VV Pro and Exchange

[Guest]

First off, sorry for double topicing a thread. I am moving my Exchange questions to this new thread.

Anyway, TGRMN said
Re VSC. Currently VV already supports VSC (it is included in the standard PRO version, no add-on). It can be activated from the advanced profile settings. http://www.tgrmn.com/web/kb/item33.htm
This MS article shows how to verify a correct Exchange backup:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822896

My question is, does VV process Exchange the same way when creating the Volume Copy? I.e., does Exchange run and cleanup log files prior to creating the VSC, or does a VV initiated VSC just shadow everything? Part of that KB article says...

The following list describes the Exchange Server 2003 backup with Volume Shadow Copy service process:
1.The backup program (or agent) runs a scheduled job.
2.The Volume Shadow Copy service Requestor in the backup program sends a command to the Volume Shadow Copy service to take a shadow copy of the selected Exchange Server 2003 storage groups.
3.Volume Shadow Copy service communicates with the Exchange Server 2003 Writer to prepare for a snapshot backup.
4.Volume Shadow Copy service communicates with the appropriate storage provider to create a shadow copy of the storage volume or the storage volumes that contain the Exchange Server 2003 storage group or storage groups.
5.Volume Shadow Copy service releases Exchange Server 2003 to resume ordinary operations.
6. The Volume Shadow Copy service Requestor verifies the integrity of the backup set prior to informing Exchange that the backup was successful.

Which makes me think that ANY backup application that requests a VSC of Exchange will get an Online backup, but I want to be sure. I am in the process of building a VirtualPC with Exchange to test the idea, but I thought I would ask here first.

Thanks,
Gordon

[TGRMN Software]

Hello !

**** 1 ****
VV will request a volume shadow copy for the volume on which the source folder is (and/or target - you can specify that in the Profile Settings, Advanced settings section). It will ask all writers to get ready and flush the data.

To verify this you should see the following as per http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822896

The following application events will be logged if the Exchange Writer is initiated during shadow copy backups.
Event Type: Information
Event Source: ESE
Event Category: ShadowCopy
Event ID: 2005
Date: 6/17/2004
Time: 11:40:41 AM
User: N/A
Computer: EXCHSERVER
Description: Information Store (2180) Shadow copy instance 3 starting. This will be a “Backup Type”* shadow copy.

* Where “Backup Type” is the type of backup performed (Full, Copy, Incremental or Differential).
Event Type: Information
Event Source: MSExchangeIS
Event Category: Exchange VSS Writer
Event ID: 9608
Date: 6/17/2004
Time: 11:40:42 AM
User: N/A
Computer: EXCHSERVER
Description: Exchange VSS Snapshot prepared for Snapshot successfully.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: MSExchangeIS
Event Category: Exchange VSS Writer
Event ID: 9610
Date: 6/17/2004
Time: 11:40:43 AM
User: N/A
Computer: EXCHSERVER
Description: Exchange VSS Snapshot has frozen the storage groups successfully.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: MSExchangeIS
Event Category: Exchange VSS Writer
Event ID: 9612
Date: 6/17/2004
Time: 11:40:44 AM
User: N/A
Computer: EXCHSERVER
Description: Exchange VSS Snapshot has thawed the storage groups successfully.

**** 2 ****
You should specify the location for all the files that are needed to be copied including log files etc. transaction files etc. VV does not check that.

**** 3 ****
VV does not verify the backup with eseutil. This needs to be done manually or via a batch script to be run after execution. This is the most important step. If the backup passes the check then it was OK.

If you go ahead and test it with VirtualPC, let me know what you find
_________________
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TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[Alex]

Is this last step of checking the integrity done by ntbackup which is able to backup exchange and also deletes log files after being done.

So VSS cannot directly replace ntbackup without additional scripting?

Thanks, Alex

[Alex]

I meant your programme VV not VSS. sorry

[TGRMN Software]

Using the "run script after execution" feature of VV you will need to perform the last step, but I do not know if NTBackup is doing that already.
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[Guest]

Has anyone tried this full process (i.e. vv with vss enabled for logs and information stores, post copy verification with eseutil, then a log flush (all via script)? Having the flat files copied like this would be very appealing...