Microsoft Exchange

UPSTREAM supports backup and restore of Microsoft Exchange databases, and can be used with backups being sent to the z⁄OS Mainframe with UPSTREAM, or to an open systems Storage Server with UPSTREAM Reservoir. That support applies to backups that exist in both a Database Availability Group (DAG) and stand-alone databases. This chapter discusses how to backup Exchange databases as well as the rules for recovering a database.

Microsoft Exchange Server#

Microsoft Exchange provide the Microsoft Exchange Writer for VSS, which allows for snapshot backups of individual storage groups. The snapshot backup method (WinSS plug-in) has these advantages and disadvantages:

• If all the storage groups are backed up in the same backup, the storage groups will all have been snap-shotted at the same time, providing time synchronization between them.
• The Microsoft Exchange Writer allows storage groups to be restored back to their original location, to the Recovery Storage Group or to a different storage group as long as the storage group being restored to has the same number of databases as the storage group that was backed up. The files of a storage group that was backed up may even be restored to a file system directory that is unrelated to any storage group.

The following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles describe how to use the Recovery Storage Group and some of its pitfalls:

• KB823176 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823176)
• KB824126 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824126)
• KB836452 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836452)

When performing a snapshot backup of your storage groups, you should be aware of the relationship between the components in the Microsoft Exchange Writer component set. Each Microsoft Exchange storage group has a storage group component. This storage group component has one Logs subcomponent and one or more database subcomponents. The following diagram shows this relationship:

• Exchange StorageGroup1
• Exchange StorageGroup1 Logs
• Exchange StorageGroup1 SG1-MB1
• Exchange StorageGroup1 SG2-PF1

The Microsoft Exchange Writer dictates that if a storage group component is selected for backup or restore, its subcomponents are also backed up or restored. None of the storage group subcomponents may be selected to be backed up or restored independently.

• Backup parameter set for Microsoft Exchange:

ACTION 1
BACKUPPROFILE <a different backup profile name>
MERGE 1
SPECNUMBER 1
SPECTYPE 0
FILES .:\Microsoft Exchange Writer\*
PLUGIN WinSS
PLUGINPARAMETERS WRITEROPTIONS=IncludeAll

Recommendation: The use of UPSTREAM Director to create backup and restore jobs is highly recommended.

Microsoft Exchange DAG Architecture

Microsoft Exchange architecture can use a high availability model called a DAG, or database availability group, and the UPSTREAM Client is able to take unique advantage of backing up correctly configured databases that exist in a DAG. Within a DAG, each mailbox database can be ‘mirrored’ across one or more servers. Those mirrors are called ‘copies’, and each server can be the target of the UPSTREAM Client’s backup. When backing up an Exchange database, by targeting the passive copy rather than the active copy, you are ensuring that the backup is not consuming resources of a database that is actively serving users.

Three Exchange Databases installed in a 3 node DAG - Each database has 3 copies

In this 3-node DAG each database is marked as ‘active’ or ‘passive’. The UPSTREAM Client backup passive copies whenever possible. Active databases are those databases that Mailbox users are accessing. Passive databases are those databases that are replicated from the Active node, but which users are not his currently accessing.

To archive this, your local Exchange Administrator should be advised to either dedicate a server which host ‘passive’ copies, in the above example NODE3, or in the case of a 2 node system attempt to host most ‘passive’ databases on one server.

Using the Director to Create an Exchange Backup#

To back up the Exchange DAG, coordinate with the Exchange administrator to identify the server that is most likely to host the ‘passive’ databases. Use the Exchange Admin Center to do so.

In this example, we will be backing up DAG Exchange Database1 using W2012EX13NODE1. That’s because the ‘Passive Healthy’ DB is the one we prefer to backup.

When using the UPSTREAM Director, go into the 'Backup' tab and choose your backup specifications, then choose 'Windows Snapshot'. For an exchange DAG backup - we recommend a dedicated Backup Profile such as ‘EXCHANGE’ is used. In this example we select Target ‘W2012EX13NODE1’ and profile ‘EXCHANGE’

Backup Specifications - Screen 1

Using the UPSTREAM Director GUI, first use the Exclude All button.

On the right hand ‘writer/component(s)’ panel expand the ‘Writer Usage - User Data’ section. Then expand the ‘Microsoft Exchange Writer’ section.

In this example a mix of DAG and NON DAG databases where hosted on the Exchange Server running on Server W2012EX13NODE1. This example selects a mix of both to be backed up. When the backup execute it will backup all ‘Active’ (DAG and NON-DAG) and all ‘passive’ (DAG) databased hosted on the server. All the selected backups will be backed up using profile ‘EXCHANGE’ in this example. As we already mentioned, it is preferred that as many DAG databases as possible are in ‘passive’ mode on the server used for backups - but that is obviously not always possible.

Backup Specifications - Screen 2

Set all of the Backup parameters and press the Start backup button. A series of messages and Status Windows appear, and once the backup is done, Director displays the message:

Backup Complete

DAG's are not static, and a reboot of a node may mean that the server node that hosts your passive database today will host your active database tomorrow. To help deal with this situation, we recommend that all Exchange DAG backups either full or incremental are run from the same Server Node each day, using an identical selection criteria and the same backup profile. This allows UPSTREAM to later on do a proper back to full type restore when needed of a missing or corrupted Exchange database.

There are situations where the server node selected for daily Exchange DAG backups might not be available. In that case it is acceptable to run the daily scheduled Exchange DAG backup on an alternate Server Node in the DAG, as long as the Exchange Database selection AND the Backup Profile name remains what it was on the original Backup Server node.

There a special situations which might require an Exchange DAG backup to be created that only backup ‘Active’ Databases or ‘Passive’ databases.

To achieve this, right-click on the Microsoft Exchange Replica Writer before starting your backup and select Writer Options.

Backup Specifications

The Writer Options window appears. The terminology in this window is generic, and not specific to Exchange. To back up passive database copies only, you must select “Include database replicas only”.

Writer Options

We recommend you contact BMC Support before deciding on an Exchange DAG backup policy that is not following the above recommendations.

Director is the front end interface for creating jobs that backup Exchange mailbox databases. Additionally, UPSTREAM Director's Dispatcher functionality can be used to schedule automatic backups.

Backup of Exchange to a z⁄OS Mainframe Storage Server

Backing up an Exchange DAG on a day to day basis requires careful planning, as the opportunity to back up the same data twice, or not enough data, is a distinct possibility. This means that care must be taken to back up the database on the same Exchange server node each day, depending on where it exists. In the example we're going to setup the jobs using Mainframe JCL. Before starting to automate and or schedule backups to run, ensure that ad-hoc backups work. This ensures that the profiles, tape / disk structure and target names have all been setup using the correct guidelines.

Additionally, it's important to consider the number of mailbox database copies each database has. The reason it is important is that when or if a mailbox database backup of Server 1 fails, that same backup request can be rerouted to another Server.

That recommended option when backing up an Exchange DAG is:

• ackup the 'active + passive' database (recommended)

Backing up the Database

First dedicate an Exchange Server to be the dedicated Backup target, see above for details and use the 'Microsoft Exchange Writer'. Below, see the file specs that can be used to execute the backup.

Using the Director to Restore an Exchange Database#

When it comes time to restore an Exchange database, consideration must be given as to where the database is to be restored. The database can be restored either in-place, to a recovery database, or to a directory in the Windows file system.

In-place restores are typically used in a disaster recovery situation, where the original database is completely gone or corrupted. For an in-place restore to be successful, the restore must target the active database copy. This allows Exchange to replicate the restored database to the other nodes in the DAG. If the in-place restore targets a passive copy of the database, the restore will soon be overwritten when Exchange replicates the active copy to all of the passive copies.

A more common scenario is to restore the database to an alternate database called a recovery database. This allows the original database to continue serving users while the Exchange admin performs the restore and then accesses the recovery database to perform actions such as retrieving mail, exporting mailboxes to *.pst files, etc.

The third option simply restores a copy of the database and its associated files to a location of the user's choice. The Exchange admin can then access the database to perform whatever forensic actions are required.

In order for Exchange to allow a restore to a particular database, that database must be dismounted and marked specifically to allow it to be overwritten by a restore. When you create a recovery database, these criteria are set automatically. See Microsoft's documentation for instructions on creating a recovery database in Exchange 2010.

Below we will show using the UPSTREAM Director GUI to restore a backed-up database to a recovery database.

Begin on the Restore tab by selecting the desired backup profile. Browse to the backup version that you want to restore and expand the backup version. Double-click the Snap Shot Collection. Note that the target is automatically set to be the server which was backed up. If necessary, that can be changed by selecting a different target near the bottom of the window and then double-clicking the Snap Shot Collection.

Snap Shot Collection

The “Restore Object(s)” window populates. Now select the database to restore, and specify where it should be restored to. Follow the following steps while consulting Figure20.9.

1. Find the database to restore under “Writer Usage - User Data” and check the box.
2. Select the Show Writer/Component Properties button.
3. Select the … button next to the “Options” field.
4. Select the database that you want to restore to.

Selecting a Recovery Database

Click OK in the window titled “Exchange 2010/13 Plugin Options”. Click OK in the window titled “Component Properties - Exchange Mailbox Database…” Then click Start restore in the “Restore Object(s)” window.

Two new windows open, displaying the status of the restore and the log entries in the UPSTREAM log file. When the restore is complete, a third window appears that reports the success of the backup and notes any problems that may have occurred.

If problems do occur, the full details are in the upstream log file. This file should be submitted to the BMC Support for diagnosis of any restore failures.