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SnapCenter Software 5.0

Define a restore strategy for Exchange databases

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Defining a restoration strategy for Exchange Server enables you to restore your database successfully.

Sources for a restore operation in Exchange Server

You can restore an Exchange Server database from a backup copy on primary storage.

You can restore databases from primary storage only.

Types of restore operations supported for Exchange Server

You can use SnapCenter to perform different types of restore operations on Exchange resources.

  • Restore up-to-the-minute

  • Restore to a previous point in time

Restore up to the minute

In an up-to-the-minute restore operation, databases are recovered up to the point of failure. SnapCenter accomplishes this by performing the following sequence:

  1. Restores the databases from the full database backup that you select.

  2. Applies all the transaction logs that were backed up, as well as any new logs that were created since the most recent backup.

    Transaction logs are moved ahead and applied to any selected databases.

    Exchange creates a new log chain after a restore completes.

    Best Practice: It is recommended that you perform a new full and log backup after a restore completes.

    An up-to-the-minute restore operation requires a contiguous set of transaction logs.

    After you perform an up-to-the-minute restore, the backup you used for the restore is available only for point-in-time restore operations.

    If you do not need to retain up-to-the-minute restore capability for all backups, you can configure your system's transaction log backup retention through the backup policies.

Restore to a previous point in time

In a point-in-time restore operation, databases are restored only to a specific time from the past. A point-in-time restore operation occurs in the following restore situations:

  • The database is restored to a given time in a backed-up transaction log.

  • The database is restored, and only a subset of backed-up transaction logs are applied to it.