XADM: Open File Backup Backs Up Inconsistent Exchange Databases (178907)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0
- Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0
- Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
This article was previously published under Q178907 SUMMARYSYMPTOMS
If you use backup software that performs a backup of the Exchange Server
database files while the Exchange services are running, the backup of the
databases will be inconsistent. If you restore this backup and attempt to
start the respective Exchange Server services, you will receive the
following error message on the screen, in the Windows NT Event Viewer
Application log, or both:
Error -550 has occurred
CAUSE
The Exchange databases are a combination of the database files (.Edb files)
and the logs (.Log files). All transactions occurring in Exchange Server
are written to the log files first and then written into the actual
database files, after a period of time.
The Exchange databases are considered to be consistent when all
transactions from the log files have been written into the database files.
The database is then consistent with the log files. When the information
store service is shut down, all transactions from the log files are written
into the information store service databases (Priv.edb and Pub.edb). When
the directory service is shut down, all transactions from the log files are
written into the directory database (Dir.edb). The only time you can be
absolutely certain that an Exchange Server database is consistent is when
its respective service is shut down without error.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, do one of the following:
- Use backup software that is designed to back up Exchange Server while it
is online.
-or- - Stop the information store and directory services before you perform a
backup of the Exchange Server databases.
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 4/28/2005 |
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| Keywords: | kbprb kbusage KB178907 |
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