Back Up Microsoft Exchange Server
Exchange servers must be backed up regularly to ensure that all mailboxes and system data can be recovered in the event of an Exchange server crash. Because Exchange uses open files and running processes, backing it up is a more complex task than backing up flat files. Microsoft backup applications and third party backup software can be used to handle Exchange backups. Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 offers a plug-in for Windows Server Backup that provides easy, successful Exchange-aware backups. Older versions of Microsoft Exchange can be backed up using NTBACKUP, a built-in backup utility.
Contents
Steps
How to Backup Exchange Server 2003 With NTBACKUP
- Make sure the Exchange System Manager is installed on the backup server.
- Left-click on the start key and choose "run." Type in "NTBACKUP" on the command line.
- Click on the prompts to the next screen. Choose a folder to save the backed up files to. Name the backup. Choose whether to verify the data after the backup. This will take longer, but ensures a successful backup.
- Wait for the backup to finish running. The percentage completed will display on the screen. Once finished, check the event log to see if it was there were any errors during the process.
How to Backup Exchange Server 2010 With Windows Server Backup
- Install the Windows Server Backup feature on the local computer.
- Disable the Exchange Replication Service VSS writer if it is running.
- Log on to the Exchange server as a user with permission to backup and restore mailboxes.
- Open Windows Server Backup from the programs folder.
- Select "Backup Once" from the actions menu.
- Click "Different options," and then click "next."
- Choose the type of backup and click "next." "Full server" is recommended to back up all volumes. With "custom," specific volumes can be selected for backup on the next screen. Volumes that include operating system applications or components are backed up by default.
- Pick the location to store the backed up data and click on "next." A local or remote folder can be chosen. For remote locations, choose a user login that has write permissions on the remote computer. Choose "inherit" to give all users who have access to the remote folder rights to the backup.
- Specify "VSS full backup" on the advanced options page. Click "next." Confirm the backup options and run the backup.
- View the backup status on the "Backup progress" screen. Choose "close" when the backup is complete.
- Check with Microsoft and the vendor to make sure the third party application is supported by Microsoft and meets requirements for backing up Exchange. Backup software that can't handle open files can result in loss of data.
- Install Exchange Agent backup software on the backup server.
- Decide whether to run online or offline backups. Online backups can be run while the Exchange server is in use. Offline backup will stop the Exchange database and services.
- Choose whether to do full, incremental, or differential backups. Full backups back up everything. Incremental or differential backups backup changes in exchange stores, directories or folders, which takes less time and disk space.
Tips
- Microsoft will provide assistance for third party software as long as the software is supported. The vendor should be the first line of support for technical issues.
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