Enterprise Vault is a type of migration software that businesses can rely on for archiving end-user mailboxes and journal archives in Microsoft Exchange. Businesses often find themselves preferring these services since they cater to work styles versus personal use.
Microsoft Exchange offers users an enhanced degree of security for highly sensitive data, flexibility, easy data backup, professional-focused app integration (such as LinkedIn), and organized work collaboration.
Using Enterprise Vault can help you archive all this sensitive info in a streamlined and sensible way. But before you start using it, there are a few things you should know about Enterprise Vault.
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What Enterprise Vault is Used For
Enterprise Vault migration is a simple way for you to migrate data. This migration software was initially developed over two decades ago, so it is not some new-fangled software that comes loaded with glitches. Instead, what EV gives you is a way to back up an email environment in case something unforeseeable should happen.
Enterprise Vault is helpful since it enables defensible deletion and retention, optimizes your available storage, and boosts your eDiscovery and search needs. It does all this across multiple platforms, including file servers, Domino, Microsoft SharePoint, and Microsoft Exchange.
How to Backup Enterprise Vault
Backing up Enterprise Vault is important. You will need to take the following steps in order to back it up:
- Put the environment into Backup Mode.
- Back up databases.
- Back up your storage locations.
- Back up your Index Locations.
- Back up the classification policy folder.
The Three Major Components of Enterprise Vault
When talking about putting the environment into backup mode, it is important to know about Enterprise Vault’s three main components: Vault Store storage locations, Index storage, and databases. These have to be backed up with the same amount of archived items in order for there to be a consistent backup.
EV administrators will need to put the system into Backup Mode so that new index updates, database add-ons, or storage processes get tacked on. Vault Admin console and PowerShell cmdlets are both able to do this, and the backup can be set to whichever level you prefer.
Three Databases You’ll Need to Backup
There will be three databases that you will need to back up on Enterprise Vault. You will have to back up the system databases (which includes the Enterprise Vault Directory database), the Vault Store databases (each of which will have its own database), and fingerprint databases. Every Vault Store Group has its own fingerprint database that you will need to look for.
From there, you can go ahead and back up the storage locations, followed by the index locations and the classification policy folder. Whenever changes have been made to policies, you will need to back up the classification policy folder. Not too long ago, the ability to utilize Backup Mode in your EV environment was added, allowing you to use PowerShell cmdlets. Also, there is a PowerShell script that lets you create an HTML file that describes exactly what you need to back up.
Knowing When Enterprise Vault is in Backup Mode
So, how do you know when Enterprise Vault is in Backup Mode? Using the Vault Admin Console makes it easy to find this out. If you go to the Vault Store Group node and look at the Vault Store Groups, you can verify that everything is in Backup Mode.
If you go to the indexing services node, you can check index locations. You can open up the properties there and check the Index Locations tab. But keeping certain parts of your environment in Backup Mode will prevent certain actions from being performed.
Also, if you go into the Windows Event Log, you can see certain events that have been logged when indexes or vault stores enter and exit Backup Mode.
Conclusion
Using Enterprise Vault can be helpful for many different types of businesses. If you deal with a high volume of sensitive data and a lot of communication between employees, using and backing up Enterprise Vault is going to be to your benefit. They make using systems like Microsoft Exchange a whole lot simpler and safer.
