Restoring mailboxes directly from Exchange Server database files

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If the backup database (EDB) file and log files are available on the disk of a supported Microsoft Exchange Server, you can restore an individual mailbox directly from the EDB file.

Before you begin
When you restore mailboxes directly from Exchange Server database files, verify that you have read and write access to the EDB file, and verify that the Exchange Server transaction log files exist.

If you use IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments software, review the following guidelines before you restore the mailbox:

  • You can use IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments to back up an Exchange Server in a virtual machine. For more information about the backup command, see Backup command .
  • To restore mailboxes from the backups that are created by IBM Storage Protect for Virtual Environments, mount the virtual volumes that contain the EDB file and log files with read/write access. You can obtain read/write access by clearing the Mount virtual volume as read only check box.
  • If the log files are on a different volume than the EDB file, mount the volume that contains the log files on an unused drive letter. In this way, you can apply the transaction logs to the EDB file.
Procedure
  1. From the Exchange Server, start IBM Storage Protect Snapshot.
  2. After you log on to IBM Storage Protect Snapshot, in the navigation area, select the Exchange Server node and the Recover tab.
    The Mailbox Restore Browser view opens.
  3. In the Actions pane, click Open EDB File on Disk.
  4. In the window, enter or browse to the location of the EDB file.
  5. In the window, enter or browse to the location of the log file directory.
    Specifying a path to the log file directory is not required. However, the amount of time that is necessary to complete the restore operation is reduced when you provide the log file directory path.
  6. Click OK.
    The EDB file is opened and the mailboxes are displayed.
  7. Select the mailbox that you want to restore and the type of restore that you want to complete.
    For example, you can restore a mailbox to a PST file.
  8. When the restore operation is complete, click Close Mailbox to Restore.
    You are prompted to save or delete the recovery database folder.