This section explains the following procedures for designing the backup of the Exchange database:
Management Server
The Management Server centrally manages and operates multiple Managed Servers.
Install the AdvancedCopy Manager function on this server. The Management Server cannot also work as the Managed Server (Exchange server or backup server) that performs Exchange database backup.
Managed Server (Exchange server)
This Managed Server is used for the Exchange server operation.
In a Windows Server 2008 or later 64bit environment, install the AdvancedCopy Manager's agent function on this server.
Execute database backup or restoration from this server.
For Exchange Server 2007
Storage groups subject to a backup and the disks (i.e., the transaction volumes) to which the storage groups are allocated must be connected to this server.
The Exchange Server 2007 supports operations using Windows Server Failover Clustering (hereafter referred to as WSFC) or single nodes.
For Exchange Server 2010 or Exchange Server 2013
Databases subject to a backup and the disks (i.e., the transaction volumes) to which the databases are allocated must be connected to this server.
The Exchange Server 2010 or Exchange Server 2013 supports operations using cluster environment by Database Availability Group or single nodes.
Managed Server (Backup server)
This Managed Server is used for the backup server operation.
In a Windows Server 2008 or later 64bit environment, install the AdvancedCopy Manager's agent function on this server.
In addition, install the Exchange management tools to check the backup data.
The disks (ie, the backup volumes) to which the database volumes are backed up must be connected to the backup server.
Note
The backup server cannot be used in cluster operation mode.
Only one backup server is supported from one (one cluster service) Exchange Server.
The Exchange server and backup server cannot be used in combination.
The Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2010 or Exchange Server 2013 backup server cannot both be on the one backup server machine.
If an environment contains both Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2010 and Exchange Server 2013 a separate Exchange Server 2007 backup server and a separate Exchange Server 2010 backup server and a separate Exchange Server 2013 backup server must be provided.
The following figure shows a server configuration example. The minimum configuration contains three machines, a Management Server, an Exchange Server, and a backup server, as well as one ETERNUS Disk storage system.
Figure 8.33 System configuration example (For Exchange Server 2007)
Figure 8.34 System configuration example (For Exchange Server 2010 or Exchange Server 2013)
Advanced Copy for backup is performed in units of disks (i.e., LUNs), not in units of partitions. For this reason, when multiple partitions are created on a disk, the individual partitions must contain files belonging to a specific storage group or a database (refer to Example A below). An operation cannot be performed with a configuration in which one disk contains files belonging to different storage groups or databases (refer to Example B below), or which contains files used by other applications (refer to Example C below). Configure a copy target disk such that it contains only partitions for Exchange Server log files or database files.
Figure 8.35 Partition configuration
The operation can be performed in the configuration shown in Example A.
However, it is recommended that a configuration consisting of multiple disks (such as the one as shown below) is used for improved performance and easy management.
Figure 8.36 Recommended partition configuration (multiple disk configuration)
Point
Assign drive letters (or mount points) to the volume (partition) that configures the storage group or the database. AdvancedCopy Manager supports both drive letters and mount points.
Note
Use copy source and copy destination disks in their initial state, in which Exchange Server linkage function backup has not been performed. Refer to "8.2.6.4 Initializing a disk" for details of disk initialization.
Database file location
The Exchange server linkage function provides the backup and restore function that backs up or restores the Exchange server databases in units of storage groups or databases. AdvancedCopy Manager executes restoration in units of volumes (partitions). For this reason, if two or more storage groups or databases exist in the same volume, the backup and restore function cannot be used.
With these restrictions in mind, the following instructions must be followed when designing the physical layout of storage groups or databases:
Only store Exchange server database files that are to be backed up in the volume in which the database files are to be located. If a file other than an Exchange server database is created in the same volume, it is also backed up. Accordingly, when it is restored, the latest data in the non-database file will be damaged.
Only one storage group or database can be stored in the same volume. Say, for example, that storage groups 1 and 2 are stored in the same volume. When storage group 1 is backed up, the files in storage group 2 are also backed up. When only storage group 1 is subsequently intended to be restored, storage group 2 is also restored. As a result, when the database of storage group 2 has been updated, the storage group 2 database is corrupted by the data from the time of the backup (refer to the figure below).
Figure 8.37 Data destruction example
Note
When a backup is performed from a volume that contains a database that is subject to a backup and a database that is not subject to a backup, the data integrity of the database that is not subject to a backup is not guaranteed.
A database cannot be allocated to the volume that contains the Exchange server and AdvancedCopy Manager executable and control files.
Locate a database file in the database to be backed up so that its file path is 213 bytes or less.
Locate a log file in the database to be backed up so that its directory path is 197 bytes or less.
Point
To copy an already allocated database file, use the Exchange Management Console to move the file.
To copy an already allocated database file, use the Exchange Management Shell to move the file.
Transaction log file allocation
Figure 8.38 Relationship between log file location and feasible restoration modes
Log files location | Restoration mode | |
|---|---|---|
Point-in-time | Roll-forward | |
Same volume with database files | Enabled | Disabled |
Separate volume from database files | Enabled | Enabled |
When a log file is stored on the volume containing a database, roll-forward restoration cannot be performed. This is because Advanced Copy performs copying in units of volumes. If a log file is stored in the volume containing a database and copy is performed (virtual copy is performed), the log file at the time of backup overwrites the latest log file. When the roll-forward restoration is specified, AdvancedCopy Manager checks whether the database file and log file are stored on the same drive.
The roll-forward restoration can only be performed when a transaction log file and database file are stored on separate drives.
The point-in-time restoration can be performed regardless of the log file allocation.
CHK file allocation is not related to the available restoration modes.
Therefore, locate the database files and log files to different volumes when roll-forward restoration is required. Although Exchange normally creates database files and transaction log files in the same volume, the Exchange Management Console (for Exchange Server 2007 or Exchange Server 2010) or the Exchange Management Shell (for Exchange Server 2013) can be used to move the transaction log files to another volume.
Distributed location of an EDB file (For Exchange Server 2007)
As shown in the figure below, a database file can be distributed and stored in multiple volumes. When a storage group is distributed and stored in multiple volumes, AdvancedCopy Manager backs up all the volumes.
Figure 8.39 Distributing a database file to multiple volumes
Circular logging must be disabled to implement AdvancedCopy Manager backup of Exchange databases. A backup cannot be performed if circular logging is enabled.
With circular logging disabled, the log files are sequentially created as the amount of logged data increases and they reduce the free volume space accordingly. When a backup is successful, however, backed-up data that is no longer needed in the volume can be deleted.
Placement of the backup disk
The backup disks and the disks used by transactions must be placed on the same ETERNUS Disk storage system.
Creating backup disks and volumes (partitions)
A backup volume must be prepared (refer to "8.1.3 Preparation") before the operation that is explained in "3.4.4 Fetching device information on a Managed Server" is performed.
A backup volume must be created so that the partition size and start offset match those of the transaction volume (because Advanced Copy is executed in units of disks when the backup is performed). In a "1 LUN = 1 partition" configuration, it is enough to match the partition size - the start offset need not be recognized.
Figure 8.40 Creating a backup volume
Note that a backup disk LUN and a transaction disk LUN of the same size must be prepared.
Supported disk partition formats are MBR and GPT. However, the transaction disk and backup disk partitions must have the same format.
Design copy sets so that there is a 1:1 relationship between backup disks and all the transaction disks related to the storage group or database being backed up.
Figure 8.41 Copy set registration
Copy sets with the same transaction disk but different backup disks cannot be registered at the same time.
Figure 8.42 When registration to a copy set is not possible
Exchange linkage commands (swsrpXXX_exchange) perform processing on particular copy sets based on the storage group name (for Exchange Server 2007) or database name (for Exchange Server 2010 or Exchange Server 2013).
Figure 8.43 When multiple storage groups or databases are registered
For one Exchange Server machine (one cluster environment), there must be one backup server machine and a non-cluster environment.
Figure 8.44 Exchange Server and backup server example
