restore exchange 2016

[pazzoide76]

Hi everyone, I have a question about restoring an exchange server 2016.
Next week I have to install the exchange 2016 CU19, the latest security update and windows updates.
Currently the exchange has CU12 installed.
The cu19 will prompt for Prepare Active Directory and Domains.
Before doing the task I will run the backup job by enabling the Application-Aware Processing feature.
My question is:
If after the installation of the various patches the exchange server has problems and does not work, is it sufficient to do an instant recovery of the exchange to have the mail service working again?
Or do I need to perform another restore procedure?

Thank you

Greetings

[obwielnls]

I'd just take a snapshot before the update. I just went from CU8 to CU19 and had an issue with a directory permission somewhere and had to roll back.

[theviking84]

Rather than instant recovery, I would just do a "quick rollback" which is a reverse cbt restore.

This way if your incremental was small then it only needs to restore that same data size in reverse.

Instant recovery has the downside of needing to end up migrating the whole vm storage back to production over time. It works fine but a quick rollback is fast and gives you an already finished vm with its data on the production datastore.

[pazzoide76]

Hello,
thanks for the replies.
So in case of problems, can I safely restore the exchange?
Don't I have to install the exchange in recover mode and then import the mailboxes?
Furthermore the CU19 setup Prepare Active Directory and Domains https://docs.microsoft.com/it-it/exchan ... erver-2019
I ask these questions as Exchange is tied to the active directory and I don't know if restoring the exchange vm is enough.


Thank you

Greetings

[Regnor]

Restoring exchange from backup after a failed CU should work, but I would rather try to repair exchange then restoring it. As you say the CU will upgrade AD schema, attributes and exchange server objects; restoring the exchange VM won't rollback any changes in AD. You'll have some left overs, like AD showing you a wrong Exchange patchlevel.
Also the server component states could be overwritten by your AD, which will leaves the restored exchange inactive.

I'd just take a snapshot before the update. I just went from CU8 to CU19 and had an issue with a directory permission somewhere and had to roll back.

Snapshots and Exchange server are a bad combination (and not supported). Create a quick backup which is application consistent and offers more restore capabilities.

[obwielnls]

Depends on how your AD is setup.. Most of my smaller customers have an all in one exchange box, AD and all the exchange bits. Not a problem with them.

But you are quite right if you have more than one exchange or AD server.