Backup Exec 2010 throwing error trying to restore Exchange mailbox

Question

Error category : Resource ErrorsError : e000848c - Unable to attach to a resource. Make sure that all selected resources exist and are online, and then try again. If the server or resource no longer exists, remove it from the selection list. Edit the selection list properties, click the View Selection DFor additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33932

I've got the Exchange agent loaded on the Exchange server. Through talking with some other folks I've added the Exchange Management Console to the Media(Backup) server. None of this has helped. I can back up Exchange all day long, however I cannot restore from it.

I've followed the link given (V-79-57344-33923) which goes here and none of that has helped either.

Server is running: Win Server 2008 w/ SP2 (64 bit) and Exchange 2007 SP2. Backup Server: Win Server 2008 SP2 and Backup Exec 2010

I am backing up to a Tandberg T24 tape library.

Solution

Solution: Publish mail-enabled BE account in the GAL, as per this document. I'll leave my edits in place for troubleshooting purposes of other people.

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Check the status of the Exchange VSS writer. From a CMD prompt, type VSSADMIN LIST WRITERS. A list of writers (including Exchange) will output. They should all be in {1} stable condition.

On the restore, make sure that you have the "Restore to Server" field properly populated.

EDIT: From here:

Ensure that GRT is enabled before you run backups if you intend to be able to restore individual items. You can enable GRT for all backup jobs in Tools > Options. Or you can enable GRT for individual backup jobs on the Backup Job Properties dialog.

Back up your current or most recent GRT-enabled backup jobs to disk. It is more convenient to work with GRT-enabled jobs on the volumes that do not have file size limitations. You can create duplicate backup jobs and send copies of your backups to tape for archival purposes.

Use a backup-to-disk folder on a volume that does not have file size limitations as the destination for any backups that are enabled for GRT. An NTFS drive is an example of a volume without file size limitations. Some examples of volumes that have file size limitations include FAT and FAT32 volumes.

Review the requirements for staging locations in the Administrator's Guide.

You must use a staging location for GRT-enabled jobs in the following scenarios:

You back up to or restore from a volume with file size limitations.

You restore granular items from tape.

You run an offhost backup job.

Use a volume that is not your system volume for a staging location. The volume on which the staging location resides should have at least as much available space as the size of your largest GRT-enabled backup job. You can change the default staging locations in the default backup and restore option settings.

I'm going to have to look a little closer at BE2010 restore procedures, which will be later, but I would start with the above. Maybe it's because you're not staging it?

EDIT 2: Are you using incremental backups?

GRT restores will not work for individual mailboxes or items if the backup was to tape. From this document page 314:

Backup Exec must have access to a uniquely named mailbox within the Exchange organization for backup and restore of the Information Store.

See “Requirements for accessing Exchange mailboxes ” on page 1081. You cannot restore individual mailboxes and messages if both of the following conditions exist:

■ The incremental or the differential backup method was used.

■ The destination was a tape device.

If you create full, differential, or incremental backups, GRT-enabled jobs have the following restrictions:

■ The full, differential, and incremental job templates must be part of a policy.

■ The destination device must be a backup-to-disk folder.

■ The backup sets from the full, differential, and incremental jobs must be on the same volume.

Comments

[Admin]

What version of Exchange are you trying to restore?

[Admin]

Exchange 2007 SP2. I'm just trying to restore a single mailbox, not the whole information store.

[Admin]

Put down everything that you are doing step by step. Also verify if any other errors are generated in the event logs on both the Media server and the Exchange server.

[Admin]

I'm just finding the appropriate tape in the media set, right clicking "restore data". Then all I do is find what I want to restore, make sure that the resource credentials test passes (which it does) and hitting "Run Now". I can see the GRT folder get created in C:\temp with a bunch of individual files but eventually the restore bombs out with the message posted above. Since I'm not specifying a place to restore it I can only assume that it's trying to restore back to the original location. (Which Resource Credentials points to 'automagically')

[Admin]

I would take a look at the requirements and make sure that you have everything in order like Symantec wants. Exchange restores can be quite hairy, and everything has to be "just so". To answer your comment about what to do with old tape backups, you probably have to do a redirected restore to an RSG and use ExMerge to pull your data out. But to start I would dig a little more into the current config you have and double check your settings.

[Admin]

Is the mailbox you set up for BE hidden in the GAL?

[Admin]

Un-hide it. From seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/306281.htm. I think this will solve the problem.

[Mindflux]

Everything is in stable state. When I'm running the restore I don't see a 'restore to server' field unless I do Exchange Redirection, which isn't what I'm trying to do.

[Mindflux]

@Holocryptic - GRT is enabled and writing to a NTFS volume for the staging location. I've gone over that document and the only thing I'm not doing is backing up my exchange with a 'backup-to-disk' folder, it's going right to tape. Which according to a sysadmin using BE 12.5 is how he does it. (I don't think it changed in 2010, I don't know)

[Mindflux]

They are full backups. I'll have to see how a backup to disk works. Odd it wouldn't work over tape.

[Mindflux]

Since I cannot edit. --How would you restore a mailbox from a old tape archive if the local backup to folder is much newer? This makes no sense.

[Holocryptic]

I imagine that you would do a redirected restore to an RSG of the whole database, then use ExMerge to pull the data you need out.

[Mindflux]

Hrm. I'll ask the guy I know that says he just restores single emails off tape with BE 12.5 right to exchange later today. Something changed between 12.5 and 2010 or he's forgetting steps. :/

[Mindflux]

This link seems to show that GRT direct to tape (backup/restore) is entirely possible. hrmm

[Mindflux]

Ok just as another update. I ran a B2D Full backup and tried to restore and it threw the same error.

[Holocryptic]

Is the mailbox account that you setup for BE hidden in the GAL?

[Mindflux]

Yes it is hidden in GAL.

[Holocryptic]

Un-hide it. From seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/306281.htm. I think this will solve the problem.

[Mindflux]

Sure enough. Unhiding it from GAL fixed it. Makes no sense at all that it's required to be visible, but whatever. Also, FWIW GRT backups directly to tape also restore fine without a B2D backup now.

[Holocryptic]

Cool, I'll update my answer.