Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Administrators Companion (Pro-Administrators Companion)

To successfully back up or restore an operation, you must follow some best practices:

• Ensure that the raw storage capacity of your tape exceeds the compressed storage capacity of your database by a comfortable safety margin. If it does not, plan for tape changes when doing backups.

• Routinely clean the tape drives according to manufacturer specifications.

• Do not overuse tapes. Discard them after they reach the maximum number of cycles specified by the manufacturer.

• Store the tapes in a safe and accessible location.

• Check your backup logs every day to ensure the Exchange backups were successful from the previous night.

• Perform a trial backup and restore on a monthly basis to ensure your hardware is working and to keep your restore skills up to snuff.

• Document your backup and restore procedures.