Microsoft Exchange backup options

You can set the following options when you create a backup job for Exchange.

See Backing up Exchange.

Table: Exchange backup options

Item

Description

Information Store Backup method

Specifies one of the following backup methods:

  • Full – Database & Logs (flush committed logs).

    This method backs up the databases as well as their associated transaction log files. After the databases and transaction logs are backed up, the transaction log files for which all transactions are committed to the database are then deleted.

  • Copy – Databases & Logs.

    This method backs up the databases as well as their associated transaction log files. However, the transaction logs are not deleted after being backed up.

    You can use the copy method to make a full backup of a database without disturbing the state of ongoing incremental or differential backups.

  • Differential – Logs.

    This method backs up all of the transaction logs that have been created or modified since the last full backup. However, the transaction logs are not deleted after being backed up.

    To restore from differential backups, the last differential backup and the last full backup are required.

  • Incremental – Logs (flush committed logs).

    This method backs up all of the transaction logs that have been created or modified since the last full or incremental backup, and then delete the transaction logs that have been committed to the database.

    To restore from incremental backups, the last full backup and all incremental backups done since the last full backup are required.

    See Snapshot and offhost backups with the Exchange Agent.

If circular logging is enabled, incremental, differential, continuous protection backups cannot be performed.

Continuously back up transaction logs with Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server

Enables a full restore of the Exchange database that includes transaction logs that are continuously protected between full backups.

Before you check this check box, ensure that the Exchange server meets the requirements for configuring continuous protection.

See Requirements for configuring continuous protection for Exchange data.

See Best practices for continuous protection of Exchange.

Make a recovery point that creates browsable backup sets and truncates logs every

Creates backup sets that you can browse from the Restore view. You can recover individual messages or folders from a point in time when the last recovery point was run. Each time a recovery point is made, it also truncates the transaction logs so that log growth is controlled.

If circular logging is enabled, the recurring full backup of the Information Store completes without errors, but recovery points fail.

If you do not check Make a recovery point that creates browsable backup sets and truncates logs every, then individual mail messages and folders can be restored only from the CPS backup.

The default interval is 8 hours. The minimum interval that you can set is every 15 minutes. The maximum interval is 1 year. If you change the specified interval for the recovery points, the new interval applies after the next full backup or recovery point is run.

Before you change the default interval, review performance factors for setting recovery point intervals.

See About using recovery points to restore individual Exchange items to a point in time.

Use Backup Exec Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) to enable the restore of individual mailboxes, mail messages, and public folders from Information Store backups (Incremental and Differential backups supported with policy-based jobs only)

Enables the restore of individual items from Information Store backups. Ensure that you meet the requirements for Granular Recovery Technology.

See Recommended devices for backups that use Granular Recovery Technology.

See About requirements for jobs that use Granular Recovery Technology.

The GRT option is automatically enabled when you check the option Continuously back up transaction logs with Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server. The combined options let you restore individual items from a CPS Exchange backup.

Guide Me

Starts a wizard that helps you choose backup job properties for backing up Exchange data.

Perform consistency check before backup when using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) snapshot provider

Performs a consistency check when the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service option is selected. The option Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service is automatically used whenever a software backup is selected on the Advanced Disk-based Backup Option backup properties. You can also select the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service on the Advanced Open File Option backup property page.

The consistency check, which is run on the snapshot, determines if possible data corruption exists.

If this option is selected, and the dependent option Continue with backup if consistency check fails is not selected, then data for specific Exchange objects that are determined to be corrupt are not backed up. All other non-corrupt Exchange objects are backed up.

For example, if any transaction log file for a Storage Group is corrupt, then none of the transaction log files are backed up for that Storage Group when the Continue with backup if consistency check fails option is not selected. However, the Exchange database files are b
acked up if Backup Exec determines they are not corrupt. Similarly, if a specific Exchange database file is corrupt, then backup is skipped only for that corrupt database file. All other non-corrupt database files and transaction log files are backed up.

When the option Continue with backup if consistency check fails is enabled, then all Exchange data is backed up regardless if corrupt files exist.

See Snapshot and offhost backups with the Exchange Agent.

Continue with backup if consistency check fails

Continues the backup job even if the consistency check fails. You may want the job to continue if you think a backup of the database in its current state is better than no backup at all, or if you are backing up a very large database that may have only a small problem.

High Availability Server (Exchange 2007 or later)

Specifies one of the following backup sources for Exchange 2007/2010:

  • Back up from the active copy only (job fails if not available)

    Lets you back up the active copy of the database. If Backup Exec cannot access the active copy, the job fails. Therefore, neither the active copy nor the passive copy is backed up.

    The active copy contains newer information than the passive copy. Therefore, when you back up the active copy, you have a backup of the most recent database data.

    Note:

    You cannot back up the passive copy of the Standby Continuous Replication (SCR) database with Exchange Server 2007. The SCR is not available for backup selection.

  • Let Backup Exec automatically choose the best copy to back up (recommended)

    Lets you back up a passive copy of the database by default. Backup Exec selects the passive copy based on your selections in the Preferred Server settings. However, if the passive copy is not available, Backup Exec backs up the active copy of the database. During the backup, database performance degradation can occur if you have to back up the database over a WAN.

  • Back up from the passive copy only, using Preferred Server settings if possible (job fails if not available)

    Lets you back up a passive copy of the database. If Backup Exec cannot access the passive copy, the job fails. In this case, neither the active nor the passive database is backed up. Select this option when you do not want to affect the performance of the active copy of the database.

    For Exchange Server 2010, Backup Exec selects the passive copy based on your selections in the Preferred Server settings.

    Note:

    You must have the preferred server settings configured to use this option.

    See About preferred server configurations.

Mailbox backup method

Note:

This option is available when you select the Enable legacy mailbox support (Exchange 2003). This option is not recommended; use GRT instead option.

The following backup methods are available:

  • Full – Back up messages – Reset archive bit.

    This method backs up all messages in the selected mailboxes. This option is set by default.

    A time/date stamp that is placed in each folder indicates that the messages have been backed up.

  • Copy – Back up messages.

    This method backs up all messages in the selected mailboxes. A time/date stamp is not used, so incremental and differential backups are not affected.

    Use the copy method to make a full backup of the mailboxes without disturbing the state of ongoing incremental or differential backups.

  • Differential – Back up changed messages.

    This method backs up all of the messages that have been created or modified in the selected mailboxes since the last full backup.

    The time/date stamp that is placed on the folders during the last full backup is used to determine which messages have been modified since the last full backup. The time/date stamp is not updated during the differential backup.

  • Incremental – Back up changed messages – Reset archive bit.

    This method backs up only the messages that have been modified in the selected mailboxes since the last full or incremental backup.

    The time/date stamp that is placed on the folders during the last full or incremental backup is used to determine which messages have been modified since the last full or incremental backup. The time/date stamp is updated during the incremental backup.

Enable single instance backup for message attachments (for mailbox and public folder backups only)

Note:

This option is available when you select the Enable legacy mailbox support (Exchange 2003). This option is not recommended; use GRT instead option.

Backs up only a single copy of all identical message attachments. When an identical attachment is found, a reference to the attachment is retained. The actual attachment is backed up at the end of the backup set.

Enabling single instance backup for message attachment increases backup performance since duplicate attachments are backed up only once.

Uncheck Enable single instance backup for message attachments if you want each identical copy of a message attachment to be backed up and kept in order on the backup set.

If the backup job does not complete, the message attachments may not be included in the backup set. Run the backup until it completes successfully completed.

If the incremental backup method was used, running the job again will not back up the same messages and attachments. You must run a full or copy backup to ensure that all messages and attachments are backed up completely.

Guide Me

Starts a wizard that helps you choose backup job properties for backing up Exchange mailboxes.

Microsoft Exchange backup options