Not sure if Acronis supports it (NTBackup does), but if you have enough disk space you can create a temporary Recovery Storage Group to restore your database to in order to aid your recovery. You can then just restore the database you need, mount it and then export the contents out for that mailbox. You can use then use exmerge to export to a PST file or merge the contents with the "active" mailbox.
These should help with using Recovery Storage Groups: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824126 http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=64841 I do suggest you investigate using Deleted Item Recovery in conjunction with your backup plan. We have a policy in place that keeps deleted items for 14 days (set to automatically purge expired items after a backup). This is very handy in cases like you mentioned (in fact it happened this week). You can then just log into the mailbox with an Outlook client on computer that has the Recover Deleted Items registry in place and immediately restore all deleted items in the folder they were "permanently" deleted from. Don't have to worry about finding tapes or having to wait for a database restore. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brett Fernicola Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 12:57 PM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: I need some advice on a good Exchange Backup - Restore Solution. I agree, Acronis works great for standard servers and workstations. I have restored hundreds of laptops and normal non AD servers with Acronis with 100% success. I have a new ? though. Lets say I schedule Acronis to backup my exchange database file. Then a user accidentaly deltes all of his email through IMAP or something. Now I have a good backup of the exchange database. Can I mount that datebase on a different storage group to get to that users old mailbox contents, or do I need another spare exchange server? Whats the easiest way to recover that users mailbox via my snapshot of the Exchange database. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Larry Wahlers Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 1:42 PM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: I need some advice on a good Exchange Backup - Restore Solution. Hi, Brett, I haven't gone back to re-read all the stuff I sent you, but your procedure sounds about right. Of course, I'd test it in an isolated environment first. And, regarding Acronis, we've had good luck restoring "normal" servers that aren't running specialized database applications like Exchange, SQL, or AD. In fact, TrueImage has restored servers to different hardware far more successfully than Backup Exec or Evault. And, no, I don't work for any of these three companies! -- Larry Wahlers Concordia Technologies The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod MailTo:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Business Phone: (314) 996-1876 > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Brett Fernicola > Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 12:32 PM > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: RE: I need some advice on a good Exchange Backup - > Restore Solution. > > Thanks for the great links, I read through some and correct > me if I'm wrong. > It looks like I did not do a proper restore. > > Would this be the correct procedure in case of a HD failure: > > > 1. Restore a new working HD with the Acronis Image of my > Servers partition. > 2. Unplug network cable > 3. Boot into AD Restore mode. (F8 ) > 4. Restore System State from my NTBACKUP of just the SystemState. > 5. Reboot into normal windows mode and let the other DC's > replicate the correct information. > 6. Finished and up and running > > > Will this prevent the USN rollback problem I've been reading about. > > And can this procedure be followed for both my Primary Domain > Controller and my Additional Domain Controller / Global > Catalog / Exchange Server. > > > The reason I did not follow the standard f8 restore procedure > is because Acronis assured me before I purchased the software > that their product can do an Online backup and Restore of a > domain controller and Exchange Server without any issues. > They never mentioned anything about doing NTBACKUPS or > preparing the box after a restore etc. > > Strait Up I feel lied to and deceived by Acronis. > > Also their product sometimes completely locks up the Server > and it needs a hard reboot. Their before and after bat file > run trick has not worked until their latest version that just > came out. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Larry Wahlers > Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 10:50 AM > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: RE: I need some advice on a good Exchange Backup - > Restore Solution. > > Hot dog! I get to help somebody for a change, instead of > mooching off all the intelligent folks here. > > We have Acronis TrueImage installed on a number of servers > and have used it successfully. However, it WILL NOT back up > and restore a DC. Read here to find out why: > > http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=96564 > > And, giving credit where credit is due, Jorge from this list > put me in the right direction on his blog: > > http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/jorge/archive/2006/03/08/597.aspx > > If you read that, you'll see a reference to the MSKB article here: > > http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?id=875495 > > > Bottom line is, you need to backup and restore a DC using an > "active directory-aware" program, such as NTBackup. > > > -- > Larry Wahlers > Concordia Technologies > The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod > MailTo:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Business Phone: (314) 996-1876 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Brett Fernicola > Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 7:19 AM > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: I need some advice on a good Exchange Backup - Restore > Solution. > > Hi, > > > > I have been looking for a good quick easy self automated > backup solution > for small exchange shops that I have been doing consulting work for. > > My goal is to find a product that can backup an Exchange Server > completely including the OS state, System State, Exchange data and all > files. I want this backup to be a complete working disk image that I > could use to restore the server with in case of complete Hard Drive > failure. I also want to be able to start these backups while > the server > is still Online and running in windows and processing email. Then > eventually schedule all this to do a backup once a week thus > not needing > any admin intervention. > > > > So far I have tried Acronis, and it works great when used > booted from a > boot cd, but running Live from windows is not always pretty. > I have the > latest version and I've seen it completely lock windows. I > also use bat > files to shut down (netlogin, File Replication, and Exchange) > before the > backup is run. I also turn on VSS support and tell Acronis to do an > entire C: > Partition image backup to a file and to save it on an external HD. > > > > I dry run tested my backup and restore procedure by trying to > restore a > server to another extra identical HD I had lying around. After I > restored the Exchange Server I tested it on, which is also an > additional > Domain Controller and Global Catalog, the system did boot but it had > problems. In my event log I saw an error that said "Active Directory > was restored using an unsorted method and in result the > Netlogon Service > was Stopped." So I checked Netlogon and sure enough it was > stopped and > will not start on a reboot. Now If I manually started > netlogon and then > ran a dcdiag everything seemed to check out fine. Email was working, > Authentication was fine, OWA, and even SYSVOl replication was working > smoothly. However if you reboot this server in its restored state it > will not work until Netlogon is fired back up. So a simple > bat file can > fix this but should not be necessary. > > > > > > So my question I pose is how do I properly backup and restore a small > Primary Domain Controller and small Exchange Server which is also an > additional domain controller + Global catalog. How good is NTBACKUP, > and what is the correct method of doing a backup and restore with a > NTBACKUP image. > > > > Any thoughts, comments and software recommendations would be greatly > appreciated. > > > Brett Fernicola > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > Jupitermedia Corp. > Attn: Discussion List Management > 475 Park Avenue South > New York, NY 10016 > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > Jupitermedia Corp. > Attn: Discussion List Management > 475 Park Avenue South > New York, NY 10016 > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > Jupitermedia Corp. > Attn: Discussion List Management > 475 Park Avenue South > New York, NY 10016 > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. Attn: Discussion List Management 475 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. Attn: Discussion List Management 475 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. Attn: Discussion List Management 475 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 Please include the email address which you have been contacted with.
