>The ability to perform a mailbox backup or restore using backup exec
>has been around since version 7.0 or earlier, that is at least 5 years.
...

Indeed.  IBM periodically gets darts when another vendor implements a
database backup/restore capability not in TSM.  As you'll find in the
List archives, IBM explains that they adhere to the standards and
facilities provided by the db providers, which is the safe approach.
Another vendor may implement something which departs from such
standards and facilities, at some cost and risk.  Those vendors may
not fully describe the details of their approach for you to evaluate
the long-term suitability of the approach, which a customer would
bet their data on.  Always keep in mind that such approaches are
subject to disruption as the third party who engineers the database
system changes things over time.

   Richard Sims