Best practices for backing up Exchange server to a tape drive
What is the best practice when it comes to backing up an Exchange server, message stores and all, to a tape drive? Is NTbackup sufficient or should we look at backup exec or brightstore?
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
May 17, 2011 6:36 PM
UPDATED:
May 19, 2011 8:48 PM
Answer Wiki:
I have been using Backup exec (currently version 12.5) for the last few years. We have not had any huge exchange issues, and the minor ones were easily restored using Backup Exec. The software can use several different devices as far as tape drives. Symantec's support is also pretty good. You will have to pay extra for the support after the first year, and there are a couple of "flavors" as far as cost and times that support is available. You might want to check out some other solutions, but Symantec's Backup exec has work very well here.
Good Luck!
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3rd party solutions such as Backup Exec allow you more granularity. You can back up the stores as well as mailboxes so that you can do granular restores if needed.
NTBackup will do just fine, if it fits your needs now. All you need to do is to direct the backup to a file rather than a device, simply put. I generally use several external drives so that one or two can be taken off site for further protection, and swapped back in according to a preset order (though this often seems to get out of whack for some silly user reason <g>).
Depending on the size of the drives and the size of the backup, you may be able to fit a few backup copies on each drive so that older backups are always available.