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What to back up on Exchange 2010 to recover from disaster?
Suppose:
Head Office (HO): Windows 2003 AD (dc-ho), Exchange 2010 with 150 users on single database (exch).
Site A: Windows 2003 AD (dc-a)
Site B: Windows 2003 AD (dc-b)
If DAG features and third party solution such as Doubletake is not cost effective enough to recover from HO site disaster, I imagine using the following way as site disaster recovery strategy.
I store a copy of exch image at Site A (say virtual machine on ESX). Usually this image is not running.
The exch data is backed up from ho to site-a daily or even hourly.
In case of disaster at site HO, I would bring up exch at site A and restore the backup data, change the DNS record to point to site A, then email will be restored. But I am not sure if this is feasible.
Q#1. If dc-ho is destroyed with exch at site HO, will the copy of exch be able to run at site A with dc-a only?
Q#2. If not, how to 'replicate' the minimum AD features from site HO to site A so the copy of exch can run at site A?
Q#3. If yes, what data from the live exch should be backed up to site A regularly?
Thanks a lot.
Head Office (HO): Windows 2003 AD (dc-ho), Exchange 2010 with 150 users on single database (exch).
Site A: Windows 2003 AD (dc-a)
Site B: Windows 2003 AD (dc-b)
If DAG features and third party solution such as Doubletake is not cost effective enough to recover from HO site disaster, I imagine using the following way as site disaster recovery strategy.
I store a copy of exch image at Site A (say virtual machine on ESX). Usually this image is not running.
The exch data is backed up from ho to site-a daily or even hourly.
In case of disaster at site HO, I would bring up exch at site A and restore the backup data, change the DNS record to point to site A, then email will be restored. But I am not sure if this is feasible.
Q#1. If dc-ho is destroyed with exch at site HO, will the copy of exch be able to run at site A with dc-a only?
Q#2. If not, how to 'replicate' the minimum AD features from site HO to site A so the copy of exch can run at site A?
Q#3. If yes, what data from the live exch should be backed up to site A regularly?
Thanks a lot.
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ASKER
dc-ho, dc-a, and dc-b are DCs of the same domain.
ASKER
No Exchange server is in production at site A when site HO is operational. I just 'seed' at site A a copy of production Exchange server (exch) at site HO for disaster recovery prupose. Can you comment on my Q#1. and Q#2 again if the response is different now?
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Sorry for the confusion.
In the begining I assume that the only Exchange server is at site HO.
Site A and B has only DC running.
In the begining I assume that the only Exchange server is at site HO.
Site A and B has only DC running.
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Thank you.
ASKER
If I force dc-a to take over such role in this case, will exch run properly at site A?
Can you also please comment on Q#1 & Q#2?
Thanks.