Backing up Exchange 2010

Let’s start by stating that backups are absolutely necessary in Exchange environment even though now you can achieve HA by using database ability groups. If you don’t backup your exchange mailbox servers, transaction logs will fill up eventually and will bring down your servers. DAG will not replace daily backups but it can help in below scenarios;

Entire mailbox server failure can be tolerated by replicating all the databases to another DAG member. In this scenario, all the passive databases on the secondary server will become active if primary server fails.
Corrupt database can be tolerated by using lag copies of the database. In this case, you simply configure the lag time when running “add-mailboxdatabasecopy” command. Exchange won’t play the logs into the database until lag time has passed.
Since DAG allow mailbox server from multiple sites in same DAG, databases can be replicated across datacenters. This allow you to save on off site tape backups.

All these features are great but DAG will not allow for point in time data recovery. In a scenario, where CEO accidently deleted his mails and 30 days have passed. The only way to restore his data is from tape backups. Whether you are using Windows backup, Symantec netbackup or Netapp snapmanager for Exchange, the main goal is to meet your SLA. Best backup strategy is the one that meets your SLA with minimal cost.

Below, I will walk you through how to back up your Exchange 2010 server using the built in Backup tool. Yes, builtin backup tool with Server 2008 is Exchange aware and utilize VSS to perform backups. Keep in mind there are some drawbacks with the builtin tool. This tool doesn’t allow remote backups which forces admins to run backup jobs locally using task scheduler. Also, it doesn’t allow backup of passive databases.

Install backup feature by running below command:
ServermanagerCMD –I backup-features
Go to Start > all programs > administrative tools > windows server backup.
On the right pane, choose backup once.
Select the volume of the databases.
Follow on screen wizard.
When advanced settings dialog box appears, choose VSS fullbackup option.
Follow on screen wizard.

How to restore Exchange Database from backup

Go to Start > all programs > administrative tools > windows server backup.
On the right pane, choose recover task
On the wizard screen, choose “this server to restore a bacup of the current server”, click next
Select “appications” when wizard asks for recovery type.
Then, choose recover to orginal location to restore the backup to the original location of the databases.
Follow on screen wizard.