Sizing Guide Exchange Server 2003 - Fujitsu

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White Paper Sizing Guide Exchange Server 2003 Version: 4.2, July 2006 Backup solutions for Exchange Server 2003 As backup software either the Windows backup program or a 3 rd -party product that supports the Exchange API, such as BrightStor ARCserve from Computer Associates or NetWorker from EMC Legato, can be used. Compared with the Windows backup program, third-party products provide additional functions, such as the support of tape libraries, backup of individual mailboxes or even individual mails or folders. However, when backing up individual mailboxes or folders note that the throughput is considerably smaller - approximately only 20% - in comparison with on-line backup of entire Exchange databases. With Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003 VSS-based backup and recover should become a standard procedure for disaster recovery in the Enterprise Feature Windows Backup BrightStor ARCserve NetWorker Offline Backup × × × Online Backup × × × Single Database × × × Single Mailbox × × Single Objects × × VSS Snapshots × × Backup in parallel × × × Online Restore × × × Restore in parallel × × × Cluster Support × × × Tape Library Support × × Remote Backup × × × Environments Small Windows Heterogeneous environment. The advantages of this methodology, as discussed in the past, speak for themselves. A 3 rd - party backup product is also necessary here because Windows‟ own backup tool, ntbackup, does not support VSS snapshots of Exchange databases. The functional scope of the products available on the market varies substantially in part, particularly as far as the supported hardware devices or the support of other applications besides Exchange, or even other operating systems than Windows, are concerned. For Exchange Server 2003 Fujitsu recommends the backup products of the NetWorker family. This backup solution is VSS-compliant and also enables individual mailboxes to be backed up and restored. In addition, the NetWorker supports the online backup of an incomparable amount of applications, all market-relevant backup devices and operating system platforms. Consequently, the creation of this backup solution is not an insular solution for Exchange Server 2003, but has laid the foundation for a company-wide Enterprise backup solution. © Fujitsu Technology Solutions, 2009 Page 32 (69)
White Paper Sizing Guide Exchange Server 2003 Version: 4.2, July 2006 Backup strategy Even more fundamental than adequate backup hardware and software is an appropriate backup strategy. The backup strategy influences the requirements made of the backup hardware and software and in turn defines the restore strategy. Thus the backup intervals and backup method are critical for restore times. But also the structuring of the Exchange server into storage groups and databases influences the backup and restore times. Since restore time in particular is the critical path (as this means downtime), the restore time required particularly with larger Exchange servers determines both the backup and the Exchange storage group and database concept. Exchange 2000 Server and Exchange Server 2003 support up to four storage groups, each with up to five databases. Each storage group is administered within its own process. For each storage group a separate set of log files is administered within the group for all databases. One backup process is possible per storage group. In this way, providing there is appropriate backup hardware, it is possible for the backup to run in parallel. On the other hand, it should not be kept a secret that the splitting into several storage groups during normal operations means more expenditure as a result of the split into several processes and thus a higher CPU load and storage requirements. In order to completely back up the Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003 databases it is - in contrast to Exchange 5.5 - inadequate to only back up the Exchange databases. Although Active Directory is not a component of Exchange 200x and its backup, Exchange 200x is very much based upon it. The entire Exchange 200x configuration data are stored in Active Directory, as are the user data. Moreover, Exchange 200x is based on the IIS and various fundamental Exchange configuration data are stored in the Meta database of the IIS. Both sets of information, Active Directory and the IIS Meta database, are backed up in a system-state backup. Note in this respect that the Active Directory is not necessarily hosted on the Exchange server. This is why a system-state backup of the domain controller must be effected. With clustered systems other components must also be taken into consideration in the backup. The backup hardware can either be directly connected to the Exchange server or to a dedicated backup server in a network. With an on-line backup access to the Exchange data is effected in both cases through the backup interface of the respective Exchange server. If a decision is made in favor of a dedicated backup server, then a LAN of 1 GB is advisable in order to guarantee adequate data throughput. Exchange Exchange Server with Backup Backup Software Online Backup types Exchange Exchange Server Backup Server Backup Agent Backup Software save purge database log files log files Full × × × Incremental × × Differential × Copy × × © Fujitsu Technology Solutions, 2009 Page 33 (69)
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Sizing Guide Exchange Server 2003 - Fujitsu

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