I apologize, in advance, to those on this list, as I know this is not an
Arcserve listserv, but it still does aid others in issues of a backup
nature.
Zlatko,
Well, being that this is a public forum we all "try" our best to
offer the information we know to be true, directly from our experience, and
not "off the cuff". In this spirit, I will answer your somewhat pointed
"questions" (if they were even questions) drawn from this experience.
Answers:
- "Fought": Yes we have 8 or more months invested in e-mails on E-support,
and direct support calls. We contacted our representatives in Islandia, NY
who have direct input into tech groups that work on this sort of stuff. Were
"WE" the only ones? Absolutely not! but we definitely did our part to add in
this, through constant bringing up of the issues that were wrong.
- "Was is so broken?": Yes! At best, the DBAgent worked 1-2 days out of 5.
- "95% operational": Now that CA has come out with hot fixes for SP3 and now
SP4 the brick level is backing up smooth, however it still will hiccup and
revert back to old errors. Now it works 3-4 out of 5 days.
- "What are the rest 5%": The other 5% are same issues that we had been
dealing with before SP3 and hot fix, only they still have no solid answer
for why it happens.
- "What was the percentage before those 8 months?": Before the 8 months? We
were lucky to get 1 good brick level, let alone information store backup.
Everyday the same issues with no resolution.
- "Tolerable": We can deal with one missed differential backup. As far as
not fixed? I am speaking of those constant caveats that use to happen before
CA's post SP3 fixes.
- "TSM does NOT do brick level restores because Microsoft does not do it":
Actually, this statement is not true. According to Veritas, Microsoft does
use their agent and they DO backup bricks on exchange 5.5 servers. All-be-it
they may only do it for "Management/administration". Microsoft still does
it.
Yes, it is true that M.S. has not changed their API's, but all that says to
me is that CA and Veritas are supplying a 3rd party service to ease
administration, and for TSM not to "get in the game" is sort of a shame.
For those companies who do not have the budget to have a 2nd Exchange server
standing by for mailbox recovery or D.S., the ability to restore a mail
folder or message is a "big plus", regardless of the technical explanation
of how its done, it is still a big plus.
Yes there was talk regarding M.S> possibly doing this, however, back 1-2
months ago some one also stated that TSM might be looking into this in the
later versions of 5.x.
As for your joke, it has no teachable relevance. I can restore a mail
folder using the dbagent, quicker than I would be able to do it had I just
backed up the information store alone, and resorted to Microsoft's way of
restoring this mail.
-----Original Message-----
From: Zlatko Krastev/ACIT [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2002 8:38 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: TSM and MS Exchange (MailBox Restore and Exchange 2000
Improvements)
Tony, could you explain a bit more. I am somewhat confused.
You (instead of CA?) "fought" to fix Arcserve agent for 8 months??? Was it
so broken? What means 95% operational, what are the rest 5%, what was the
percentage before those 8 months? And what on the end is "tolerable",
something you still did not got fixed?
TSM does NOT do brick level restores because Microsoft does not do it -
the backup APIs are for information stores. Other vendors are attempting
to use messaging APIs and DO NOT restore messages but create new ones with
same content. This was explained on this list many times.
There was something in one of the discussions remark that Microsoft (not
Tivoli) is planning to enhance/modify their APIs. But if Microsoft does
not provide an API for mailbox restore then Tivoli simply would not do it.
There is a joke about a gynecologist who painted a room through key hole.
But I would not accept all rooms in my office to be painted using this
technology and with that speed.
Zlatko Krastev
IT Consultant
Please respond to "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: "ADSM: Dist Stor Manager" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
cc:
Subject: Re: TSM and MS Exchange (MailBox Restore and Exchange 2000
Improv ements)
Actually, we are using Arcserve 2000 to backup Exchange5.5 on W2K
member serves. We fought Arcserve for over 8 months to fix their agent and
it looks like they have it 95% operational and tolerable. We are seeing
through=put speeds of up to 100mb/minute. We are backing up servers with
databases of up to 15gb. All-be-it we are using old DLT4000 technology,
the
backups are getting done and we have been able to restore peoples
individual
folders (i.e. sent items, inbox, etc...)
Now I have heard that TSM might be doing this in version 5.1x, I do not
know
how true this is, but I now they DO NOT do it now...
Hope this helps
-----Original Message-----
From: Seay, Paul [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 8:24 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: TSM and MS Exchange (MailBox Restore and Exchange 2000
Improv ements)
Define what mailbox means to you. If you are talking about the calendar
and
other little goodies including public folders, none do that except maybe
CommVault. And, I do not think they can do the public folders.
The thing that Veritas and Arcserver created are for marketing only and
really are so slow you can only use it for a few select mailboxes.
None replace the normal exchange backups that you have to do to be able to
recover the exchange stores.
I found out just yesterday that Exchange 2000 has a reserved area you can
restore an information store to. Once you have done that you can truly
recover a mailbox and its contents. This was Microsoft's answer to the
problem. But, Exchange 2000 requires active directory and other hurdles
to
get there. However, my Exchange boys point out you must not put any
mailboxes you might want to recover in the "base" information store
because
that one cannot be restored to the reserve area. That one has all the
exchange specific extensions to active directory.
Paul D. Seay, Jr.
Technical Specialist
Naptheon, INC
757-688-8180
-----Original Message-----
From: Consiglio, Tony [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 1:38 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: TSM and MS Exchange
We have not moved to version 5.1x yet, but we are on version 4.2.2x and
the
answer is most definitely not! There are only 2 other outside vendors that
back up bricks, 1.) Veritas 2.) Arcserve2000
The only way to do individual folder recovery (i.e. Inbox, or Sent items,
etc..) is to export to a PST file then back up that file.
-----Original Message-----
From: McMullen David E [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 10:43 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: TSM and MS Exchange
We are evaluating TSM here and a question came up with regard to TSM and
Exchange. Will TSM backup and restore individual mailboxes?
TIA
David McMullen
SMC/LAB Support
512.460.4559
