When analyzing an Exchange recovery process, consider multiple alternatives beyond restoring an entire server or running the built-in Exchange utilities.
Because Exchange Server 2003 uses Active Directory for the user directory, Exchange administrators should know about Active Directory recovery.
Having good documentation on the Exchange environment makes for an easier time in recovering from system failures.
Preplanning with a failover site can prepare an organization for a server or site failure, to provide faster response in system failure recovery.
Recovering from a server failure can be done several different ways; the option of restoring a server versus recovering a server needs to be analyzed before proceeding with a process.
Exchange Server 2003 systems can be recovered using the setup /disasterrecovery command for Exchange setup, greatly simplifying the recovery process in Exchange.
Doing an XCOPY on a database before performing any maintenance can provide a backup copy of the Exchange databases in case a database restore needs to be performed.
Moving mailboxes from an old server with corrupt databases to a new server in the same site can keep the Exchange system operational while data is moved off a failing environment.
Extracting mail from an old server using the ExMerge utility to a new server can extract good data and leave corrupt portions of information on the old system, without having to do a server database repair.
Running the ISINTEG and ESEUTIL utilities on a regular basis for maintenance helps maintain the integrity of Exchange databases.
Using the ISINTEG and ESEUTIL utilities on corrupt databases can cause the loss of data because the utilities attempt to repair the Exchange database at all costs.
A recovery storage group can simplify the recovery of information from backup by allowing data to be restored to a production server, without having to rebuild a new temporary server in a lab before data restore can even begin.
Active Directory recovery is an important task; the process of restoring and recovering a failed directory should be tested in a lab and should be familiar.
