With the release of StoreGrid v3.1 SP1, StoreGrid now supports Exchange Server 2010 database backup and restore. The v3.1 SP1 patch should be installed on both the backup server (and replication server) and in the client machines running StoreGrid v3.1. Remember this patch installs only on top of StoreGrid v3.1 installations.

Exchange 2010 Backup Restore

VSS based backup of Exchange 2010

Unlike Exchange Server 2000, 2003, 2007 where StoreGrid uses Exchange Server’s ESE API (Extensible Storage Engine) for backing up live Exchange databases, in Exchange 2010 StoreGrid uses VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Services) based APIs. StoreGrid invokes the “Microsoft Exchange Writer” (comes with the Exchange 2010 Server) which provides the backup of the live Exchange databases in a consistent state.

During the Exchange 2010 Server backup, the VSS is used to create a snapshot of the database and log files pertaining to the databases configured for backup and those files are then saved locally in a temporary location. Once all the relevant files are saved in the dump location, StoreGrid will report to the VSS that the backup is complete and the VSS will then purge the log files. StoreGrid will then backup the dumped files to the backup server and will delete these files from the temporary location.

Efficient as always..

Though the way Exchange provides its backup data may be different in Exchange 2010 server, but to StoreGrid users, Exchange 2010 Server backup and restore will work exactly the way Exchange 2000, 2003 and 2007 backup and restore work. The process continues to be slick and efficient as always:

1. Only incremental changed data is dumped during the incremental backup and not the entire Exchange database

2. Even within the incremental data that is dumped, StoreGrid backs up only the changed blocks by running StoreGrid’s Intelli-Delta on the incremental log files

3. Backup data files are deleted from the dump location once the backup is completed.

What is next in StoreGrid for Exchange Server Backups

We continue to make enhancements to Exchange Server Backups since we know that it is one of the most important service offerings for our MSP partners. Here are some the enhancements that is in near roadmap

1. Mail Level Restore – Specific emails from can be restored and attached into the Exchange Server.

2. Synthetic Exchange full backups – During additional full backups only the incremental backup data with respect to the previous full backup is sent to the backup server. Large Exchange Server data can be first seeded from the Exchange Server machine to backup server using StoreGrid’s seeding (export/import) feature and then later all additional full backups can be Synthethic Full Backups.

3. ‘Copy Only’ local backup – StoreGrid client can be configured to do regular weekly or monthly full ‘Copy Only’ backup of the entire Exchange Server, while it continues to run its incremental/differential backups to the offsite backup server. The ‘Copy Only’ backup will not set the archive bit on the Exchange Server, therefore letting the offsite backup to continue running its incrementals.

4. Incremental/Differential Exchange backups both locally and to remote backup server – We have also started working on providing the ability for the StoreGrid client to backup both locally and to a remote backup server in the same backup schedule.

Want to learn more about Exchange Server Backups and Restore using StoreGrid?

Please refer the following URLs:

http://www.storegrid.com/online-backup/sp-help/PageHelp/exchange-backup-configuration.html

http://www.storegrid.com/online-backup/sp-help/PageHelp/exchange-server-restore-configuration.html

http://www.storegrid.com/online-backup/sp-help/PageHelp/exchange-recovery-database-restore.html

http://www.storegrid.com/online-backup/sp-help/PageHelp/exchange-mailbox-rights.html

http://www.storegrid.com/online-backup/sp-help/PageHelp/exchange-mailbox-backup-configuration.html

http://www.storegrid.com/online-backup/sp-help/PageHelp/exchange-mailbox-restore-configuration.html

The above post was written by Arul Prabhu of Vembu Technologies. Vembu Technologies is a backup software vendor whose product, StoreGrid, powers the online backup services of a large number of service providers across the globe. Besides remote backup, StoreGrid is also used for on premise backups of workstations and servers at various companies & universities.

Vembu Home is the only FREE consumer backup solution for free local backups and optional Amazon Cloud backups. Get your FREE COPY now.

As a Service Provider it becomes necessary to understand the terms that your customer uses and effectively communicate back and Market using the same ‘terms’.  ‘Google Insights’ has the innate ability to analyze the search patterns on a Geographic scale over a period of time and precisely report back with the ‘Search Terms’ that people tend to use. The Graph below shows the usage of frequently used ‘Backup Terms’ and its interest level over a period of time.

As you can see from the Graph, number of people searching for ‘Online Backup’ has grown tremendously since 2004 and number of people using the term ‘Remote Backup’ and ‘Data Backup’ came down gradually.  It’s not over! This does not mean that everyone has to go with the term ‘Online Backup’ for marketing their service. This report just means that the global search volume for the term ‘Online Backup’ increased since 2004. However, if you are confining this result to a city or country, you will be surprised to see ‘different results’.

The above report says that people from New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, Hong Kong etc prefer using the term ‘Data Backup’ rather than ‘Online Backup’ and people from UK are more comfortable with the term ‘Remote Backup’ than ‘Online Backup’.

Likewise, the way people name a service differs from region to region and with the help of Google Insights you can understand the search behavior of your customers and tune your website accordingly to attract more customers using Organic Search Results.

The above post was written by Lenin Srinivasan of Vembu Technologies. Vembu Technologies is a backup software vendor whose product, StoreGrid, powers the online backup services of a large number of service providers across the globe. Besides remote backup, StoreGrid is also used for on premise backups of workstations and servers at various companies & universities.

Vembu Home is the only FREE consumer backup solution for free local backups and optional Amazon Cloud backups. Get your FREE COPY now.

As a company we are down to earth to the point that we even feel uncomfortable beating our own drums leave alone indulge in mudslinging or attacking a competition with creating FUD about them. We feel that the best judge of a product/solution or a business itself is the customer in a competitive marketplace. And we will simply continue to relentlessly focus on proving ourselves by delivering a world class product accompanied by a world class service.

The above post was written by Sathish Subramaniam, Director of Engineering, Vembu Technologies. Vembu Technologies is a backup software vendor whose product, StoreGrid, powers the online backup services of a large number of service providers across the globe. Besides remote backup, StoreGrid is also used for on premise backups of workstations and servers at various companies & universities.

Vembu Home is the only FREE consumer backup solution for free local backups and optional Amazon Cloud backups. Get your FREE COPY now.

I wouldn’t have written this post hadn’t it been certified as ‘good entertainment’ and a ‘GREAT sport!’ by the CEO of Remote-Backup.

Firstly, I thank Rob for his admission about the goof-ups he has made in his claims on our product in his website (yes – you read it right. Stuff written about STOREGRID on RBS website; I too didn’t believe it when I heard! Note: this is not their forum I am talking about here).  But surely sir, it beats me why there should be pages and pages of RBS’s ill-conceived notions and baseless opinions on Vembu StoreGrid on your website.

Admitting two of the baseless comments that are hosted on your site is commendable, but it still leaves a lot to be desired.

Wait, the post gets better.  He goes on to claim that he studied Buddhist and Hindu philosophy (!).  Too bad I don’t know what these are, because it could have prepared me for what came on next.  What then followed was an absolutely hilarious exposition of his philosophy using an analogy of climbing mountains, snow, gravity and few other sundries.   But I was left truly impressed with the vivid analogy actually.  Honest.

(Note to self:  Re-read the analogy for tips when packing for next trekking trip).

Somewhere in the depths of these mysterious oriental philosophies that Rob has mastered, perhaps lie the reasons for keeping a closed forum for RBS partners.  I am not going to unearth any meaning out of the following quote – except maybe note that it sounds suspiciously like a convenient excuse for keeping adverse partner comments ‘private and privileged’ or maybe that the forum is way too dull to be admitted publicly.

“Vembu’s forum is used for technical support, including support of evaluation customers and those who are not Service Providers. Mine is not. Vembu relies on help from their few service providers to offer support. I do not. My forum is specifically intended for my own Service Providers to swap ideas and resources about marketing, business practices, pricing, and yes, some technical issues. But it is not used for technical support, and the conversations therein are private and privileged among RBS Service Providers only, and not the general public. Therefore, my Service Provider’s Forum should be private. “

One can only conclude that all the aforesaid philosophies in the repertoire of the esteemed author didn’t include any injunctions on ‘Free Speech’.   So much for claims of being the only American firm in an imagined competitive array – or perhaps there is an exception for those with paternity claims on the whole thing lock, stock and barrel.

It’s not geography, but the spirit with which one works that matters.

On the contrary, the Vembu StoreGrid forum is home to lively discussions on all topics listed above and not just technical issues (and since the forum is open, one can actually verify this!).  But yes, we haven’t had a thread on philosophy yet though. Nor one on trekking uphill in the snow…

As for our technical support, the Vembu technical support team works 24×7 for both our partners and prospective (evaluating) partners.   Our technical support includes  support through email, phone, instant messenger and remote sessions.  We have never informed our evaluating service provider partners that technical support is only through forums.  StoreGrid users will vouch for the fact that on occasion, even premium support options like telephone/remote sessions have been offered to partners and evaluating partners alike for their convenience.

I was especially struck by this gem of reasoning and the judgment passed on our technical support.

“Vembu relies on help from their few service providers to offer support.”

Merely the fact that there are technical posts in our forum doesn’t mean that we rely on partners to resolve technical queries.  What matters is that most of our partners think otherwise.  We in fact enjoy the healthy debate and learning opportunities created by these forum threads.  I pray that similar galloping sallies of mental reasoning such as the above haven’t creeped into to the inner workings of the RBS software.

“My customers like it that way, and actually pay to have access to it (the forum).”

Tee Hee.  Here’s where I started seriously thinking if he had been just pulling the readers’ legs all along.

What prompted me to write this post after a good deal of deliberation is this fact – I have reason to believe somebody from RBS personally plagued our technical support and partner relations teams today.  For one, our technical support faced an unusual query on our internal processes on a support ticket coming from one rob@remote-XXXXXX.com.  Next, one of my colleagues in the partner relations team received a call with inquisitive queries on our internal process from someone who towards the end of the call claimed to be the ‘President of Remote-Backup Systems’.   I fail to see how this qualifies as ‘great entertainment’ or even a good sport.

P.S. We value legal copyrights and have used only paid images in all of our marketing collateral including our blogs.   Another example of jumping the gun in concluding something adverse on Vembu.

P.S.2 Let us focus on the product and servicing our partners and let the market decide who deserves to be in business.

The above post was written by Gokul Sriram of Vembu Technologies. Vembu Technologies is a backup software vendor whose product, StoreGrid, powers the online backup services of a large number of service providers across the globe. Besides remote backup, StoreGrid is also used for on premise backups of workstations and servers at various companies & universities.

Vembu Home is the only FREE consumer backup solution for free local backups and optional Amazon Cloud backups. Get your FREE COPY now.

“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds”.

The above quote would be a perfect fit for what we have been encountering here at Vembu .

We feel lonely at the top, especially when we are successful and our competitors take shots at us whenever they can. Some of them write blogs and articles about stuffs they SIMPLY don’t understand and some have their daily bread and butter watching our forums and press releases.  I am not writing this blog to RANT about other competitors, but to clear some misconceptions that others are retching on us.

Here’s some “straight talk” from one of our competitors which we think is rather ‘gasconade gibberish’.

“…The three companies who compete with RBS are all foreign-owned. Only one of them has an office in the US. The other two are in India and China. They are not open during US business hours, and they barely speak English…”

This is Childish! Manipulating support time based on the geographic location of a company is some Geezerhood talk and I am not sure how our competitor came up with the assumption that we are not open during US business hours. I think it’s time for them to wake up and update their records. Our Partners witness ‘TRUE 24 x 7 support’ from us and we also offer premium support options for Partners who ask for it. We understand the importance of support to our Service Provider partners and that is one of the top priorities for everyone here are Vembu.  We strongly believe in innovation and our understanding of the market & customer needs make our product a better one.

Some of our competitors have their forums closed and here’s the reason for it in their own words…

““…We found that we lost too many potentially successful service providers when that forum was open to people who were not yet Service Providers and didn’t understand our method… So, that’s why the forum is closed to the public. Two of our three competitors have open forums for doing tech support. We think that’s a really bad idea. For one thing, that allows me to monitor all of them, so I know what features they’re planning, and what people are complaining about, so I can better compete with them….”

This is a classic example on what kind of a service a Service Provider can expect from them.  We run a forum too , but leave it ‘open’.  If you’re confident about your product and your customer service and not scared of competition, having an open forum is the  best way to demonstrate that confidence.

Here is what our CEO, Sekar Vembu, has to say about running an open forum:

“We know we are not perfect and  we have a long way to go. The only way to improve is to have an open and free discussion on everything about our business. We do not mind  if our competitors learn from us. If they become better in the process  that will motivate us to try harder and become even better. It is our business culture that we do not want any partner or customer of ours to choose us without a thorough evaluation of our product, our support and everything we have to offer as a business. And one way to facilitate such an evaluation is to have them freely read our forum – the bouquets and brickbats we get – and decide for themselves whether we truly deserve their business.”

Though we have zillions of points to add to our defense, at the end of the day, it’s the action that speaks louder than words. Simply evaluate StoreGrid by downloading our full featured 30 day free trial and side by side evaluate some our competitors’ products too – you will feel the difference yourself (Guaranteed!).

To add a final touch, we enjoy a small poem found on the internet.

“There once was an old man of Esser,
Whose knowledge grew lesser and lesser
It at last grew so small
He knew nothing at all,
And now he’s a college professor.”

The above post was written by Lenin Srinivasan of Vembu Technologies. Vembu Technologies is a backup software vendor whose product, StoreGrid, powers the online backup services of a large number of service providers across the globe. Besides remote backup, StoreGrid is also used for on premise backups of workstations and servers at various companies & universities.

Vembu Home is the only FREE consumer backup solution for free local backups and optional Amazon Cloud backups. Get your FREE COPY now.