In Exchange Server, the Recovery Storage Group (RSG) feature gives the Exchange administrator the option of mounting a second copy of a mailbox database, typically a mailbox database restored from backup. This allows the administrator to extract data from one or more mailboxes in the respective database without affecting the production databases during working hours.

In Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, you create an RSG using the Exchange Management Console (EMC). With Exchange 2007, you create an RSG using the Exchange Troubleshooting Assistant (ExTRA). Use the Database Recovery Management Tool to launch ExTRA. You can find the Database Recovery Management Tool in the Exchange Toolbox work center or by using the Exchange Management Shell (EMS).

Note
To recover an Exchange Server 2007 mailbox, the recovery destination must have Exchange Server 2007 installed. To recover an Exchange Server 2003 mailbox, the recovery destination must have Exchange Server 2003 installed.

When mounting a copy of an Exchange Server 2003 mailbox database to an RSG, you can extract the data from a mailbox and then merge the data with another mailbox located in a mailbox database in a storage group, but you can also extract the data and then copy it to a specific folder in another mailbox.

Note
If you are recovering an Exchange Server 2003 mailbox that is active, the Recover mailbox to an Exchange server database option is disabled. You must recover the Exchange database files to share on an Exchange server and select the Bring the database to a clean shut down state after copying the files check box. Then mount the database to a RSG manually using Exchange Management Console.

To recover a previous version of a mailbox

  1. In the DPM Administrator Console, click Recovery on the navigation bar.

  2. Browse or search for the data you want to recover, and then, in the results pane, select the data. On the Browse tab, if you select Previous point in time, you must select the database from the Protected data pane to display recoverable items correctly.

    Note
    Only one mailbox can be selected and recovered at a time, and you can search for data by alias, display name, and date range.
  3. Available recovery points are indicated in bold on the calendar in the recovery points section. Select the bold date for the recovery point you want to recover.

  4. In the Recoverable item pane, click to select the mailbox you want to recover.

  5. In the Actions pane, click Recover. DPM starts the Recovery Wizard.

  6. Review your recovery selection, and click Next.

  7. Specify the type of recovery you would like to perform:

    1. Recover mailbox to an Exchange server database. Type the target server running Exchange, or browse for the path. After the recovery, the recovered mailbox must be connected to a user account using Exchange System Manager.

    2. Copy to a network folder. Choose the network folder where all database files containing the mailbox will be copied.

    Note
    The Copy to Tape option is disabled if there is no tape drive.

    Click Next after you have specified the recovery type.

  8. If you specified Copy to a network folder, on the Select Recovery Options page, select the Bring the database to a clean shut down state after copying the files check box.

  9. Select whether you want to send an e-mail notification to recipients when the recovery is complete.

  10. On the Recovery Destination page, specify the Exchange server name, the storage group name, and the database name. You can also click Browse to search for a recovery destination.

    Note
    If you recover to an Exchange 2007 server or if you recover an Exchange Server 2007 mailbox, the recovery destination should be a recovery storage group (RSG). If you recover an Exchange Server 2003 mailbox that is online, you must provide an Exchange Server 2003 RSG. If the mailbox is offline, you must specify a storage group that is not a RSG. After DPM has recovered the database files, connect the mailbox to an Active Directory account using Exchange Management Console.
  11. Click Next.

  12. On the Set Notification page, select Send an e-mail when this recovery completes check box if you want to notify others about the recovery job, and then type the e-mail recipients' names. Separate the e-mail addresses with commas.

  13. Click Next.

  14. Review your recovery settings, and click Recover.

    Note
    Any synchronization job for the selected recovery server will be canceled while the recovery is in progress.

To extract data from a mailbox and merge it with another mailbox

  • For Exchange Server 2003, use the Microsoft Exchange Server Mailbox Merge Wizard (ExMerge).

  • For Exchange Server 2003 SP1, extract and merge data using the Exchange Server 2003 System Manager GUI.

See Also