I'm running Exchange 2010 on Server 2008 R2. I run a VSS Full backup nightly. The Exchange database is backed up, but the log files are not deleted. If I reboot the server and then preform a one time backup the log files are deleted.Any suggestions on why the log files are not being deleted after each backup?

The main reason behind log files not getting deleted or purged is that :1. The log files are not is sequence or2. Any log file is missing.But, as you said that the log files are getting deleted after rebooting the server I really would like to know what all event id's getting generated after the backup(when log files are not purging)

I had the same Issue tonight... I solved it by running a Full Backup with Windows Backup (described here: http://www.roland-ehle.de/archives/942) After that I enabled circular loggin. In the EMC at Organisation Configuration -> Mailbox -> Properties of Mailbox Store(priv or / and public) and at the Maintenance tab I enabled it. After that I unmounted and remounted the store... (like the message suggests) I hope this can help someone other to save some hour´s with troubleshooting. *** Technical background: You can configure Exchange to save disk space by enabling circular logging. Circular logging allows Exchange to overwrite transaction log files after the data that the log files contain is committed to the database. However, if circular logging is enabled, you can recover data only up until the last full backup. For example, you can enable circular logging when using Exchange Native Data Protection, in which you don't make backups. Therefore, to prevent log buildup, you need to enable circular logging. In the standard transaction logging that is used by Exchange 2010, each database transaction is written to a log file and then to the database. When a log file reaches one megabyte (MB) in size, it is renamed and a new log file is created. Over time, this results in a set of log files. If Exchange stops unexpectedly, you can recover the transactions by replaying the data from these log files into the database. Circular logging overwrites and reuses the first log file after the data it contains has been written to the database. In Exchange 2010, circular logging is disabled by default. By enabling it, you reduce drive storage space requirements. However, without a complete set of transaction log files, you cannot recover any data more recent than the last full backup. Therefore, in a normal production environment, circular logging is not recommended. For information about how to enable and disable circular logging, see Configure Mailbox Database Properties. Found here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb331958.aspx Configuration: SCCM 2007 R2 with MDT 2008

James, You can increase disgnostic logging for VSS , exchange writer and Backup . Please navigate to EMC , exchange server object and from properties select idiagnostic logging for Exchange IS /system and should find the above fields,

hi, agree with M4rkus and also you can use DPM2010 to backup your exchange server 2010 organization. it is really usable for exchange and other microsoft services. regards, Mumin CICEK | Exchange - MVP | www.cozumbilisim.com.tr | www.mumincicek.com | www.cozumpark.com

I ran into a very similar problem with pretty much the same exact Exchange10 setup. I was running out of volume space very quickly, and the amount of log files was to large to run a backup fast enough to clear them out before the store was automatically unmounted. Luckily, my Zenoss server reported the volume at 10% capacity before it stopped accepting mail. So here is what you do when you have found this dreaded problem and it takes literally 5 minutes to fix. Just keep in mind you have to undo this fix if you want reliable backups in the future. Open EMC In the Tree click on Organization Configuration to expand it. Click on Mailbox and the Mailbox Database stores will be displayed. Find the Store that is overflowing. D: in my case. Right click and go to "properties" Navigate to the "Maintenance" tab Below you'll find-"Enable Circular Logging" Go ahead and put a check mark next to it. Click Apply Unmount the store Remount the store *POOF* Log files are gone! Downside to this? You can't restore with current data. You can only restore from your last backup. Old log files are overwritten during this procedure and not enabled by default for a reason. I enabled circular logging, backed up the server, and disabled circular logging and scheduled more frequent backups in order to keep the log files under control.

Hello All, Is it safe to move transaction logs files that are about 2 days old to a different destination, if I am running out of disk space ?

The Exchange 2010 backup will truncate those logs. If they are not truncating and you are absolutely sure you are using an Exchange aware application then you need to raise a ticket with the software vendor. What backup package are you using? "olu2006" wrote in message news:e6b101f5-fc34-41cc-b850-7017ddcc0181... Hello All, Is it safe to move transaction logs files that are about 2 days old to a different destination, if I am running out of disk space ? Mark Arnold, Exchange MVP.

Oh my, "My backups are failing to truncate the logs", so I think I'll just; a. Just move a bunch of them somewhere else and punch a big hole in my log file sequence. b. Just turn on circular logging and lose the ability to restore and roll the logs forward (the whole point of taking VSS backups BTW). c. Contact my backup vendor, open a ticket, and figure out why it's not working properly (why it's not clearing the logs after a backup). It's actually shocking to see how many folks have responded with anything other than the correct answer "C" in this thread. J

With Exchnage 2010 there is a new plug-in that is delivered in the form of an executable called WSBExchange.exe, which is configured to run as a service named Microsoft Exchange Server Extension for Windows Server Backup (the short name for this service is WSBExchange). The plug-in is automatically installed on all Exchange 2010 Mailbox servers and configured by default for manual startup. The plug-in enables Windows Server Backup to create Exchange-aware VSS backups. Simply start this service then do your normal VSS Full backup and it works every time. Good luck all.

Dear Sgt Tech Nut, Thanks for your simple steps. I followed but my backup fails, saying "Database inconsistency failed...". By the way, i have exchange 2010 with two mailboxes (active and passive). Passive is dismounted due to some storage issue and I am trying to backup my active mailbox, which has now grown to almost 1TB due to log files. One more question: If i am somehow able to purge log files after successful backup and mount my passive mailbox again; will it be a replica of active mailbox after it runs maintenance during the night or i have to do something else too? Please suggest if you and someone else here has some solution. Regards, Aamir

Like John Fullbright said a couple of months ago, raise a case with your backup vendor and get this fixed. What did they say, or why havent you called them for help? If you have an Exchange aware backup app the logs will be truncated. End of story. If something is broken only your vendor can help. "Khan Aamir" wrote in message news:e3b372cb-f0f3-403d-93eb-692cd99cb192... Dear Sgt Tech Nut, Thanks for your simple steps. I followed but my backup fails, saying "Database inconsistency failed...". By the way, i have exchange 2010 with two mailboxes (active and passive). Passive is dismounted due to some storage issue and I am trying to backup my active mailbox, which has now grown to almost 1TB due to log files. One more question: If i am somehow able to purge log files after successful backup and mount my passive mailbox again; will it be a replica of active mailbox after it runs maintenance during the night or i have to do something else too? Please suggest if you and someone else here has some solution. Regards, Aamir Mark Arnold, Exchange MVP.

Aamir, To answer your custion properly you will need to provide more specific info. Since you are talking about Active and Passive mode. That is Exchange 200x when you had Active passive mode, and introduced in Exchange 2007 LCR, CCR, SCC and SCR replications. In case of the Exchange 2010 you should be using DAG (Database Availability Group) . on DAG what you will have is Multiple Servers with multiple databases, this databases will be active databases and passive databases insted of active or passive nodes. extract of the MS Technet article. The VSS plug-in that ships with Exchange 2010 can be used to back up volumes containing active mailbox database copies or standalone (non-replicated) mailbox databases only. It can't be used to back up volumes containing passive mailbox database copies. To back up passive mailbox database copies, you need either Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager or a third-party Exchange-aware VSS-based application. Passive mailbox database copies are backed up using a separate VSS writer in the Microsoft Exchange Replication service. The Microsoft Exchange Replication service VSS Writer doesn't support restores. Although you can back up a passive mailbox database copy using Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager or a third-party Exchange-aware VSS-based application, you can't perform a VSS restore directly to a passive mailbox database copy. However, you can perform a VSS restore to an alternate location, suspend replication to the passive copy, and then copy the database and log files from the alternate location to the location of the passive database copy in the file system. more to view here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd876874.aspx Hope this helps Luis Ovalles MCITP Enterprise Messaging Administrator on Exchange 2010 lovalles

Transaction Logs are truncated (deleted) IF a Full or Incremental Backup run on the database. Copy backup will not truncate log files. The Windows Server Backup wizard "Full Server (recommended)" option defaults to VSS Copy backup. Just modify your Full server backup, choose custom and click advanced settings, select VSS full backup under the VSS Settings tab. You can check what type of backup run in the Mailbox DB header: eseutil /mh "databasefile" Jan