Exmerge? anybody use it for daily backups

Sone · 13 Jan 2006 at 16:31

Had my request for Backup Exec exchange agent turned down, current use MS Backup to backup exchange to a file which then oges on a tape. Was thinking of trying to use exmerge instead i know you can use an ini file to tell it what to export and it would make restores much easier just wondering if anyone has tried it before?

Otacon · 13 Jan 2006 at 16:32

Looked into it briefly, decided against it. Far too complicated for little benefit when weighed against ntbackup, imo.

[edit]I should also say though that I have access to PowerControls, which gives me a lot more restoration options than ntbackup.

topher · 13 Jan 2006 at 21:47

Yeah I've used exmerge but not for daily backups, currently using veritas backup.

Sone · 13 Jan 2006 at 22:30

topher said:
Yeah I've used exmerge but not for daily backups, currently using veritas backup.

I was using Backup Exec 9.1, came back from holiday and someone had bought 10 and only normal agent licences. As we spent loads on it i am not allowed to go back to 9.1 and i have had my exchange agent request turned down on numerous occaisons

.

Think i'll have to live with spending 1 to 2 hours just to restore 1 email in some case's :mad:

, with 9.1 it took seconds

topher · 13 Jan 2006 at 23:08

Depending on what version of Exchange your running you can use "Deleted Item Recovery" which is what we use at work. Take it your doing brick level backups with you saying you can restore just 1 mail?

Topher

Otacon · 13 Jan 2006 at 23:16

Brick level backups take far too long, which is why we dont use them. PowerControl allows us to open a backup file and extract anything directly back into the Exchange server, giving us brick level restore functionality without the backup overhead.

oddjob62 · 13 Jan 2006 at 23:42

Otacon said:
Brick level backups take far too long, which is why we dont use them.

Agreed. Most of our clients have bricks level backup turned off becuse it takes so long.

Otacon said:
PowerControl allows us to open a backup file and extract anything directly back into the Exchange server, giving us brick level restore functionality without the backup overhead.

If you have exchange 2003 you can use recovery storage groups as well. I've done both and there's not much difference in time taken imo.

Mr Blonde · 13 Jan 2006 at 23:43

Years back I recall the IT department was well under budget so I grabbed a copy GFI's Mailarchiver. It was a dodle to set up and the best thing was that any goon could who 'lost' their emails could find them themselves via a web interface. Worked a treat back in my old exchange 5 days, allthough probably not very cheap going by most of GFI's stuff.

Otacon · 13 Jan 2006 at 23:46

oddjob62 said:
If you have exchange 2003 you can use recovery storage groups as well. I've done both and there's not much difference in time taken imo.

... except that you actually have to restore the store first. PowerControls can pull it straight out of the offline bks file.

Anyway, for the most part we bought it as a disaster recovery tool (had to use it once, saved hours in ****** about - proved it's worth). The ability to pull out the odd mail here and there for numpties was just a plus point.

oddjob62 · 14 Jan 2006 at 01:56

Otacon said:
... except that you actually have to restore the store first. PowerControls can pull it straight out of the offline bks file.

Anyway, for the most part we bought it as a disaster recovery tool (had to use it once, saved hours in ****** about - proved it's worth). The ability to pull out the odd mail here and there for numpties was just a plus point.

Huh.. maybe it's a newer version than the one i used... my one took AGES before you could extract what you needed.