* 2006.03 Exchange 2003 DR with NtBackup step by step demo (PowerPoint format) download (17M)
This was done on a single server with AD, DNS and Exchange 2003 installed
================ Demo 1: Backup best practices- Important: System State backup first, then "First Storage Group"data (separately)- IIS, local computer, "Backup/Restore config" --> system32\inetsrv\MetaBack folder- First Storage Group, deselect "circular logging"- Mailbox store, Limits tab, Deletion settings, "Keep deleted items" from 7 to 30, "Keep deleted mailboxes" unchanged, and select "Do not permanently delete mailboxes and items until the store has been backed up"
================ Demo 22a. Recover a mistakenly deleted mailbox+ Mailboxes, Run Clean Up Agent+ Mailbox Recovery Center, Add Mailbox Store, select the deleted mailbox, Find Match, Reconnect
Note: if mailbox is deleted & purged --> unavailable in "Mailbox Recovery Center" & "Recovery Storage Group" cannot connect to the original DB --> alternate server is needed to restore
2b. Recover mistakenly deleted email messages+ Create Recovery Storage Group+ Recovery Storage Group/ Add database to Recover/This DB can be overwritten by a restore+ Restore Exchange mailbox data using ntbackup, enter temp folder, and check "Last Restore Set", Mount, Refresh+ Select the mailbox, Recover Mailbox Data option, Merge, Outlook will auto sync
============== Demo 3: Recovering a corrupted Mailbox Store (using DIAL TONE databases)+ in First Storage Group, dismount Mailbox store+ rename priv1.edb & stm to Corrupted.edb & stm+ remount Mailbox store, a new & empty priv1.edb & stm (dial tone databases) will be created and linked with "Recovery Storage Group"+ in Outlook, old messages can still be seen (due to Cached mode)+ close and reopen Outlook, "Recovery Mode" message appears, Outlook is now empty, send a new message+ Recovery Storage Group, dismount Mailbox store, set "overwritten" flag+ use NtBackup to restore. Note that with "Recovery Storage Group", only Mailbox store can be recovered, not the Storage Group
3a. Option 1: use "Recover Mailbox Data" or EXMERGE (will take hours with large DBs)
3b. Option 2: Swap databases (to move small dial tone data to the recovered DBs)+ dismount Mailbox store in both "First Storage Group" and "Recovery Storage Group"+ use "Windows Explorer" to swap edb & stm files between "MDBDATA" & "Recovery Storage Group" folders, Remount+ Outlook will auto display message asking to restart Outlook, old messages reappear, new (dial tone) message cannot be seen+ continue with Option 1, and use EXMERGE for merge dial tone message on all mailboxes
============= Demo 4: Replacing an Exchange server+ Basic installation of Windows with same version, edition, patch level on same volume & path & identical hardware+ Restore System State (AD database will also be restored, if Exchange shares same server with DC, but SHORTCUTS to AD tools not restored)+ restart, System Log will display some errors relating to Exchange services+ run dsa.msc to open "AD Users & Computers", all users (without Mailbox properties) will be shown+ Exchange setup /DisasterRecovery switch+ NtBackup to restore Mailbox data
============= Demo 5: Alternate server recovery+ Relatively identical hardware, different AD forest, AD+DNS+Exchange can be on a single server+ Same settings required: Org, Admin group, Storage group, DB name, LegacyExchangeDN (AD setting)+ Alternate server: ldifde -f recovery.ldf, open, search legacyExchangeDN text (should be the same as existing server)++ do not create & use "Recovery Storage Group"++ dismount Mailbox store, set "overwritten" flag++ use Ntbackup to restore mailbox & log data (NOTE: AD info not selected), remount store++ ADUC, no users are shown++ Mailbox store, refresh. Mailboxes will be shown (but still orphan, because no associated AD users), "Run Cleanup Agent"++ "Maibox Recovery Center", add "Mailbox Store", select mailbox, "Find Match" --> no result, Export, deselect "userAccountControl", user will be shown in ADUC, "Find Match" again successfully, Reconnect++ use EXMERGE (make sure the running account have Domain Admin, Send As & RunAs permission), Extract/Import option, step 1 (Extract) to export data of that user to a PST file, copy that PST back to the production server, and use EXMERGE again to import
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