Configure Microsoft Exchange Server backup on Backup & Disaster Recovery appliance

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    This article refers to the 32-bit version of the DR backup agent, which is no longer supported starting from Infrascale Backup & Disaster Recovery 8.14.0.

    Things to know

    For all versions of Exchange after 2003, you will need to set up a client using the 32-bit agent for the mailbox backup and the 64-bit agent for the full database backup. If you are running Exchange 2003, then you can accomplish both with only the 32-bit agent.

    The 64-bit agent installs as any other agent setup. The 32-bit agent does require a different configuration, which we will cover today.

    We recommend that each client should connect through a unique port to avoid any collision issues.

    What you need

    • Access to the configured appliance

    • Admin access to Microsoft Exchange Server to install and configure two different clients, one for the full database backup, and the second for the mailbox backup

    • A user with a non-hidden mailbox that is a member of the administrator group for the server within Active Directory and is a member of the Exchange trusted subsystem group

    Step 1. Create a client

    We recommend using a naming convention that is easily recognizable, for example:

    • Exchange MB, as in ‘mailbox’

    • Exchange DB, as in ‘database’

    We also need to make sure that the clients are connecting through different ports to avoid any possible overlap issues.

    The default ports are 9102, 9103 and 9101 are also used. To be safe, we recommend opening up a port like 9202, which is what we will do here.

    Step 2. Install and register the 32-bit client

    We will go through the configuration as usual and the agent will automatically detect if you have the MAPI plug-in or not, and will install it for you if you do not.

    Register this client with the password generated from the appliance Management console as you would any other client.

    Step 3. Run the 32-bit backup agent

    If the agent does not run as a user with proper access and rights, the backups will fail.

    If you have not already, create a user that is:

    • not hidden from the contact list/directory

    • a member of the Administrators Group for this particular server within Active Directory

    • a member of the Exchange Trusted Subsystem Group for this Exchange Server

    On the Service Control tab, stop the service, then enter the before mentioned user credentials.

    Apply, then start the service.

    If you open the Exchange Mailbox menu tab, we should see the new database and be able to drill down into the mailboxes within the DB – this is how one can select or deselect mailboxes that should or should not be protected.

    Step 4. Configure the mailbox backup client

    1. In the appliance Management Console, go to Clients › Edit.

    2. Locate and click the Microsoft Exchange Server client create for the mailbox backup.

      • Configure the retention settings and schedules.

      • Within the file set edit window, turn off the VSS service.

        This is because the mailbox-level backup is handled by the MAPI plug-in, not VSS.

      • Enable the Mailbox backup plug-in.

      • Delete any flat file backup locations listed near the bottom.

        If you need to do a flat file backup, then configure this in the same client as the full or DB level backup, or a separate client altogether.

    Step 5. Configure the database backup client

    1. In the appliance Management Console, go to Clients › Edit.

    2. Locate and click the Microsoft Exchange Server client create for the database backup.

      • Configure the retention settings and schedules.

      • Use the VSS service.

      • Enable the Database backup plug-in.