Snap Manager for Exchange 2010 - NTFS hard links question

[hutchinson]

Hi

We have recently migrated from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2010 now storing all databases on a FAS2040 Ontap version 7.3.4. I have configured SME 6.0.2 with a database on one lun and logs/snapinfo on another as specified as a supported configuration in the guide. I have set this to use NTFS hard links to optimise performance and storage.

My questions is that I see when a backup is peformed Exchange 2010 flushes the logs but SME copies the files to the sme_snapinfo folder on the same LUN which is fine, but when will these logs be flushed from the sme_snapinfo folder?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[peter_lehmann]

This depends on the retention you define in the backup job (number of days or number of backups). When the retention is reached, the logs belonging to this backup are purged from the folder.

[hutchinson]

Thanks for your prompt response. The backup command is as follows:

new-backup -Server 'S-HO-EXDB1' -GenericNaming  -ManagementGroup 'Standard' -RetainDays 7 -RetainUtmBackups 2 -StorageGroup 'DBUSER1','DBJOURNAL','DBUSER2','Public Folder Database 1' -UpdateMirror  -RemoteAdditionalCopyBackup $False

Based on the command above the snapshots would be retained for 7 days but which part specified the logs is it the -RetainUtmBackups 2 meaning to sets of up to the minute backups?

[peter_lehmann]

RetainUtmBackup is the setting in this case. In order to get UTM restores one needs the logfiles. The other setting is controlling the number of snapshot (backups) are kept and how long.

[hutchinson]

I thought this was the case although I have run several backups since the logs files were moved and they are not being flushed?

[rmharwood]

What I don't understand is, SME takes and keeps snapshots of the logs LUN for the retention period so what is the point in keeping all of the logs in the active file system in addition? There doesn't seem to be a point in keeping both. I get around this by archiving (via DFM) to a secondary filer and only keeping one snapshot and one day's logs on the primary. I was also told there was a known bug (554340, not publicly visible) related to a problem with cycling out old log files. There is also the "frequent restore point" functionality, which I was never quite clear on.

Richard

[hutchinson]

Found a solution for this myself, UTM does not delete logs until the related snapshot needs deleting see below from another post: https://communities.netapp.com/thread/19072

Right, I have spoken to NetApp support as well and they confirm there is no workaround except manually deleting the UTM logs within the SME folder.

I have now found a vbs script that can be scheduled to remove folders older than X amount of days.

Below will remove all folders in the location "E:\sme_snapinfo\EXCH_SERVER\SG_DATABASE" older than 1 day, i.e. if you ran it on the 23rd April 2012 it would delete all folders modified on the 21st April 2012 and earlier, it will also confirm the date of each delete with a confirmation box.

Option Explicit

Const intDaysOld = 1

Dim objFSO : Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Dim objFolder : Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder("E:\sme_snapinfo\EXCH_SERVER\SG_DATABASE")

Dim objSubFolder

For Each objSubFolder In objFolder.SubFolders

'WScript.Echo objSubFolder.DateLastModified

If objSubFolder.DateLastModified < DateValue(Now() - intDaysOld) Then

WScript.Echo objSubFolder.DateLastModified

objSubFolder.Delete True

End If

Next

Below will do the same but without the confirmation box.

Option Explicit

Const intDaysOld = 1

Dim objFSO : Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Dim objFolder : Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder("E:\sme_snapinfo\EXCH_SERVER\SG_DATABASE")

Dim objSubFolder

For Each objSubFolder In objFolder.SubFolders

If objSubFolder.DateLastModified < DateValue(Now() - intDaysOld) Then

objSubFolder.Delete True

End If

Next

This works great for me please use with caution though and test with a temp folder first!