Messaging Backup and Restore

at Microsoft

Published:
June 2003
Solution Overview
Situation
● As part of the internal rollout of Microsoft® Exchange 2003 and the Microsoft Windows
Server System™ at Microsoft, Microsoft IT began to consolidate messaging servers to
reduce operating costs. High availability requirements for the clustered server redesign
prompted Microsoft IT to examine its backup and restore solution.

Solution
● Microsoft IT implemented a two-step backup solution and the Exchange 2003 Recovery
Storage Group (RSG) feature that minimizes user downtime during a database
recovery. The new solution supports server consolidation with high availability while
providing greater backup and restore flexibility.

Benefits
● Increased server ability during single node failures
● Reduced operating costs from server consolidation
● Minimized impact to users during backup using an alternate passive node in the
clustered configuration
● Flexible recovery solution allowed users to continue working while restoration of
mailbox/database was done offline and merged later
Products and Technology
● Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
● Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Enterprise Edition
● Veritas Network Storage
Executive (NSE)
● HP StorageWorks Enterprise
Virtual Array 5000 – storage area
network (SAN) solution
● Microsoft Operations Manager
(MOM) Exchange 2003
Management Pack (MP)
Situation
● As of July 2003 the Microsoft corporate e-mail
infrastructure is comprised of:
● Global mail flow of 6,000,000 messages per day on
average, with 2,500,000 average Internet mail
messages per day.
● 20 databases per server, with 50 gigabyte (GB)
maximum database size on new clustered
deployments. 200 MB per user mailbox limits.
● Global service availability of 99.9% with a target to
achieve 99.99% on clustered designs.
● Worldwide mail delivery in less than 90 seconds, 95%
of the time.
● Backup and restore operation SLA of less than one
hour per database.
Old Configuration

Regional
Configuration
Tape
1K Mailbox
Exchange 2000
1K Mailbox

100 MB LAN
Exchange 2000

1K Mailbox Dedicated
Exchange 2000 Exchange 2000
Restore Server
Backup Solution Architecture

Linear Tape
A A Library
SG1 B B Backup
Backup ~60GB/hr
A B ~60GB/hr/SG C C stream
D D
C D
E E
E SG2 A
A B A A B A
B B C B A
C D
C C D C B A
E D D E D C B A
Restore E E Restore E D C B
~100GB/hr
E D C
Production Data Pool of Backup E D
Four storage groups (SG) per server Disks E
Five databases per storage group
Recovery

Goal Guideline Solution

Service Recovery >5 DB RSG+EXMERGE
(1000 users)

Data Recovery <=1 DB Exchange 2003

(200 users) Restore for up to
2 days from disk-
based backup
Cluster Design Specifications

Goal Regiona Headquar

4 CPU Active Nodes 3l ters
4
4 CPU Passive Nodes 3 4
2 CPU Alt Passive Nodes 3 4
EVA 3 4
Mailboxes per Cluster 8,000 16,000
Benefits

● Clustered design with 2-stage backups

● Provided greater flexibility to back up and restore
data when needed
● Minimized impact on users
● Increased server ability during single node failures
● Reduced operating costs
Best Practices

● Two-step Backup
● Minimized user impact
● Allowed 2nd stage backups to occur at any time
● Backup Throughput Registry Adjustment
● Doubled throughput per storage group
● Server Design
● Base multi-node cluster design on active and primary alternate
servers
● Manage Transaction Logs
● Use MOM to Monitor Backup and Restore
Summary

Microsoft IT benefited from implementing a

two-step backup operation and a new
clustered design.
● Increase in number of supported mailboxes per
server
● Doubling of user mailbox limits while maintaining
the 1-hour SLA per database for backup and
restore operations
● Reduced operating costs
● Improved existing uptime SLA
For More Information

● Additional content on Microsoft IT

deployments and best practices can be
found on http://www.microsoft.com
● Microsoft TechNet
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itshowcase
● Microsoft Case Study Resources
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/casestudies
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.

© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

This presentation is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS
SUMMARY. Microsoft, Microsoft Press, Visual Studio, Visual SourceSafe, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks
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mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Appendix
Cluster Architecture