A great deal of information is stored in an Exchange server. Much of this information resides in the Exchange databases of user messages, public messages, and Active Directory directory services. Some configuration information is stored in the Microsoft Windows 2000 registry; some is stored in various places in the Exchange Server installation path. This section covers the information that you need to include when you back up an Exchange server.
The heart of Exchange Server is the public folder and mailbox stores, and these stores are the most critical items to back up. You can back up and restore individual stores or manage the entire storage group at one time. When selecting a store to back up, you are really requesting that a number of files be backed up. Depending on the type of backup chosen (see "Types of Backups" later in this chapter) and the features of the backup software you are using, you will back up one or more of the following items:
Like backup software for previous versions of Exchange Server, third-party solutions for Exchange 2000 Server will most likely also be capable of backing up individual mailboxes and individual public folders.
In previous versions of Exchange Server, you backed up not only the information store but also the Exchange directory that maintains information about each mailbox, as well as configuration information about Exchange Server. That information is now stored in Active Directory, so it is necessary to back up your Active Directory. You can back it up using the System State folder within the Windows 2000 Backup utility. The System State folder allows you to specify whether to back up the following resources:
It is also important to back up the Exchsrvr folder in your server's file system. Many pieces of information, such as message tracking data, exist within the file system. If these cannot be restored, you may have to recreate parts of your Exchange organization to ensure that the file system contents match the Exchange configuration in Active Directory.