

So there should be no need to use another product to back up public folders, NetBAckup will do it for you - both as a Storage Group backups or as a GRT backup (which includes the Storage Groups and Mailbox / Public Folder messages in a single pass)

Hope this helps - take a look at the Exchange Admin guide for NetBackup and you will see that it can do everything you need:

NBU 7.5 http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5172

NBU 7.1 http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC3669

msalam
Level 2

Thanks very much for your response.  I've looked through the Admin guides but it left me with the impression that GRT was a requirement for Public Folder backups (not just item level).  So you are saying that even without GRT Netbackup should have no problem backing up the Public Folders database as part of the mailbox backup even in a DAG environment?

V4
Level 6
Partner Accredited

your assessment is correct

PF has nothing to interfere with your mailbox DB backup

it works f9 with NBU .. and NBU is capable of doing that too (it's an enterprise wide product being used)

If you select DAG as a directive under backup selection, NBU adds up all the PF within member  server. though PF are out of DAG

Just create backup policy for PF only, do not mix them with mailbox DB, there have been issues found when PF backup fails with  mailbox DB, but succeeds when backed up alone

Let us know wht result you get with PF backup policy.

For Exchange GRT

refer below video

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/videos/exchange-2010-sp2-grt-netbackup-75

 

V4
Level 6
Partner Accredited

Do you still have any querys?