How to back up Exchange Server 2007. Part 1 - Installing NTBackup

Windows Server 2008 does not include a tool that is compatible with previous versions of Windows Backup. Instead, Windows Server 2008 includes Windows Server Backup, that cannot be used to backup Exchange. Unlike previous versions of Windows Backup, it cannot take streaming backups of Exchange using Windows Server Backup. 

You can restore earlier backups to a Windows 2008 machine. 

To restore data backed up from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, you must download and install the Windows NT Backup - Restore Utility. However, if you wish to use NTBackup, not only its Restore option, you will have to install NTBackup tool.

To install and use NTBackup on a Windows Server 2008 you need to follow few steps:

• Copy ntbackup.exe, ntmsapi.dll, vssapi.dll files from Microsoft Windows 2003 Server C:\Windows\System32\ to Windows Server 2008 C:\Program Files\NTBackup\
• Install the Removable Storage Manager from Server Manager -  Features, Add Features, Removable Storage Manager
• Copy Exchange DLLs to access Exchange. You need to copy esebcli2.dll from Windows Server 2003 C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin to Windows Server 2008 C:\Program Files\NTBackup
• Run regedit and change the esebcli2 key from C:\Program Files\Micrsoft\Exchange Server\Bin\esebcli2.dll to C:\Program Files\NTBackup\esebcli2.dll

Now, NTBackup tool is ready to use. Another possibility to backup your Exchange is using Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 or a third-party backup application that supports Exchange-aware VSS-based backups of Exchange 2007 on Windows Server 2008. This wil be described in the next articles. 

Click the link to read the article on how to back up Exchange 2007 using the plug-in built into its Service Pack 2