Archive:SEP sesam Exchange online Backup

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Scope

This article describes the backup and restore of Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 and Exchange Server 2003.

System Requirements

Requirements for the Exchange Server side

  • An active, running SEP sesam Server installation.

Note: It is possible to install SEP sesam server on the Exchange Server. However, in the event a Disaster Recovery is needed for the complete system, it will be more involved and complicated and will require a great deal more time, than if the software is installed in the recommended Server/Client method.

  • SEP sesam Client Version 3.2.1.21 or greater
  • A correct, working name resolution between SEP sesam Server and the SEP sesam Client installed on the server running Exchange

Install and configure a MS-Exchange online Backup

  • Install the SEP sesam Client
  • After installing the client, copy the following file to the SEP sesam Server's home directory
copy
C:\Program files\exchange\bin\esebcli2.dll
to
C:\Program files\sepsesam\bin\sesam

The installation on the client is now finished.

Next, connect the new SEP sesam Client to the SEP sesam Server. Create a new task for the client with Type "MS Exchange" and in the field "Source" enter the name of your MS-Exchange DB. In many cases it is the host name of the Exchange server without the domain suffix.

You may now start the backup. The default is to start online.

Disaster recovery procedure for MS Exchange

Windows 2000; 2000 Server; XP; Windows 2003-Server with active directories and MS-Exchange

Perform the following backups using the SEP sesam Server or client:

FULL; SYSTEM_STATE

If you want to restore an Exchange server you must also backup the database.

Restoring a client:

  • 1. The damaged computer must have the hardware replaced or repaired with identical hardware and firmware to assure the original technical status.
  • 2. Install the same operating system as before the system failure, with the identical service packs (e.g. SP4 in Windows 2000 or SP2 for Windows XP).
  • 3. You must set the Network properties to the same Hostname and IP Address used before the system failure.
  • 4. If the damaged computer was an Exchange server or Domain-Server, it has to be installed manually before restoring. (type dcpromo in the cmd)
  • 5. Install the SEP sesam Client with name reference to the SEP sesam Server.
  • 6. Restart the computer and start the „Directory service restoration“ mode with F8.
  • 7. Start the „FULL“ restore on SEP sesam Server (with overwrite) and wait until it is finished.
  • 8. Start the „system_state“ restore on SEP sesam Server (with overwrite) and wait again until it’s finished.
  • 9. Restart the computer.
  • 10. Check if all functions are working properly, if not check the restore logfile on SEP sesam Server.
Exchange restore

All steps above must be fulfilled to restore the Exchange database in the event of a system failure or disaster.


To restore an Exchange server all „Exx.log“ and „Exx.chk“ files in program path must be deleted (eg R00.log or R00.chk) With a standard installation the path should be 'c: \Program Files\exchsrv\mbbdata, where you delete all the files as described above.

Exchange01.JPG


After deleting the specified files the individual storage groups have to be deleted as well. To do this, start the "Exchange System Manager". Open the directory path Server and activate the “Provision of information store repeal”.

Exchange02.JPG


Next, activate the option: "After a restore this database can be overwritten“ in the properties of every storage group (as shown below).

This procedure is also well described in SEP sesam manual under DB-Module MS-EXCHANGE.

Using the SEP sesam Restore Wizard set “overwrite” and “recover” for the database restore.

Then initialize the individual storage groups again.

For questions about this document please contact SEP support. If a POP3 service can’t be started after the restore you will have to do a file restore of the directory /system32/inetsrv/ with the option 'overwrite Exchange Server'.

Short process description
  • restore full backup
  • restore system_state
  • reboot
  • remove the logs
  • restore the exchange database
  • If a POP3 service cannot start restore the directory \inetsrv.
  • reboot the system

SINGLE Mailbox BACKUP and Restore Using SEP sesam

Preparation for a Single Mailbox Backup

Install the SEP sesam Client or Server – Version 3.0.1-12 or higher.

Copy the file Exchsrvr\bin\esebcli2.dll into the Installation Directory of the SEP sesam client to Program\SEPsesam\bin\sesam.

In the SEP sesam Installation Directory "Program\SEPsesam\bin\sesam“ enter the command

 „sm_setup set_ex2k“ 

By entering this command a configuration entry "sbcex2km.ini“ is made into the File "Programme\SEPsesam\var\ini“ that will be required later. Note: This command can only be performed once.

You should have requested a license for the Single Mailbox Option from SEP sesam and you should now activate the license on the SEP sesam Server.

Now, download the free software tool "Exmerge" from Microsoft.

Exmerge is to be installed in Exchsrvr\bin directory, (i.e. the unzipped components of Exmerge must be stored with the configuration files in this Directory).

Microsoft recommends the following procedure to set permissions for Exmerge. This must be done so that individual Mailboxes can be exported from Exchange.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292509/en-us

Further Information. Proceed as follows to set up new security groups and to set up accounts for these groups:

1. Click 'Start', select Programs, select Microsoft Exchange, and then click on Active Directory-User and Computer.

2. Expand your domain name.

3. Right mouse click the organization unit or container where the security group should be created. Click New and afterwards click 'Group'.

4. Enter a name for your group in the group name box.

5. Make certain that under Group Type, 'Security' is selected.

6. Double-click on 'Continue' and then click 'Finished'.

7. Right mouse click on the newly created group and then click 'Properties'.

8. Click the register members and then 'Add'.

9. In the Dialog Box enter the User Name, Contact or Computer for the account or group which you will using the Exmerge program and click 'OK' twice.

Note: If you are using Exchange on a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Computer System, the list of the accounts and groups will not
appear in the User, Contact or Computer. Therefore, perform the following steps to find the User Account or the Security Group:
1. In the User Dialog Box click on either Contact or Computer, click more options and then 'Search'.  
2. In the search results click on the Account or Security Group desired and the click 'OK'.  

10. Select the Exchange Administrator Roll "Read Only" for the related Administrative Group.

1. On the Exchange Server click 'Start', select Program and on Microsoft Exchange, and click 'System Manager'.

2. If Administrative Group has been activated expand the Admin Group and then expand the Administrative Group.

3. Right mouse click on the relevant Administrative Group and click on 'Object Management' or 'Delegate Control’

4. Click in the Assistant for the directions for maintenance permissions for Exchange Objects and then on 'Enter'.

5. Click in the Group Field on the Security Group that you have just created and then in the Dialog Box - Rolls, select 'Read Only' and then click 'OK'.

6. Click on 'Continue' and then click 'Finished'.

Take the following steps to set permissions for the newly created Security Group

1. On the Exchange Server, click Start, select Program and Microsoft Exchange, then select and click System Manager.

2. If 'Administrative Group' has been activated expand the Admin Group, and then expand further your Administrative Groups.

3. Expand the Server, expand the Exchange Server and expand the Storage Group that holds the Post Office Store where the utility program "ExMerge" will be used. For example, expand the first Storage Group.

4. Right mouse click on the Post Office Storage where you plan to use "Exmerge", next click on properties.

5. Click on the Register Card - 'Security'.

6. Click on 'Add'.

7. Enter in the Dialog Box User, Contact or Computer in the new Security Group and click 'OK' twice.

When you enter the Security Group in the way described all Control Boxes will be automatically checked for the Post Office Store. This includes the permissions for "Send As" and "Receive As" that are required for the accounts and that use the "Exmerge" program to access all mail boxes in the Post Office.

Configuration of the SEP sesam Services

The SEP sesam services account must be changed to one 'User' that is a member of the Administrator Group, Replication Operator, Security Operator and a member of the newly created Security Group. This step is required so that SEP sesam can perform the "ExMerge" tasks during backups. This User now has access to all mailboxes on the Exchange Servers. In the basis settings in Exchange access to the mailboxes by Administrators is restricted.

Configure the file <SESAM_INSTALL_DIR>\var\ini\sbcex2km.ini

Open the file with an Editor program and set the following parameters:

PathToExMergeExecutable=C:\Programme\Exchsrvr\bin\exmerge.exe

For the example below „YOUR_EXCHANGE_SERVER“ you must enter the actual name of the Server.

SourceServerName=YOUR_EXCHANGE_SERVER
DomainControllerForSourceServer=YOUR_EXCHANGE_DOMAIN_CONTROLLER

Set the Loglevel for the first tests to '3'. Afterward change the Loglevel to '1'.

LoggingLevel=3

Close the Config- file and save it.

Select the External Storage Location

!!!!! Important !!!!!

During the backup of the Mailboxes some Mailboxes will be briefly transferred to external storage, therefore be absolutely certain that there is sufficient space in the storage partition where the SEP sesam Installation Directory resides. If that is not the case you can select another location with sufficient space.

Next, create a folder "ini" and a folder "sepmail" on this Disk Drive in the main Directory. Copy the following command into the "ini" folder to transfer the fully configured file:

C:\Programme\SEPsesam\var\ini\sbcex2km.ini

The folder "sepmail“ remains empty.


In the next step SEP receives the new Export Directory. Change to the Directory C:\Programme\SEPsesam\var\ini“ and open the file sm.ini with an Editor and move to the section:

[PATH] 

and edit the line

gv_rw_tmp=C:\Programme\SEPsesam\var\tmp\ 

with the new Directory where "sepmail" is located.

e.g.  „gv_rw_tmp=E:\sepmail“.

The source for the Post Office Store for the backup should be available to the Exchange Administrator. If this is not the case you need to start a 'Test Backup' manually using the utility exmerge.exe. In the directory from where Exmerge.exe was started will be found the logfile ExMerge.log. From this log you can find the source file necessary for SEP sesam.


Detail from an example backup of the ExMerge.log


[16:46:08] Set search preferences
[16:46:08] Filter used: '(objectClass=msexchPrivateMDB)'
[16:46:08] Successfully executed directory search
[16:46:08] Ending Routine:  (CADRoutines::GetExchangeServerStorageGroupInfo)
[16:46:08] Entered Routine:  (CADRoutines::GetMailboxesHomedOnExchangeServerDatabases)
[16:46:09] Mailbox '/o=Erste Organisation/ou=First administrative group/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=RUOFFNIX4/cn=Microsoft       
System Attendant' will be ignored as its DN contains strings in the ignore list
[16:46:09] Mailbox '/o=First Organisation/ou=First administrative group/cn=Configuration/cn=Connections/cn=SMTP          
(RUOFFNIX4)/cn={DF244735-E26F-49FF-9A5D-41D343F7CFEF}' will be ignored as its DN contains strings in the ignore list
[16:46:09] Mailbox '/o= Organisation/ou=Erste administrative 
Gruppe/cn=Recipients/cn=SystemMailbox{DF244735-E26F-49FF-9A5D-41D343F7CFEF}' will be ignored as its DN contains strings in the  
ignore list
[16:46:09] Found 13 mailbox(es) homed on database 'ERSTE SPEICHERGRUPPE/POSTFACHSPEICHER (RUOFFNIX4)'.
[16:46:09] Ignored 3 mailbox(es) homed on database 'ERSTE SPEICHERGRUPPE/POSTFACHSPEICHER (RUOFFNIX4)'.
[16:46:09] Found 13 mailbox(es) homed on the specified databases.
[16:46:09] Ignored 3 mailbox(es) homed on the specified databases.


The path for the Post Office database to be backed up is in the example:

FIRST STORAGEGROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE

Msexch1.jpg


The full content in the source line appears as:

FIRST STORAGE GROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/ruoffnix4,0:100

  • This call is made up from the source group storage

(FIRST STORAGE GROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/)

  • Next is the Exchange Server Hostname

RUOFFNIX4

  • then with a comma separating the entry what should be backed up.

,0:100 These entries allow the backup of the first 101 Post Boxes.



Further Possibilities: 1. With this it is possible to backup Mailbox users 1-101.

FIRST STORAGEGROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/ruoffnix4,0:100

0:100

2. Using this command you can store the first to the last mailbox:

FIRST STORAGEGROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/ruoffnix4,0:-1

0:-1

3. With the following command only the account of the Users Administrator is backed up. You can enter more names by simply entering a ',' between names. It is, however, limited to a certain line length depending on the Exchange version in use, which is why the examples above have been provided.

FIRST STORAGEGROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/ruoffnix4,Administrator

Administrator

To determine which User will backed up with the entry 0:10 you can control Exmerge, the sort method used by SEP sesam remains the same.

Microsoft recommends many small Backup groups for such purposes because each Post Box is extracted and the process could take an inordinate amount of time. You can accomplish this using SEP sesam by setting up multiple mini-tasks.

Example:

1.Source task

FIRST STORAGEGROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/ruoffnix4,0:30

2.Source task

FIRST STORAGEGROUP/POSTOFFICESTORE/ruoffnix4,31:61

Use this task for a group and set a collective start.

Further References