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What is the best way to prepare for Disaster Recovery when moving Exhange Mailboxes

Hello,
I am not an Exchange Guru, so please bear with me:

I plan to move Mailboxes from EX03 to EX10.
What are some of the best ways to recover from a disaster?
1. Create an image of the source server?
2. Just backup the EX03 database?
3. Have all users enable an OST mailbox on their client computer?
4. Create PSTs?
5. Backup the System State?

Thanks

MegaNuk3

All of the above.
The image of the server would be the best if you can do it

Backups of the Exchange database are good as they can be restored to other Exchange 2003 Recovery Storage Groups.

MegaNuk3

OSTs/PSTs are also good, but a bit manual...

Glen Knight

All you need to do is take backup of the databases before and after the mailbox migration. Everything else can be easily recovered.

That said, in 14 years i have done MANY migrations and never had to restore a mailbox database

MegaNuk3

Yep, as demazter says - I have never heard of anyone who has migrated/transitioned from E2k3 to E2k10 having to do a restore/DR of the E2k3 server because of the migration/transition.

cliffordgormley

ASKER

God, I feel like such a newbie asking these questions.
I have tried to avoid Exchange because of how important it is for clients.
Now that I am involved in it, is NTBACKUP adequate to backup the exchange database?

What specific files constitute all of the mailboxes and the public store?

Do i need to back up log files too?

is there a utility within System Manager to backup and restore Exchange itself

Thanks for your patience!

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Glen Knight

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