Microsoft Exchange <AIR>

[MadAsToast]

Hoping someone might be able to help.

We are currently planning our new backup/DR strategy which includes the use of Veeam.

I am "trying" to get the Exchange AIR plug-in functioning for mailbox level restores, however it would appear that there is an issue connecting to the exchange server on restore.

Connecting to an exchange 2003 mail server I get an error:
<TBD>Unable to access mailbox: Unable to connect to the remote server

A little digging around later I find that the AIR wizard is trying to access the exchange server using IP:443.

Now we haven't configured access thru SSL to our exchange server, I'm hoping this isn't going to be required, and theres a way of making it use port 80 instead? (we dont present OWA to the internet).

any help would be great

TIA

[Alexey D.]

Hello Chris,

Yes, you may use port 80 instead, just add ":80" to the end of string when specifying DNS name/IP address of your Exchange server.
Let us know if this worked for you.

[MadAsToast]

thanks for the quick reply.

I might be missing something - but using the AIR I dont get an option to enter a name or IP address for the exchange server - just the option to add the DC name or IP address. the exchange server is automatically completed from the mailbox lookup.

Regards

[Gostev]

I guess the wizard excepts everyone to use SSL. I will ask devs if this is something that can be addressed in the release version of this wizard. Thank you for your feedback.

[MadAsToast]

Thanks for that, hopefully some configuration for this would be highly desirable, especially as SSL isn't tied to 443, one can specify pretty much any port desired.

If there is a work-around I would appreciate it, I am confortable with registry changes etc as this is a desirable feature.

Regards

[Gostev]

The workaround is to enable SSL access to you Exchange. I believe you should be able to do that without sacrificing non-SSL access (at least I recall one other customer saying he did that). Thanks!

[alexfeig1]

The workaround is to enable SSL access to you Exchange. I believe you should be able to do that without sacrificing non-SSL access (at least I recall one other customer saying he did that). Thanks!

For companies that use a separate mailbox server from CAS or HT roles SSL is not enabled by the installation process. Also, it is not a best practice to manually modify IIS , so this isn't going to be an appropriate workaround for some. I have opened a support ticket about this, but if you would please raise this as a major roadblock that would be great.

[MadAsToast]

Alex,

Did you get any response from the support ticket you raised?

I'm not a huge fan of modifying a working OWA on our production exchange server, but looks like I might have to in order to get this feature working.

Chris

[alexfeig1]

Hey there,

Unfortunately, I'm still waiting on an answer... I'll update when I know more. I believe I was successful in imparting how important this is, but we'll find out!

[mandrews]

We too are in exactly the same situation. Veeam v5 for DR and Exchange 2003 backups/restores. We very much want to use the new v5 mailbox/item restore feature but unable because the server where the mailboxes are stored does not have OWA, nor respond on port 443. In the Exchange AIR log: "Error No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn:443 (System.Net.Sockets.SocketException)" Did a vanilla Exchange install onto a test server and got exactly the same error. No desire to start tinkering with IIS, especially on a production server. It came as a bit of a nasty surprise to find after purchasing v5 on the strength of the much vaunted AIR feature that AIR feature is actually still classified as in beta. Have paid for the product already, got a case open with Veeam European support and waiting for developer comment back at the moment.
Mark.

[alexfeig1]

I just heard back from support (tier 3) and it's been acknowledged as a bug and will be fixed in their "upcoming releases." No ETA on when that will be, but at least they know about it and are working on fixing it.

[russor]

Just installed the exchange AIR beta. Still no fix in this verison (5.0.1.198). ::keeping my fingers crossed:: for next ver...

[alexfeig1]

I asked again early last week, and they are "Still working on it."

Gotta say that my patience is waning - we purchased the enterprise upgrade in good faith so we could replace netbackup and here we are 4 months later with an unusable beta.

[TrevorBell]

AS you say this product is Beta.... not a fully commercial version yet so you have to expect things not to be fully functional until a final RTM is available.... I still use BE 2010 for exchange at present and will keep on doing so until this feature is 100% tested and released as fully working.

Trev

[vmIsaac]

AS you say this product is Beta.... not a fully commercial version yet so you have to expect things not to be fully functional until a final RTM is available.... I still use BE 2010 for exchange at present and will keep on doing so until this feature is 100% tested and released as fully working.

Trev

Hi Trevor,

I take it you running BE agents directly in you Exchange VMs? If so - have you put these into your Veeam backups and have you found any problems with VSS at all?

I have previously had issues when using anything that plugs into vCenter for Quiesced backups (VMDR/Equallogic ASM), with the BE agent in the VM - the BE VSS provider services was always initiated when vCenter called the snap and in some instances left the VM in an unstable state.

Any more info on your setup appreciated.

[Alexey D.]

AS you say this product is Beta.... not a fully commercial version yet so you have to expect things not to be fully functional until a final RTM is available.... I still use BE 2010 for exchange at present and will keep on doing so until this feature is 100% tested and released as fully working.

Trev

Trevor, we understand the importance of Exchange U-AIR and we are working on it - will release a smooth tool which fully supports 2003, 2007 and 2010 very soon. Thanks!

[alexfeig1]

How soon?

[Gostev]

Fully functional beta supporting all Exchange versions and including all feedback on previous betas submitted so far should be available in about 3 weeks.

[alexfeig1]

Cool, thanks Gostev!

[alexfeig1]

Just wanted to double check that you are on track for a new release this week.

Thanks,
Alex

[Gostev]

Yes, we are!

[alexfeig1]

Excellent!! Thanks Gostev!

[TrevorBell]

Hi Trevor,

I take it you running BE agents directly in you Exchange VMs? If so - have you put these into your Veeam backups and have you found any problems with VSS at all?

I have previously had issues when using anything that plugs into vCenter for Quiesced backups (VMDR/Equallogic ASM), with the BE agent in the VM - the BE VSS provider services was always initiated when vCenter called the snap and in some instances left the VM in an unstable state.

Any more info on your setup appreciated.

Sorry for late reply...

yes i have the agent on the VM.. i have seen no issues at all with backups or restores... equallogic asm do not bother with people at dell tell me its not that good even the lastest version just released... for my equallogic i snapshot the luns every 4 hours and keep 6 snapshots ( 24 hours worth ) then use VB once a dail for backups...

any further info you need drop me a PM

thanks

Trev

[Davd]

Any update on when this will be released?

[Gostev]

Soon (TM)

[alexfeig1]

So trying to new u-air release -

I get past the screen where it used to fail, and now it asks me for "Production Mailbox Credentials" over and over and over again. I'm opening a support case, but this is obviously very disappointing.

Edit: I reopened ticket #552144 and I'm waiting for a call back.

[tonyabell]

Would also like to point out in the documentation that the System Requirements list Exchange 2003 SP3, I am guessing that's a typo?

[alexfeig1]

New ticket was created for my issue: 5121390

[Gostev]

Would also like to point out in the documentation that the System Requirements list Exchange 2003 SP3, I am guessing that's a typo?

Yes

New ticket was created for my issue: 5121390

7 digits? Strange.

[alexfeig1]

I copied and pasted it directly from Ben's email to me... it's in the subject and in the body.