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Home Articles&Tutorials Exchange2016Articles HighAvailability&Recovery

Protecting Exchange with Azure Backup (Part 3)

by Rui Silva [Published on 31 May 2016 / Last Updated on 31 May 2016]

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ConfiguringtheprotectionofExchangeServer2016andrestoringdatabasesandsingleusermailboxes.

IfyouwouldliketobenotifiedofwhenRuiSilvareleasesthenextpartinthisarticleseriespleasesignuptoourMSExchange.orgRealTimeArticleUpdatenewsletter
(http://www.msexchange.org/pages/newsletter.asp).

Ifyouwouldliketoreadtheotherpartsinthisarticleseriespleasegoto:

ProtectingExchangewithAzureBackup(Part1)(http://www.msexchange.org/articlestutorials/exchange2016articles/highavailabilityrecovery/protectingexchangeazure
backuppart1.html)
ProtectingExchangewithAzureBackup(Part2)(http://www.msexchange.org/articlestutorials/exchange2016articles/highavailabilityrecovery/protectingexchangeazure
backuppart2.html)

Backing up Exchange Server

1.BeforecreatingtheProtectionGroup,sincewereprotectinganExchangeServer,wemustcopytheeseandeseutilfiles(usuallylocatedatC:\Program
Files\Microsoft\ExchangeServer\V15\Bin)totheDPMServer(C:\ProgramFiles\MicrosoftAzureBackup\DPM\DPM\bin).Theversionsofeseutil.exeandese.dllthatare
installedonthecomputerrunningthemostrecenteditionofExchangeServermustbethesameversionsthatareinstalledontheAzureBackupServer.

Figure1:eseandeseutilfilesontheDPMserver

2.TocreateaProtectionGroup,inMicrosoftAzureBackupconsole,intheProtectiontaskarea,intheActionspane,clickCreateprotectiongroup(Figure2).TheNew
ProtectionGroupWizardappearsandguidesyouthroughtheprocessofcreatingtheprotectiongroup(Figure3).ClickNext.

Figure2:CreateProtectionGroup
Figure3:NewProtectionGroupWizard

3.OntheSelectProtectionGroupType,selectServersandclickNext(Figure4).
4.OntheSelectGroupMemberspage,verifythatallcomputersthatstoredatayouwanttoprotectaredisplayedintheAvailablemembersbox.IntheAvailablemembersbox,
expandtheservernodestodisplaytheavailabledatasourcesoneachserverandtoseeavailableExchangemailboxdatabases.Placeacheckmarkintheboxnexttoeach
mailboxdatabaseyouwanttoinclude.Asyouselectdatasources,yourselectionsappearintheSelectedmembersbox(Figure5).ClickNext.

Figure4:SelectProtectionGroupType
Figure5:SelectGroupMembers

5.OntheSelectDataProtectionMethodpage,selectIwantshorttermprotectionusingcheckboxforshorttermprotectionandthenselectthemediayouwanttousefromthe
dropdownlist.AzureBackupServeronlysupportsDiskforshorttermprotection(Figure6).TheoptionIwantonlineprotectionisonlyavailableifshorttermprotectionusing
diskisselected.ClickNext.

Figure6:SelectDataProtectionMethod

6.OntheSpecifyExchangeProtectionOptionspage,selecttheRunEseutiltocheckdataintegritycheckboxtochecktheintegrityoftheExchangeServerdatabases(Figure7).
ThiswilloffloadthebackupconsistencycheckingfromtheExchangeServertotheAzureBackupServerwhichmeanstheI/OimpactofrunningeseutilontheExchange
Serverduringthebackupitselfiseliminated.IfprotectingaDAG,makesureRunforlogfilesonlyisselected.
Ifyoudidntpreviouslycopytheeseutilfile,asmentionedonstep1,youllseeanerror(Figure8).ClickNext.
Figure7:ExchangeProtectionOptions

Figure8:Erroreseutil

7.OntheSpecifyExchangeDAGProtectionpage(Figure9),selectthedatabasesforcopybackupandexpressfullbackup.Forprotectingmultiplecopiesofthesame
database,selectonlyonedatabaseforexpressfullandincrementalbackupandthenselecttheremainingcopiesforcopybackup.

Figure9:ExchangeDAGProtection
 8.OntheSpecifyShortTermGoalspage(Figure10),selecttheretentiondurationfordatarecoveryintheRetentionrangebox.IntheSynchronizationfrequencysection,
selectthefrequencyoftheincrementalbackupsorJustbeforearecoverypointtoconfigureMABStoperformanexpressfullbackupjustbeforeeachscheduledrecovery
point.Tomodifytherecoverypointscheduleforadatasource,clickModifynexttothedesireddatasource.ClickNext.

Figure10:ShortTermGoals

9.MicrosoftAzureBackupServerwilldisplayitsrecommendeddiskallocations(Figure11).Thisstepenablesyoutoallocatehowmuchofthediskstoragepoolwillbeusedto
protecttheseparticulardatasources.YoushouldallocatetheDPMreplicavolumetoslightlylargerthantheamountyouexpecteachdatasourcetogrowintheshortterm.
Sizingtherecoverypointvolumewilldeterminehowmanypreviousrecoverypointsareavailableforrapid,diskbasedrestore.Toaccepttherecommendedallocations,click
Next.Tochangearecommendedallocation,clickModify,adjusttheallocations,clickOK,andthenclickNext.

Figure11:DiskAllocation

10.OntheChooseReplicaCreationMethodpage(Figure12),selectwhenyouwantDPMtoexecutetheinitialreplicationofyourdataandclickNext.

SelecttheAutomaticallyoptiontohaveDPMreplicatethedataacrossthenetwork.SelectNowtohaveDPMimmediatelybegincopyingthedatafromthecomputers
youareprotectingtotheDPMserverSelectLatertostarttheinitialcopyatalatertimeifyouwanttoschedulethejobtorunonlyduringperiodsoflightnetworktraffic.
SelectManuallytousetape,USBstorage,orotherportablemediatotransferthebaselinedatatotheDPMserver.
Figure12:ReplicaCreationMethod

11.OntheChooseConsistencycheckoptionspage(Figure13),choseeithertheRunaconsistencycheckifareplicabecomesinconsistentortheRunadailyconsistencycheck
accordingtothefollowingschedule.ClickNext.

Figure13:ReplicaCreationMethod

12.ChoosethedatabasethatyouwanttobackuptoAzure,andthenclickNext(Figure14).
Figure14:SpecifyOnlineProtectionData

13.DefinethescheduleforAzureBackup,andthenclickNext(Figure15).Onlinerecoverypointsarebasedonexpressfullrecoverypoints.Therefore,youmustschedulethe
onlinerecoverypointafterthetimethatsspecifiedfortheexpressfullrecoverypoint.

Figure15:SpecifyOnlineBackupSchedule

14.ConfiguretheretentionpolicyforAzureBackup,andthenclickNext(Figure16).
Figure16:SpecifyOnlineRetentionPolicy

15.ChooseanonlinereplicationoptionandclickNext(Figure17).Ifyouhavealargedatabase,itcouldtakealongtimefortheinitialbackuptobecreatedoverthenetwork.To
avoidthisissue,youcancreateanofflinebackup.

Figure17:SpecifyOnlineReplication

16.OntheSummarypage(Figure18),reviewthetasksthatMABSissettoperformtocreatetheprotectiongroupandthenclickCreateGroup.Reviewtheconfirmationpage
(Figure19)andclickClose.
Figure18:Summary

Figure19:ProtectionGroupCreationStatus

MABSwillimmediatelycreatethefirstreplicaofthestoragegroupsandwillshowanOKprotectionstatusifitsucceeds(Figure20).
Figure20:ExchangeProtectionGroup

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Restoring Exchange Data

SinceMicrosoftAzureBackupServer(MABS)isastrippeddownversionofSystemCenterDPM2012R2,itsupportsrecoveryofthefollowingExchangedata:

Recoverasinglemailbox:MABScanrecoverasinglemailbox.ItcopiestheentiredatabasetodosoasrecommendedbyExchange.Individualmailboxrecoveryisdone
througharecoverydatabaseratherthandirectlytothedatabasethathostedtheoriginalmailbox.Therecoverydatabasemustexistbeforeyoucanattemptthisrecovery.
RecoveranExchangedatabase:Youcanrecoveradatabasebyusingthe"latest"recoverypoint,resultinginnearzerodatalosswhentherecoveryiscomplete.
RecoveranentireExchangeserver:YoucanrecoveranentireExchangeserverifyouveprotectedtheserverwithabaremetalbackupinadditiontoprotectingthedata.

Dependingonthetypeofinformationtorecover,youalsohavesomeflexiblerestoreoptionswheretodumpthedata:

Toitsoriginallocation.
ToaRecoveryStorageGroup/RecoveryDatabase.
Toaseparatenetworkfolder.

Besidesallthediscreterecoverypointsthatareavailable(andtheycanbeevery15minutes),MABSprovidesonemorerecoverycapability:torecoverlatest,resultinginnearzero
datalosswhentherecoveryiscomplete.IntheeventofacompletelossoftheExchangedatabasefiles,onecanchooselatestwhichinstructsMABStofirstrestoretothelast
recoverypointandthenrollforwardthesurvivingtransactionlogsbeyondthat,aslongasthebestpracticeofstoringExchangedatabasesononevolumeandlogsonanotherhas
beenrespected.

TorecoveraMailboxDatabasetoitsoriginallocation,followthesesteps:

1.OpenMicrosoftAzureBackupConsoleandclickRecoveryonthenavigationbar.BrowsetothemailboxdatabaseyouwishtorecoverintheAllProtectedExchangeData
node.Clickanybolddateinthecalendar,selecttheLatestrecoverypointfromtheRecoverytimedropdownboxandclickRecoverintheActionspanetolaunchthe
RecoveryWizard(Figure21).
Figure21:Selectingamailboxdatabaserecoverypoint

2.ReviewtherecoveryselectionandclickNext(Figure22).SelectRecovertooriginalExchangeServerlocationandclickNext(Figure23).IfyouveworkedwithDPM
before,noticethatMABSdoesnthavetheCopytoTapeoption.

Figure22:ReviewRecoverySelection
Figure23:SelectRecoveryType

3.OntheSpecificRecoveryOptionspage,makesureMountthedatabasesaftertheyarerecoveredisselected.IfyouwantMABStosendanotificationwhentherecovery
processisfinished,selecttheSendanemailwhenthisrecoverycompletescheckboxandenteroneormoreemailaddresses(Figure24).ClickNext.

Figure24:SpecificRecoveryOptions

4.NowwemustgobacktotheExchangeServerinordertoallowthedatabasestobeoverwrittenbytherestore.Ifyoumissthisstep,therestorewillfail.OpenyourExchange
AdministrationCenter,navigatetoservers>databases,selectthedesiredExchangemailboxdatabaseandclickEditbutton.Gotomaintenance,selecttheThisdatabase
canbeoverwrittenbyarestorecheckboxandclicksave(Figure25).
BacktotheMABSserver,ontheSummarypage,reviewyourselectedsettingsandclickRecover(Figure26).Whentherecoveryiscomplete,clickClose(Figure27).
Figure25:MailboxDatabaseProperties

Figure26:Summary
Figure27:RecoveryStatus

Recovering Individual Exchange 2016 Mailbox

MABSsupportstherecoveryofindividualmailboxes,althoughunlikeotherproductsthatdobricklevelbackups,torecoveramailbox,MABSmustcopytheentiredatabase,because
thisistherecommendedmethodthatExchangesupports,asexplainedinKnowledgeBasearticle904845,"Microsoftsupportpolicyforthirdpartyproductsthatmodifyorextract
Exchangedatabasecontents(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=96542)".

Individualmailboxrecoverisdonetoarecoverydatabaseratherthandirectlytothedatabasethathostedtheoriginalmailbox.Therecoverydatabasemustexistpriortoattempting
thisrecovery

Ifyoufollowsomebestpractices,suchaskeepingdeleteditemsanddeletedmailboxesforaperiodoftime,theprobabilitythatyoulleverneedtorestoreasinglemailboxisquite
low.Neverthelessifyoucannotrecovertheneededdatausingthesemethods,herearethestepstorecoveraprotectedmailboxusingMABS:

1.OntheprotectedExchangeserver,ifyoudonothaveanexistingRecoveryMailboxDatabase,createonebyusingtheNewMailboxDatabasecmdletinExchange
ManagementShell.ConfiguretherecoverydatabasetoallowittobeoverwrittenbyusingtheSetMailboxDatabasecmdletinExchangeManagementShell.

a)NewMailboxDatabaseRecoveryNameRDBSECRETAGENTSServerE2K16DS2

b)SetMailboxDatabaseIdentityRDBSECRETAGENTSAllowFileRestore$true

Figure28:NewMailboxDatabase

Figure29:RDBCONTROLdatabase

2.OpenMicrosoftAzureBackupServerconsoleandclickRecoveryonthenavigationbar.Navigatetothemailboxdatabaseyouwishtorecover,underAllProtected
ExchangeDatapane,todisplaythelistofavailablemailboxes.Clickadateinthecalendar,selectarecoverypointfromtheRecoverytimedropdownboxandclickRecover
intheActionspanetolaunchtheRecoveryWizard(Figure30).Whenyouselectamailboxforrecovery,youcannotselectLatestastherecoverypoint,thisfunctionalityisnot
availableforindividualmailboxes(Figure31).
Figure30:Selectingamailboxrecoverypoint

Figure31:SelectRecoveryType

3.ReviewtherecoveryselectionandclickNext(Figure32).SelectRecovermailboxtoanExchangeserverdatabasetorecoverthemailboxtoitsoriginalserver,orselect
Copytoanetworkfoldertocopythedatabasefilestoaseparatefolderlocation.ClickNext(Figure33).

Figure32:ReviewRecoveryOptions
Figure33:SelectRecoveryType

4.OntheSpecifyDestinationwindow,specifythelocationtowritetherecoveredmailboxdatabaseto(TheRecoveryMailboxcreatedinstep1),andclickNext(Figure34).

Figure34:SpecifyDestination

5.OntheSpecifyRecoveryOptions,choosewhetheryouwanttouseNetworkbandwidthusagethrottlingandSANbasedrecoveryusinghardwaresnapshotsifavailable
andapplicable.SpecifyifyouwantMABStosendanemailmessagewhentherecoveryprocessisfinishedandclickNext(Figure35).
6.OntheSummarypage,reviewyourselectedsettingsandclickRecover(Figure36).Whentherecoveryiscomplete,clickClose(Figure37).
Figure35:SpecifyRecoveryOptions

Figure36:Summary
Figure37:RecoveryStatus

7.Aftertherecoveryprocessfinishes,westilldonthavetherequiredmailboxrestored.Whatwehaveisthemailboxdatabasewherethemailboxbelongstorestoredtothe
RecoveryMailbox.ThefinalsteptorestorethemailboxistorunaPowerShellcmdlet:

a)NewMailboxRestoreRequestSourceDatabaseRDBSECRETAGENTSSourceStoreMailboxMaxwellSmartTargetMailboxMaxwellS@myherodemo.com
TargetRootFolderRecovery

Figure38:RecoveryStorageGroupfiles

IfwenowopentheMaxwellSmartmailbox,allitscontentsuntil10:00PMarelocatedbeneaththeRecoveryfolder(Figure39).
Figure39:MaxwellSmartmailboxafterrestore

Afteryoucompletetherestore,theRecoveryMailboxcanbedismountedanddeleted,usingthefollowingPowerShellcmdlet:

RemoveMailboxDatabaseIdentityRDBSECRETAGENTS

Figure40:RemoveMailboxDatabase

Conclusion
AzureBackupprotectsyourdatabybackingituptotheMicrosoftcloud.Yourdatacanbeanythingfromasinglefileorfolderuptoadatacenter.AzureBackupcanbeusedin
conjunctionwithWindowsclientoperatingsystems,WindowsServer,SystemCenterDataProtectionManager,MicrosoftSharePoint,MicrosoftExchange,MicrosoftSQLServer,
HyperVVMs,aswellasAzureIaaSVMsrunningonWindowsandLinux.

WhendecidingwhetherornottouseAzureBackup,rememberthatExchange2016nativedataprotectionprovides:

Disasterrecovery
Recoveryofaccidentallydeleteditems
Longtermdatastorage
Pointintimedatabasesnapshots

Nativeprotectionmightnotbeenoughifapplicationerrors,corruptions,orsecurityandmalwareincidentsoccur.InthesesituationsDPM/MABSprovidesanumberofbenefits:

LessDAGsarerequiredNativeprotectionrequiresadditionalmailboxservers(3ormore)tohostcopiesofactivedata.
SimplerrestoreDPMprovidessimpleandcentralizeddatarecoveryfrompointintimebackups.
LongerretentionrangeDPMprovideslongerretentiontimesforbackedupdata.Nativeprotectionislimitedto14days.
ConsistentbackupofMicrosoftworkloadsDPMprovidesacentralizedandsimplebackupandrecoveryprocessacrossyourMicrosoftworkloads,including,Exchange,file
servers,SQLServer,HyperV,andSharePoint.

IfyouwouldliketobenotifiedofwhenRuiSilvareleasesthenextpartinthisarticleseriespleasesignuptoourMSExchange.orgRealTimeArticleUpdatenewsletter
(http://www.msexchange.org/pages/newsletter.asp).

Ifyouwouldliketoreadtheotherpartsinthisarticleseriespleasegoto:

ProtectingExchangewithAzureBackup(Part1)(http://www.msexchange.org/articlestutorials/exchange2016articles/highavailabilityrecovery/protectingexchangeazure
backuppart1.html)
ProtectingExchangewithAzureBackup(Part2)(http://www.msexchange.org/articlestutorials/exchange2016articles/highavailabilityrecovery/protectingexchangeazure
backuppart2.html)

See Also