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Hyper-V Host Running Exchange VMs in DAG - Mailbox & Logs Databases attached using ISCSI with Active/Passive Databases on Both

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Hello Acronis, 

Does your software support such infastructure? If so, can you please tell me the best practice to use your software? I am also open to any other recommednations from existing customers with similar setup. 

Thank you all in advance!

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Posts: 22
Comments: 3800

Hi Ahmed,

The proper way to protect this configuration would be to install Acronis Backup Agent for VMware + Agent for Exchange _inside_ the VM running on Hyper-V - on each node of the Exchange DAG cluster. After that setup a plan to either backup entire machine with application protection option enabled, or backup separate Exchange databases depending on your requirements (you can select the type of backup in the backup plan sheet).

P.S. Note that agentless backup via Agent for Hyper-V won't be capable for full protection of this setup, since it won't be able to read iSCSI volumes connected inside the VM (these volumes are simply not put into hypervisor checkpoints of the VM) - this can be done only via Acronis Backup Agents running inside.

Thank you.

Thanks for your prompt reply Vasily. 

Considering that we have active and passive databases devided equally between the Exchange VM's DAG - Would you recommend running an entire machine backup or just database and logs with application protection enabled. Not sure how the DAG will behave if i run sepetrate application awareness backups for the VMs. 

Ahmed 

frestogaslorastaswastavewroviwroclolacorashibushurutraciwrubrishabenichikucrijorejenufrilomuwrigaslowrikejawrachosleratiswurelaseriprouobrunoviswosuthitribrepakotritopislivadrauibretisetewrapenuwrapi
Posts: 22
Comments: 3800

Hi Ahmed,

It makes sense to run an application-aware single-pass backup which will include entire machine data inside with ability to recover Exchange items from it. See this documentation topic - you should treat your VM as "physical machine", e.g. install Agent for Windows + Agent for Exchange inside it and enable application protection while backing up entire machine. The same approach can be used on both nodes of the DAG cluster.

Thank you.