Restoring an Exchange Server on a single server versus cluster

1.    It is possible to setup a recovery server for a clustered Exchange server on a stand-alone server.

2.    We can use AD system state backup of production server and create a separate domain with Exchange installed on a separate network. We call this as replica of the production server which can be used in DR scenarios. However, there are issues that we have seen in AD with this replica setup.

3.    For restoration and testing purpose, having the same AD, domain and Exchange setup on a recovery server with fresh installation would be a preferred option.

Below are the steps that you can follow to setup a recovery server for a clustered Exchange server on a stand-alone server.

1. Take a system state backup of one of your existing domain controller before making any changes, this is very important, in case we want to get back to state of failure.

2. Note down the configuration settings of the storage groups and stores, we need to note few things about the existing configuration.

§  Name of storage group

§  Log file path and system file path

§  Name of databases

§  Database path

We can get all these details from active directory, using Exchange system manager, Active directory sites and service after enabling the services node or using ADSIEDIT or LDP.exe

You can chose any program of your choice,

If using ADSIEDIT or LDP.exe to collect the information, please see the below attributes for required information.

i. Name of storage group CN "Example cn: first storage group"

ii. Log file path and system file path

msExchParamLogFilePath and msExchParamSystemPath are two attributes which store the path of Log file directory and System file directory

iii. Name of Database CN  "Example cn: Mailbox Store (server name)"

iv. Database path

msExchEDBFile and msExchSLVFile are two attributes defining path of edb and stm file

Please note the path for each and every store which were created on the cluster server

3. When you install exchange 2003 cluster and create EVS (Exchange Virtual Server), it also creates a computer account in active directory which by default is created in computers container in active directory unless it is been moved to some other container, which can be viewed by active directory users and computers.

We need to reset the computer account for the EVS in active directory users and computer to join the new computer with same name. Follow the steps below.

a.) Open active directory users and computers

b.) Click on computers container and locate the EVS computer account in right hand side

c.) Right click on EVS computer account and select "Reset Account"

Doing this will allow you to join the computer with the same name as your Exchange virtual server  name, please not do not delete the computer account for EVS.

4. Using ADSIEDIT delete the Exchange Virtual Server  including all the storage groups and stores follow the steps below

a.) open ADSIEDIT.MSC from run command, you need to have windows support tools installed on the server to use ADSIEDIT

b.) Expand Configuration NC

CN=Configuration, DC=Domain, DC=Com

c.) Expand

CN=Services ==>CN=Microsoft Exchange==>CN=ORG Name==>CN=Administrative Groups==>CN=Administrative Group (which cluster server was installed )==>CN=Servers

Highlight the exchange virtual server, right click and select Delete

Replicate this information to all the domain controllers in your forest

5. Install the operating system on the new server with the same service pack as you had installed on the cluster server.

6. Configure all your drives as per your old storage settings as you noted in step 2, so that you can create the storage groups and stores with same configuration as old server to restore the databases on original location.

7. Install Exchange 2003 server with the same service pack and hotfix level which you had in your cluster.

8. Once you have completed installation of your exchange server and services packs, by default one storage group with two databases one private and public will be created and databases will be mounted, please compare with your old installation (Cluster server configuration which you noted in step2) whether the first storage group was there and how many stores were there in the storage group and what were the names. if the default settings do match with you requirement simply dismount the databases, and make the databases ready to be over written by backup which can done by

Right-click Mailbox Store, click Properties, and then, on the Database tab, click to select the This database can be overwritten by a restore check box.
Right-click Public Folder Store, click Properties, and then, on the Database tab, click to select the This database can be overwritten by a restore check box.

9.  Create additional Storage groups and stores as per your requirement noted in step 2, do not mount the newly created databases.

10. Restore online backup to Exchange server for all the storage groups and stores, if you do not have any logs to play which were created after the backup was taken and you are recovering full backup- select ‘this is the last backup set for each restore’ ; this will automatically make the restored databases to consistent state and ready to mount.

11. Mount the databases

12. Refresh ESM (Exchange System Manager) and expand

Stores==>Mailboxes

You should have the list of the mailboxes in these stores.

13. Right click on the mailbox folder and run  cleanup agent, make sure the mailboxes are in connected state, if we don't see mailboxes in connected state which logically should then we may need to take some additional steps to connect mailboxes.

-       Remove exchange attributes from all the users who belong to these mailboxes

-       Use Mailbox Recovery Center in exchange system manager to reconnect the mailboxes.

Test with few users and find if they are able to login and send / receive mails within the server.