Can a backup file this small be reasonable?

Just looking at the Exchange files:
Priv1.edb  1,002,577,920 bytes
Priv1.stm    731,914,240 bytes
Pub1.edb     159,391,744 bytes
Pub.stm        4,202,493 bytes

And the system disk of 18 Gigs with 9.14 Gig free, the Small Business
Server Backup(02).bkf = 11,204,631,552 bytes.

The last backup before this was 86,xxx,xxx,xxx bytes, and I could not
figure out how it was getting that high, except that it was including
the folders with the previous two back files.  So, I managed to exclude
those disks, altogether, and I get the 11 gig backup file.

The backup log is below:

3/8/2010 9:44 PM
-------------------------------
Date: 3/8/2010
Time: 9:44 PM
User: Administrator
-------------------------------

Backup Runner started.
Launching NTBackup: ntbackup.exe backup "@H:\Program Files\Microsoft
Windows Small Business Server\Backup\Small Business Backup Script.bks"
/d "SBS Backup created on 3/8/2010 at 9:44 PM" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no
/hc:off /m normal /j "Small Business Server Backup Job" /l:s /f
NTBACKUP LOG FILE: H:\Documents and Settings\SBS Backup User\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBackup\data\backup02.log
=====================<BEGIN NTBACKUP LOG FILE>=====================
Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Small Business Server Backup (02).bkf created 3/8/2010 at
9:44 PM"

Volume shadow copy creation: Attempt 1.
Backup (via shadow copy) of "H: "
Backup set #1 on media #1
Backup description: "SBS Backup created on 3/8/2010 at 9:44 PM"
Media name: "Small Business Server Backup (02).bkf created 3/8/2010 at
9:44 PM"

Backup Type: Normal

Backup started on 3/8/2010 at 9:45 PM.
Backup completed on 3/8/2010 at 10:18 PM.
Directories: 3300
Files: 36755
Bytes: 8,656,765,289
Time:  32 minutes and  37 seconds
Backup of "OBTS01\Microsoft Information Store\First Storage Group"
Backup set #2 on media #1
Backup description: "SBS Backup created on 3/8/2010 at 9:44 PM"
Media name: "Small Business Server Backup (02).bkf created 3/8/2010 at
9:44 PM"

Backup Type: Normal

Backup started on 3/8/2010 at 10:18 PM.
Backup completed on 3/8/2010 at 10:20 PM.
Directories: 4
Files: 6
Bytes: 1,908,580,984
Time:  1 minute and  53 seconds
Backup (via shadow copy) of "System State"
Backup set #3 on media #1
Backup description: "SBS Backup created on 3/8/2010 at 9:44 PM"
Media name: "Small Business Server Backup (02).bkf created 3/8/2010 at
9:44 PM"

Backup Type: Copy

Backup started on 3/8/2010 at 10:20 PM.
Backup completed on 3/8/2010 at 10:23 PM.
Directories: 304
Files: 2846
Bytes: 602,293,312
Time:  2 minutes and  59 seconds

----------------------

Verify Status
Operation: Verify After Backup
Active backup destination: File
Active backup destination: Q:\SBS_BkUp\Backup Files\Small Business
Server Backup (02).bkf

Verify of "H:"
Backup set #1 on media #1
Backup description: "SBS Backup created on 3/8/2010 at 9:44 PM"
Verify started on 3/8/2010 at 10:23 PM.
Verify completed on 3/8/2010 at 10:29 PM.
Directories: 3300
Files: 36755
Different: 0
Bytes: 8,656,765,289

Assuming H: is your system drive and you have no other data on other drivesyou

Assuming H: is your system drive and you have no other data on other drives
you want to backup it looks OK to me.  Basically you have:

Backup (via shadow copy) of "H: " (system drive)

Backup of "OBTS01\Microsoft Information Store\First Storage Group"
(exchange)

Backup (via shadow copy) of "System State"

You can always open the backup in the restore tab of NTBackup and explore it
to make sure important files are there.

--
Allan Williams

Looks like you backed up the H: drive, exchange, and system state.

Looks like you backed up the H: drive, exchange, and system state. Was that
your intention - does that represent a full server backup?

--
-----------------------------------------------
Les Connor [SBS MVP]

wrote:Pretty much. Exchange is the only thing I use these days.

Pretty much.  Exchange is the only thing I use these days.  I had abandoned
the company web site for a SharePoint server, but have not fired up that box
after a power outage.

Mostly I was concerned that the backup file is so small.

Thanks for the reassurance.

--
Hollis Paul
Mukilteo, WA  USA

Where does one do that?

Where does one do that?  When I click on Backup Now, it opens up but is already
off and running.  The configuration wizard does not give access to the
application.  I did notice that Exchange has a box in the selector list, but it
is unchecked.  Nevertheless, it does get backed up.

Thanks, Al, for the review.

--
Hollis Paul
Mukilteo, WA  USA

You need to run ntbackup directly, outside of the wizards and then "open"your

You need to run ntbackup directly, outside of the wizards and then "open"
your backup file.  Probably under Start->All Progs->Accessories->System
Tools->Backup, restore tab.  Not sure if the SBS-interface gets you there, I
do not use it but it would not hurt to open the backup to check it.

--
Allan Williams

I think you want to back up the whole server, OS and all.

I think you want to back up the whole server, OS and all. If you lose the OS
and only have Exchange backed up .. that is better than nothing, but you
are not going to get it restored quite as easily ;-).

I cannot imagine why your OS would be on "H", but then again, this is Hollis
;-).

If you in fact have SBS, and you want the entire server backed up (the SBS
way), then run the backup wizard from the SBS management console. It will not
allow you to exclude critical files/folders/drives from the backup, whereas
NT backup certainly will allow you whatever you want.

--
-----------------------------------------------
Les Connor [SBS MVP]

wrote:Yes, it is Hollis, is not it!

Yes, it is Hollis, is not it!  The reason it is on H is because, when it came
time to do a migration, I got an additional big disk, and did a MS swing
migration, using a client box as the intermediary, and came back to the H
drive as the new SBS system disk, while the old one was still on C.
Eventually, I converted the C disk to just data, which clearly is not
essential any more.

I do have SBS, and I am running the backup wizard from the SBS Management
Console.  I migrated the Exchange files to a non-system disk some time ago, or
so I thought, and set the backup routine to backup to a large USB disk.  Alas,
I forgot to keep the USB disk on-line at the backup time, and so was never
getting the backup done.  When the system disk filled up, I discovered that
Exchange was still using the system disk location, and I initiated this cycle
of getting backup to work properly and actually get Exchange to use the Data
disk for the files.  That all seems to be working now.  It is really strange
to be doing this at the end of the SBS 2003 life-cycle.  It goes to show what
a good product it was.  When it finally fails, I will sigh, and move to just a
client operation, with whatever nat switch Verizon uses to enable the use of
two client computers.  I know they can do it, but having SBS, never felt the
need to investigate it.  Both Ann and I are 70, so I expect that we will be
bailing out of here for an "active" retirement facility in a few years anyway.
After that, SBS will not even be a sweet memory.  Wot? Me worry?!

--
Hollis Paul
Mukilteo, WA  USA

I knew there was an explanation :-).

I knew there was an explanation :-).

You and Ann might enjoy the online services once it is time to retire the
SBS. Yes, it was a great product and still is :-).

--
-----------------------------------------------
Les Connor [SBS MVP]

Thanks, Al.

Thanks, Al. Sounds like something one should do at least once in one's life
just to see what gotchas are buried there.

--
Hollis Paul
Mukilteo, WA  USA