The ADSM agent for Exchange seems to be efficient, good and powerful.
It uses the standard MS Exchange API set to actually perform the backup -
and therefore there is no danger to the Exchange databases from a foreign
written application doing funny things to them.
It does not do brick-level backups - but you shouldn't be relying on these
anyway because of the problems with them.

It does things quick - because the database is treated as a large file by
ADSM. We typically get up to 24 GByte per hour when the Exchange server is
the only thing doing a back up at that time over a 100 MBit network.

Restore is the same as anything else using the Exchange API: Install NT +
service packs. Install Exchange + service packs. Restore the data and off
you go.


What to think about: What type of restores might you need to do?
 - A mail message: Make use of the Exchange "Keep deleted items", and set
this to the appropriate number (e.g. 10 days). This allows users to restore
data without admins getting involved.
 - A mailbox: Required when an Exchange admin goes haywire. You need to keep
about 5 days worth of backups to allow this. You also need to have a spare
Exchange server available to which you can restore the database onto.
 - A complete server: Needed if you have a Disaster Recovery situation. You
need to keep about 2 days worth of backups off-site.


Cheers, Chris