VMWARE Backup of Multi Server Exchange 2010 Environment

[SYMAJ]

When performing a GRT backup of Exchange 2010 via the VMware policy type, and the Exchange environment is on multiple CAS & Mailbox servers - which servers should be selected as clients on the backup policy ?

Do we select all of the CAS servers ?  Do we need the mailbox servers ?

In all the documentation I continually see 'add clients to policy' - but it does not indicate which clients.....

AJ 

[Dyneshia]

When doing a vmware with exchange application backup, you still select the DAG name as you do in an exchange policy.  However you are using the vmware browsing function in the policy.  Exact steps are in the vmware guide.  Chapter 5 :

http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5162

In addtion Chapter 7   -http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5172 MS Exchange server admin guide

[RLeon]

Backing up an Exchange DAG cluster using the VMware policy type (aka vmdk snapshot based backups) works differently and requires a special setup. (Briefly mentioned in this post)

Please refer to this technote:
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH173707

Essentially what it is saying:
1. You have to dedicate an Exchange mailbox node (VM) to only hold passive dbs. It cannot have active dbs.

2. Nbu client, Symantec VSS provider and a special registry entry must be installed/configured on this node.

3. Unlike the traditional agent based backup where you specify the DAG name in the client list in your backup policy, you must specify the hostname of the dedicated mailbox node.
Effectively, all your Exchange backups will be cataloged under this node's hostname instead of the DAG name, and as such, the node's hostname will be the "source client" during restores.