About snapshot backups with Exchange Server

NetBackup for Exchange Server includes support for snapshot backups. NetBackup for Exchange Server can back up and restore Exchange objects by taking snapshots of the component files. Data is captured at a particular instant. The resulting snapshot can be backed up without affecting the availability of the database. These snapshots are backed up to tape or to the storage unit.

A separate Snapshot Client license provides additional features for snapshot backups. You can configure the snapshot image for Instant Recovery and you can configure an alternate client to perform the snapshot backup.

NetBackup for Exchange supports the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) for creating a snapshot image. The actual VSS provider that is used is dependent on your hardware environment and software environment. A list of the VSS providers available for use with NetBackup for Exchange Server is available.

See the NetBackup Snapshot Client (Advanced Client) OS, Arrays, and Database Agent Compatibility list.

The following Snapshot Client features are available for use with NetBackup for Exchange Server:

Snapshot backup

A snapshot is a disk image of the client's data. NetBackup backs up the data from the snapshot volume, not directly from the client's original volume. Client operations and user access are allowed to continue without interruption during the backup.

Instant Recovery

NetBackup supports Instant Recovery backups with Exchange 2007 or later for non-clustered and non-replicated environments. Instant Recovery requires a separate Snapshot Client license key.

This feature makes backups available for "instant recovery" from disk. Instant Recovery combines snapshot technology with the ability to do rapid disk-based restores. Optionally, the image is retained on disk as well as backed up to storage.

To perform an Instant Recovery, one of the following methods is used:

Files are copied back from the snapped volume to the original volume
The volume is rolled back

Off-host backup

NetBackup supports off-host backups of Exchange using an alternate client. Off-host backups require a separate Snapshot Client license key.

Off-host backups use a second, or alternate, client to perform the backup on behalf of the primary client. Compared to local Snapshot Client backups, this approach reduces the backup I/O burden on the primary client.

NetBackup also supports off-host Instant Recovery backups for Exchange 2007 and later.