Summary: Restoration of the Exchange Server database by moving it to a new server is complex. This article highlights the steps and prerequisites for the Database Portability method and explains the merits as well as demerits of this method. It also delves into the Windows Server Backup, Dial Tone Recovery, and Kernel for Exchange Server Recovery as alternative approaches to restore the Exchange database to a new server.
Exchange database or .edb files function in an Exchange Server, ensuring mailbox synchronization for data consistency and accessibility. Even though Exchange Server provides advanced features and security, it’s impossible to guarantee the database’s safety. In server downtime, data corruption, or data loss, the Exchange IT admin must find ways to restore the database. The IT administrator can use a new server to restore the corrupt Exchange database. It not only restores the data but also helps keep it secure from unauthorized access.
In this article, we will discuss the process of migrating databases from one Exchange Server to another, covering both manual and automated methods for achieving this task. Let us proceed to learn the process in detail.
Restore database using portability method
Database portability is an exceptionally efficient mean of seamlessly transferring an Exchange database to a different server. This feature effortlessly restores a mailbox database from any Exchange server into your desired target server. It extends its support to a wide array of Exchange Server versions, spanning from Exchange 2016, 2013, and previous ones. Nevertheless, before embarking on the journey of migrating your mailbox database from one server to another via the database portability method, there are crucial insights that warrant your attention.
Things to know before moving the data
You must have Organization Management permissions to perform this procedure. Check Mailbox recovery permissions on Microsoft.
You cannot use EAC to restore or move user mailboxes to a recovered database using this technique.
Note: To make the Data Portability method work, source and target servers should function on identical Exchange Server versions and operating systems.
Steps to move a database to a new server
Let’s discuss a step-by-step guide to migrate Exchange database to a new server using portability method.
Open Exchange Management Shell.
Make sure the data you want to move is in the clean shutdown state. If it isn’t, then perform a soft recovery.
ESEUTIL /R <Enn>
Now, use the following syntax to create a database on the new server.
Now, move the database files like EDB, Log, and Exchange Search catalog files to the specified database folder that you have selected while creating a new database.
Use the following command to mount the database.
Mount-Database <DatabaseName>
After mounting the database, adjust the user account settings to ensure that account points to the mailbox on new server. Use following syntax to move old database users to the new database.
After successful Active Directory replication, users will find seamless access to their mailboxes on the new Exchange server. Typically, the transition to the new Exchange environment is effortlessly facilitated by Autodiscover feature. Furthermore, Outlook web users will also be seamlessly redirected to the new environment.
Verify database restoration
To verify whether the mailboxes are successfully moved to the new Exchange Server, follow any of the below methods:
Open Exchange mailboxes via Outlook on the web
Open Exchange mailboxes using MS Outlook
On opening any of these platforms, you’ll find that the mailboxes have been moved to the new Exchange Server.
Advantages of the database portability method
Reduces database recovery time
More accuracy and reliability with reduced chances for error
Limitations of the database portability method
Even after being a reliable method to move a database from one Exchange to another, there are some limitations to this method, such as:
You can only move the database in the same organization.
The version of the operating system and Exchange Server must be the same on both the source and the target.
You cannot move public folder databases.
You cannot perform this action using the Exchange admin center (EAC).
Alternatives to database portability method
There are several methods as an alternative to the database portability method. Some of them are:
Windows Server Backup: In this method, you simply create a Windows Server Backup on the old server and restore it to the new server. The Windows Server Backup is a utility of Windows that users can install using the Server Manager. It allows for the backup of the entire server, system state, specific volume, and particular files and folders. To use WSB, users need to have appropriate permissions for configuring a backup or restore action on the database. Here are the steps to do it:
Once installed using Server Manager, open Windows Server Backup from Control Panel.
Select Local Backup and click Recover… from the dropdown menu.
From the Getting Started window, click Next.
Select date and time of the backup operation and then click Next on the Select Backup Data page.
You’ll now reach to Select Recovery Type, here choose Applications and then Next.
You’re taken to the Select Applications page. Check that Exchange is selected in the Applications. Click View Details to verify the components of the backup.
Note: If you are recovering the recent backup, select Do not perform a roll-forward recovery of the application database checkbox to stop WSB from rolling forward the database. Then click Next.
Choose Recover to original location or Recover to another location to specify the location of the recovered data. Click Next.
Walk through the recovery settings and click Recover.
You can view the progress of the process on the Recovery Progress page.
Once the data is restored, click Close to exit the utility.
Dial Tone Recovery: In this method, an empty database is created to ensure the continuity of email communication during the recovery time. It helps in facilitating productivity, even if the database is corrupted. Here’s how to execute dial tone recovery on a single server:
Rename existing database folder
Login to Exchange Server using the admin-level permissions.
Press Windows + R and type services.msc in the run window and click OK.
Pause Microsoft Exchange Search Service, Microsoft Exchange Search Host Controller Service, and Microsoft Exchange Information Store Service for a while.
Rename the corrupt EDB folder to NAME_old and the log folder to NAME_Logs_old.
Restart all three Microsoft services
Create a vacant database
Go to EAC and mount the database.
If there’s a warning shown, select to create a temporary empty database.
This new database is the Dial Tone database which will be used while the recovery is in process.
A Professional Exchange Database Recovery tool
The manual methods to convert EDB to PST are reliable, but restoring the Exchange database to a new server is not feasible with these manual methods. These methods need precision to attain an error-free restore of the Exchange database. You can use a professional Exchange database recovery tool for this purpose.
Restore Exchange databases using third party tool
Kernel for Exchange Server is a reliable and indispensable utility designed to facilitate the seamless recovery of corrupted or compromised Exchange database files, effortlessly restoring them to Exchange Servers of all versions.
The software effectively eradicates the constraints associated with data portability methods for restoring Exchange databases. It repairs and transfers EDB files seamlessly into the Exchange environment and empowers users to effortlessly migrate their Exchange data to diverse platforms like Office 365, PST, live Exchange, and more. Moreover, it boasts a range of distinctive and high-quality features, some of which are:
Repair and retrieve data from corrupt Exchange EDB files.
Migrating is essential to restore Exchange database to a new server when there’s data corruption or to get access to advanced features of the updated Exchange version. Manual methods like Database Portability or Dial Tone recovery are not very reliable. Therefore, using Kernel for Exchange Server software can save you from severe consequences while providing a smooth and swift database recovery.
