Backup Exchange mailboxes using rsync

[milutin at nasbackup.com]

Hello Reuben,


Exchange database files are lock.  You have several options. 

1)

The easy one is to backup exchange to the local disk using ntbackup and 
then the rsync the backup file.


2)

Stop Exchange, rsync the files and then start it.  The drawback is that 
you will have dowm time.

The command should be some thing like his:

net stop MSExchangeMSMI /y
net stop MSExchangePCMTA /y
net stop MSExchangeFB /y
net stop MSExchangeDX /y
net stop MSExchangeIMC /y
net stop MSExchangeMTA /y
net stop MSExchangeIS /y
net stop MSExchangeDS /y
net stop MSExchangeSA /y

rsync ...

net start MSExchangeSA
net start MSExchangeDS
net start MSExchangeIS
net start MSExchangeMTA
net start MSExchangeIMC
net start MSExchangeDX
net start MSExchangeFB
net start MSExchangePCMTA
net start MSExchangeMSMI

3)

Use windows shadow. More info on this page:

http://www.nasbackup.com/index.php?name=Web_Links&req=viewlink&cid=1


4)

Use St Bernard Software to rsync open/lock files"

http://www.nasbackup.com/index.php?name=Web_Links&req=viewlink&cid=1


Please note that option 1 have other advantage, ntbackup will also 
truncate your exchange log files. So the log will not full your disk.



Regards,
Milutin Voinivich
http://www.NasBackup.co.il/




Reuben Pearse wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Has anyone got any advice on the best way to backup Exchange mailboxes 
> (Exchange 5.5) running on a Windows 2000 server? We already use rsync 
> on a number of other Windows boxes for general file backup.
>
> I've read that even if you get backups of the Exchange mailbox files, 
> then it's really tricky to get the mailboxes back into Exchange if the 
> server dies. Anyone got any tips on this?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Reuben
> reuben at pslconnect.com
>
>