Exchange 2010 Backup-Less Configuration

How would you like to never have to do another backup of your Exchange 2010 environment again? Well if you are using or intend on implementing DAG within your Exchange 2010 environment, then read on to revolutionize your backup strategy!!

When Exchange 2010 was in Beta I heard the rumours that if configured properly you could do away with traditional tape or disk based backups and use the High Availability functionality of DAG to achieve maximum up time. In fairness, since then I then thought nothing else of it and never looked into how exactly you could go about creating this type of solution - until now!

I received a request from a customer to investigate the possibility of implementing this within their existing DAG environement and I am very impressed with the information I found and the process involved in implementing it.

Here's a quick summary of whats involved in implementing the solution:

The requirements needed for a backup-less implementation of Exchange 2010 DAG are as follows:

• Windows Server 2008 Enterprise on all Exchange 2010 servers
• Exchange Server 2010 Standard or Enterprise Edition
• Circular Logging Enabled
• A minimum of 3 DAG copies of each active mailbox database within the DAG environment spread across different geographical locations for disaster recovery
• Lagged copies of each database preferably stored on a separate Exchange 2010 server within the DAG environment that has DAG Activation disabled
• Deleted Item Retention Policies to be reviewed
• Single Item Recovery Enabled on either each entire mailbox database or the top priority mailbox users within the organisation – i.e. Senior Management mailboxes
• Public Folder Replication Policies need to be in place if Public Folders are in use

The most comprehensive and intuitive source that I found on this topic comes from the guys over at msexchange.org. Exchange MCM and MVP Henrik Walther has created an excellent four part guide on this exact solution and you can view the entire postings from the links below:

http://www.msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2010/high-availability-recovery/eliminating-traditional-backups-using-native-exchange-2010-functionality-part1.html

http://www.msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2010/high-availability-recovery/eliminating-traditional-backups-using-native-exchange-2010-functionality-part2.html

http://www.msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2010/high-availability-recovery/eliminating-traditional-backups-using-native-exchange-2010-functionality-part3.html

http://msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2010/high-availability-recovery/eliminating-traditional-backups-using-native-exchange-2010-functionality-part4.html

Now, time to throw away those backup tapes...................................!!!