Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is an earlier edition of the Exchange platform, offering numerous features and benefits to its users. However, despite its capabilities, it is not completely immune to issues or failures.
Methods to Restore the Exchange Server 2010 Database
Administrators can choose from several approaches to restore the Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 database from one server to another, depending on the situation and available infrastructure:
- Database Portability
Move the Exchange mailbox database to another server and mount it to restore access to mailbox data. - Exchange Server Mailbox Recovery
Use mailbox recovery techniques or tools to extract and restore data from an existing Exchange database. - Database Availability Group (DAG)
Leverage DAG to replicate databases across multiple servers, ensuring high availability and quick recovery in case of server failure.
These methods help ensure business continuity by restoring the Exchange 2010 database efficiently to another server.
Functions of Database Portability
Database Portability is a feature in Exchange Server that enables administrators to mount a mailbox database from one Mailbox server onto another Mailbox server within the same organization. This capability is particularly useful during server maintenance, hardware failures, or migration scenarios, allowing mailbox access to be quickly restored without complex recovery procedures.
It’s important to note that Database Portability applies only to mailbox databases and cannot be used to move public folder databases between servers.
Key points to remember about Database Portability:
- A mailbox database can only be mounted on another Mailbox server within the same Exchange Server organization.
- The target Mailbox server must be running the same or a later version of Exchange Server. You cannot mount a database on an earlier version.
- Database Portability does not support public folder databases (e.g., pub.edb).
Database Mounting in Exchange Server
Mounting an Exchange Server database involves preparing the database and log files on the target server, performing any necessary recovery steps, and ensuring that mailbox access is restored for users.
Step-by-Step Process
1. Prepare the database and log files
First, ensure that the database (.edb) and log files are available on the server where you want to mount them. You can either:
- Restore them from a backup, or
- Attach the storage from the previous server to the new server.
2. Check the database shutdown state
Open the Exchange Management Shell and navigate to the folder containing the Exchange database file.
Determine whether the database is in a clean shutdown or dirty shutdown state.
- If the database is in dirty shutdown and all transaction log files are available, perform a soft recovery.
- If transaction logs are unavailable, you can skip the recovery step.
Soft recovery command example:
From the folder containing the transaction logs, run:
eseutil /r E00 /l “LogFilePath” /d “DatabaseFilePath”Replace E00 with the actual log file prefix for your database.
3. Create a new mailbox database
On the target Mailbox server, create a new Exchange mailbox database.
- Specify paths for the transaction logs and database files that differ from the current location.
4. Copy the database and log files
Move the Exchange database and log files from their current location into the paths specified for the new mailbox database.
5. Mark the database as overwritable
Before mounting, mark the database as overwritable to allow it to replace the existing one.
6. Mount the mailbox database
Mount the database using the Exchange Admin Center or Exchange Management Shell.
Once mounted successfully, note that the mailboxes are still associated with the old server and database name.
7. Update user mailbox attributes
Update the attributes for affected user accounts so that their mailboxes point to the new mailbox database.
After this change:
- Outlook 2007/2010 and Outlook Web App clients will automatically connect to the new database.
- Outlook 2003 clients may require additional configuration or an Exchange Server update.
8. Verify mailbox connectivity
Once Active Directory replication is complete, users should be able to access their mailboxes on the new server without issues.
There are alternative methods to restore mailbox access without relying on Database Portability, such as:
Activating the database on another DAG member – If the mailbox server was part of a Database Availability Group (DAG) and another DAG member already holds a replica of the database, you can simply activate it there.
Performing a Mailbox server recovery – In certain situations, running a full mailbox server recovery might be a more suitable option to bring the database and services back online.
If the Database Portability feature does not meet the requirements for moving an Exchange database, administrators can opt for a reliable third-party solution. EdbMails Exchange Database Recovery is a comprehensive tool designed to repair and restore Exchange databases (EDB files) from Exchange Server 2010 and migrate them to another server with ease. It supports granular mailbox recovery, direct migration to live Exchange or Office 365, and maintains complete data integrity throughout the process.
Key benefits of EdbMails:
- Repairs corrupted or inaccessible Exchange EDB files
- Supports direct restoration to another Exchange server
- Preserves folder hierarchy and mailbox permissions
- Simple, wizard-based interface for quick setup
See More
Backup and Restore Guide for Exchange Server Data
