How to recover a mailbox from Exchange 2003

[gmc8757]

Hey guys, I have an exchange server on 2k3, we back it up every night with Veritas (symantec) Backup Exec.

If I wanted to recover a deleted email(after it was permanently deleted) what do I need to restore from Veritas? Is there a certain file that holds all the mailboxes or certain mailboxes?

And once I know what to restore, how do i keep the new stuff that's coming into the server without overwriting it with the old recovery data?

Any input would be great. Thanks a lot

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: gmc8757
Hey guys, I have an exchange server on 2k3, we back it up every night with Veritas (symantec) Backup Exec.

If I wanted to recover a deleted email(after it was permanently deleted) what do I need to restore from Veritas? Is there a certain file that holds all the mailboxes or certain mailboxes?

And once I know what to restore, how do i keep the new stuff that's coming into the server without overwriting it with the old recovery data?

Any input would be great. Thanks a lot

1) Wrong Forum

2) Do you have the Exchange Module for Veritas? Veritas cannot properly backup exchange without that module and it costs around $300 IIRC. Once you have that module, you should be able to see all the individual mailboxes when going to the restore tab and from there, well, just follow the Veritas instructions for Exchange 2003 backup/restore.

Hope this helps.

 

[gmc8757]

Hey, thanks a lot. sorry about the wrong forum, is there a way I can move it or do the admins have to do it?

I just found out we do have the veritas exchange module. I will read how to restore a mailbox. For now, when I expand my exchange server under restore, I see the structure of the C: drive. I'm not sure where the mailboxes are actually held.

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: gmc8757
Hey, thanks a lot. sorry about the wrong forum, is there a way I can move it or do the admins have to do it?

I just found out we do have the veritas exchange module. I will read how to restore a mailbox. For now, when I expand my exchange server under restore, I see the structure of the C: drive. I'm not sure where the mailboxes are actually held.

I am going from memory here, but IRRC, you won't find them under the local drives. It creates a mailbox folder (not an actual folder like one found in the C:\, but a module folder) in the same area where you could expand your C:\ or other local disks. Below it is usually where it is... If it is now symantec, then you have version 10+ of Backupexe and I guess I am not sure how they sctructured that. But I am absolutely certain that it is in their documentation. Check their webpage and you should find plenty of information.

Exchange is a different animal and isn't easy to restore IMO. It is good to see someone take a pro-active measure with it. But, basically, the priv1.edb and pub1.edb are the databases that hold all the data, but it builds the data from the log files. At first, when I was dealing with exchange I deleted the log files because they took up so much space... Bad mistake, never delete the log files as they are not the type of log file that you think they are. They are actually used to build the priv1.edb databases and such. Before you do anything with exchange, research, get second opinions and research some more. Otherwise you are going to sweat bullets when something goes wrong... Also, google is your friend.

 

[gmc8757]

That's great, thanks a lot. I think I figured out how to do it. We do have version 10, just got it last month. They did buy the exchange module, so it's very helpfull. I'm going to fool around with it a little more(not too much, I don't want to mess things up).

Thanks for your guidance, you got me in the right direction.
Joe

 

[gmc8757]

Actually, one more question. I read something that there was a setting (DIR?) that keeps the mail for a certain amount of days. Do you know where I can find this setting, and what the suggested amount of days should be?

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: gmc8757
Actually, one more question. I read something that there was a setting (DIR?) that keeps the mail for a certain amount of days. Do you know where I can find this setting, and what the suggested amount of days should be?

What mail would you be talking about? Like deleted mail? Or spam quarentened mail? I guess I am not sure on your question. The mail itself is on there until it is offloaded into outlook's PST, if that is how you are setting up your clients. But if you are setting them up that way, it defeats the purpose of backing up exchange. Which reminds me, make sure you are using the online mailbox for Outlook instead of having it download to their PST.

 

[gmc8757]

We are having the clients keep the mail on the server. But let's say the user deletes a message. Then they empty deleted items. Then they try to go to Recover Deleted Items. Is the message still somewhere on the server, or is it totally gone, and restoring from tape is the only option?

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: gmc8757
We are having the clients keep the mail on the server. But let's say the user deletes a message. Then they empty deleted items. Then they try to go to Recover Deleted Items. Is the message still somewhere on the server, or is it totally gone, and restoring from tape is the only option?

That is the only option that I know of. If a user has deliberatly deleted a file three times (once to deleted items, then once to the recover deleted folder and then once again to purge them) then I think it is safe to say that the user has no right to demand or expect those files back. In those situations, they are given 2 mild warnings and 1 severe warning, You know? But, to my knowledge (which is not perfect) you cannot recover those unless you restore the mailbox.

 

[gmc8757]

I agree. Again, I appreciate your input here.
Thanks a lot.
Joe

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: gmc8757
I agree. Again, I appreciate your input here.
Thanks a lot.
Joe

No problem.

But one thing I need to stress is that you should get a second and third opinion on everything we discussed here.

Take care,

Gabriel