Exchange 2000 server disaster recovery

yes

Considering Exchange server is memeber server & DC is on other server.

* Important feature of /disasterrecovery is it will not create databases.
* It only copies setup files on HDD on given path.
* It reads Exchange configuration from AD & configures this new exchange server accordingly.
* Since you will install new Exchange on same path it will read the databases (it finds path of databases & log files from AD).
* Incase you change the path of Exchange installation; follow offline restoration.

For E2K
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Disaster_Recovery.html

For E2K3
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Recovering-Failed-Exchange-2003-Member-Server-Using-Disaster-Recovery-Switch.html

Hi vishal_breed,

>>Considering Exchange server is memeber server & DC is on other server.
Yes, it's same

Refer to  E2K document ( http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Disaster_Recovery.html)

Step 2 -  Restore the system volume to the new server using NTBACKUP as follows...
I am using Veritas Backup Exec 10d for Exchange server backup, and normally only backup "Microsoft Exchange Mailboxes, Microsoft Exchange Public Folders and System state". As the document, I should also backup whole C drive, rite ?

Step 5. Restore the your Exchange 2000 Server databases using...("Log Files" + "Mailbox Store")
"Log Files" folder = "Servername.log" folder (becos I only see "Servername.log" folder in Backup Exec")


Thanks help !

the restoring will work if you are backing up the exchange information store
per your notes "normally only backup "Microsoft Exchange Mailboxes, Microsoft Exchange Public Folders", it appears that you are doing a brick level backup.
a brick level backup backups individual mailboxes and public folders and not the actual databases.

NO...

Under BackupExec, although I just checked "Microsoft Exchange Mailboxes, Microsoft Exchange Public Folders", it will also backup Exchange "Mailbox Store" and Public Filder Store" at the same time.

correct
if that is the case then you can restore the databases only(exchange information store backup) and not the individual mailboxes and public folders backups

But how about others as above ?

Step 2 -  Restore the system volume to the new server using NTBACKUP as follows...
I am using Veritas Backup Exec 10d for Exchange server backup, and normally only backup "Microsoft Exchange Mailboxes, Microsoft Exchange Public Folders and System state". As the document, I should also backup whole C drive, rite ?

Step 5. Restore the your Exchange 2000 Server databases using...("Log Files" + "Mailbox Store")
"Log Files" folder = "Servername.log" folder (becos I only see "Servername.log" folder in Backup Exec")

For you Step 2 should be,

Step 2 -  Apply Exchange SP3 (if previous server has any Exchange Post SP3 rollup installed - install the same now or install August 2004 Post SP3 rollup ) + Windows SP 4 & other required OS patches.

--- No need to restore the system state or C:. Exchange Online Backup will backup only Information stores as mentioned by rakeshmiglani.

Step 3 - While restore it will restore Databases & Transaction Log files (no idea abt this particular backup exec version). That "Servername.log" folder must contacin Transaction Logs!!

All the Best !!

Can explain more please ?

1. install the OS and service packs with relevant hotfixes on the crashed server (server name and OS/Service pack level must be the same)

Now we should join new Windows 2000 into domain as member server (if no need to restore the system state or C:. ), rite ?

2. run exchange setup with disasterrecovery switch
Not overwrite existing D driver edb file ? Only Exchange system reinstalled, rite ?

3. once exchange is installed check all the relevant services and even logs for any errors

4. patch the exchange server with service pack and relevant hotfixes

5. as the databases would not have been created, restore information store only from online backup
if you have a clean copy of exchange databases in then do an offline restore by putting the databses and logs in the relevent folders

>>>Becos old edb file is still stored on D drive, can I directly mount back D drive old edb file after >>>run "Setup.exe /DisasterRecovery", is it possible ???
Can tell me more the step ?

6. mount the stores

Thanks a lot !

1) YES
2) YES, but move the edb files to another location during the install
3) YES
4) YES
5) YES, once exchange has been installed on this server, move the old edb and stm files in the correct folder and mount the stores. if the databases are in clean shutdown state they will mount
6) YES

>>5) YES, once exchange has been installed on this server, move the old edb and stm files in the >>correct folder and mount the stores. if the databases are in clean shutdown state they will mount

What's you mean the database are in clean shutdown state ? Supposed the C drive (Windows 2000 system) is suddenly corrupted, so  the edb database...

>>move the old edb and stm files in the correct
I should move the whole MDBDATA folder ? Except edb and stm files, it will have others E00 (log) file in there together ?


Thanks again !

to check whether the databases are in clean shutdown state use the eseutil /mh command
this can only be run against the database when the store is not mounted
look for the attribute called "database state"
if it is clean shutdown then you don't need any log files to mount the stores
if the state is dirty shutdown then log files are required to bring the database back to a clean shutdown state
if you have all the required logs then running the eseutil /r switch should help

move just the databases if the database is clean shutdown. move the databases and logs if the databases are dirty shutdown