Configuring a VMware policy to back up Exchange Server
This topic describes how to configure a VMware policy to back up Exchange Server. Optionally, you can use NetBackup Accelerator.
To configure a VMware policy to back up Exchange Server
- Create a new policy or open the policy you want to configure.
- In the Policy dialog box, click the Attributes tab.
- In the Policy type list, select VMware.
For complete details on how to create a policy for VMware backups, see the NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide.
- In the Policy storage box, select a disk storage unit.
If you want to use NetBackup Accelerator, select a PureDisk storage unit type (MSDP or PureDisk). The NetBackup device mapping files list all supported storage types.
- To use NetBackup Accelerator, click Use Accelerator.
Accelerator uses the initial full backup to establish a baseline. Any subsequent backups that are performed with Accelerator can run significantly faster. You may want to create an additional policy schedule that enables the Accelerator forced rescan option. This option establishes a new baseline for the next Accelerator backup. For more details on NetBackup Accelerator, see the following:
See Using NetBackup Accelerator to increase speed of full VMware backups (NetBackup for Exchange).
NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide.
When you enable Accelerator, on the VMware tab the Enable block-level incremental backup option is also selected and grayed out.
- On the Clients tab, click Select automatically through query.
If you encounter problems using a query, on the VMware tab try changing the Primary VM identifier from VM hostname to VMware display name.
- From the NetBackup host to perform automatic virtual machine selection list, select the host you want to use.
- Use the Query Builder to create a rule(s) that selects the virtual machine(s) you want to back up.
For more details on the Query Builder, see the NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide.
- Click the Backup Selections tab.
This tab displays the query you created on the Clients tab.
- Click the VMware tab.
For details on the options in this dialog box, see the NetBackup for VMware Administrator's Guide.
- Select the Primary VM identifier to use to catalog the backups.
- Select Enable file recovery from VM backup.
This option must be enabled for application protection of Exchange Server.
- Select Enable Exchange Recovery.
This option enables recovery of the Exchange databases or mailbox messages from the virtual machine backups. If this option is disabled, you can recover the entire virtual machine from the backup, but you cannot recover the databases or mailbox messages individually.
- (Conditional) Choose whether or not truncate logs:
If you do not want to truncate transaction logs, no further configuration is necessary for the policy.
Continue with step 20.
If you want to truncate transaction logs, you must first perform a full backup without log truncation. Without this initial full backup, the ASC job fails. When the backup is complete, then perform the full VMware backup with log truncation enabled.
Continue with step 15.
- Click OK to save the policy.
- Perform a full backup.
- When the backup completes, open the policy that you created in step 1.
- Click the VMware tab.
- Under Enable Exchange Recovery, select Truncate logs.
This option truncates the transaction logs when the VMware snapshot of the virtual machine is complete.
- Click OK to save the policy.
See Notes for configuration of VMware policies that protect Exchange Server.
See Configuring Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) with a VMware backup that protects Exchange.