Exchange Restore Question 1

[mattjurado]

I have a test server built. I am trying to see what it takes to restore ALL Exchange data (Mailboxes, Public Folders). I can restore using the Backup Exec Exchange Agent, but I have to uncheck "No Loss Restore." I did nothing else other than dismount the Mailbox Store and Public Folder Stores before the restore. In my restore job, I checked to restore "Microsoft Exchange Mailboxes," "Microsoft Exchange Public Folders," and "Microsoft Information Store\First Public Store." I also had the Backup Exec job remount the stores when it finished, and it did.

This procedure seemed to work fine for me, is this correct?
Also, what is the "No Loss Restore" option?

What does it take to restore the data in the event of a hard disk failure, and I have to reinstall the OS on a new drive? I understand its much easier if I have a copy of AD to restore with the databases.

Matt J.





Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[xmsre]

All you need is a full online backup of the IS.

With that in hand imagine this:

A hardware failure takes down your exchange 2000 server. The OS partition is gone and the stores are damaged. What is the quickest route to recovery?

1. Shut down the affected server.
2. Reset the machine account for the affected server in ADUC.
3. Build a new box using the same name and IP address and join the domain.
4. Install Exchange using the /disasterrecovery switch. Apply all service packs and hotfixes that were on the previous server.
5. Restore from the last full online backup.

That's it. The configuration information is stored in AD. Installing with the /disasterrecovery switch restores that information. A few exceptions are:

1. Certificates. If you installed a certificate on your exchange server, ,ake sure you export it and keep it in a safe place; just in case.
2. Permissions on the http virtual server [OWA]. Record these so you can restore later.
3. /disasterrecovery does not work on a cluster. There are other ways to do a complete restore, however that is beyond the scope of this post.

 

[mattjurado]

What if I have small business server, and that damn sbs setup installs exchange automatically for me? I could skip it and install manually, but then I technically have an unsupported configuration in Microsoft's eyes (they don't support a regular Exchange install in SBS, only their wizard install).

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[xmsre]

SBS still supports the /disasterrecovery switch. In that the original install was via the SBS lizard, and /disasterrecovery reads the previous configuration from AD, I'd guess that you'd be OK. The only way to know for certain would be to ask Microsoft.

 

[mattjurado]

Thanks again, so I'll just try running the setup.exe off the cd with the /disasterrecovery switch, and see how it goes!

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[speedingwolf]

I came across this thread while trying to do a test recovery exchange but so far no success. I believe I am missing someone. My method is different. I use another computer and dc promo it as an additional domain controller. Wait for 15 minutes, take it offline and seized all the roles (5 roles) and put it in an isolate lab. Then I install Windows 2000 advance srv, and join it to this isolate network. Then I take off my backup server off the production network and put it in this isonet and point DNS to the new root DC.

After that, I installed BE agent for the server 2000 AD. Then restored my exchange server 2kad system state, C: D, and select public, priv. It failed to restore exchange. It was successfully restore system state on the new box. Note, i have the exact physically hardwre similar to my production environment. I restored system state to another box and got diskboot blue screen.

What steps am I missing?

Thanks,

 

[mattjurado]

If I read your post right, you basically have a copy of the original AD in your test environment. If you are trying to recover Exchange on a machine that is part of your AD, then you shouldn't have to restore the system state.

What I wound up doing is formatting my test server. Match service packs for Windows and Exchange as I had them before. Load Backup Exec. Boot to directory services recovery mode, restore AD. Reboot, load exchange with the /disasterrecovery switch, then I DID NOT reboot when prompted, and I restored Exchange from backup, and it automounted when done.

I've always been a big fan of linux based solutions, versus MS ones, and this is no exception. How horrible a product this is, that if you are in a single server environment, you have to have to restore a copy of the system state (containing AD), to a server if a disaster strikes. So for example disk failure... You replace your disks, reload the os and service packs, and then BAAM! The first thing you have to do is restore a system state with registry settings for softwares that no longer exist. Meaning if your server doesn't blue screen on reboot, you have to reload ALL softwares that you had before to avoid having conflicts and error messages when you bootup. What a piece of crap Exchange is. I understand that if you are in a corporate enviornment with mulitple servers, your AD will always likely exist, so you won't have to worry about this. But what about small businesses who go with Windows Small Business Server? What's the point of implementing a product if restoring it in a disaster situation is so questionable? And imagine a stolen server? If you have a copy of AD offsite on tape, now you have to figure out exactly what hardware you had before, and duplicate the server? As rare as this might seem, everyone out there knows hardware is rarely for sale beyond a year, then new stuff comes out... Ouch!

What if someone doesn't backup AD? How do they get Exchange back? I've read several articles on the web of people stating that "its difficult to do," but nobody has a procedure to do it? Anyone out there that has actually performed Exchange 2000 recovery without a copy of AD?

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[xmsre]

Why would you restore the system state to a member server? You build a new server, but retain the old machine account is AD. You reset it, and join the domain using the same account. If your server is a DC and Exchange [not recommended but possible], you have to restore AD as well.

How is this any different from linux/sendmail/netscrape/iPlanet/sunone? You have to restore the directory as well as the mail. What happens if your sendmail server fails? You have to run around all over the internet looking for the correct RPM packages, maybe compile a few you couldn't find the bianaries for, spend three days configuring it, etc... If you don't go with something like the netscape or iPlanet directory, you have to come up with a way to sync all the local accounts an all the different boxes, and you still have to restore the accounts even if you only have one server. You might say use NIS or NIS plus to keep the accounts in sync, but we all know the real deal on that.

It gets worse when you move into the enterprise and try to say run Oracle on Red Hat attached to an EMC SAN with Emulex HBAs. Each hardware vendor requires a different version of the kernal or they won't support you. But the source is "open", you might say. In response, so what. If you modify the kernal in any way you lose support. Try calling Oracle and saying "Well, I made this one little change", and see how far you get. This is what's keeping linux from being widely adopted. I don't see it going very far until everyone agrees on some standards and supports them.

Coming from this highly disjoined enviroment were all the calls that MS was "bundling", right or wrong. Rethink you're arguement. It's sounds like you're calling for Microsfot to further bundle it's products.

 

[mattjurado]

No, I'm not calling for Microsoft to further bundle its products. And sendmail is cake. Restores of sendmail are relatively simple compared to this. Postfix complicates things a bit, but not like what I'm seeing with Exchange. Anyways, just my opinion.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[xmsre]

Sendmail, by the way, is only half a messaging system. It's the SMTP server. You still have to have a pop3 or IMAP server.