Applies to: Exchange Server 2013

Topic Last Modified: 2012-07-12

Use the Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy cmdlet to create a passive copy of an existing active mailbox database.

For information about the parameter sets in the Syntax section below, see Syntax.

Syntax

Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy -Identity <DatabaseIdParameter> -MailboxServer <MailboxServerIdParameter> [-ActivationPreference <UInt32>] [-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]] [-DomainController <Fqdn>] [-ReplayLagTime <EnhancedTimeSpan>] [-SeedingPostponed <SwitchParameter>] [-TruncationLagTime <EnhancedTimeSpan>] [-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]]

Examples

EXAMPLE 1

This example adds a copy of mailbox database DB1 to the Mailbox server MBX3. Replay lag time and truncation lag time are configured with values of 10 minutes and 15 minutes, respectively. The activation preference is configured with a value of 2.

Copy Code
Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy -Identity DB1 -MailboxServer MBX3 -ReplayLagTime 00:10:00 -TruncationLagTime 00:15:00 -ActivationPreference 2

EXAMPLE 2

This example adds a copy of mailbox database DB2 to the Mailbox server MBX1. Replay lag time and truncation lag time are left at the default values of zero, and the activation preference is configured with a value of 3.

Copy Code
Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy -Identity DB2 -MailboxServer MBX1 -ActivationPreference 3

EXAMPLE 3

This example adds a copy of mailbox database DB3 to the Mailbox server MBX4. Replay lag time and truncation lag time are left at the default values of zero, and the activation preference is configured with a value of 5. In addition, seeding is being postponed for this copy so that it can be seeded using a local source server instead of the current active database copy, which is geographically distant from MBX4.

Copy Code
Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy -Identity DB3 -MailboxServer MBX4 -ActivationPreference 5 -SeedingPostponed

Detailed Description

To use the Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy cmdlet to add a mailbox database copy, the following criteria must be met:

  • The specified Mailbox server must be in the same database availability group (DAG), and the DAG must have quorum and be healthy.

  • The specified Mailbox server must not already host a copy of the specified mailbox database.

  • The database path used by the specified database must also be available on the specified Mailbox server, because all copies of a database must use the same path.

  • If you're adding the second copy of a database (for example, adding the first passive copy of the database), circular logging must not be enabled for the specified mailbox database. If circular logging is enabled, you must first disable it. After the mailbox database copy has been added, circular logging can be enabled. After enabling circular logging for a replicated mailbox database, continuous replication circular logging (CRCL) is used instead of JET circular logging. If you're adding the third or subsequent copy of a database, CRCL can remain enabled.

After running the Add-MailboxDatabaseCopy cmdlet, the new copy remains in a Suspended state if the SeedingPostponed parameter is specified. When the database copy status is set to Suspended, the SuspendMessage is set to "Replication is suspended for database copy '{0}' because database needs to be seeded."

You need to be assigned permissions before you can run this cmdlet. Although all parameters for this cmdlet are listed in this topic, you may not have access to some parameters if they're not included in the permissions assigned to you. To see what permissions you need, see the "Database availability groups" entry in the High Availability and Site Resilience Permissions topic.

Parameters

Parameter Required Type Description

Identity

Required

Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.DatabaseIdParameter

The Identity parameter specifies the name of the mailbox database being copied. Database names must be unique within the Exchange organization.

MailboxServer

Required

Microsoft.Exchange.Configuration.Tasks.MailboxServerIdParameter

The MailboxServer parameter specifies the name of the server that will host the database copy. This server must be a member of the same DAG and must not already host a copy of the database.

ActivationPreference

Optional

System.UInt32

The ActivationPreference parameter value is used as part of Active Manager's best copy selection process and to redistribute active mailbox databases throughout the DAG when using the RedistributeActiveDatabases.ps1 script. The value for the activation preference is a number equal to or greater than 1, where 1 is at the top of the preference order. The preference number can't be larger than the number of copies of the mailbox database.

Confirm

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The Confirm switch causes the command to pause processing and requires you to acknowledge what the command will do before processing continues. You don't have to specify a value with the Confirm switch.

DomainController

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.Fqdn

The DomainController parameter specifies the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the domain controller that writes this configuration change to Active Directory.

ReplayLagTime

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.EnhancedTimeSpan

The ReplayLagTime parameter specifies the amount of time that the Microsoft Exchange Replication service waits before replaying log files that have been copied to the database copy.

To specify a value, enter it as a time span: dd.hh:mm:ss where d = days, h = hours, m = minutes, and s = seconds.

The maximum allowable setting for this value is 14 days. The minimum allowable setting is 0 seconds, and setting this value to 0 seconds eliminates any delay in log replay activity.

For example, to specify a 14-day replay lag period, enter 14.00:00:00. The default value is 00.00:00:00, which specifies that there's no replay lag.

SeedingPostponed

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The SeedingPostponed parameter specifies that the task doesn't seed the database copy. You must then explicitly seed the database copy.

TruncationLagTime

Optional

Microsoft.Exchange.Data.EnhancedTimeSpan

The TruncationLagTime parameter specifies the amount of time that the Microsoft Exchange Replication service waits before truncating log files that have replayed into a copy of the database. The time period begins after the log has been successfully replayed into the copy of the database.

To specify a value, enter it as a time span: dd.hh:mm:ss where d = days, h = hours, m = minutes, and s = seconds.

The maximum allowable setting for this value is 14 days. The minimum allowable setting is 0 seconds, and setting this value to 0 seconds eliminates any delay in log truncation activity.

For example, to specify a 14-day truncation lag period, enter 14.00:00:00. The default value is 00.00:00:00, which specifies that there's no truncation lag.

WhatIf

Optional

System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter

The WhatIf switch instructs the command to simulate the actions that it would take on the object. By using the WhatIf switch, you can view what changes would occur without having to apply any of those changes. You don't have to specify a value with the WhatIf switch.

Input Types

To see the input types that this cmdlet accepts, see Cmdlet Input and Output Types. If the Input Type field for a cmdlet is blank, the cmdlet doesn’t accept input data.

Return Types

To see the return types, which are also known as output types, that this cmdlet accepts, see Cmdlet Input and Output Types. If the Output Type field is blank, the cmdlet doesn’t return data.