Solving Exchange Protection & Recovery Challenges in Data Protection Manager

Table of Contents

When working with System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) to protect Exchange data sources, a significant portion of encountered issues originate from underlying problems on the Exchange server itself. Exchange’s reliance on transaction logs, database health, and VSS writer functionality means that any instability or misconfiguration on the Exchange side can directly impact DPM’s ability to perform backups and recoveries effectively.

The most crucial first step in troubleshooting DPM protection or recovery failures involving Exchange is to thoroughly examine the Exchange server’s event logs. Logs generated during the timeframe of the DPM operation failure often contain specific error messages that pinpoint the root cause. Common culprits include missing transaction logs, databases or their copies being in an unhealthy state, or issues preventing the Exchange VSS writer or Information Store service from properly truncating logs after a successful backup. Therefore, always start your investigation on the Exchange server before delving deep into DPM logs.

Cannot Enumerate Exchange Nodes or Databases¶

A frequent hurdle in setting up or verifying Exchange protection is the inability of DPM to correctly enumerate the available Exchange nodes or databases within a Database Availability Group (DAG) or standalone server configuration.

If DPM does not display any Exchange nodes or databases when you attempt to configure protection, the primary checks revolve around agent installation and database location. First, ensure that the DPM protection agent is correctly installed on the specific Exchange server node you intend to protect. The agent is essential for DPM to communicate with the server and interact with the Exchange VSS writer. Second, verify that the particular Exchange database you expect to see actually exists and is mounted on the server where the DPM agent is installed. Databases in an unhealthy state or those not mounted may not be enumerable.

Failure to See Passive Nodes¶

When protecting an Exchange Database Availability Group (DAG), you might encounter a scenario where DPM only lists the active copy of a database when selecting data sources for a protection group, even though multiple passive copies exist on other DAG nodes. This prevents DPM from being able to back up passive copies, which is a common strategy for reducing load on the active server.

This specific issue is often linked to a registry setting on the Exchange server that might have been created or modified by other backup methods previously used, such as Windows Server Backup or third-party tools. The relevant registry value is named EnableVSSWriter and resides under the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\ExchangeServer\v14\Replay\Parameters\. By default, this registry value should not exist. If it is present, it indicates a potential conflict or intentional modification from another system.

If the EnableVSSWriter value exists and is set to 0, it effectively disables the Exchange VSS writer’s ability to interact fully with systems like DPM in a way that allows enumeration and backup of passive copies. To resolve this, you should modify the registry value. Change the value of EnableVSSWriter to 1 (hexadecimal) to re-enable the VSS writer’s functionality relevant to DAG copies. Alternatively, you can simply delete the EnableVSSWriter registry value entirely, as its default state is non-existence. After making this change, it’s advisable to restart the relevant Exchange services or the server itself to ensure the change takes effect and the VSS writer registers correctly with the new configuration.

Recovery Point Failures Due to Port Conflicts¶

Errors indicating that a connection could not be made because the target machine actively refused it, often represented by the error code 0x8007274D, are commonly associated with port conflicts on the Exchange server.

System Center Data Protection Manager agent (DPMRA) communicates with protected servers, including Exchange servers, using specific TCP ports. By default, DPM is registered to use ports 5718 and 5719 for these communications. If another application on the Exchange server is already binding to and using one or both of these ports, DPMRA will be unable to establish the necessary connection, leading to backup or recovery point creation failures. You can diagnose this conflict by running the command netstat -ano from an administrative command prompt on the Exchange server. This command lists all active network connections and listening ports, along with the Process ID (PID) using each port. By checking the PIDs associated with ports 5718 and 5719, you can identify which process or application is causing the conflict.

Once the conflicting application is identified, you have two primary resolution paths: either reconfigure DPM to use different ports or reconfigure the conflicting application to vacate the default DPM ports.

Resolution 1: Configure DPM to use other ports¶

This approach involves instructing the DPM agent on the protected Exchange server to listen on alternative ports instead of the default 5718 and 5719. This is typically the preferred method if reconfiguring the conflicting application is complex or not feasible.

1. On the DPM server, open an administrative command prompt.
2. Navigate to the directory where the SetAgentCfg.exe utility is located. The default path is usually %PROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft System Center\DPM\DPM\Setup.
3. Execute the SetAgentCfg.exe utility with the following syntax to specify an alternative port for the protected server:
   

   setagentcfg.exe s <protected_server_FQDN> <alternative_port>
   

   
   Replace <protected_server_FQDN> with the fully qualified domain name of the Exchange server, and <alternative_port> with a chosen unused TCP port number (e.g., 5720 or higher). This command updates the DPM server’s configuration to expect the agent on the specified server to communicate on the new port.
4. Verify that a new registry entry reflecting this configuration change is created on the DPM server under the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\Agent\2.0\PsPortConfig.
5. Copy the SetAgentCfg.exe file from the DPM server’s setup directory to the DPM agent’s installation directory on the protected Exchange server. The default location is %PROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\bin.
6. On the protected Exchange server, open an administrative command prompt in the %PROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft Data Protection Manager\DPM\bin directory.
7. Run the SetAgentCfg.exe command to configure the DPMRA service on the protected server to listen on the specified alternative port:
   

   setagentcfg.exe e DPMRA <alternative_port>
   

   
   Ensure you use the same alternative port number specified in step 3.
8. Restart the DPM server machine to ensure the configuration change takes full effect on the DPM side.
9. Restart the DPMRA service on the protected Exchange server. This service will now attempt to bind to the newly configured port for communication with the DPM server.

After completing these steps, DPM should be able to communicate with the Exchange server agent over the new ports, resolving the connection refusal error.

Resolution 2: Configure the conflicting application to use another port¶

This method involves identifying the application using ports 5718 and 5719 and reconfiguring that application to use different ports. This might involve changing application settings, modifying its configuration files, or potentially uninstalling the application if it’s not essential or if it cannot be reconfigured.

Since DPM is the designated owner of ports 5718 and 5719, it is generally recommended to reconfigure conflicting third-party applications if possible. Consult the documentation or support resources for the identified conflicting application to understand how to modify its network port usage. In some cases, simply restarting the conflicting application after it has lost the port might be sufficient if it is configured to dynamically select ports, but a permanent configuration change is usually necessary to prevent recurrence.

Here is a table summarizing the port issue and resolutions:

Issue	Error Code	Cause	Verification Step	Resolution Option 1 (DPM)	Resolution Option 2 (Conflicting App)
Connection Refused	0x8007274D	Ports 5718/5719 used by another app	netstat -ano	Reconfigure DPMRA ports via setagentcfg.exe	Reconfigure the conflicting application’s ports

Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) Errors¶

Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) errors encountered during Exchange server protection by DPM, often appearing with an error message like “Data error (cyclic redundancy check) (0x80070017)”, typically point to data corruption.

In the context of Exchange protection, the most probable cause of a CRC error is a corrupted Exchange transaction log file located on the Exchange server itself. Transaction logs are critical for database consistency and recovery, and corruption in these files can halt the backup process. However, it is vital to examine the file path mentioned in the DPM error message carefully. If the path points to a file located on the DPM server’s replica volume (e.g., C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center\DPM\DPM\Volumes\Replica\<VOL GUID>\<GUID>\Full\<Log file path>), the CRC error might indicate corruption of the replica of the transaction log file stored by DPM, rather than the original on the Exchange server.

To resolve CRC errors, particularly when the corrupted file is on the DPM server’s replica volume, you need to replace the corrupted file with a known good copy. For Exchange DAG environments, a good copy of a specific transaction log file can often be obtained from another healthy DAG member server that holds a synchronized copy of the database and its logs. The process involves identifying the exact corrupted file, accessing the DPM replica volume, replacing the file, and then triggering a consistency check in DPM to validate the data.

Here are the steps to replace a corrupted log file on the DPM replica volume using PowerShell and PsExec:

1. Open DPM Management Shell on the DPM server.
2. Retrieve all configured protection groups using the cmdlet:
   

   $pg = get-protectiongroup
   $pg
   

3. Identify the index number ([index#]) corresponding to the protection group that contains the affected Exchange database.
4. Get the data sources within that specific protection group using the following cmdlet, replacing [#] with the protection group index:
   

   $ds = get-datasource $pg[#]
   $ds
   

5. Identify the index number ([#]) corresponding to the affected Exchange database data source from the $ds output.
6. Mount the replica volume for the specific data source using the Mount-DpmRecoveryPoint cmdlet, specifying the data source index:
   

   mount-dpmrecoverypoint -datasource $ds[#]
   

   
   Note the mount path provided by the cmdlet output. This is where the DPM replica volume is temporarily accessible, typically within the DPM\Volumes\Replica\ directory. For example: C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center\DPM\DPM\Volumes\Replica\<VOL GUID>.
7. Download the Sysinternals PsExec tool if you don’t have it. You will need it to access the mounted volume in the system context, which is necessary because the replica volume is mounted with specific permissions.
8. Open an administrative command prompt and use PsExec.exe to launch a new command prompt running under the system account:
   

   Psexec.exe -s -i cmd.exe
   

9. In the new command prompt window (running under NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM), change the directory to the mount path you noted in step 6. For example:
   

   CD C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center\DPM\DPM\Volumes\Replica\<VOL GUID>
   

10. Locate the corrupted log file within the mounted replica volume structure using the DIR /S command. Replace E0400121F44.log with the actual log file name mentioned in the DPM error message:
    

    DIR /S E0400121F44.log
    

    
    This command will search all subdirectories under the mount path.
11. Obtain a known good copy of the exact same log file (same name) from a healthy DAG member server or a recent, validated backup if available.
12. In the PsExec-launched command prompt (running as SYSTEM), rename the corrupted log file on the replica volume (e.g., add .bad extension). Then, copy the known good version of the log file into the correct location on the replica volume, overwriting the placeholder left by the renamed file.
13. Close the PsExec-launched command prompt.
14. Return to the DPM Management Shell and dismount the replica volume using the Dismount-DpmRecoveryPoint cmdlet with the same data source index used in step 6:
    

    dismount-dpmrecoverypoint -datasource $ds[#]
    

15. In the DPM Administrator Console, manually initiate a consistency check for the affected Exchange database data source. This will force DPM to re-verify the data on the replica volume, incorporating the log file you replaced. If the replacement was successful and the log file is consistent, the replica status should become OK.

If the CRC error points to a log file on the Exchange server itself, the resolution involves fixing or replacing the corrupted log file on the Exchange server’s transaction log path. This might involve restoring logs from another DAG member or a previous backup, or using Exchange server recovery tools (eseutil) if database corruption is suspected alongside log issues.

The Replica is Inconsistent (Often Antivirus Related)¶

An “inconsistent replica” status in DPM for an Exchange database, often accompanied by error IDs like 30146 or details like “Unknown error (0xfffffdf0)”, can sometimes be traced back to interference from security software, specifically antivirus applications.

You might also see corresponding errors in the Windows Application event log on the DPM server or the Exchange server. Event Viewer logs from sources like McLogEvent (McAfee) or ESE (Exchange Extensible Storage Engine) are particularly relevant. An McLogEvent entry might indicate that a file (often a transaction log file on the DPM replica volume) was detected as potentially infected and subsequently deleted or quarantined by the antivirus software. An ESE event log entry might then report that a specific log file is missing (error -528), stating it’s required for recovery and that a good copy is needed.

This scenario occurs when an antivirus scanner, running on either the DPM server or the Exchange server, scans the Exchange transaction log files (either on the Exchange server or on the DPM replica volume) and mistakenly identifies them as malicious or detects a pattern it interprets as a threat. Acting on this detection, the antivirus software removes or quarantines the log file, breaking the log chain that is essential for DPM’s synchronization process and for Exchange database consistency.

To resolve this issue, you need to prevent the antivirus software from interfering with the Exchange log files and the DPM process.

1. Configure Antivirus Exclusions: The most robust solution is to configure proper exclusions within your antivirus software. Microsoft provides specific guidance on recommended antivirus exclusions for System Center Data Protection Manager and Exchange Server. These exclusions typically involve excluding DPM installation folders, staging locations, and replica volumes on the DPM server, as well as Exchange database and log file directories on the Exchange servers. Refer to the official Microsoft documentation for the comprehensive list of required exclusions based on your DPM and Exchange versions. Implementing these exclusions ensures that the antivirus software bypasses critical DPM and Exchange files during scans.
2. Temporarily Disable Antivirus: As a temporary troubleshooting step, you could disable the antivirus application on the affected servers (DPM and Exchange) to see if the inconsistency issue resolves. If it does, it strongly indicates that the antivirus is the source of the problem, reinforcing the need for proper exclusions. Caution: Disabling antivirus leaves your servers vulnerable and should only be done temporarily for diagnostic purposes in a controlled environment.
3. Run Exchange Integrity Checks: Once the antivirus interference is addressed (either by disabling it or configuring exclusions), you may need to run integrity checks on the Exchange database logs using eseutil on the Exchange server to verify the health and consistency of the log chain after potential file loss. This can help confirm the state of the logs from the Exchange perspective.

After implementing the necessary antivirus exclusions, you should perform a consistency check in DPM for the affected database to allow DPM to repair the replica by synchronizing the data and logs from the Exchange server again.

Synchronization Failures (Log Chain Discontinuity)¶

Synchronization failures, often reported in DPM with errors like “DPM has detected a discontinuity in the log chain for Exchange Mailbox Database…” (ID 30216, Details: Unspecified error (0x80004005)), almost always indicate a problem with the integrity or continuity of the transaction log sequence on the Exchange server.

A discontinuity in the log chain means that one or more expected transaction log files are missing from the sequence required to replay transactions and bring a database copy up to date. This can happen due to various reasons, including:

• Manual deletion of log files.
• Log files being moved or renamed outside of Exchange’s normal processes.
• Third-party applications interfering with log file management.
• Disk issues preventing log file writing or reading.
• Issues with Exchange circular logging settings or truncation processes.
• Errors during replication in a DAG environment.

When DPM performs a synchronization (incremental backup), it expects to transfer transaction logs created since the last successful backup. If it finds that the next expected log file in the sequence is missing, it cannot proceed and reports a log chain discontinuity.

To resolve log chain discontinuity, the primary goal is to either make the missing logs available or establish a new, continuous log sequence from which DPM can start backing up again.

Resolution 1: Turn on Circular Logging and Flush the Logs¶

This method forces Exchange to discard older transaction logs once the data they contain has been committed to the database, effectively creating a new, shorter log sequence. This can break the dependency on the missing historical logs.

1. Disable protection for the affected Exchange database within the DPM Administrator Console. Choose the option to retain protected data, as you will need it later for recovery points created before the discontinuity.
2. On the Exchange server, enable circular logging for the specific mailbox database experiencing the issue. You can do this via the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) or Exchange Management Shell (Set-MailboxDatabase <DatabaseName> -CircularLoggingEnabled $true).
3. Depending on your Exchange version and configuration, you might need to dismount and remount the database or restart the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service for the circular logging change to take effect and for log truncation to occur. Caution: Dismounting a database will make mailboxes within it unavailable.
4. Once circular logging is confirmed active and older logs have been truncated (check the log directory), disable circular logging for the database. This is important because DPM requires circular logging to be disabled to perform log backups and truncate logs itself. (Set-MailboxDatabase <DatabaseName> -CircularLoggingEnabled $false).
5. Enable protection again for the database in DPM. Since the log chain was broken, DPM will likely require an express full backup to re-establish a baseline recovery point from the current state of the database and its logs. Initiate an express full backup manually after reprotecting.

This process effectively discards the logs that were part of the broken chain and allows DPM to start backing up from the current point forward.

Resolution 2: Identify and Clear Logs Older Than the Missing Log File¶

This method is more precise and involves using Exchange Server Utilities (eseutil) to analyze the log files and pinpoint the exact gap in the sequence. Once the missing log is identified, you remove all log files prior to the missing one, creating a new, continuous sequence starting from the first remaining log file.

1. On the Exchange server, open an administrative command prompt or Exchange Management Shell.
2. Run the eseutil /k command against the Exchange checkpoint file (.chk) for the affected database. The checkpoint file’s name typically follows the pattern ENN.chk, where ENN is the log file prefix for the database (e.g., E01.chk). Specify the full path to the checkpoint file. Redirect the output to a text file for easier analysis:
   

   eseutil /k "x:\path\to\logs\ENN.chk" > output.txt
   

   
   Replace x:\path\to\logs with the actual path to the database log files and ENN.chk with the correct checkpoint file name.
3. Examine the generated output.txt file. eseutil /k verifies the integrity and sequence of the log files recorded in the checkpoint file. The output will list the log files and indicate any gaps or inconsistencies in the sequence (e.g., “E010000B - E01000E.log missing”).
4. Identify the latest sequence of logs that is continuous and healthy, and the point where the break occurs. Move all log files that are older than the first missing log file in the identified gap to a different directory or storage location. Do not delete them immediately, in case they are needed for further diagnosis, but they must be removed from the active log directory.
5. After moving the older logs, run the eseutil /k command again on the checkpoint file to confirm that the remaining logs form a continuous sequence starting from the oldest log file still present in the directory.
6. Once a continuous log sequence is established on the Exchange server, perform an express full backup in DPM for the affected database. This action will update DPM’s recovery point chain based on the new log sequence starting point.

This method is more disruptive as it involves manual log file manipulation and requires careful identification of the log sequence using eseutil.

Here is a simple Mermaid diagram illustrating the general troubleshooting flow for DPM Exchange issues:

```mermaid
graph TD
A[DPM Protection/Recovery Fails] → B{Check Exchange Server Logs?};
B – Yes → C{Issue found on Exchange?};
C – Yes → D[Resolve Issue on Exchange Server];
D → E[Check DPM Configuration];
C – No → E;
E → F{Cannot enumerate nodes/DBs?};
F – Yes → G[Check Agent Install & DB Location];
G → I{Resolved?};
F – No → H{Specific Error?};
H – “Port Conflict (0x8007274D)” → J[Check Ports 5718/5719];
J → K{Conflicting App?};
K – Yes → L[Reconfigure DPM or App Ports];
L → I;
K – No → M[Investigate Other Connection Issues];
M → I;
H – “CRC Error (0x80070017)” → N[Check Log Corruption (Exchange/Replica)];
N → O{Corrupted Log Found?};
O – Yes → P[Replace Corrupted Log];
P → I;
O – No → Q[Investigate Other CRC Causes];
Q → I;
H – “Replica Inconsistent (Antivirus)” → R[Check Antivirus Logs/Config];
R → S{Antivirus Interference?};
S – Yes → T[Configure Antivirus Exclusions];
T → I;
S – No → U[Investigate Other Inconsistency Causes];
U → I;
H – “Synchronization Failure (Log Discontinuity)” → V[Check Exchange Log Sequence];
V → W{Log Gap Found?};
W – Yes → X[Resolve Log Discontinuity];
X → I;
W – No → Y[Investigate Other Sync Causes];
Y → I;
H – “Mailbox Missing in Recovery” → Z[Check AD Permissions / DB Rename];
Z → AA{Issue Found?};
AA – Yes → AB[Apply Fix (AD/Reprotect)];
AB → I;
AA – No → AC[Investigate Other Mailbox Issues];
AC → I;
H – “Restore to Original Location Missing” → AD[Check Restore Point Selection / Configuration];
AD → I;
I – Yes → AE[Run Consistency Check / Express Full];
AE → AF{Successful?};
AF – Yes → AG[Monitoring & Verification];
AF – No → A;
I – No → A;

classDef issue fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
classDef step fill:#ccf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
classDef resolution fill:#cfc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
classDef start_end fill:#ffc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;

class A,AE,AG start_end;
class B,C,F,H,K,O,S,W,AA,AD issue;
class D,E,G,J,L,M,N,P,Q,R,T,U,V,X,Y,Z,AB,AC resolution;
class I,AF step;

```

General Mailbox Issues in Recovery¶

Several issues related to recovering individual user mailboxes from Exchange databases protected by DPM manifest as mailboxes not being visible or enumerable in the DPM console’s Recovery tab.

If you navigate to the Recovery tab in DPM, browse to an Exchange database recovery point, and find that no individual user mailboxes are listed as recoverable items, a common cause is that the underlying Exchange Storage Group (SG) or Database (DB) was renamed after protection was configured in DPM. DPM tracks protected items based on their original names and identifiers at the time protection was set up. Renaming the database breaks this link, preventing DPM from correctly correlating the recovery point data with the mailboxes within the database under its new name. Renaming Exchange databases post-protection is generally not a supported scenario by DPM.

To rectify this situation and make mailboxes visible for recovery again:

1. In the DPM Administrator Console, locate the protection group containing the affected Exchange database.
2. Modify or stop protection for this data source. Crucially, choose the option to retain protected data. This preserves the existing recovery points on the DPM storage pool, allowing you to potentially recover data from them later, even if granular mailbox recovery isn’t immediately possible until the issue is fixed.
3. Ensure that the Exchange server services (particularly the Information Store and Replica service in a DAG) or the server itself have been restarted recently. Restarts help ensure that the Exchange VSS writers update their metadata and register correctly with the current state and names of the databases.
4. In the DPM Administrator Console, refresh the protected server list to ensure DPM has the latest information from the Exchange server.
5. Add the Exchange database back into a protection group (you can use the same one). DPM will now identify the database by its current name.
6. After configuring protection, run a consistency check for the newly added data source. This will reconcile the DPM replica with the current state of the database on the Exchange server and update DPM’s metadata. Once the consistency check completes successfully, you should be able to browse the recovery points and see the individual user mailboxes listed as recoverable items.

Important Note: For any recovery points created before you performed these steps (when the database was protected under its old name and the metadata was out of sync), the enumeration of mailboxes might still be incomplete or unavailable. There will essentially be a “gap” in granular mailbox recovery capability corresponding to the recovery points created while the database name mismatch existed. These specific recovery points cannot be used for granular mailbox restore but will eventually expire based on your retention policy and be removed.

Some User Mailboxes are Missing in Recovery¶

Another scenario involving mailbox visibility is when you can see some user mailboxes listed under a database recovery point in the DPM Recovery tab, but not all of them. This indicates that DPM can enumerate mailboxes from the database generally, but it’s encountering a permission issue for specific user objects in Active Directory (AD).

DPM enumerates mailboxes for granular recovery by reading information from Active Directory user objects. If the necessary permissions are not granted to the account DPM uses (typically the “Authenticated Users” group or the computer account of the DPM server/Exchange server) to read specific properties of a user’s Active Directory object, that user’s mailbox may not appear in the list of recoverable items. The specific permission often missing is Read Exchange Information on the user object’s security properties in Active Directory. This permission is usually inherited from an Organizational Unit (OU) or domain level, but might be blocked or missing in certain configurations.

To resolve this issue and ensure DPM can enumerate all mailboxes:

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers with administrative privileges.
2. Ensure Advanced Features is enabled under the View menu to see the Security tab for objects.
3. Navigate to the Organizational Unit (OU) or container where the affected user accounts reside. If the issue affects users across multiple OUs, you may need to perform this at a higher level in the AD hierarchy.
4. Right-click the OU or container and select Properties.
5. Go to the Security tab.
6. Click the Advanced button to view advanced security settings.
7. Click Add to add a new permission entry.
8. Add the security principal Authenticated Users (or potentially the computer account of the Exchange server(s) or DPM server, depending on your environment’s delegation strategy, but “Authenticated Users” is a common solution).
9. With “Authenticated Users” selected, click Edit (or double-click the entry if modifying an existing one).
10. Ensure the permission entry applies to Descendant User Objects. This ensures the permission is inherited by all user accounts within this OU and its sub-OUs.
11. Under the permissions list, find and select the checkbox for the Read Exchange Information permission. You might need to scroll down or look in the ‘Property-specific’ permissions section.
12. Click OK on the permission entry, then OK on the Advanced Security Settings window, and finally OK on the Properties window to apply the changes.
13. Allow time for Active Directory replication to occur throughout your domain, if necessary.
14. In DPM, create a new recovery point by running an express full backup for the affected Exchange database. This forces DPM to re-enumerate the mailboxes based on the current AD permissions.

After the express full backup completes and a new recovery point is available, check the Recovery tab again. All user mailboxes under that database should now be visible for granular recovery.

Restore to Original Location Option Missing¶

When attempting to restore an Exchange database or individual items using DPM, you might notice that the option to restore to the original location is not available or greyed out in the DPM Administrator Console’s Recovery Wizard.

While the source text is brief on this point, stating it’s usually caused by an “incorrect selection,” this implies that the state of the selected recovery point, the database on the Exchange server, or the target configuration does not meet the criteria for an “original location” restore. Potential reasons for this option being unavailable include:

• Database State: The target database on the Exchange server might not be in a state that allows an original location restore. For instance, if you are trying to restore an entire database, the target database might need to be dismounted or in a specific recovery state.
• Recovery Point Type: The selected recovery point might be inconsistent or corrupted, preventing a reliable restore to the original location.
• Topology Change: Significant changes to the Exchange environment since the recovery point was created (e.g., server name changes, database path changes, DAG membership changes) can render the “original location” effectively non-existent or incompatible with the recovery point’s metadata.
• Item Type Mismatch: Attempting to restore transaction logs when the target database is not expecting log replay might also prevent an original location option if DPM cannot automatically handle the state transition.
• Permissions: Although less common for the option being missing, underlying permissions issues could theoretically impact DPM’s ability to validate the original target path.

To troubleshoot why the original location restore option is missing, verify the following:

• Confirm the health and state of the target database on the Exchange server.
• Check if the selected recovery point is marked as consistent in DPM.
• Review the history of changes in your Exchange environment since the recovery point was created.
• Ensure you are selecting the correct restore type (e.g., restoring an entire database versus restoring individual mailboxes).
• If restoring an entire database, confirm the prerequisites for an original database restore according to Exchange documentation.

If restoring to the original location remains unavailable and critical for your scenario, consider restoring to an alternative location (e.g., a recovery database or a folder) as an intermediate step, and then manually performing the final restore or data extraction from there.

Troubleshooting DPM protection and recovery for Exchange often requires a good understanding of both DPM mechanics and Exchange Server architecture, particularly transaction logs and DAGs. By systematically checking the Exchange server first, understanding common error patterns, and applying the appropriate resolutions, you can address most challenges.

Have you encountered any unique or particularly challenging Exchange protection issues with DPM? Share your experiences and solutions in the comments below!