Microsoft Exchange: Preparation for, and speedy recovery of, e Mail messaging & Exchange Data in Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 Henry Craven SBS MVP Co-author Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 Unleashed Solutions Architect CI Information Technology Pty. Ltd.
Introduction E mail is Ubiquitous Mission Critical Cost to losing communication with clients & suppliers Loss of Income - Opportunity - Credibility Mounting expenses Production - Wages Not IF, but WHEN it will happen Problem solved - we have a backup Or is it?
Introduction Sometimes the disruption caused can be worse than the incident. There is the need for speed & a rush to recovery & what s s happening to the mail while the Exchange server is down?
Backup Why Do Backups? Insurance Feel good Types of Backup: Disaster Recovery Roll Back, Data comparison SBS Backup - Specifically aimed at System and/or Data Recovery Archival Purposes Permanent Archive Forensic Archive
Backup Event: System Failure Corruption Unwanted Change Upgrade - Patch - Accidental damage Virus / Malware Malicious / Criminal Hacking Internal / External Legal / Obligatory compliance
Backup Scope : System DataStore Mailbox Individual e Mail(s) Impact / Breadth System down All or some individuals Mail Flow disrupted delayed Mail Flow continues - New mail only Alternative access to e Mail e (POP, Webmail)
Backup Impact / Duration Backup window Fairly easily addresses Recovery window is critical Allow for the Log file replay Impact on Mission Critical Business Fundamentals How long before things are normal again? What s s happening to the e Mail e in the interim? Backup MX - Not always present Retry Intervals - Retry cut-off
Backup Backup types: Disk / Partition Images System backups ( SBS Backup ) Offline backup ( NT Backup ) Brick Level backups (Exmerge 3rd party) Full backups Incremental backups Differential
Backup Best Solution? Dependant on: Type of Business Dependence of Business on e Maile Sensitivity of Business to e Mail e downtime Resources of Business IT budget Tools Possibly require multiple implementations. e.g. In addition to System backup POP3 / Cached MX + Offline + Brick Level + Archive.
Planning Planning a Backup SLA: Look at Business needs, sensitivities, resources. Understand what and why we are backing it up. Understand what needs to be in place while we recover. Understand the time windows we have to work with. Production Restore - Decision Tree Time of day is the biggest factor If after business /e Mail hours, normal restore If during business hours - Dial Tone + RSG - Other
Planning Location of Application, Databases & Log Files Exchange Components Application Engine Database Files Pub/Priv Priv EDB/STM Transaction Logs & checkpoint File Queues Content indexing files Capacity & Restoration Planning Separate Spindles / Partitions for DB & Logs Minimum - Separate Partition Partition Size 2.5 times Data Size DB Files + Logs Allow for growth
Toolkit What s s in the Toolbox? Native to SBS SBS Backup wizard Native to Windows NT Backup Volume Shadow Copy Services Native to Exchange Mailbox / e Mail e retention period Recovery Storage group ExMerge ESEuti ISinteg 3rd Party Variety of backup applications Brick Level backups Imaging Applications Cached MX
Toolkit Native to SBS 2003 ( Assume all current SBS Backup Wizard ( Assume all current SPs) Configures e Mail e and Mailbox Retention period Turns OFF circular logging Exchange-aware aware Online Backup (NT Backup) Exchange Offline backup (NT Backup) Uses VSS but does not have (Exchange VSS Reader) Mailbox Recovery Centre Bulk re-connection of Mailboxes
Toolkit Native to Windows NT Backup Volume Shadow Copy Services Offline backup Public & Private edb/stm files and transaction logs Exchange Database: Contains the processed and permanently stored objects email appointments - contacts, - tasks, etc as well as server-side side rules for Outlook preferences for each user Active Directory: Holds user accounts - security groups -distribution groups and contacts Don t t forget your POP accounts.
Toolkit Native to Exchange Mailbox & e Mail e retention period Set to realistic value for the environment
Toolkit Native to Exchange Recovery Storage group Create in same partition as Exchange Datastore Create with same names Mount manually Restore will restore to this Group by Default Do not leave mounted in SBS environment When Used Production Restores Single Mailbox Restores Testing Backup/Restore Process
Toolkit Native to Exchange ExMerge ( The Wonder Tool ) Extensive filtering capabilities One step or two step restore via.pst file Best for: Forensics Repairing Individual mailbox Merge data to target store Scriptable: Individual mailbox backup
Toolkit ExMerge ( The Wonder Tool ) Lengthy - 1 gigabyte of mailbox data per hour Lossy - Metadata not recovered Offline folder file (.ost ost) ) encryption keys All folder permissions, which include delegate permissions Rules Personal forms Custom folder views Public Folders Limited Does Not work on Public Folders Expensive ( loss of single instance storage )
Toolkit ESEutil Defragment Offline Information Store Examines the structure of the database tables and records includes reading scanning repairing defragmenting Works on low level of the database Can be lossy Creates New Clean Database.
Toolkit ESEutil Work on offline copy- of Database Preserve the original /p Create new database in same partition The Tempdfrg.edb file is created on the logical drive from which the eseutil /d command is run unless you use the /t switch Swap folders
Toolkit Isinteg Can perform multiple independent and interrelated tests of the database, and can fix discrepancies found Searches an offline information store for integrity weaknesses Repair information Store -fix Run on copy of the database Run after ESEutil repair
Toolkit 3rd Party Variety of backup applications Brick Level backups incremental - Differential Imaging Applications So what is happening to the mail while we re down? Cached MX? http://www.ownwebnow.com/redundant-sbs.asp Primary MX Mailgate with ETRN & realtime copy to secondary Webmail / POP server. 1GB buffer.
Forklift Copy Directly into Data Folders From Backup From Repair Database Locations Possibly Considerable Time Involved
Dialtone Messaging Dial Tone - The Swing for Exchange (restore service now, restore data later) Set user expectations Functionality that will be available to them How soon full functionality will be restored Multiple interruptions Create Dialtone Database - wipe / reset the Exchange information store database - delete the entire database and all the log files lose messages,, forms, views, and other mailbox metadata Be aware that.ost. files will be affected
Dialtone Restore the Recovery Database Configure the recovery storage group & recovery storage group database Place the recovery storage group database on the same logical drive as the dial tone database Mount the backup or repaired database in the recovery storage group Disconnect both databases & swap them ( if in same partition you can swap the folder names ) Users now have all their metadata back Merge the data from the Dialtone database back into the master
Dialtone Create Dialtone Database & Mount Recovery Database Wipe / reset the Exchange information store database Users lose messages,, forms, views, and other mailbox metadata Be aware that.ost. files will be affected Mount the backup or repaired database in the recovery storage group
Dialtone Create Dialtone Database Mount the backup or repaired database in the recovery storage group Disconnect and swap databases ( if in same partition you can swap the folder names ) Users now have all their metadata back
Dialtone Merge Dialtone data to restored database Merge the data from the Dialtone database back into the master
Restore Restoring Data Run multiple copies of ExMerge simultaneously Filter the folders extracted by ExMerge so that the most important folders are restored first Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Tasks folders set Exmerge to restore the Inbox on the next pass, and then set Exmerge to restore all of the other folders the Deleted Items folder can remain the last step of the restoration process Be wary of the Log File Build-up up
Conclusion Put it together: Analysis: Risks, Needs & Possibilities Planning Disk Space / Partition / Method(s) Documentation Customer Buy-in/SLA, Understanding & Repeatability Implementation Have all elements in place Monitoring Keep an eye on Databases, Space, Growth, Environment changes Practice Implementers know the tools intimately Regular testing of Backup: 60% fail
Resources Exchange Server 2003 Disaster Recovery Operations Guide http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/disrecopgde.mspx Using Recovery Storage Groups in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/ue2k3rsg.mspx Administration Guide for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=98e45481-1458-4809-97d6-50d8aeebd8a1&displaylang=en Considerations and best practices when resetting an Exchange mailbox database http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=282496a Best Practices for Configuring Exchange Back-End Storage http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/guides/e2k3highavguide/c1804c14-c099-4207-b6b9-de5bda972b76.mspx?mfr=true Microsoft Exchange Server Mailbox Merge Wizard (exmerge) http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=429163ec-dcdf-47dc-96da- 1c12d67327d5&DisplayLang=en XADM: Some Questions and Answers About the Exmerge Utility http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192185/ How to defragment with the Eseutil utility (Eseutil.exe) http://www.google.com.au/search?ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&sourceid=deskbar&q=exmerge
Resources List Servers SBS2K: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbs2k/ SmallbizIT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smallbizit/ Newsgroups: Public: - Server: news.microsoft.com Newsgroup: microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs Partner: - Server: privatenews.microsoft.com Newsgroup: microsoft.private.directaccess.smallbizserver2003 Usergroups: http://www.sbsusers.org/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/melb-sbsusers/ http://www.sbsfaq.com/default.aspx http://www.smallbusinessserver.com.au/ http://www.sbsusers.net/
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