Covering your back up - data storage on Exchange (page 2 of 2)

Using this technology will eliminate a very large amount of day-to-day planned and unplanned downtime.

Greater application availability still can be achieved through clustering of the application and the server or servers. If the application fails, or the server itself fails, another machine in the cluster can take over.

VERITAS Cluster Server will allow clusters of anything from 2 to 32 nodes. Aren't we going to 64? Isn't Microsoft Cluster shipped with every Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server? In which case what does VERITAS Cluster Server add over Microsoft Cluster? The VERITAS approach to clustering means that you don't have to have one standby server for every production server and allows high availability to be achieved with less hardware. Also it gives that added protection of cascading failover in the case of more than one server within the cluster failing.

If there is a need to protect against an entire site failure, but still have the need to keep data loss and downtime to the absolute minimum there are a couple of options. One is to simply ensure that you have copies of backup data on a secondary site, but this could mean a time consuming recovery. Not only that, but the data recovered will only be as current as the most recent backup.

The alternative is to use replication technology to ensure that all Exchange data is replicated at a secondary site. Dependent on what level of protection and recoverability is needed there is a choice of VERITAS Storage Replicator or VERITAS Volume Replicator.

For the most comprehensive solution integrating Volume Replicator with VERITAS Global Cluster Manager will allow the centralised management of multiple Exchange clusters and the ability to automate the migration and failover of clusters across geographically dispersed sites.

Recovery is everything
No matter what level of technology you deploy to avoid downtime in the first place, there is no 100% guarantee. This is why it is imperative that the basis for any Exchange data protection and storage strategy is a sound backup architecture. An effective approach to backup can ensure that all the data is protected, but more importantly, that it can be recovered. And not just an entire server, but right down to individual mailbox and even down to the recovery of an individual email.

There are a number of factors to consider when looking at backing up. Two of the most important ones are the size of your backup window and the amount of data that you have to backup. These two factors are inextricably linked but there are technologies under the data protection umbrella to enhance the core backup offerings and address these issues.

If you are just concentrating on backing up Windows server on a workgroup or departmental level then VERITAS Backup Exec for Window Servers will offer a very effective backup and recovery solution. If backing up Exchange is part of a larger heterogeneous enterprise backup and recovery strategy then VERITAS NetBackup may provide the correct solution.

Whichever solution is the most appropriate there are a number of ways to enhance the core product. There are agents to allow backup of Exchange and other applications online (including open files). VERITAS' Storage Migrator product allows old files to be migrated away from that application server. The same can be applied to email attachments. This means that there is less data on the server so it can be backed up and recovered faster.

Other options help build in centralised management to your backup and recovery environment, speed up and automate the recovery of downed server and sharing of hardware when backing up over a SAN.

So when it comes to making sure that your back is covered VERITAS has the answers. Whether it is avoiding Exchange downtime or making sure the Exchange data is protected and recoverable then speak to VERITAS.