VIDEO: NetBackup Support Screencast Demo: Configuring Snapshot-based Information Store Backups on Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 with NetBackup 7.0

Article: 100037782
Last Published: 2015-08-31
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Product(s): NetBackup & Alta Data Protection

Description

The video linked to is a part of the NetBackup Support Screencast Demo Video series.  It demonstrates Configuring Snapshot-based Information Store Backups on Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 with NetBackup 7.0.
 

TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO:
 
Welcome to the NetBackup Support Screencast Demo Video series.
 
These videos deliver how to demonstrations in a variety of NetBackup functions.
 
They assume fundamental NetBackup knowledge.
 
If you need basic NetBackup training, please go to https://education.Veritas.com where you will be able to find a listing of instructor-led classroom training as well as self-paced computer-based courses for NetBackup.
 
This video is Configuring Snapshot-based Information Store Backups on Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 with NetBackup 7.0.
 
The specific environment for this video is a master/media server running NetBackup 7.0.1 on Windows 2003 R2 SP2. The client is Exchange 2003 with NetBackup 7.0.1 on Windows 2003 R2 SP2. The system is not clustered. However, please be aware the configuration here also applies to Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010 snapshot-based backups.
 
This video does not apply to:
·         Stream-based backups
·         NetBackup version lower than 7.0
 
First, we need to make sure that the NetBackup client service running on the client is running as an account that has the correct permissions to backup Exchange Information Store databases. For this video, the Netbackup client service is running as the default installed Local System Account. If a specific service account is needed for the NetBackup client service, we would need to make sure that account has Local System Administrator privileges, as well as the proper Administrative privileges in Exchange in order to be able to backup Information Store databases.
 
Now we will go ahead and configure a policy for the Information Store backup. We will bring up the NetBackup administration console, right click on Policies, and choose New Policy. This will bring up the Add a New Policy dialog. We will use "Exchange_IS_snap_backup" as the policy name. We are going to keep the option to use the wizard unchecked, and click OK. This will bring up the Add New Policy window where we will configure the new policy.
 
We will start with the Attributes tab. We will choose "MS-Exchange-Server" under Policy type. Under the Policy storage drop down, we will choose "DSU" for the Disk Storage Unit that had been configured already for this example. 
 
We will also check the check box for the Allow multiple data streams option, which will be explained further when going over the backup selection. 
 
Under Snapshot Client we will check the check box for the Perform snapshot backups option, and then click the Snapshot Client Options button which will bring up the Snapshot Client Options dialog. Under the Snapshot method dropdown, we will choose "VSS". The default settings under Configuration Parameters should normally be sufficient. Depending on the storage used for the Exchange databases, the NetBackup client may have a hardware provider VSS writer. By default, the hardware provider VSS writer is used for the snapshot. If this is not desired, then the Provider Type settings under Configuration Parameters should be changed from 0, which is the "auto" setting, to 1, which specifies the "system" setting. And here, we click OK to save the snapshot settings. We also see that enabling the snapshot option made available the Microsoft Exchange Attributes settings, regarding CCR and DAG, in the lower right quarter of the Attributes dialog. As we are using snapshot to backup Exchange servers that are not using replication, these settings will not be used.
 
Next we will click on the Schedules tab to create the appropriate schedule for a full backup. We click the New  button to bring up the Add New Schedule window. Under Name we are going to use "Full" as the name of this schedule. Under the Type of backup, we will leave the "Full Backup" type. The four backup types are as follows:
·         Full Backup - which backs up the Exchange databases and transaction logs and will then have Exchange truncate the logs after a successful backup.
·         Differential Incremental Backup - which backs up Exchange transaction logs only and will then have Exchange truncate the logs after a successful backup
·         Cumulative Incremental Backup - which also backs up Exchange transaction logs only but will not have Exchange truncate the logs after a successful backup; and
·         User Backup - which will allow an Exchange backup to be initiated from the client during an open Start Window. 
 
We will leave the rest of the settings at their default, and will not be configuring a Start Window for the Full Backup schedule as we will be running the backup manually for this example. Both the Start Window and Exclude Dates settings do not need any Exchange specific settings, so those will not be covered further. Now we click OK to save the Schedule settings.
 
Now we will click on the Clients tab to add the Exchange client. We click on the New button and then enter the client name. After we enter each host name, we hit the <Enter> key on the keyboard. This will cause the Hardware and Operating System columns to be automatically populated.
 
Next we will click on the Backup Selections tab to configure the backup selection for the policy. We will click the New button to enter a backup selection, and then the button at the very right of the backup selection that looks like a hand pointing to the right. This will bring up the Select Directive dialog. Under the Directive set drop down we will leave the "MS_Exchange_Database" setting, and under the Directive drop down we will choose "Microsoft Information Store:\", and then click OK
 
It is also recommended that an asterisk be entered at the end of the "Microsoft Information Store:\" directive. We will do that here, and then hit the <Enter> key. Using the asterisk wildcard in this way, along with the checked Allow multiple data streams under the Attributes tab, will allow each Storage Group to run as its own backup job. This is recommended because it may increase the overall performance of the Exchange backup. Since backup performance is greatly dependant on the environment, however, this cannot be guaranteed. We will click OK to save the policy.
 
With the policy created, it is time to run the backup. We right click on the newly created policy, and choose Manual Backup which brings up the Manual Backup dialog. Now we click OK to start the backup, and OK again for the popup notification that a backup has started. We click on Activity Monitor and can see a multiple stream parent job. When we double-click the parent job and then click the Detailed Status tab, we can see the snapshot activity. After the snapshot completes on the client we would see a backup job for each Storage Group launch, although depending on the Exchange environment this can take several seconds or even several minutes. 
 
And here we see the backup jobs have completed successfully, each with a blue man and a status 0.
 
Any final status other than 0 should be considered an unsuccessful Exchange backup and the cause should be investigated. Such a backup cannot be relied upon for a restore.
 
The video can be viewed by clicking on:  NetBackup7.0 - Exchange2003/07/10 Snapshot Backup
 
Time: 7:17

 

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