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Ahsay Online Backup Manager v7
Microsoft Exchange 2016 Mail Level
Backup & Restore Guide
Ahsay Systems Corporation Limited
19 November 2018
This is the original Ahsay manual
Depending on the service you have with us, some of the content won’t be applicable to you.
Note:
We don’t supply the following services, Open direct, Run Direct,or Run on Server on our
BOBcloud service. These are only provided on our System Provider service.
All accounts must be created on our reseller portal https://portal.data-stor.net
Any Ahsay professional services are provided by them and not us.
Definitions:
Our Desktop version is named ACB \ AhsayACB in this manual.
Our Server version is named OBM \ AhsayOBM in this manual.
The AhsayCBS Web Console is mapped to our own portal https://portal.data-stor.net
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Copyright Notice
© 2018 Ahsay Systems Corporation Limited. All rights reserved.
The use and copying of this product is subject to a license agreement. Any other use is prohibited. No part of this publication
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Limited in writing.
This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/).
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Revision History
Date
Descriptions
Type of modification
24 October 2017
First Draft
New
2 January 2018
Updated Ch.1.3, Ch.1.4, Ch. 2.1.14, Ch. 2.3, Ch.
2.4
.
Modified
14 August 2018
Updated Ch. 2.1.13
Modified
14 September 2018
Added requirement of Antivirus Exclusion for
Ch.2.1.2; Updated Overview of backup process
for Ch.3
New/ Modification
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Table of Contents
1 Overview .........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................1
1.2 What is this software?................................................................................................................1
1.3 System Architecture...................................................................................................................1
1.4 Why should I use AhsayOBM to back up my Mailboxes and Public Folders?...........................3
1.5 About This Document ................................................................................................................8
1.5.1 Document Main Part ...........................................................................................................8
1.5.2 What should I expect from this document?.........................................................................9
1.5.3 Who should read this document? .......................................................................................9
2 Preparation for Backup and Restore.............................................................................................10
2.1 Requirement ............................................................................................................................10
2.1.1 Software Requirement ......................................................................................................10
2.1.2 Antivirus Exclusion Requirement ......................................................................................10
2.1.3 AhsayOBM Installation......................................................................................................10
2.1.4 Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Add-On Module...................................................................10
2.1.5 AhsayOBM Licenses.........................................................................................................11
2.1.6 Backup Quota Requirement..............................................................................................11
2.1.7 Continuous Backup Module ..............................................................................................11
2.1.8 Java Heap Size.................................................................................................................11
2.1.9 Temporary Directory Folder ..............................................................................................12
2.1.10 Scheduled Backup for Exchange Server in Data Availability Group (DAG)......................12
2.1.11 Mailbox Role .....................................................................................................................12
2.1.12 Operating System .............................................................................................................12
2.1.13 Supported Exchange Server 2016 Version.......................................................................13
2.1.14 Windows User Account Permission ..................................................................................13
2.1.15 Enabling Mailbox...............................................................................................................13
2.1.16 Backup Source Requirement ............................................................................................14
2.1.17 Port Configuration .............................................................................................................14
2.1.18 Exchange related Windows Services................................................................................15
2.1.19 MS Exchange Databases .................................................................................................15
2.1.20 Windows PowerShell 5.1 Engine ......................................................................................16
2.1.21 .Net Framework 4.6.2 Features ........................................................................................17
2.2 Supported Source....................................................................................................................17
2.3 Limitation .................................................................................................................................18
2.4 Best Practice and Recommendation .......................................................................................19
3 Overview of MS Exchange Mail Level Backup Process ...............................................................21
4 On Exchange Server.....................................................................................................................22
4.1 Standalone Backup Option ......................................................................................................22
4.1.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set...........................................................................................22
4.1.2 Run Mail Level Backup Job ..............................................................................................29
4.1.3 Restore Mail Level Backup ...............................................................................................31
4.2 Database Availability Group (DAG) Backup Option.................................................................35
4.2.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set...........................................................................................35
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4.2.2 Run Mail Level Backup Job ..............................................................................................42
4.2.3 Restore Mail Level Backup ...............................................................................................43
5 On Remote Backup Machine ........................................................................................................47
5.1 Standalone Backup Option ......................................................................................................47
5.1.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set...........................................................................................47
5.1.2 Run Mail Level Backup Job ..............................................................................................54
5.1.3 Restore Mail Level Backup ...............................................................................................56
5.2 Database Availability Group (DAG) Backup Option.................................................................64
5.2.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set...........................................................................................64
5.2.2 Run Mail Level Backup Job ..............................................................................................71
5.2.3 Restore Mail Level Backup ...............................................................................................73
6 Contact Ahsay...............................................................................................................................77
6.1 Technical Assistance ...............................................................................................................77
6.2 Documentation.........................................................................................................................77
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1 Overview
1.1 Introduction
This user guide aims at providing detailed information for backing up and restoring individual
mail items and public folder items stored in Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 with AhsayOBM,
also known as the Mail Level backup.
Mail Level Backup must be utilized in conjunction with full Information Store Backup as Mail
Level backup for Microsoft Exchange Server is not designed to fully protect an Exchange
Server, but to facilitate easy backup and fast restoration of individual emails, contacts,
calendars or public folder, etc.
AhsayOBM supports standalone backup option and Database Availability Group (DAG)
backup option for Exchange server Mail Level backup.
From version 7.15.0.0 onwards, Exchange Server 2016 Mail Level backup and restore can be
performed by installing AhsayOBM either on the Exchange server 2016 hosting the database
or on a remote backup machine.
1.2 What is this software?
Ahsay brings you specialized client backup software, namely AhsayOBM, to provide a set of
tools to protect your mailboxes and public folders on Microsoft Exchange Server 2016. This
includes backup and recovery of individual emails, contacts, calendars and other mail items in
your mailboxes and public folders, with snapshots / versioning, and retention policy to protect
even email that you may have accidentally deleted from your Exchange 2016 mailboxes or
public folders.
1.3 System Architecture
Below is the system architecture diagram illustrating the major elements involved in the
backup and restore process among the Microsoft Exchange Server 2016, AhsayOBM and
AhsayCBS.
1. AhsayOBM v7.15.0.0 or above installed on Exchange Server 2016.
i. Standalone: The latest version of AhsayOBM is installed on the Exchange server
which is connected to AhsayCBS backup server through LAN or internet.
ii. Database Availability Group (DAG): The latest version of AhsayOBM is installed on
all the DAG members on Exchange server which is connected to AhsayCBS backup
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server through LAN or internet, and all the DAG members share the same backup set.
2. AhsayOBM v7.15.0.0 or above installed on Remote Backup Machine.
i. Standalone: The latest version of AhsayOBM is installed on the remote backup
machine which is connected to Exchange server and AhsayCBS backup server
through LAN or internet.
ii. Database Availability Group (DAG): The latest version of AhsayOBM is installed on
the remote backup machine which is connected to DAG members on Exchange server
and AhsayCBS backup server though LAN or internet, and all the DAG members
share the same backup set.
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1.4 Why should I use AhsayOBM to back up my Mailboxes and
Public Folders?
We are committed to bringing you a comprehensive Exchange 2016 Mail Level backup
solution with AhsayOBM. Below are some key areas that we can help to make your backup
experience a better one.
1. Fast and Efficient Restore
We understand that restore could be a time and resources consuming process, which
is why AhsayOBM is designed with advanced technologies to make restore a fast and
efficient process by restore individual mail items without the need to restore the whole
Exchange server database.
AhsayOBM supports recovery directly to a live production MS Exchange server, so
there is no service interruption or downtime incurred, and also the user mailboxes do
not have to be disabled and can function normally during the recovery procedure.
2. Backup of Selected Mailboxes & Mailbox Items
The backup resources can be mailbox level, folder level and even item level.
Flexible backup options:
Only select the required mailboxes, specific folders or items for backup.
Flexible restore options:
Restore the whole mailbox contents or just one email.
Restore mail items to the original mailbox or an alternate mailbox
Restore mail items to an alternate mailbox on another email domain
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3. Unlimited Versioning
AhsayOBM provides backup and restore option for different version of exchange
server to fulfill your requirement.
4. Flexible Scheduling
You may wish to run backup at a specified time interval of your choice, that’s why we
also allow you to set your own backup schedules so that you can take full control of
the time when to perform backup.
Block Level Incremental Backup–this technology breaks down the backup files
into multiple blocks and only the changed blocks will be backed up each time
5. High Level of Security with AES 256-bit Encryption
We understand your Exchange mail objects may contain sensitive information that
requires to be protected, that is why your backup data will be encrypted with the
highest level of security measure.
Un-hackable Encryption Key – to provide the best protection to your backup
data, you can turn on the encryption feature which will be default encrypt the
backup data locally with AES 256-bit truly randomized encryption key.
Encryption Key Recovery – Furthermore, we have a backup plan for you to
recover your encryption key in case you have lost it. You backup service provider
can make it mandatory for you to upload the encryption key to the centralized
management console, the encryption key will be uploaded in hashed format and
will only be used when you request for a recovery.
6. Better Backup Performance & Higher Reliability
i. Better Performance:
Multi-thread Backup: The technology utilizes the computing power of multiple
CPU cores for creating multiple backup and restore threads to produce fast
backup and restore performance.
The default setting for MS Exchange 2016 mail level backup sets supports:
Backup of 4 mailboxes concurrently (4 threads).
For each of the 4 mailboxes, now supports a maximum 4 mail items
concurrently (4 threads).
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As shown the technology translate into a total of 16 concurrent threads compared
with a total 4 concurrent backup threads for Exchange 2007/ 2010/ 2013 mail
level backup.
Index File Structure: The index file structure has been re-designed to improve the
backup and restore performance.
Each Exchange 2016 mailbox will have its own individual index file instead of a
single index file for all mailboxes within the backup set.
This new design eliminates any potential I/O performance bottlenecks when the
index file is updated during each backup job, which can occur when using single
index file structure for multi-thread concurrent backup.
ii. Higher Reliability: The implementation of one index file per mailbox can significantly
improve the overall resilience of backup and restore from index related issues.
For example, if a single index files is corrupted, it will only affect the corresponding
mailbox, while other mailboxes selected for backup are unaffected.
7. Cloud Destination Backup
To offer you with the highest flexibility of backup destination, you can now back up
mail objects to a wide range of cloud storage destinations. Utilizing cloud destination
backup gives you an extra layer of protection in the event of a local drive corruption,
where you will still be able to retrieve data from the cloud destination.
Below is a list of supported cloud destinations.
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Aliyun (阿里云) *
Google Drive
Amazon S3
Amazon Cloud Drive
Google Cloud
Storage
CTYun (中国
电信天翼云 )*
AWS S3 Compatible
Cloud Storage
Microsoft OneDrive /
OneDrive for Business
Rackspace
OpenStack
Microsoft Azure
Dropbox
FTP
SFTP
OneDrive
8. Centralized Management Console
Our enriched features on the centralized web console offers you a one-stop location
for monitoring and managing your backup and restore. Below is an overview of what
you can do with it. For more details regarding the setup and operations of the
centralized management console, refer to the AhsayCBS User’s Guide for details.
Create / update / delete backup set
Configure user settings
Configure backup settings
View and download backup and restore reports
Monitor backup and restore live activities
Monitor storage statistic
9. Cost Effective
License is based on per user mailbox, so only need to pay for the mailboxes that you
wish to backup.
10. Flexible Deployment Options
AhsayOBM supports Mail Level backup and restore of Exchange Server 2016 by
installing the client agent either on the Exchange server hosting the database, or on a
remote backup machine.
Below is a comparison table on the differences on backup and restore with
AhsayOBM installation on an Exchange server and on a remote backup machine.
On Server Backup
Remote Backup
Backup
Backup jobs will utilize the
Exchange server’s
resources, so it may impact
the server performance. If
the load on Exchange
server is already high, this
can impact the backup
performance.
There is minimal
performance issue with the
transfer of mail items from
the Exchange mail store to
Backup jobs will utilize the
remote backup machine’s
resources, therefore, there
is minimal impact on the
Exchange server
performance.
Backup performance can be
affected by the network
connection speed between
the Exchange server and
the remote backup machine,
especially for connection
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AhsaOBM.
over the Internet.
General backup
performance issues can be
easily resolved by installing
AhsayOBM on a more
powerful backup machine.
Large
Number of
Mailboxes
Backup of a large number
of mailboxes can take more
time to complete.
For example, it may not be
possible to run multiple
mail level backup sets
concurrently on the
Exchange server for 1000
user mailboxes, as it may
affect the server
performance, so
administrator may be
limited to start one backup
set at a time.
1 backup set can only have
a total of 16 concurrent
threads by default.
Backup of a large number of
mailboxes can take less
time to complete.
For example, 1000 user
mailboxes can be divided
into 5 separate backup sets
of 200 mailboxes each. The
5 backup sets can be
started concurrently on 1
machine or started by
multiple machines.
5 backup sets * 16
concurrent threads = 80
concurrent threads
Backup
Scheduling
For environment with limited
backup window, there may
not be sufficient time to
complete both database and
mail level backup jobs on a
daily basis.
For environment with limited
backup window, remote
backup may be a good option
as the mail level backup can
be completed remotely, while
the database backup can be
completed on the Exchange
server at the same time
period.
Continuous backup can be
enabled without significant
impact on the Exchange
server performance, as
backup jobs will utilize the
resources of the remote
backup machine.
Costs
For Exchange DAG setup,
the number of AhsayOBM
licenses required is equal to
the number of DAG
members (nodes). For
example, if there are 3 DAG
members then 3 AhsayOBM
licenses are required.
If the Exchange server is
Only requires 1 AhsayOBM
license as remote backup of
Exchange DAG only requires
AhsayOBM to be installed on
1 machine.
May require provision of
additional Windows machine.
It may also be possible to
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already setup for database
backups, then there is no
additional license cost.
Do not require provision of
additional Windows
machine.
reuse existing AhsayOBM
installation on a Windows
machine.
Restore
The restore of mailbox items
to another (standby) MS
Exchange server, requires
installation of AhsayOBM on
the new MS Exchange
server.
Easily restore mailbox items
to another (standby) MS
Exchange server, without the
need to reinstall AhsayOBM.
Restore mailbox items
without direct / physical
access to the MS Exchange
server.
Restore performance can be
affected by any network
connection issue between the
Exchange server and the
remote backup machine,
especially if the connected is
over the Internet.
1.5 About This Document
1.5.1 Document Main Part
The document can be divided into 3 main parts.
Part 1: Preparation for Exchange 2016 Mail Level Backup & Restore
Requirements
Requirements on AhsayOBM, Exchange Server 2016 and Windows Operating
System
Supported Backup Source & Limitation
Supported backup source of Exchange Server 2016 and limitation
Best Practice and Recommendation
Items recommended to pay attention to before backup and restore
Part 2: Perform Mail Level Backup and Restore for Microsoft Exchange 2016 on
Exchange Server
Standalone Backup Option
Create Mail Level backup set, run Mail Level backup job and restore Mail Level
backup
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Database Availability Group (DAG) Backup Option
Create Mail Level backup set, run Mail Level backup job and restore Mail Level
backup
Part 3: Perform Mail Level Backup and Restore for Microsoft Exchange 2016
on Remote Backup Machine
Standalone Backup Option
Create Mail Level backup set, run Mail Level backup job and restore Mail Level
backup
Database Availability Group (DAG) Backup Option
Create Mail Level backup set, run Mail Level backup job and restore Mail Level
backup
1.5.2 What should I expect from this document?
After reading through this documentation, you can expect to have sufficient knowledge to
set up your system to make Mail Level backup of Exchange Server 2016 on AhsayOBM, as
well as to carry out an end-to-end backup and restore process.
1.5.3 Who should read this document?
This documentation is intended for backup administrators and IT professionals who are
responsible for the Exchange Server 2016 Mail Level backup and restore.
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2 Preparation for Backup and Restore
2.1 Requirement
You are strongly recommended to configure or check all the settings below to confirm all the
requirements are met before you proceed with the Exchange Mail Level backup and
restoration.
2.1.1 Software Requirement
Refer to the following article for the list of compatible operating systems and application
versions.
FAQ: Ahsay Software Compatibility List (SCL) for version 7.3 or above
2.1.2 Antivirus Exclusion Requirement
To optimize performance of AhsayOBM on Windows, and to avoid conflict with your
antivirus software, refer to the following KB article the list of processes and directory paths
that should be added to all antivirus software white-list / exclusion list:
http://wiki.ahsay.com/doku.php?id=public:5352_suggestion_on_antivirus_exclusions
NOTE
For AhsayOBM version 7.17 or above, the bJW.exe process is automatically added to Windows
Defender exclusion list for Windows 10 and 2016, during installation / upgrade via installer or upgrade
via AUA.
2.1.3 AhsayOBM Installation
AhsayOBM v7.15.0.0 or above must be installed either on the Exchange Server 2016
hosting the database or on the remote backup machine.
2.1.4 Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Add-On Module
One Microsoft Exchange Mailbox license is required for the backup of each user mailbox.
No license is required for public folder.
Make sure the Microsoft Exchange Mailbox feature has been enabled as an add-on module
in your AhsayOBM user account and there is sufficient Microsoft Exchange Mailbox license
quota to cover the backup of your mailboxes.
Please contact your backup service provider for more details.
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2.1.5 AhsayOBM Licenses
AhsayOBM licenses are calculated on a per device basis.
1. For backup of mailboxes on a standalone Microsoft Exchange 2016 Server, one
AhsayOBM license is required.
2. For backup of mailboxes on a Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 DAG setup, the
number of AhsayOBM licenses required is equal to the number of DAG members in
the DAG. For example, if there are three DAG members then three AhsayOBM
licenses are required.
Please contact your backup service provider for more details
2.1.6 Backup Quota Requirement
Make sure that your AhsayOBM user account has sufficient storage quota assigned to
accommodate the storage of additional Exchange mailbox and public folder items for the
new mail level backup set and retention policy.
Please contact your backup service provider for more details.
2.1.7 Continuous Backup Module
The Continuous backup add-on module is required if would like to enable the continuous
backup feature.
2.1.8 Java Heap Size
The default Java heap size setting on AhsayOBM is 2048MB. For Exchange 2016 mail level
backup, it is highly recommended to increase the Java heap size setting to be at least
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4096MB to improve backup and restore performance. The actual heap size is dependent on
amount of free memory available on your Exchange 2016 server.
2.1.9 Temporary Directory Folder
Temporary Directory folder is used by AhsayOBM for storing backup set index files and any
incremental or differential delta files generated during a backup job. To ensure optimal
backup/restoration performance, it is recommended that the temporary directory folder is
located on a local drive with sufficient free disk space.
2.1.10 Scheduled Backup for Exchange Server in Data Availability Group
(DAG)
Scheduled backup is required if you choose to back up in DAG option on Exchange server
as AhsayOBM on all DAG members will base on the scheduled backup time to start backup
on all the individual DAG member at the same time.
1. A DAG backup cycle is considered complete only when scheduled backup on all DAG
members have been carried out. An email report will be generated when a complete
DAG backup cycle is taken place.
2. Please keep in mind that manual backup will only be considered as individual Mail
Level backup, and therefore will not be counted as part of the DAG backup cycle.
However, for backup and restore on a remote backup machine, as the operation for single
node can be done either manually or automatically, a scheduled backup is not required.
2.1.11 Mailbox Role
Ensure all nodes have mailbox role. This can be checked by accessing the Exchange admin
center (EAC).
2.1.12 Operating System
1. For AhsayOBM installed on the Exchange Server 2016, the operating system must be
Windows Server 2012/ 2012 R2/ 2016 or above.
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2. For AhsayOBM installed on the remote backup machine, the operating system must
be Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10 or Windows Server 2008/ 2008 R2/ 2012/ 2012 R2/ 2016 or
above.
2.1.13 Supported Exchange Server 2016 Version
MS Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 4 (CU4) or above is supported.
2.1.14 Windows User Account Permission
The Windows user account used for the backup must be a member of the following security
groups.
Discovery Management (including ApplicationImpersonation and Mailbox Search)
Organization Management
Public Folder Management
Login to the Exchange admin center, under permissions, admin roles. Assign the user to
be running the backup as member of the following admin roles:
Discovery Management (including the following Roles):
o ApplicationImpersonation
o Mailbox Search
Organization Management
Public Folder Management
2.1.15 Enabling Mailbox
The Windows user account must have an Exchange Server mailbox. Refer to the URL
below for more information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/275636/en-us.
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Refer to the following article from Microsoft for more details on how to check if an account is
mailbox enabled and how to enable it:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj991919(v=exchg.160).aspx
2.1.16 Backup Source Requirement
Ensure that the “Hide from address lists” option is unchecked for all mailboxes to be
selected for backup. Mailbox hidden from the address list will not be shown in the backup
source selection menu.
2.1.17 Port Configuration
As Exchange 2016 mail level backup and restore is implemented using Microsoft EWS API
(Exchange Web Services), which enables AhsayOBM to access mailbox items such as
email message, meetings, notes, calendar, contact, etc, without any additional installation or
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complicated setup required on the Exchange 2016 Server or remote backup machine, only
port 443 must be configured to allow communication between AhsayOBM and Exchange
server.
2.1.18 Exchange related Windows Services
Ensure all MS Exchange related services have been started, particularly the MS Exchange
Information Store.
To verify this setting, launch the Services menu by clicking Start then typing “Services” in
the search box. All Exchange related services should be started by default, in case if it is not,
turn it on by right clicking the item and then select Start.
2.1.19 MS Exchange Databases
Ensure the MS Exchange Mailbox and Public Folder databases are mounted. This can be
verified by Exchange Management Shell or Exchange Admin Center (EAC).
Type the following command in the Exchange Management Shell.
Get-MailboxDatabase
Exchange Admin Center (EAC)
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2.1.20 Windows PowerShell 5.1 Engine
Ensure that Windows PowerShell 5.1 Engine is installed.
To install the feature:
1. Navigate to Server Manager > Manage, then select Add Roles and Features.
2. On the Select installation type screen, select Role-based or feature-based installation.
3. Select the target server.
4. On the Select features screen, go to the Features option, check the box next to
Windows PowerShell 5.1 Engine.
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2.1.21 .Net Framework 4.6.2 Features
Ensure .Net Framework 4.6.2 Features is installed. Please refer to the following URL for
detailed information:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996719(v=exchg.160).aspx
This feature can be enabled by accessing Server Manager > Dashboard > Manage > Add
Roles and Features Wizard > Feature Page.
2.2 Supported Source
Below is the supported mailbox type of Exchange Server 2016 Mail Level backup.
Mailbox Level
Item
Supported?
Item
Supported?
User mailbox
✔
Room Mailbox
✔
Public Folder
✔
Equipment Mailbox
✔
Public Folder Mailbox
✔
Shared Mailbox
✔
Below is the items that you can backup or restore from an Exchange Server 2016 Mail Level
backup set.
Folder Level
Item
Supported?
Item
Supported?
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Inbox
✔
RSS Feeds
✔
Drafts
✔
Junk Email
✔
Sent Items
✔
Tasks
✔
Deleted Items
✔
Calendar
✔
Archive
✔
Contacts
✔
Notes
✔
2.3 Limitation
For backup and restoration of Exchange 2016 Mail Level backup set, there is some limitation:
1. If you are trying to restore item(s) from one mailbox to an alternate location mailbox,
AhsayOBM will restore the item(s) to their respective destination folder(s) with the
same name of the original folder(s).
Example: Item from “Inbox” folder of Mailbox-A will be restored to the “Inbox” folder of
the alternate location Mailbox-B; Item from “Drafts” folder of Mailbox-A will be restored
to the “Drafts” folder of the alternate location Mailbox-B.
2. If you are trying to restore item(s) from several mailboxes to an alternate location
mailbox, AhsayOBM will restore the item(s) to their respective destination folder(s) in
alternate location mailbox with the same name of the original folder(s).
Example: Item from “Inbox” folder of Mailbox-A and Mailbox-B will be restored to the
“Inbox” folder of the alternate location Mailbox-C.
3. Restore of mailbox items or public folder items is only supported if the according
mailbox or public folder exists.
4. Only Alternate Location is supported for restoring mailbox items to another domain.
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5. Restore of mailbox item(s) in public folder to an alternate location mailbox is not
supported.
Example: Restore of mailbox item(s) in public folder from Mailbox-A to alternate
location Mailbox-B is not supported.
6. If you are trying to restore the mailbox item to a destination mailbox which has a
different language setting than the original mailbox, AhsayOBM will restore mailbox
item(s) to their respective destination folder based on the translation listed below.
For folders such as ‘Calendar’ or ‘Notes’, a new folder ‘Calendar’ or ‘Notes’ will be
created.
Backup source
(English)
Action
Destination mailbox with Chinese as
default language settings
Inbox
Merge
收件箱
Outbox
Merge
寄件匣
Sent Items
Merge
寄件備份
Deleted Items
Merge
刪除的郵件
Drafts
Merge
草稿
Junk E-Mail
Merge
垃圾電郵
Calendar
Create new folder
Calendar
Notes
Create new folder
Notes
2.4 Best Practice and Recommendation
The following are some best practices or recommendations we strongly recommend you to
follow before you start any Exchange Server 2016 Mail Level backup and restore.
Mail Level Backup must be utilized in conjunction with Database Level Backup to fully
protect an Exchange Server.
Active Directory server should be protected by regular full Window System Backup at
least once every two weeks.
For AhsayOBM installed on Exchange Server, enable scheduled backup jobs when
system activity is low to achieve the best possible performance.
The remote backup machine should be on the same LAN as the MS Exchange server
for optimal backup and restore performance.
To provide maximum data protection and flexible restore options, it is recommended to
configure:
At least one offsite or cloud destination
At least one local destination for fast recovery
Perform test restores periodically to ensure your backup is set up and performed
properly. Performing recovery test can also help identify potential issues or gaps in your
recovery plan. It's important that you do not try to make the test easier, as the objective
of a successful test is not to demonstrate that everything is flawless. There might be
flaws identified in the plan throughout the test and it is important to identify those flaws.
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Distributed Backup Solution: For backup of multiple or mass backup sets, to achieve
better backup performance and to minimize any unnecessary loading on the Exchange
server, please consider deploying AhsayOBM on remote backup machines as
distributed backup solution instead of on the MS Exchange server.
For backup of a large number of mailboxes, it is recommended to divide all mailboxes
into multiple backup sets. By default, the MS Exchange 2016 mail level backup module
can back up a maximum of 4 mailboxes concurrently (4 concurrent backup threads),
while backing up a maximum of 4 mail items concurrently per mailbox (4 concurrent
backup threads). Therefore, each backup set supports a maximum of 4x4=16 backup
threads at a time. By splitting up all mailboxes into separate backup sets, the more
backup sets, the faster the backup process can achieve.
Example-1: There are 100 mailboxes that need to be backup, you can divide 20
mailboxes into one backup set.
Backup Set Name
Mailbox Number
Badkup-Set-1
No.1 -- 20
Badkup-Set-2
No.21 -- 40
Badkup-Set-3
No.41 -- 60
Badkup-Set-4
No.61 -- 80
Badkup-Set-5
No.81 -- 100
Note: If there is new mailboxes added, you can create new backup set for the new
mailboxes.
Example-2: There are 100 mailboxes that need to be backup, you can divide
mailboxes into backup sets in alphabetic order.
Backup Set Name
Mailbox Name Start with
Badkup-Set-1
A -- E
Badkup-Set-2
F -- J
Badkup-Set-3
K --O
Badkup-Set-4
P -- T
Badkup-Set-5
U -- Z
Note: If there is new mailboxes added, you can add the new mailboxes into the
original backup set by the corresponding alphabetic order.
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4 On Exchange Server
4.1 Standalone Backup Option
4.1.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set
1. Click the Backup Sets icon on the main interface of AhsayOBM.
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 Mail Level Backup. The system will
automatically detect and select the Exchange Server version, make sure the version
selected is correct.
Name your new backup set.
Enter the hostname of Exchange server 2016
Enter the username and password of the Windows user account used for backup.
Check the “Access the Internet through proxy” if required. Then click Next to
proceed.
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4. In the Backup Source menu, select the mailboxes or public folders for backup. You
can click to expand the mailbox or public folder to select which mail folder to back up.
You can also click Show mails to select individual mail to back up. Click Next to
proceed when you are done.
5. In the Schedule menu, you can configure a backup schedule for backup job to run
automatically at your specified time interval. Click Add to add a new schedule, then
click Next to proceed when you are done.
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Note: By default, a daily backup scheduled for 22:00 is created automatically.
6. In the Destination menu, select a backup destination where the backup mail will be
stored. Click the “+” icon next to Add new storage destination / destination pool.
7. Select the destination type and destination storage, then click OK to proceed.
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8. Click Next on the Destination menu page to proceed.
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.
10. 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.
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Custom – you can customize your encryption key, where you can set your own
algorithm, encryption key, method and key length.
Note: For best practice on managing your encryption key, refer to the following KB
article: Best Practices for Managing Encryption Key on AhsayOBM or AhsayCBS
Version 7
Click Next when you are done.
11. 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.
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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.
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
12. Enter the Windows login credentials for user authentication. Click Next to proceed.
Note
The Windows User Authentication interface will show only if scheduled backup is enabled and
set successfully.
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3. Select the backup destination that contains the mail(s) that you would like to restore.
4. Click to expand the menu tree to select which mailbox to restore. You can also select
mail item(s) from a specific backup job or all mail items that you have backed up to
restore. Click Next to proceed.
5. Select to restore the mail to their Original mailbox, or to an Alternate mailbox.
Restore to Original Mailbox
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Select the Original location option, then press Next to proceed.
Restore to Alternate Mailbox
You can choose to restore mailbox item(s) to another mailbox in the same
Exchange server. Select the Alternate location option and the desired mailbox
destination, then press Next to proceed.
In addition, you can also restore mailbox item(s) to a different Exchange server of
the same version. In this case, the restoration should be triggered by the
AhsayOBM on the destination Exchange server.
Please refer to the Limitation part to check the limitation of restore process.
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4.2 Database Availability Group (DAG) Backup Option
4.2.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set
1. Click the Backup Sets icon on the main interface of AhsayOBM.
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 Mail Level Backup. The system will
automatically detect and select the Exchange Server version, make sure the version
selected is correct.
Name your new backup set.
Enter the hostname of all the DAG Member Server.
Enter the username and password of the Windows user account used for backup.
Check the “Access the Internet through proxy” if required. Then click Next to
proceed.
4. In the Backup Source menu, select the mailboxes or public folders for backup. You
can click to expand the mailbox or public folder to select which mail folder to back up.
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You can also click Show mails to select individual mail to back up. Click Next to
proceed when you are done.
5. In the Schedule menu, you can configure a backup schedule for backup job to run
automatically at your specified time interval. Click Add to add a new schedule, then
click Next to proceed when you are done.
Note: By default, a daily backup scheduled for 22:00 is created automatically.
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8. Click Next on the Destination menu page to proceed.
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.
10. 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.
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Custom – you can customize your encryption key, where you can set your own
algorithm, encryption key, method and key length.
Note: For best practice on managing your encryption key, refer to the following KB
article: Best Practices for Managing Encryption Key on AhsayOBM or AhsayCBS
Version 7
Click Next when you are done setting.
11. 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.
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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.
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
12. Enter the Windows login credentials for user authentication. Click Next to proceed.
Note
The Windows User Authentication interface will show only if scheduled backup is enabled and
set successfully.
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4.2.2 Run Mail Level Backup Job
As mentioned in the Requirement section of this guide, if choose to back up an Exchange
DAG setup by installing AhsayOBM on each DAG members, only a scheduled backup that
is performed on all DAG members at the scheduled time, will be considered a complete
backup. AhsayOBM on all DAG members will start a backup, base on the scheduled time of
the backup set at the same time.
A manual backup performed only on individual DAG member will not be considered
complete.
Please refer to the Scheduled Backup for Exchange Server in Data Availability Group (DAG)
Option for details.
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3. Select the backup destination that contains the mail(s) that you would like to restore.
4. Click to expand the menu tree to select which mailbox to restore. You can also select
mail item(s) from a specific backup job or all mail items that you have backed up to
restore. Click Next to proceed.
5. Select to restore the mail to their Original mailbox, or to an Alternate mailbox.
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Restore to Original Mailbox
Select the Original location option, then press Next to proceed.
Restore to Alternate Mailbox
You can choose to restore mailbox item(s) to another mailbox in the same
Exchange server. Select the Alternate location option and the desired mailbox
destination, then press Next to proceed.
In addition, you can also restore mailbox item(s) to a different Exchange server of
the same version. In this case, the restoration should be triggered by the
AhsayOBM on the destination Exchange server.
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Please refer to the Limitation part to check the limitation of restore process.
6. Select the temporary directory for storing temporary files, such as delta files when
they are being merged, click Restore to start the restoration.
7. The following screen with the text Restore Completed Successfully shows when the
restoration is completed.
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5 On Remote Backup Machine
5.1 Standalone Backup Option
5.1.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set
1. Click the Backup Sets icon on the main interface of AhsayOBM.
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 Mail Level Backup.
Select Microsoft Exchange Server version as Microsoft Exchange Server 2016.
Name your new backup set.
Enter the hostname of Exchange server 2016.
Enter the username and password of the Windows user account used for backup.
Check the “Access the Internet through proxy” if required. Then click Next to
proceed.
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4. In the Backup Source menu, select the mailboxes or public folders for backup. You
can click to expand the mailbox or public folder to select which mail folder to back up.
You can also click Show mails to select individual mail to back up. Click Next to
proceed when you are done.
5. In the Schedule menu, you can configure a backup schedule for backup job to run
automatically at your specified time interval. Click Add to add a new schedule, then
click Next to proceed when you are done.
Note: By default, a daily backup scheduled for 22:00 is created automatically.
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8. Click Next on the Destination menu page to proceed.
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.
10. 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.
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Custom – you can customize your encryption key, where you can set your own
algorithm, encryption key, method and key length.
Note: For best practice on managing your encryption key, refer to the following KB
article: Best Practices for Managing Encryption Key on AhsayOBM or AhsayCBS
Version 7
Click Next when you are done setting.
11. 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.
The pop-up window has the following three options to choose from:
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Unmask encryption key – The encryption key is masked by default. Click this
option to show the encryption key.
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
12. Enter the Windows login credentials for user authentication. Click Next to proceed.
Note
The Windows User Authentication interface will show only if scheduled backup is enabled and
set successfully.
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iii. Select the backup destination that contains the mail(s) that you would like to restore.
iv. Click to expand the menu tree to select which mailbox to restore. You can also select
mail item(s) from a specific backup job or all mail items that you have backed up to
restore. Click Next to proceed.
v. Select to restore the mail to their Original mailbox, or to an Alternate mailbox.
Restore to Original Mailbox
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Select the Original location option, then press Next to proceed.
Restore to Alternate Mailbox
You can choose to restore mailbox item(s) to another mailbox in the same
Exchange server. Select the Alternate location option and the desired mailbox
destination, then press Next to proceed.
In addition, you can also restore mailbox item(s) to a different Exchange server of
the same version. In this case, the restoration should be triggered by the
AhsayOBM on the destination Exchange server.
Please refer to the Limitation part to check the limitation of restore process.
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2. Restore Backed up Items to Other Domain
i. In the AhsayOBM main interface, click Backup Sets icon.
ii. Select the backup set that you would like to restore mail from.
iii. Change the Host to be other domain, and also the Username and Password of user
account used for restore on the other domain. Click Save after setting is done.
iv. In the AhsayOBM main interface, click the Restore icon.
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v. Select the backup set that you would like to restore mail from.
vi. Select the backup destination that contains the mail(s) that you would like to restore.
vii. Click to expand the menu tree to select which mailbox to restore. You can also select
mail item(s) from a specific backup job or all mail items that you have backed up to
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5.2 Database Availability Group (DAG) Backup Option
5.2.1 Create Mail Level Backup Set
1. Click the Backup Sets icon on the main interface of AhsayOBM.
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 Mail Level Backup. The system will
automatically detect and select the Exchange Server version, make sure the version
selected is correct.
Select Microsoft Exchange Server version as Microsoft Exchange Server 2016
(DAG)
Name your new backup set.
Enter the hostname of all the DAG Member Server.
Enter the username and password of the Windows user account used for backup.
Check the “Access the Internet through proxy” if required. Then click Next to
proceed.
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4. In the Backup Source menu, select the mailboxes or public folders for backup. You
can click to expand the according mailbox or public folder to select which mail folder to
back up. You can also click Show mails to select individual mail to back up. Click
Next to proceed when you are done.
5. In the Schedule menu, you can configure a backup schedule for backup job to run
automatically at your specified time interval. Click Add to add a new schedule, then
click Next to proceed when you are done.
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Note: By default, a daily backup scheduled for 22:00 is created automatically.
6. In the Destination menu, select a backup destination where the backup mail will be
stored. Click the “+” icon next to Add new storage destination / destination pool.
7. Select the destination type and destination storage, then click OK to proceed.
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8. Click Next on the Destination menu page to proceed.
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.
10. 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.
www.bobcloud.net 68
Custom – you can customize your encryption key, where you can set your own
algorithm, encryption key, method and key length.
Note: For best practice on managing your encryption key, refer to the following KB
article: Best Practices for Managing Encryption Key on AhsayOBM or AhsayCBS
Version 7
Click Next when you are done setting.
11. 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.
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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.
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
12. Enter the Windows login credentials for user authentication. Click Next to proceed.
Note
The Windows User Authentication interface will show only if scheduled backup is enabled and
set successfully.
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3. Select the backup destination that contains the mail(s) that you would like to restore.
4. Click to expand the menu tree to select which mailbox to restore. You can also select
mail item(s) from a specific backup job or all mail items that you have backed up to
restore. Click Next to proceed.
5. Select to restore the mail to their Original mailbox, or to an Alternate mailbox.
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Restore to Original Mailbox
Select the Original location option, then press Next to proceed.
Restore to Alternate Mailbox
You can choose to restore mailbox item(s) to another mailbox in the same
Exchange server. Select the Alternate location option and the desired mailbox
destination, then press Next to proceed.
In addition, you can also restore mailbox item(s) to a different Exchange server of
the same version. In this case, the restoration should be triggered by the
AhsayOBM on the destination Exchange server.
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Please refer to the Limitation part to check the limitation of restore process.
6. Select the temporary directory for storing temporary files, such as delta files when
they are being merged, click Restore to start the restoration.
7. The following screen with the text Restore Completed Successfully shows when the
restoration is completed.
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6 Contact Ahsay
6.1 Technical Assistance
To contact Ahsay support representatives for technical assistance, visit the following website:
https://www.ahsay.com/jsp/en/contact/kbQuestion.jsp
Also use the Ahsay Knowledge Base for resource such as Hardware Compatibility List,
Software Compatibility List, and other product information:
https://wiki.ahsay.com
6.2 Documentation
Documentations for all Ahsay products are available at:
https://www.ahsay.com/jsp/en/home/index.jsp?pageContentKey=ahsay_downloads_documen
tation_guides
You can send us suggestions for improvements or report on issues in the documentation, by
contacting us at:
https://www.ahsay.com/jsp/en/contact/kbQuestion.jsp
Please specify the specific document title as well as the change required/suggestion when
contacting us.