Exchange 2010 Best Practice Backup?

[Mike_MT]

I have an Exchange 2010 environment running in VMs (vSphere); 1 DB server, 1 CAS/HUB server. Currently I do a local backup to a local disk and then Veeam does its VM backup. I've tried both VSS and non-VSS backups. I do the local backup first and it completes and truncates logs, then a few hours later Veeam (VSS) runs and completes successfully and truncates logs. If I disable Veeam VSS then the Veeam backup 'fails'.

What is considered to be best practice when using Veeam to do backups?
Should I do both a local backup to appease Microsoft if I have a tech. support issue and a VSS Veeam backup to ensure those backups don't 'fail'?
If I'm doing local backups does having Veeam VSS DISABLED really affect anything? Will my restores still work?
Should I not even bother with local backups and rely only on Veeam? Will Microsoft support me if I call them with Exchange problems and tell them I only have a Veeam backup?

Thanks,
Mike

[mrt]

you seem to be worried about staying in a Microsoft supported configuration. Have you read http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 96719.aspx ? specifically where it says

Some hypervisors include features for taking snapshots of virtual machines. Virtual machine snapshots capture the state of a virtual machine while it's running. This feature enables you to take multiple snapshots of a virtual machine and then revert the virtual machine to any of the previous states by applying a snapshot to the virtual machine. However, virtual machine snapshots aren't application aware, and using them can have unintended and unexpected consequences for a server application that maintains state data, such as Exchange. As a result, making virtual machine snapshots of an Exchange guest virtual machine isn't supported.

[vMO]

you'll need to change the advanced settings on the Veeam backup Job for your Exchange Server to not truncate transaction logs after the backup. so you are able to do a consistent backup of your Exhcnage Server and do the log file Truncation by your internal job.

Regarding Best Practice, i would recomend to do the Backup only by the Veeam Job with enabled VSS and Log Truncation. In this case you are able to restore single objecty by U-AIR Wizzard.

the above mentioned article says

However, virtual machine snapshots aren't application aware, and using them can have unintended and unexpected consequences for a server application that maintains state data, such as Exchange. As a result, making virtual machine snapshots of an Exchange guest virtual machine isn't supported.

but the way we are doing this snapshot with VSS Quiesense, VM Snapshot and Log handling, there is an "Application Consistent State" you are able to figure that out also by checking last backup of Exchange DB by powershell

Code: Select all

Get-MailboxDatabase -Status | ft name,last* -auto

so there should not be any issue recarding consistency of your backup

[Mike_MT]

I have been running Exchange native and Veeam backups for a while now and Veeam has been reliably backing up Exchange and truncating logs. I am considering stopping my native backups and only using Veeam for Exchange backups. I see in another forum that Veeam says most of its users are using Veeam only for Exchange backups and have foregone Exchange native backups.

My question: Has anyone had to call Microsoft tech. support for Exchange help while only having a Veeam backup? If so, did Microsoft help you if it got to the point of restoring from backup or did they just say "you're on your own."

Thanks,
Mike