NetBackup 8.

0 Blueprint
Microsoft Exchange
Backup and Recovery Technical Education Services
Attention
Disclaimer

ATTENTION
This forward-looking indication of plans for products is preliminary and all future release
dates are tentative and are subject to change.
Any future release of the product or planned modifications to product capability, functionality
or feature are subject to ongoing evaluation by Veritas, and may or may not be implemented
and should not be considered firm commitments by Veritas, and should not be relied upon in
making purchasing decisions.

2 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Important Notice
Diagrams containing objects representing 3rd-party platforms and applications

This NetBackup Blueprint presentation includes example diagrams that contain objects that
represent applications and platforms from other companies such as Microsoft and VMware.
These diagrams may or may not match or resemble actual implementations found in end
user environments. Any likeness or similarity to actual end user environments is completely
by coincidence.
The goal of the diagrams included in this blueprint presentation is not to recommend specific
ways in which to implement applications and platforms from other companies such as
Microsoft and VMware; the purpose of these diagrams is to illustrate NetBackup best
practices only.
For guidelines and best practices on installing and configuring applications and platforms
from other companies, please refer to best practice documentation and other resources
provided by those companies.

3 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup Blueprints
How to use

NetBackup Blueprints are designed to illustrate key customer data protection challenges
and to demonstrate how NetBackup solves them.
Each Blueprint consists of:
• Pain points - current challenges a customer faces
• Whiteboards/example diagrams – illustrations of the NetBackup solution
• Configuration walkthrough – step-by-step configuration guide of the NetBackup
solution
• Best practices - NetBackup best practices to avoid common pitfalls
Use Blueprints to present NetBackup best practice implementation examples.

4 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

1 Today’s Challenges

2 NetBackup Advantages

3 Fundamentals

4 Whiteboards and Example Diagrams

5 Configuration Walkthrough

6 Debug Logging and Tools

7 Best Practices

5 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Today’s Challenges
Today’s Challenges
• Availability – Minimize the recovery window in case of downtime.
• Scalability – Scale up capacity and performance as an organization
grows, without affecting availability.
• Manageability – Effective management of application and associated
storage to achieve availability and scalability requirements.
o Exchange is getting more complex to manage/protect
o Multiple servers with different roles
o Different clustering technologies

• Native backup tools are insufficient

o Windows backup tools are inadequate for handling the complexity of Exchange
database

7 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

NetBackup Advantages
NetBackup Advantages
• Extends the capabilities of NetBackup to include snapshot backups and
restores of Exchange databases
• Protects Exchange data at the database and mailbox level
• Facilitates granular recovery of mailboxes.
• Includes features such as:
o Snapshot backups
o Full, incremental, differential, and copy-only backups
o Redirected restores
o Granular Restore Technology (GRT)
o Integrated Snapshot Client support for local and off-host backups
o Support for VMware backups along with Accelerator that protect Exchange

9 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Solution Designed For MS Exchange Server

10 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Supported Versions, Backup & Restore Types
Exchange  Backup type Restore Type
Version
2010, 2013 and • Snapshot (Using VSS only) • Full database restore
2016 CU1 • For a Database Availability Group (DAG), • Full database restore to a recovery
NetBackup supports backups of the active database
and the passive VSS writer of a (DAG). • Individual mailbox item restore

2007 • Snapshot • Full database restore

• Streaming • Full database restore to a Recovery
• Individual mailboxes and public folders Storage Group (RSG)
(MAPI) • Individual mailbox item restore from
• LCR and CCR MAPI/GRT protected backups

Notes:
• Support for Exchange 2003 has been discontinued from NetBackup 7.6.
• Support for Exchange 2016 has been started from NetBackup 7.7.1
• NetBackup for Exchange with Snapshot Client supports backups of the passive VSS writer of an Exchange 2007 Local Continuous Replication
(LCR) and Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR) configuration. VSS is the only backup Microsoft supports of this replicated data.
• With Exchange 2007 users can perform MAPI backups and restores of individual mailboxes and folders.
• However, for Exchange 2010 and later, no MAPI backups are done. VSS is the only backup Microsoft supports of Exchange 2010 backups.
• For a DAG, NetBackup supports backups of the active and the passive VSS writer. Also, all Exchange 2010 backups must be snapshot backups ,
streaming backups are not supported.
11 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.
Fundamentals
Exchange Server Components
• Storage Group (Exchange 2007, not Exchange 2010)
– Made up of system files, databases, and transaction logs
– One set of system files and logs common to all databases
• Database
– Contains storage Group (Exchange 2007)
– Contains mailboxes and public folders
• Mailbox Database (Exchange 2013,2016)
• Transaction logs
– Named Exxyyyyyyy.log
• xx is SG number (database number for Exchange 2010). Numbered in hex.
• Exchange truncates logs (deletes committed log files) after full or differential backup
• Exx.chk is Exchange checkpoint, marks last committed log
• Exx.log is log generation file (the current working log file.

13 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Pre-requisites For Exchange Backup
Production Network (10 Gigabit)

Exchange Server NBU Master Server

3
2 1
5
NetBackup
Client 6
5
4

Backup Network (10 Gigabit)

1. Add a valid license key for Exchange on the master server

2. Exchange server software must be installed and operational.
3. Install the NetBackup client on the Exchange server, if the Exchange server is not locally installed on a NetBackup server.
4. For Exchange 2007, if you want to perform MAPI operations or GRT, then install the Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI
Client and Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) package On the Exchange Server.
5. Enable or configure NFS as per http://www.veritas.com/docs/000068163 on the servers which are to be backed up with
GRT enabled.

[Note: From NetBackup 7.6.0.3 onwards, you no longer need to install the NetBackup Client on or configure NFS for the CAS]
. UNIX should have port mapping daemon on by default.
14 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.
NetBackup Snapshot Client Features
• Snapshot Backup
– A snapshot is a disk image of the client's data.
– NetBackup backs up the data from the snapshot volume, not directly from the client’s original
volume.
– Client operations and user access are allowed to continue without interruption during the backup.
• Off-Host Backup
– NetBackup supports off-host backups of Exchange using an alternate client.
– Off-host backups require a separate Snapshot Client license key.
– Off-host backups use a second, or alternate, client to perform the backup on behalf of the
primary client. Compared to local Snapshot Client backups, this approach reduces the backup
I/O burden on the primary client.

*Refer to the “Exchange Agent Comments” section from the snapshot client compatibility list.
http://www.veritas.com/docs/000115690

15 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Whiteboards and Example
Diagrams
Exchange Backup Resource Selections
• The backup selections list defines the Exchange objects to back up and
the grouping of Exchange objects for multiple data streams.
• Exchange objects are defined through directives. The following directives
exist for database and storage group backups:

17 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Exchange Backup Resource Selections-Examples
Exchange 2010 DAG Exchange 2007 Storage Group

Exchange 2010 Standalone server

Exchange 2016 DAG

18 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Exchange Policy Attributes (1)

Select Policy type

as MS-Exchange
Server

Select this option

For more information, see:
to perform GRT
http://www.veritas.com/ operation
docs/000119855

Perform Snapshot
Backups must be
enabled

19 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Exchange Policy Attributes (2)

NetBackup for Exchange

supports the Microsoft Volume
Shadow Copy Service (VSS) for
creating a snapshot image. The
actual VSS provider that is used
is dependent on your hardware
environment and software
environment.

20 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Exchange Policy Attributes (3)

• The preferred server list is a collection of

one or more servers in the DAG that you
select as preferred backup sources.
• Preferred server configurations take
priority as backup sources in instances
where database copies are replicated
between multiple servers.
• The preferred server list is required for
Passive copy only, unless the database
only has an active copy
• For Exchange 2010 or later, you can also
indicate a preferred server list

21 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Protecting Exchange In A Virtual Environment

Network

Virtual Host NetBackup

1
Virtual
2 3
Machines

1. Install the NetBackup 8.0 client software on the virtual machine .

2. Install the Veritas VSS Provider on the virtual machine.
3. Configure the client and the server privileges for GRT.
4. Configure a VMware policy that has the applicable attributes selected

22 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Configuration Walkthrough
Configuring A VMware Policy For Exchange (1)
Select
• Incremental
Policy type
backups are not
as VMware
supported for
VMware application
protection.

Using Accelerator • Granular recovery is

option, you can automatically
achieve faster provided for any
backups. VMware backups
that protect
Exchange. You do
not need to enable it
in the policy.

24 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Configuring A VMware Policy For Exchange (2)

Select this
This is the option to
default enable
configuration. GRT
We require the
first option to be
checked.

For more information, refer to https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.000119924

25 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Granular Restore View Of Exchange DAG

Individual mailbox
and mails can be
restored using
NetBackup For
Exchange GRT
feature.

26 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Default Restore Options
• Roll Forward Recovery
Retains the existing transaction logs. Exchange replays
the transaction logs that are part of the restore operation,
followed by any transaction logs that currently exist.
• Point-in-time recovery
Restores the db/storage group and replaces only the
transaction logs that existed at the time of backup.
• Dismount database prior to restore
Dismounts the database(s) before the restore begins.
• Commit after last backup set is restored
This should be set on the "last job "of a multi-job restore.
If this is not selected, the database needs to be mounted
manually after the restore.
• Redirect to RSG
This option applies to Exchange 2007 only.

For individual mail messages, you have two options:

Overwrite existing messages and Do not restore the
messages as shown.

27 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Best Practices
Exchange General Best Practices
• Backup all the Host Server(s) for Exchange.
• Avoid making the Exchange server a domain controller.
• Backup the Active Directory.
• For Exchange 2010/2013 use a Database Availability Group with at least
one passive database copy for each database .
• Place the Exchange transaction logs on separate disk from database.
• Define your backup and restore requirements – create and review your
recovery plans.
• Become familiar with the Microsoft documentation for Exchange database
management, disaster plans, and recovery.

29 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Exchange GRT Best Practices
• Verify that you have a supported Exchange Server configuration and have
a media server platform that supports GRT.
• On all Exchange granular clients, ensure that the computer has an
available drive letter on which to mount the backup image.
• Enable or configure NFS for your environment as per
http://www.veritas.com/docs/000103252
• Configure the NetBackup Client Service.
• Create an Exchange mailbox to associate with a domain account that is
used for NetBackup change operations.
For more information, refer to http://www.veritas.com/docs/000068163

30 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Restoring Exchange Database Data
• (For Exchange 2007)Restore all databases in a storage group at the
same time and before the transaction logs are committed and the
databases are mounted.
• Do not restore mailbox or public folder items from a GRT-enabled backup
and a streaming backup at the same time.
• To restore full and incremental backups, you can restore backups in one
of the following ways:
– Restore all the backups (of same type)in a single operation
– Restore the full backups and incremental backups individually
• (Exchange 2007 streaming restores) Make sure the temporary location
for log files is empty before you start a restore job.
• Depending upon the data recovery scenario you have, you must take
existing transaction logs into consideration.
31 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.
Restoring Exchange Snapshot Backups
• All databases in a storage group must be dismounted before you begin a
restore operation. You can instruct NetBackup to dismount the databases
before the restore begins.
• (Exchange 2007)While selecting the images for restore, do not mix
streaming and snapshot backups.
• Only Exchange 2007 allows snapshot restores to the recovery storage
group (RSG).
• Exchange 2010 allows restores to the recovery database (RDB).

32 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Restoring From A VMware Backup
• It should be noted that you cannot browse or recover granular items (GRT) from
GPT disks (GUID partition table).
• For restores of a cluster (including CCR and DAG), select the virtual Exchange
server name for the source client, and initiate the restore from the master or
media server.
• Following are the disk/volume types are not supported for recovery inside the
guest:
–Dynamic disk set
–ReFS
–Independent disks
• In some cases (like backing up DAG)the Primary VM identifier in the VMware
policy does not match the NetBackup client name that is configured for the
VMware host. In this case, you must configure the client to perform a redirected
restore.
33 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.
Performing Redirect Restore
• You must have NetBackup server privileges or be logged into a server
with the NetBackup Administration Console or the NetBackup Remote
Administration Console.
• The databases or the storage groups must exist on the target server.
• For Exchange 2007:
– The storage group databases must have the same names as those in the original
storage group.
– The target server must have the same Organization and Administrative Group name as
the source server.
• Snapshot backups can be restored to databases that are named
differently as long as they are in same domain.

34 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Top Support Technotes
• Best Practices for configuring NetBackup for Exchange over a backup
network
http://www.veritas.com/docs/000032498

• NetBackup client requirements for NetBackup for Exchange

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000119827

• Creating a minimal NetBackup account for Exchange operations

(Exchange 2010 and later)
http://www.veritas.com/docs/000119920

• NetBackup 8.0 for Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide

http://www.veritas.com/docs/000116377

35 © 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved.

Thank you!
Presenter Name
Presenter email
Presenter phone
© 2017 Veritas Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC or
its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.