Echange 2000 Backup using Backup Exec 9.1

[solipsist]

Hello all...

I am fairly new to the backing up game, and was wondering if anyone could tell me which selections I need to make in Backup Exec in order to get a full backup of my Exchange server?

I honestly have looked all over the place for the answer to this, but cannot seem to find it anywhere!

I would really appreciate a little help!

 

[silentsam33]

Create a FULL backup job to do this. You will need to backup the following,
1. OS drive (Presumably c:\)(Exclude mounted Volumes on C:\ if you have them)
2. System State
3. Information Store

Also keep a log of all updates, hotfixes and service packs on the Exchange server. You will need all this info if you need to rebuild the server in a disaster.

If you have the brick level agent you can also backup each indiviual mailbox. With this you can restore any item from a users mailbox. This is just a nice to have but is not needed for a disaster recovery situation. If you have a deleted items retension time set then you do not really need this (that is unless most of your user do a shift-delete, then it could be useful).

I run Backup Exec 8.6. In over a year and a half I have only restored 2 items from a brick level backup. But one was for the President of the company!!!!

 

[dkediger]

Also, DO NOT backup up in the regular file based backup the M: drive that Exchange creates on the server. Not Ever. Do not touch it. Don't even think about it. Forget it exists. You never saw it.

 

[xtremist5150]

So you're saying DON'T backup the M: drive? Just let the program do a full backup and that's it?

 

[dkediger]

Correct - if by M: drive we are referring to the virtual drive on the server that Exchange creates and that is a "browseable" interface into the information store.

Microsoft has several KBs on this - but basically they say that "when we created this, we thought it would be neat, but it really creates a lot of problems so don't go there."

The only appropriate way to back up Exchange is through using the NTBACKUP that Exchange installs or some 3rd party - like Veritas - that provides direct access to the IS through an agent.

 

[silentsam33]

Sorry, forgot to mention to exclude the M:\ drive. Also if there are other applications running on this Exchange server, such as anti-virus and anti-spam, you may need to exclude the program directories. I would also exclude the temp directory.