HP Data Protector A.06.11 support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
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Introduction
This white paper describes how to back up and restore Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Mailbox
Databases using Data Protector A.06.11.
You can back up and restore Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 data only using the Data Protector
Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service integration. Microsoft Exchange 2010 no longer uses the
streaming backup API – which was also used by the Data Protector Exchange Server integration –
but instead uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service.
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 concepts
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 introduces the Database Availability Group (DAG), which is an
evolution of the Exchange Server 2007 SCR and CCR concept. Each DAG can consist of up to 16
systems, which can host multiple active and/or passive database copies. Passive copies are kept
consistent with the active copy and the DAG heals itself automatically if data on a particular node
gets corrupted. For example, if a passive copy gets corrupted, the passive copy is re-seeded. If an
active copy can no longer be healed, one of the passive copies becomes the active copy.
Both, the active copy and the related passive copies represent the same database and can be
exchanged during restore. This means that you can restore an active copy from a passive copy
backup or the reverse.
The most common scenarios involving Data Protector would therefore include (but are not limited
to):
backing up passive copies thus avoiding additional loads on the active copy during backup
restoring a lost or corrupt passive copy, avoiding large volumes of network traffic when passive
copies are re-seeded
restoring the database to a point in time (for example for investigation purposes)
See Restore scenarios for additional restore scenarios.
Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service integration
The Data Protector Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) integration can back up whole VSS
writers or individual components of these writers. See the Integration guide for Microsoft
applications or the ZDB integration guide for more details on VSS, including VSS concepts,
configuration, operation, and general limitations.
Using this integration, you can back up the Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 writers. Two writers
are used for Exchange Server 2010 backup and restore:
Microsoft Exchange Writer (used for active copies)
Microsoft Exchange Replica Writer (used for passive copies)
Using the Exchange writers, only databases from a physical node (system) in a DAG can be
backed up. The DAG—which is a virtual entity and not recognized by Data Protector A.06.11—
cannot be backed up.
Installation and configuration
Installing
1. Install the Data Protector A.06.11 MS Volume Shadow Copy Service Integration
component on all DAG nodes (systems where Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is installed)
which you want to back up.
2. Rename or move the file Omni_MicrosoftExchangeWriter.dll, which is located in
Data_Protector_home/bin, on all DAG nodes. This library is needed for Exchange
Server 2007. If this library is present, it is loaded by Data Protector, which results in an error
for Exchange Server 2010.