Accessing Archived Exchange Data from Database Snapshots

Table of contents

Related Topics

Overview

Prerequisites

Create a Snapshot

Hardware Supported Storage Array

Data Replicator

Configure Snap Mining

Mining on a Proxy

Mining on a Single Computer

Configuring Wait Time for Parallel Snap Mining

Configuring for Parallel Snap Mining Preparation Timeout

Run a Snap Mining Job

View Job History

Best Practices

FAQ

SnapProtect™ Backup - Exchange Database

Use SnapProtect backup to create a point-in-time snapshot of the data using hardware storage arrays to provide snapshot functionality for data protection operations.

Overview

Snap mining allows you to protect data from an offline copy of the Exchange database. The offline copy is a point-in-time snapshot of the data to be used for data protection operations. With snap mining, impact to the Exchange Server can be reduced in a production environment thus improving performance.

Prerequisites

The following are prerequisites to using this feature:

Create a snapshot

A snapshot needs to be created for snap mining. It can be created before or after configuring the subclient for snap mining. Snapshots are created in one of these ways:

Hardware Supported Storage Arrays

A snapshot can be created with SnapProtect backup using a supported storage array.

For step-by-step instructions on creating a snapshot with a hardware storage array, refer to SnapProtect Backup - Microsoft Exchange Database.

Data Replicator

A snapshot can be created with SnapProtect backup when Data Replicator is selected as the storage array. Data Replicator provides the snapshot functionality without the need for any specialized hardware.

For step-by-step instructions on creating a snapshot with Data Replicator as the software storage array, refer to SnapProtect™ Backup - Data Replicator.

Data Replicator is not supported when mining a snapshot on a single source computer.

Configure Snap Mining

  You can mine data from a snapshot directly on the computer hosting the snapshot or from a proxy computer.

Method 1: Mining on a Proxy

Running the data protection job on a proxy server improves performance as it offloads processing on the production Exchange server.

Select one of the following configurations to run a snap mining job on the proxy computer. Then configure the subclient of the Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent.

Configure on Source but Mine on Proxy

In this configuration, the Exchange Database iDataAgent creates the snapshot on the source computer. To run the snap mining job on a proxy but configure it on the source computer, install the following components:

Source Computer

Proxy Computer

The Exchange Database and Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agents are installed on same source client. The Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent is also installed on the proxy server and in this case, the configuration of the subclient is configured on the source client. Mounting of the snapshot and backing it up are performed on the proxy server.

Configure on Proxy and Mine on Proxy

In this configuration, the Exchange Database iDataAgent creates the snapshot on the source computer. To configure and run the snap mining job on a proxy computer, install the following components:

Source Computer

Proxy Computer

The Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent is installed on the proxy server so configuration of the subclient content is performed on the proxy server. Mounting of the snapshot and backing it up are also performed on the proxy server.

Configure Subclient

A Snap Mining job is configured from a subclient of the Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent.

Keep in mind that once snap mining is enabled for a subclient, it cannot be reversed.
1. Right-click a subclient of the Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent and select Properties.

This subclient will be used to run the snap mining data protection job.

2. Click the Content tab in Subclient Properties.
  • Click Perform backup using mining off snapshot.
  • Select the Exchange DB client. This is the source computer where the Exchange Database is installed and where the snapshot was created.
  • Select the Agent that was used to create the SnapProtect backup. In this case, it is Exchange Database.
  • Select the subclient on the source computer to use for mining the SnapProtect backup in Exchange DB subclient to use.
  • If you configured the snap mining job on a source computer but to be run on a proxy, select Proxy Client and select the proxy computer from the drop-down list.
 
  • The content of a subclient that will be used for snap mining should not be manually assigned. If any mailboxes are assigned to a subclient before running a snap mining data protection job, they may not be included in the job.
  • If the target database for the snap mining data protection job contains a mailbox that currently exists in another subclient, it will not be included in the data protection job. It is recommended to remove it from the other subclient's content so that the next snap mining data protection job will pick it up.
  • Click OK to save your changes.

Method 2: Mining on a Single Computer

When running a snap mining job on a single computer, install the following components.

In this configuration, the Exchange Database and Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agents are installed on the same source client, so the configuration of the subclient is configured on the source client. Mounting of the snapshot and backing it up are also performed on this client.

Configure Subclient

A Snap Mining job is configured from a subclient of the Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent.

Keep in mind that once snap mining is enabled for a subclient, it cannot be reversed.
1. Right-click a subclient of the Exchange Mailbox Archiver Agent and select Properties.

This subclient will be used to run the snap mining data protection job.

2. Click the Content tab in Subclient Properties.
  • Click Perform backup using mining off snapshot.
  • Select the Exchange DB client. This is the source computer where the Exchange Database is installed and where the snapshot was created.
  • Select the Agent that was used to create the SnapProtect backup. In this case, it is Exchange Database.
  • Select the subclient on the source computer to use for mining the SnapProtect backup in Exchange DB subclient to use.
  • If you configured the snap mining job on a source computer but to be run on a proxy, select Proxy Client and select the proxy computer from the drop-down list.
 
  • The content of a subclient that will be used for snap mining should not be manually assigned. If any mailboxes are assigned to a subclient before running a snap mining data protection job, they may not be included in the job.
  • If the target database for the snap mining data protection job contains a mailbox that currently exists in another subclient, it will not be included in the data protection job. It is recommended to remove it from the other subclient's content so that the next snap mining data protection job will pick it up.
  • Click OK to save your changes.

Configuring Wait Time for Parallel Snap Mining

In cases where multiple Exchange Mailbox subclients are configured to mine from the same Exchange Database subclient the first job will prepare the snapshot to be used by all other concurrently running jobs. While this preparation is ongoing the other subclients will wait for preparation to complete. By default they will check the status of preparation every 15 minutes.

Once the snapshot is prepared the remaining subclients can continue with the backup phase. To change the frequency for checking the preparation status the key WAITTIME_PARALLEL_SNAPMINING can be created on the client for the appropriate agent.

  • From the CommCell Browser, navigate to Client Computers.
  • Right-click the <Client> in which you want to add the registry key, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Registry Key Settings tab.
  • Click Add.
  • Enter WAITTIME_PARALLEL_SNAPMINING in the Name field.
  • Enter <Instance Root>\MSExchangeDMAgent in the Location field (For Exchange Mailbox Archiver).
  • Enter REG_DWORD in the Type filed.
  • Enter n in the Value field.

    Where n is the number of minutes the other jobs will wait before checking for the availability of metadata for snap mining.

  • Click OK.

Configuring for Parallel Snap Mining Preparation Timeout

It is also advisable to set up a timeout value in case of parallel snap mining. This timeout value specifies the amount of time after which the mailbox subclients waiting for the snap preparation will start their own snap preparation process.

  • From the CommCell Browser, navigate to Client Computers.
  • Right-click the <Client> in which you want to add the registry key, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Registry Key Settings tab.
  • Click Add.
  • Enter TIMEOUT_PREPARATION_PARALLEL_SNAPMINING in the Name field.
  • Enter <Instance Root>\MSExchangeDMAgent in the Location field (For Exchange Mailbox Archiver).
  • Enter REG_DWORD in the Type filed.
  • Enter n in the Value field.

    Where n is the number of minutes after which the jobs in the waiting state will timeout.

  • Click OK.

run a snap mining job

Run a snap mining job by selecting the subclient that was configured.

  The procedure to run a snap mining data protection job is the same for all configurations, except for the configuration where the subclient is configured on the proxy server instead of the source computer.
1. Right-click the subclient that was configured and select Backup.  
2. Click Full backup type.  
3. Click OK.

You can track the progress of the backup job from the Job Controller window.

If you are using a stand-alone drive, you are  prompted to load a specific cartridge into the drive. If you are using a library, you will not receive this prompt. The system loads the tapes automatically. Your cartridges should be appropriately labeled. This will enable you to locate the correct cartridge for a restore job, if necessary.

Once completed, the details of the job can be viewed in the Job History window.
4. Run a Browse and Restore operation.  

Viewing Job History

Once a snap mining job has completed, it may be useful to view specific historical information about the job, such as the following:

This information can be viewed in the Job History window. The history provided depends on the entity from which the job history is viewed. For example, viewing job history from the subclient level will yield information for the jobs performed for that subclient. Conversely, viewing job history from the instance level will yield information for jobs run from all subclients within that instance.

To view the backup job history:

  1. From the CommCell Browser, right-click the entity (client computer, iDataAgent, instance, or subclient) whose backup history you want to view, click View, and then click View Job History.
  2. From the Job History filter window select the filter options, if any, that you want to apply, and then click OK.

    The system displays the Job History window.

  3. Once you have chosen your filter options, they are displayed in the Job History window.

    To view the additional options discussed above, right-click the desired job choose the appropriate option.

  4. Click OK.

Best Practices

It is not recommended to use Regular Expression or Active Directory group auto-discovery affinity on a archiveset which contains subclients configured for Snap Mining as the subclient content association may not behave as expected and some mailboxes may fail to be protected. In this case, it is recommended to use Database affinity as the auto-discovery method.

FAQ

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