IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Mail, Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange Server, Version 7.1

Frequently asked questions

Answers related to frequently asked questions about Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange are provided.

How do I compress my Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backups?
Use the compression option to instruct the Tivoli® Storage Manager API to compress data before the data is sent to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. Compression reduces traffic and storage requirements.

For VSS backups, specify the compression option in the backup-archive client options file that is used as the Local DSMAGENT Node. If the environment is configured for VSS offloaded backups, you must also specify the compression option in the backup-archive client options file that is used as the Remote DSMAGENT Node. Review the compression information available in the client documentation before you compress your data.

For more information about the compression option, see Specifying Data Protection for Exchange options.

How do I encrypt my Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backups?
Use the enableclientencryptkey and encryptiontype options to encrypt Microsoft Exchange databases during backup and restore processing.

For VSS backups, specify the encryption options in the backup-archive client options file that is used as the Local DSMAGENT Node. If the environment is configured for VSS offloaded backups, you must also specify the encryption options in the backup-archive client options file that is used as the Remote DSMAGENT Node. Review the encryption information available in the client documentation before you encrypt your databases.

For more information about the enableclientencryptkey and encryptiontype options, see Specifying Data Protection for Exchange options.

How do I deduplicate my Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backups?
Use the deduplication option to enable client-side data deduplication. Client-side data deduplication is used by the Tivoli Storage Manager API to remove redundant data during backup processing before the data is transferred to the Tivoli Storage Manager server.

For VSS backups, specify the deduplication option in the backup-archive client options file that is used as the Local DSMAGENT Node. If the environment is configured for VSS offloaded backups, you must also specify the deduplication option in the backup-archive client options file that is used as the Remote DSMAGENT Node. Review the deduplication information available in the client documentation before you encrypt your databases.

For more information about the deduplication option, see Specifying Data Protection for Exchange options.

What must I do before I complete Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange mailbox-level and mailbox item-level restores?
Review these prerequisites before you complete Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange mailbox restore tasks:
How do I verify that I have Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects correctly installed to complete Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange mailbox restore operations on my Exchange Server?
When you use the configuration wizard in the Management Console (MMC) GUI to configure Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange, the wizard completes a requirements check. This check verifies whether the Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects is correctly installed.

You can also issue the tdpmapi.exe testmapi command to verify whether the MAPI is installed correctly.

How does a Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange mailbox restore operation really do mailbox-level and mailbox item-level restores?
When a mailbox restore operation is initiated, Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange completes the following actions:
  1. Starts a session with the Tivoli Storage Manager server.
  2. Queries the Tivoli Storage Manager server for a list of available backups.
  3. Selects an appropriate backup that is based on user input.
  4. When necessary, create an Exchange recovery database.
  5. Restores the selected backup into the Exchange recovery database.
  6. Copies individual mailboxes or individual mailbox items from the Exchange recovery database into the specified destination.
  7. Removes the Exchange recovery database and the associated files.
How do I use Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange to restore a deleted mailbox or items from a deleted mailbox?
Review Restoring a deleted mailbox or items from a deleted mailbox
Can I back up and restore a Database Availability Group (DAG) copy?
Exchange Server DAG replica copies can be backed up and restored by using the VSS method. For more information, see Restoring a Database Availability Group database copy.
What is a VSS restore into operation?

A VSS restore into operation can be completed on VSS backups. A VSS restore into operation allows a VSS backup of data to be restored into the recovery database, an alternate database, or a relocated database. For more information, see Restoring VSS backups into alternate locations.

Are VSS restores restored into the recovery database?
Yes, VSS restores can be restored into the recovery database or into an alternate database. For more information, see VSS restore considerations and Restoring VSS backups into alternate locations.
Why is the VSS instant restore failing over to a VSS fast restore?
A failover can occur if the Exchange data is on storage subsystems that are not supported for VSS instant restore. For more information, see VSS instant restore.
How does VSS instant restore work?
VSS instant restore is a volume-level hardware-assisted copy where target volumes (that contain the snapshot) are copied back to the original source volumes. A SAN Volume Controller, Storwize® V7000, XIV®, or DS8000® storage subsystem is required to complete VSS instant restores. For more information, see VSS instant restore.
Now that I am completing VSS operations, why are there so many active backups?
Tivoli Storage Manager policy manages VSS backups on local shadow volumes and on Tivoli Storage Manager server storage. This management allows for different policies, which can lead to an increase in the number of active backups. For more information, see How Tivoli Storage Manager server policy affects Data Protection for Exchange and Back up to Tivoli Storage Manager storage versus back up to local shadow volumes.
Can I use UNC drive letters with VSS offloaded backups?
No, Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange VSS offloaded backups do not process correctly if the Exchange database or log location are specified with UNC-based drive letters. For example, the following path uses UNC drive letters and is not supported in a VSS offloaded backup: 
\\host_srv1\c$\Program Files\Exchsrvr\First Database
The following path is specified correctly: 
C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\First Database
Drive-based names are supported when you use a volume mount point. For example: 
X:\Exch_Mount_Point\Program Files\Exchsrvr\First Database
However, UNC-based naming (as shown in the following example) is not supported when you use a volume mount point: 
\\host_srv1\x$\Exch_Mount_Point\Program Files\Exchsrvr\First Database
Why do I receive a TCP/IP timeout failure when I have Windows internal VSS tracing turned on?
Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange VSS operations might timeout with a TCP/IP failure when Windows internal VSS tracing is turned on because of the additional time that is required to write entries to the trace file. You can avoid this issue by increasing the values for the Tivoli Storage Manager server commtimeout and idletimeout options or by decreasing the amount of Windows internal VSS tracing.
How do I complete a mailbox-level and an item-level backup and restore for Exchange?

With the Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange mailbox restore feature, you can complete individual mailbox recovery and item-level recovery operations in Microsoft Exchange Server environments on Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backups. For more information, see Restoring individual mailbox and mailbox item-level data.

How do I set up my policy settings for Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange?
For more information, see the following topics for more information about Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange policy settings:
Can I restore a Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange database backup to flat files without using an Exchange Server? Can I restore a Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange database backup to a flat file without interrupting the Data Protection for Microsoft ExchangeServer?

Yes, use the restorefiles command. For more information, see Restorefiles command.

How do I schedule Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backups?

You can schedule Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backups by using the Tivoli Storage Manager backup-archive client scheduler or the Management Console scheduler.

What do I do if I get an "unknown Exchange API error" when I run Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange?

For more information about what to do when you encounter a problem, see Troubleshooting.

How do I know whether my backup ran successfully?
A message displays that states the backup completed successfully. In addition, messages from the TDPExchange service for backup start and backup finish are displayed in the Event Viewer. The Task Manager in the Management Console provides centralized information about the status of your tasks. Processing information is also available in the following files:
  • Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange log file (default: tdpexc.log)

    This file indicates the date and time of a backup, data backed up, and any error messages or completion codes.

  • Tivoli Storage Manager server activity log

    Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange logs information about backup and restore commands to the Tivoli Storage Manager server activity log. A Tivoli Storage Manager administrator can view this log for you if you do not have a Tivoli Storage Manager administrator user ID and password.

  • Tivoli Storage Manager API error log file (default: dsierror.log)
To prevent unsuccessful backups, refer to the following facts:
  • An incremental backup of an Exchange Server database can fail if a previous full backup attempt of the same database that ended prematurely. If you receive Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange errors ACN3025E or ACN4226E, complete a full backup of the database.
  • A backup can fail if necessary transaction logs are deleted or truncated. An error message is displayed stating that log files or patch files are missing. Perform the following steps to recover from this type of backup failure:
    1. Verify that only one product is completing backups on your system.
    2. Perform a full backup.
    3. If an error is still encountered, shut down and restart the Exchange Server, then complete a full backup.
    4. If an error persists, restart the system and complete a full backup.
How do the Exchange Server transaction logs get truncated?
The log truncation can seem delayed because Exchange must make sure all log updates are sent and committed in all copies (active and passive) before it truncates the logs. A backup product, for example, Tivoli Storage Manager, completes a full backup and reports the backup is successful to Exchange. The Exchange server processes the actual log file truncation. You see evidence of this notification to truncate logs in the Windows Event log.
What do I do when the following Tivoli Storage Manager server error message is displayed: "ANR9999D snmode.c(xxxx): Error validating inserts, and so on"

You do not have to do anything as this message can be ignored. Installing a later version of Tivoli Storage Manager server prevents this message from being displayed.

What authority is needed to complete a Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backup and restore?
For more information about the required authority to complete Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange backup and restore tasks, see Security requirements.
Do I use the same nodename as used by my backup-archive client?

No, you must use different node names. For more information, see Specifying Data Protection for Exchange options.

How do I set up LAN-free to back up Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange over my SAN?

See LAN-free data movement.

Can I run Data Protection for Microsoft Exchange with multiple backup sessions?

For more information, see Backup strategies.

Parent topic: Reference information

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