====== 7 Backing up Microsoft Exchange Server in Database Availability Group (DAG) ====== ===== 7.1 License Requirements to Back up all Exchange Server 2010/2013/2016/2019 in DAG environment ===== One AhsayOBM license CAL with one Exchange Server Add-on Module is deducted from each installation of the AhsayOBM on the DAG environment. Please check with your backup service provider if more AhsayOBM with Exchange backup is required. ===== 7.2 Creating Backup Set for Microsoft Exchange Server 2010/2013/2016/2019 (DAG) ===== 1. Click the **Backup Sets** icon on the main interface of AhsayOBM.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset1.png}} 2. Create a new backup set by clicking the “+” icon next to **Add new backup set**. 3. Select the Backup set type as **MS Exchange Server Backup**. Make sure you choose the correct Exchange Server version with “Database Availability Group”. Name your new backup set and then click **Next** to proceed.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag1.png}} 4. In the Backup Source menu, select the DAG / Public Folder for backup. Click **Next** to proceed.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag2.png}} 5. In the Schedule menu, you can configure a backup schedule for backup job to run automatically at your specified time interval. By default the **Run scheduled backup for this backup set** option is enabled. You can modify the existing schedules or you can create a new one by clicking the “Add” button. Click **Next** to proceed when you are done with the settings.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag3.png}} 6. In the Destination menu, select a backup destination where the backup data will be stored. Click the “+” icon next to **Add new storage destination / destination pool**.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag4.png}} 7. Select the destination storage, then click **OK** to proceed.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag5.png}} 8. When you are done with the settings, click **Next** on the Destination menu page to proceed.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag6.png}} 9. In the Encryption window, the default **Encrypt Backup Data** option is enabled with an encryption key preset by the system which provides the most secure protection.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset8.png}} You can choose from one of the following three Encryption Type options: * **Default** - an encryption key with 44 alpha numeric characters will be randomly generated by the system . * **User password** - the encryption key will be the same as the login password of your AhsayOBM at the time when this backup set is created. Please be reminded that if you change the AhsayOBM login password later, the encryption keys of the backup sets previously created with this encryption type will remain unchanged. * **Custom** - you can customize your encryption key, where you can set your own algorithm, encryption key, method and key length.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset9.png}} **NOTE:** For best practice on managing your encryption key, refer to the following article. https://wiki.ahsay.com/doku.php?id=public:8015_faq:best_practices_for_managing_encryption_key Click **Next** when you are done setting. 10. If you have enabled the Encryption Key feature in the previous step, the following pop-up window shows, no matter which encryption type you have selected.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset10.png}} The pop-up window has the following three options to choose from: * **Unmask encryption key** - The encryption key is masked by default. Click this option to show the encryption key.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset11.png}} * **Copy to clipboard** - Click to copy the encryption key, then you can paste it in another location of your choice. * **Confirm** - Click to exit this pop-up window and proceed to the next step. 11. Enter the Windows login credentials for user authentication. Click **Next** to proceed.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag7.png}} **NOTE:** The Windows User Authentication interface will show only if scheduled backup is enabled and set successfully. 12. The following screen shows when the new backup set is created successfully. Backup will run automatically at the configured scheduled time.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag8.png}} 13. Based on [[public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:preparation#best_practices_and_recommendations|Best Practices and Recommendations]], it is highly recommended to set the **temporary directory** to another location other Drive C: (e.g. Drive E:). To do this, go to **Backup Sets > Others > Temporary Directory** and click the **Change** button to browse for another location.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset14.png}} 14. Optional: Select your preferred **Compression** type. By default, the compression type is Fast with optimization for local. Go to **Others > Compressions**, then select from the following: * No Compression * Normal * Fast (Compressed size larger than normal) * Fast with optimization for local {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset15.png}} 15. On all other Exchange Servers within the same DAG, logon to AhsayOBM using the same login account. Click the same backup set, and make sure the **Run scheduled backup for this backup set** is turned on the **Backup Schedule** menu page. Make sure you save the setting before exiting the application.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetdag9.png}} ===== 7.3 Configure Backup Schedule for Automated Backup ===== 1. Click the Backup Sets icon on the AhsayOBM main interface.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupset1.png}} 2. All backup sets will be listed. Select the backup set that you would like to create a backup schedule for. 3. Go to the **Backup Schedule** tab. If the **Run scheduled backup for this backup set** option is off, switch it **On**. Existing schedules will be listed by default. Click the **Add** button to add a new backup schedule.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule1.png}} 4. The New Backup Schedule window will appear.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule2.png}} 5. In the New Backup Schedule window, configure the following backup schedule settings. * **Name** - the name of the backup schedule. * **Backup Set Type** - the type of backup set (i.e. Database or Log File). For more information, refer to [[public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:appendix-a|Appendix A Exchange Server Backup Type]]. * **Type** - the type of backup schedule. There are four (4) different types of backup schedule: Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Custom. * **Daily** - the time of the day or interval in minutes/hours when the backup job will run.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule2.png?290}} * **Weekly** - the day of the week and the time of the day or interval in minutes/hours when the backup job will run.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule3.png}} * **Monthly** - the day of the month and the time of the day when the backup job will run.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule4.png}} * **Custom** - a specific date and time when the backup job will run.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule5.png}} * **Start backup** - the start time of the backup job. * **at** - this option will start a backup job __at a specific time__. * **every** - this option will start a backup job __in intervals of minutes or hours__.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule6.png}}\\ Here is an example of a backup set that has a periodic and normal backup schedule.\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule7.png}}\\ **Figure 1.1** - Periodic backup schedule runs every 4 hours from Monday - Friday during business hours\\ **Figure 1.2** - Normal backup schedule runs at 21:00 or 9:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday on weekend non-business hours * **Stop** - the stop time of the backup job. This only applies to schedules with start backup “at” and is not supported for periodic backup schedule (start backup “every”) * **until full backup completed** - this option will stop a backup job once it is complete. This is the configured stop time of the backup job by default. * **after (defined no. of hrs.)** - this option will stop a backup job after a certain number of hours regardless of whether the backup job has completed or not. This can range from 1 to 24 hrs.\\ The number of hours must be enough to complete a backup of all files in the backup set. For small files in a backup, if the number of hours is not enough to back up all files, then the outstanding files will be backed up in the next backup job. However, if the backup set contains large files, this may result in partially backed up files.\\ For example, if a backup has 100GB file size which will take approximately 15 hours to complete on your environment, but you set the “stop” after 10 hours, the file will be partially backed up and cannot be restored. The next backup will upload the files from scratch again.\\ The partially backed up data will have to be removed by running the data integrity check.\\ As a general rule, it is recommended to review this setting regularly as the data size on the backup machine may grow over time. * **Run Retention Policy after backup** - if enabled, the AhsayOBM will run a retention policy job to remove files from the backup destination(s) which have exceeded the retention policy after performing a backup job. To save hard disk quote in the long run, it is recommended to enable this option. As an example, the four types of backup schedules may look like the following:\\ {{public:documents_and_guides:v8:obm:microsoft-exchange-database:backupsetschedule8.png}} 6. Click **Save** to confirm your settings once done.