Veritas-bu

[Veritas-bu] Microsoft Exchange Backups ... [recommendations please]

2006-05-01 11:13:15
Subject: [Veritas-bu] Microsoft Exchange Backups ... [recommendations please]
From: JMARTI05 AT intersil DOT com (Martin, Jonathan (Contractor))
Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 11:13:15 -0400
The "incremental" backups are simply backups of the transaction logs in
exchange.  Basically, the FULL backup grabs the database, and logs then
wipes the logs.  The incremental grabs the logs then wipes them.  To
restore you would simply run the most recent FULL and then all the
incrementals to restore the LOG files.   The next time you mount the
database the LOG files will be applied and WHALA - instant email! =)

He only real issue that I see is that if any one of your imcrementals
goes bad after the logs get wiped (aka, successful backup - then tape
catches on fire) then you can only restore up to the last backup before
that one.  Unfortunately with Exchange you cannot restore 4 days worth
of logs, with one day in the middle missing.  It simply won't work,
whereas in normal file restores you would simply be missing that "chunk"
of data. The way to combat this of course is to run Cumulative backups
which backup but do not wipe any log files.  (We don't need that kind of
email security / recoverability here - and don't use it.)

We run twice weekly Full Backups, and incrementals every 4 hours during
the day (8:00AM - 8:00PM.)  That's been a very successful strategy here,
but you also need to consider number of information stores and servers
to determine if that's a good strategy for you.

Hope I've helped...

-Jonathan 

-----Original Message-----
From: veritas-bu-admin AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
[mailto:veritas-bu-admin AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu] On Behalf Of Wilkinson,
Alex
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 2:54 AM
To: veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
Subject: [Veritas-bu] Microsoft Exchange Backups ... [recommendations
please]


Hi all,

Is there any reason whatsoever why Full+Incremental backups of Microsoft
Exchange are risky ? Our mail team is very dubious about moving to a
Full+Incremental backup paradigm for Exchange.

What do others do ? Is there a "best practices" way of doing it ?

 -aW
_______________________________________________
Veritas-bu maillist  -  Veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu
http://mailman.eng.auburn.edu/mailman/listinfo/veritas-bu


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>