Tony, > 1.) Backup up the users individual mailbox (brick level) "directly" to a PST > file, so that I do not have to have a hot spare and so that I do NOT have to > use Exmerge. [if this is true, then all I would need to do is make the PST > available for the user to import into Outlook and they could copy up the > folder/messages themselves]
Data Protection 5.1.5 included a document (BRICKBACK.DOC), sample scripts and sample configuration files (ExMerge.INI and DSM.OPT). The document describes a "Brick-Level" solution utilizing a combination of of ExMerge (export to .PST file) and the TSM BA client to back up the .PST file to the TSM Server. It also documents how to use the TSM BA Client subfile backup feature so that only the changes to the mailbox (generally speaking.. new and changed mail) are backed up to the TSM Server. The document and scripts are included in the Data Protection for Exchange 5.1.5 package since it is the Exchange customers that use this solution. The Data Protection for Exchange product executables are not used in the brick-level solution. Yes, the documented solution does require additional disk, but it does work, and has a good side effect of a "local" quick cache of .PST files for those item level restores you get hit up for. Also, don't forget about the "deleted item restore" feature in Exchange 5.5 SP3+ and the "deleted item restore" and "deleted mailbox restore" features Exchange 2000. Also, with Exchange 2003, Microsoft has added a special "Recovery Storage Group" that will allow you to restore a database into a separate "location", not affecting the current users, and use ExMerge to get access to the things you need. > 2.) Other than allowing a "online" hot backup of the database, what does the > TDP do for me if I have to restore a users "Inbox" or message" With Data Protection for Exchange you can always restore the databases to an alternate server to get access to what you want. But.. keep in mind... customers that use "brick-level" solutions also need to use standard online backup solutions (like Data Protection for Exchange) since there is no "brick-level" solution that will be able to recover your *entire* Exchange Server in the event of a serious Exchange server corruption... and even if some "brick-level" solution could get close, any fairly large Exchange server restored via "brick-level" would take a very, very long time. I hope this helps. Thanks, Del ---------------------------------------------------- Del Hoobler IBM Corporation [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Remember that the best job security is doing a job well and doing it cheerfully.
