Exchange 2003 Log files
We have an exchange 2003 cluster on DL 380 G4 connected to a storage works 500 G2 array. The array is redundant and basically becomes one big (600GB) logical drive on to the OS. The logs are filling up and taking up to 400GB's on the drive. I want to move the logs but since it is a cluster, I can't really add A drive to each node and expect the logs to work. What I would like to do is move the logs to a network share (unc) path. Can this be done? Or is there another option for better log management? From my experience deleting the log files of exchange is not a good idea and not good for restoring. Please advice.
November 11th, 2009 12:55am
Use NTbackup on Windows 2003. Take a full back up of the information store which will purge / delete the logs. You can do a backup to disk. That's how Microsoft backed up their Exchange 2003 clusters (I did as well).http://www.petri.co.il/backup_exchange_2000_2003_with_ntbackup.htm
While mostly discussing Exchange 2007, this thread does also contain general advice that is valid for Exchange 2003:
How to backup exchange 2007 database .edb before i delete or purge transaction log fileshttp://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchangesvradmin/thread/583f6388-787d-4d7d-a6a7-1e4b0daca721MCTS: Messaging | MCSE: S+M | Small Business Specialist
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November 11th, 2009 1:50am
Thank you, that is the problem, we use HP Dataprotector for backing up and it does not do a exchange aware full backup and hence the log files do not get delete. If I do a NT backup and back it up to disk, I am afraid our regular backups through HP dataprotector won't work.
November 11th, 2009 6:53am
Actually I worked at HP Norway when I was implementing and administrating solutions with Exchange 2000 and 2003 failover clusters. We did backups to disk with NT Backup, and backed up to tape with HP Data Protector (it had another name). Here we were following Microsoft's example. Later they published a document about improving the speed of NT Backup.Backup Process Used with Clustered Exchange Server 2003 Servers at Microsofthttp://download.microsoft.com/download/4/3/1/43104b4b-dd07-44d0-90c9-d1cda210f3cd/ExchangeBackupNote.docYour backup to disk will NOT interfere with your Data Protector backup. One way to configure this:1) Establish a volume / LUN for backup (NT Backup LUN)2) Configure two scheduled full backups with NT Backup of only the Exchange stores (databases) with overwrite3) Don't do any backups of the LUNs holding the databases and log files with Data Protector4) Do a daily backup of your NT Backup LUN with Data Protector.If you don't implement a backup of your Exchange stores:1) Log files will continue to grow. There is a limit of how many log files you can have, and Exchange will stop working.2) Without an Exchange-aware backup you have no restorable backup (not exactly true, but formost practical purposes).
MCTS: Messaging | MCSE: S+M | Small Business Specialist
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November 12th, 2009 1:54am