Exchange Server Cluster Backup

Overview

Gbackup supports backup of clustered Exchange Server Information Stores. With Gbackup client installed on any one of the clustered Exchange Server nodes, you can configure a backup schedule to backup the Exchange Server Information Stores, after a small change in a configuration page in Gbackup web-console. Even when a failover occurs, Gbackup's Exchange Server Plugin will continue to backup the clustered Exchange Server.

• Overview
• Exchange Server Cluster Backup
• Troubleshooting Tips
• Limitations

Exchange Server Cluster Backup

• Requirements

• Gbackup v3.1 and above
• Windows Server 2003 / Server 2008
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003/2007
• To backup a clustered Exchange server you will need to install Gbackup on any one of the clustered Exchange Server node

• Installation

• Install Exchange Management Tools [if not installed] in the cluster node where Gbackup is [to be ] installed.
• Install Gbackup Client [if not installed] in the particular cluster node.

• DLL Path and Registry Entries: Verify the following in the machine where Gbackup is installed.

1. Verify that esebcli2.dll file is located in the <Exchange_Installation_Path>\Bin folder.
   Default location of bin folder in Exchange Server 2003 is C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin
   Default location of bin folder in Exchange Server 2007 is C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Bin
2. If this file does not exist in the machine, then copy this file directly from the Exchange Server 2003/2007 installation CD to "C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin\" or "C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Bin\" folder.
3. Start Registry Editor. Verify that a Value Name esebcli2.dll exists with its full path as Valuein the following registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\BackupRestore\\DLLPaths".

4. NOTE: If the above entry does not exist in Registry, then create a new one with appropriate entries as mentioned above.

• Backup Permissions: Make sure that the logon account on which Gbackup is running has backup permissions to backup the Exchange Server 2003/2007 databases.

• Verification

• Configuration

• Now login to the Gbackup webconsole and access the "Add Exchange Server Backup" page through the menu 'Backup -> Plugin Backups -> Add Exchange Server Backup'. In Step 2 [in Gbackup web-console], a link [Click here to edit the Exchange Server name] to the 'Exchange Server Backup Configuration' page will be provided. From there you can enter the Exchange Server name in the textbox provided and save the configuration to list the Information Stores in 'Add Exchange Server Backup' page for backup.

• Troubleshooting Tips

Information Stores are listed in "Backup -> Plugin Backups -> Add Exchange Server Backup" page but backups are failing with errors.

Cause : If you have installed a version of Exchange Server 2007 that came pre-packaged with Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1, remote backups are disabled by default in registry settings. In such cases, backups will fail although the information stores are listed successfully in "Add Exchange Server Backup" page. Solution : [Excerpt from Microsoft article]: As part of the Microsoft continuing security initiatives, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) introduces a behavior change designed to reduce the attack surface of the system. This change directly affects remote streaming backups on Windows Server 2003. To adhere to the Microsoft Secure by Default initiative, the remote streaming functionality disabled (server-wide) in Exchange 2007 SP1 is disabled by default. A manual override in the form of the following registry value must be enabled to restore this functionality. Set the value for the Value Name Enable Remote Streaming Backup to 1 for enabling remote backups: Key : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\ParametersSystem Value Name: Enable Remote Streaming Backup Type: DWORD Value: 0 = default behavior (remote backup disabled); 1 = remote backup enabled NOTE: After entering the above registry value, restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service to apply the change. Refer the following Microsoft article for more information on this: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998870%28EXCHG.80%29.aspx

Limitations

1. If you have configured Exchange server backups, then Exchange Server name cannot be edited. If you would like to backup a different Exchange Server, you have to delete the Exchange Server backups that have already been created and then try editing the Exchange Server name in the 'Exchange Server Backup Configuration' page mentioned above, under the title 'Configuration'.