Backup Exchange 2000/2003 from a Non-Exchange Server

Published: Jan 06, 2009

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How can I backup my Exchange 2000/2003 server from a non-Exchange Windows 2000/2003 server?
When you install Exchange 2000/2003 on a Windows 2000/2003 server, or, alternatively, when you install the Management Tools for Exchange 2000/2003 on a non-exchange server, you actually enhance the built-in Ntbackup.exe tool from the regular tool to one that is capable to backup local and remote Exchange servers.
However, you might want to backup one or more of your Exchange servers from a non-Exchange server, one that does not have the Exchange Management Tools installed on.
To permit a Microsoft Windows 2000/2003 server-based backup server that does not have Exchange 2000 or Exchange System Manager installed to perform online Exchange 2000 backups, follow these steps:

  1. Copy Esebcli2.dll to the backup server. This file is located in the Exchsrvr\Bin folder on any Exchange 2000/2003 computer. You can copy this file directly from the Exchange 2000/2003 installation CD-ROM.
  2. Note: For Exchange 2000 please use the version found in SP3. For Exchange Server 2003 please use the version found in SP1. You can find these files in the setup\i386\exchange\bin path of the Service Pack folder (or CD).
  3. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
  4. Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\DLLPaths
  1. Double-click the DLLPaths key, and then add the following value:

Value Name: Esebcli2 Data Type: REG_EXPAND_SZ String: Drive\Path\Esebcli2.dll

  1. Make sure that on the Exchange 2000/2003 computer the account that performs the backups is given Backup Operator permissions.

Note: The original MS KB article claims that on Windows Server 2003 backup servers that does not have Exchange 2000/2003 or Exchange System Manager installed there is no need to modify the DLLPaths registry key. I have tested this configuration on a Windows Server 2003 Enterprise edition server but I still had to change the registry key. Test for yourself and let me know what you find out.

  1. After the appropriate accounts and permissions are in place, start Ntbackup.exe, and then click Remote Store on the Tools menu to connect to an Exchange 2000/2003 computer.

Note that this is the menu you receive BEFORE implementing the changes described in this tip:
 
This is the menu you receive AFTER these changes:
 
 
 
Note: The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service must be running on the designated Exchange 2000/2003 computer. The Microsoft Exchange Server node is not displayed on the Backup page in Ntbackup.exe until you connect to a remote store. When you connect to a single remote store, all Exchange 2000/2003 computers in the entire Active Directory forest are enumerated.

Backing up Exchange servers that are in different forests

You cannot back up Exchange 2000/2003 servers from different Active Directory forests in a single backup job. However, you can backup databases from all versions of Exchange Server within the same job, as long as they all belong to the same organization. Be aware that servers for all versions of Exchange Server are listed on the Microsoft Exchange node, including Exchange 2000/2003, but you cannot back up Exchange 2000/2003 computers from this node. If you select any Exchange 2000/2003 computers under the Microsoft Exchange node for backup, the backup jobs fail.
Note: If you browse to the database level in one of the Exchange Server backup nodes, and there is an option for backing up the directory on the server, then you are in the wrong place to back up an Exchange 2000/2003 database.
To back up Exchange 2000/2003 databases from multiple forests, exit and restart Ntbackup.exe, and then designate a remote store in a different forest, or run separate instances of Ntbackup.exe.

Links

How to Use NTBackup from a Non-Exchange 2000 Computer – 275876
Troubleshooting a Remote Online Backup of Exchange 2000 – 275676

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