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Executing Exchange backups

Exchange backups may either be executed immediately or scheduled. Scheduled backups are more typical—you create a calendar-based schedule which specifies when Exchange backups will occur. Scheduled backups form the foundation of on-going protection for your Exchange Server data. Immediate backups are basically just scheduled backups that occur only one time and are executed as soon as possible. This feature is useful for creating a single one-time backup, and is not the recommended approach for continued protection of applications.

For additional considerations about your Exchange environment, see About Exchange 2016, 2013, and 2010 backup, About Exchange 2007/2003 backup, About protecting clustered Exchange environments, or About Exchange 2000 backup before running Exchange backups.

The following procedures are used to protect Exchange environments:

ClosedTo execute an immediate Exchange backup
1 In the left Navigation pane, expand the desired Exchange server by clicking the arrow to its left.
2 Select the Exchange instance mail icon, then click Backup.
3 Select the 1-Time Backup tab.

This retrieves a list of storage groups or databases available for backup. Click the reload arrows at the bottom to refresh the list of databases discovered in the environment.

If there is nothing in the list:

• Verify that the Exchange server has been started and that the Exchange Server database is online.
• Verify that groups or databases are mounted properly on the Exchange sever.
• For clustered environments, verify that the Exchange Replication Service is running. Unitrends cannot detect databases on passive nodes if the service is not running.
4 In the databases to Protect area, check boxes to select the databases or storage groups to backup.

Hover over the database name for more information.

5 Choose the type of backup by selecting one of the following:
• Full
• Differential
• Incremental (version 7.5 or higher. For benefits and requirements, see Exchange incremental backup.)

Select a full backup if either of the following is true:

• A restore has been performed since the last backup.
• A full backup has not been performed for the selected storage groups or databases.

If either condition is true and a differential or incremental backup is chosen, the backup operation does not occur and you receive an error.

6 By default, backups are stored on the default device. To backup to a different device, select one in the Available Devices area.
7 Check the Verify Backup box to perform a data transfer integrity check for each backup.

Caution!      Failure to check this box can lead to undesirable results when attempting to restore from the backup.

For Exchange, inline verifies are done during the backup. This method decreases the amount of time required for verification. When the backup completes, the agent compares its checksum with the system’s checksum. If they differ, the backup fails. This information can be seen by viewing the backup details on the Status screen when completed.

8 Click Backup at the bottom of the screen to initiate the backup process.

A separate backup is created for each database or storage group selected. To view the status of the active backup operations, select Settings > System Monitoring > Jobs. To see the status of completed backup jobs, select Reports > Backups.

ClosedTo create an Exchange backup schedule
1 In the left Navigation pane, expand the desired Exchange server by clicking the arrow to its left.
2 Select the Exchange instance mail icon, then click Backup.
3 Select the Schedule Backup tab.

This retrieves a list of storage groups or databases available for backup. Click the reload arrows at the bottom to refresh the list of databases discovered in the environment.

If there is nothing in the list:

• Verify that the Exchange server has been started and that the Exchange Server database is online.
• Verify that groups or databases are mounted properly on the Exchange sever.
• For clustered environments, verify that the Exchange Replication Service is running. Unitrends cannot detect databases on passive nodes if the service is not running.
4 Enter a unique Schedule Name.
5 If desired, enter a Schedule Description.
6 In the databases to Protect area, check boxes to select the databases or storage groups to include in the schedule.

A separate backup is run sequentially for each storage group or database selected. Hover over a name for more information.

A storage group or database may be included in only one schedule. Adding a storage group or a database to multiple schedules will result in an error upon attempting to save the subsequent schedule.

7 In the Schedule area, select a backup strategy from the list.
• Full with Differentials
• Full with Incrementals (Version 7.5 or higher. For benefits and requirements, see Exchange incremental backup.)
• Custom
8 For a non-custom strategy, define the frequency at which backups of each type will run using the fields below each backup.

For a custom strategy, click the Calendar icon to define the frequency at which backups of each type runs. Do the following for each backup instance:

• Drag a backup icon onto the calendar. Drag onto today’s date or later. Each schedule is required to contain full backups.
• In the Add Backup window, define the backup type, start date, start time, recurrence, and description (optional), then click Confirm.

Note:  Incrementals (version 7.5 and higher) and differentials cannot be on the same schedule.

9 If desired, modify the minimum and maximum retention settings. These settings apply to all selected databases or storage groups. To set different values for each, do not enter settings here. Instead, go to Settings > Storage and Retention > Backup Retention. For details see About retention control.

Modifying retention settings here also updates the values displayed on the Backup Retention page. Once you modify this setting in the schedule, you cannot change it again from the schedule itself. Instead, make changes from the Backup Retention page as described in About retention control.

10 If you would like to add new databases to this schedule automatically, check the Auto-include new database box.

This option can be enabled in only one schedule for each Exchange instance that the system is protecting. Automatic inclusion of new databases into an existing schedule is achieved through a nightly process that detects application server changes. Alternatively, the following manual process can be performed to add databases to the schedule immediately. Perform the following steps after the database has been added:

• Click 1-Time Backup and wait to see that the new database shows up in the databases to Protect list (it must be mounted).
• In the Navigation pane, select the client node associated with this Exchange server, then select the Exchange server node. This forces the schedules to be updated.
• View the schedule that has the Auto-include new database option set. The new database should display. The new database should also be checked to indicate that it is included in the schedule.
11 Click Advanced Settings and specify these settings:
• Check the Verify Backup option to perform a data transfer integrity check for each backup.

Caution!      Failure to check this box can lead to undesirable results when attempting to restore from the backup.

• (Optional) Select the backup device to which backups will be written.
• (Optional) Check the Email Schedule Report option to receive email notification upon completion of the scheduled backup jobs. You also have the option to receive a PDF attachment of the report in the email.
• (Optional) Check the Email Failure Report option to receive email notification upon failure of any backup job on the schedule. You also have the option to receive a PDF attachment of the report in the email.
• Click Confirm to save Advanced Settings.
12 Click Save to create the schedule.
ClosedTo view or modify an Exchange backup schedule
1 In the left Navigation pane, expand the desired Exchange server by clicking the arrow to its left.
2 Select the Exchange instance mail icon, then click Backup.
3 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
4 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the drop-down list.
5 Modify settings as desired and click Save. For details, see To create an Exchange backup schedule.
ClosedTo delete an Exchange backup schedule

You can also delete Exchange schedules from the Enterprise Backup subsystem. See To delete an Enterprise backup schedule for details. You will need to use this method if the Exchange icon is not available in the Navigation pane.

1 In the left Navigation pane, expand the desired Exchange server by clicking the arrow to its left.
2 Select the Exchange instance mail icon, then click Backup.
3 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
4 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the list.
5 Click Delete Schedule.
ClosedTo enable or disable an Exchange backup schedule

You can also enable and disable Exchange schedules from the Enterprise Backup subsystem. See To enable or disable an Enterprise backup schedule for details.

1 In the left Navigation pane, expand the desired Exchange server by clicking the arrow to its left.
2 Select the Exchange instance mail icon, then click Backup.
3 Select the Schedule Backup tab.
4 In the Schedule Name field, select the desired schedule from the list.
5 Do one of the following:
• To enable the schedule, check the Schedule Enabled box.
• To disable the schedule, uncheck the Schedule Enabled box.
6 Click Save.