Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2007-01-02

This topic outlines critical data specific to the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Edge Transport Server role that needs to be considered for a disaster recovery plan. This topic includes the following sections:

Where Edge Transport Server Stores Configuration Data

Unlike other Exchange 2007 server roles, the Edge Transport server role is designed to function as a stand-alone server and does not store any end-user data in the Active Directory directory service. The Edge Transport server role stores configuration, queues, and data replicated from Active Directory in Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) databases; message tracking and protocol logs in files; and limited configuration information in the registry. The queues and logs are not essential to restoring the Edge Transport server functionality.

The queue database is used to store messages while they are being processed by agents and relayed to their final destination on the server. After the message is delivered to an internal or external host, the message is removed from the queue database. Because the data in the database is transient, this database uses circular logging and is not backed up.

The message tracking and protocol log files are used to store records of transactions that took place on the server. The message tracking logs are used as historical forensic data to view the path that a message took. The protocol logs are used to track all of the conversations that take place on all the connectors on the Exchange server. Table 1 outlines where the Edge Transport server stores configuration data.

Note:
In Table 1, the file paths all start in the root of the Exchange installation folder. The default Exchange installation folder path is C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\.

Table 1   Configuration data storage locations for Edge Transport server

Critical data Location Backup method Restore method

Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM). Data is replicated from Active Directory. If custom settings are applied, those will be backed up with the ExportEdgeConfig.ps1 file.

File System\TransportRoles\data\Adam

Clone Config (ExportEdgeConfig.ps1)

Clone Config (ImportEdgeConfig.ps1) and EdgeSync

Content Filtering ESE database will not be backed up. Instead, user settings will be cloned. Only custom settings are needed. If nothing was changed, nothing needs to be backed up.

File System\TransportRoles\data\IpFilter

Clone Config (ExportEdgeConfig.ps1)

Clone Config (ImportEdgeConfig.ps1)

Message queues are not backed up. Message queues can be mounted on a new server if they are recovered from a failed server.

File System\TransportRoles\data\Queue

None

None

Message tracking and protocol logs are not backed up. The logs contain historical data that might be needed for forensic analysis.

File System\TransportRoles\Logs

File level backup

File level restore

There is limited information stored in the registry by Setup that is not essential to server restore.

Windows registry:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange

  • HKLM\SYSTEM\currentcontrolset\Services

System State backup or registry export

System State restore or registry import

Cloned Configuration for Edge Transport Server

  1. Cloned configuration is the method used to back up user-configured settings on an Edge Transport server. Most of the settings on an Edge Transport server are set by default, updated from the Web (anti-spam), or replicated from Active Directory. If nothing has been changed on an Edge Transport server, nothing needs to be backed up. Cloned configuration was created to capture any administrator-modified configuration data on an Edge Transport server.

  2. Included with the Edge Transport server installation are two Exchange Management Shell scripts that perform the following tasks:

  • ExportEdgeConfig.ps1   Exports all user-configured settings and data from an Edge Transport Server, and stores that data in an .xml file.

  • ImportEdgeConfig.ps1   Imports all user-configured settings and data stored in an .xml file created by the ExportEdgeConfig.ps1 script.

  • The scripts can be found in the \scripts folder in your Exchange installation folder. The default location for this folder is C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\Scripts.

For More Information

For detailed instructions about how to perform a cloned configuration backup, see How to Back Up Edge Transport Servers by Using Cloned Configuration Tasks.

For detailed instructions about how to perform a cloned copy restore, see How to Restore Edge Transport Servers by Using Cloned Configuration Tasks.

For more information about Edge Subscription, see Subscribing the Edge Transport Server to the Exchange Organization.

For more information about how to move a message queue database to a different server, see Working with the Queue Database on Transport Servers.