How to Prevent Exchange Server from Downtime? Complete Solution
The major problem or issue that every Exchange Admin faces is downtime and there are lots of ways from which administrators or users can prevent Exchange Server from downtime. In this write-up, we will provide a different ways to prevent such issues that due to you face downtime.
Microsoft Exchange Server is used by many users, companies and other industry vertical because it provides functionalities, features, service that is used by IT & other organizations and tool such as: for business server skype and SharePoint, etc…
Here, we will discuss about the Exchange Server and the reason that create an issue in the Exchange mailbox database because users can rebuild the server but cannot data. The Exchange database health is very important for Microsoft Exchange Server to work properly. The mailbox database is designed to work with the actual EDB file, memory, and log file. Until the Exchange data is committed to the database, it is stored & processed in log file & memory as buffer.
How to Prevent Exchange Server from Downtime?
Below are the issues are given which create difficulties in the Exchange database & cannot mount it because of corruption.
1. Anti-malware & Backup Software
Always ensure that the anti-malware or antivirus software that you are purchasing as well as using should be Exchange Server friendly other it could lock the log files or database. Also, deleted the log files if it scans the storage in an aggressive way.
Same as with backup software, it is also aware with Exchange Server because mostly the Exchange database is open. While taking the backup it could corrupt the database. Also, when users use this application to backup the server they might end up with an unusable backup as they would not manage to restore it back.
If it is not friendly or aware with the server, it consumes all the disk storage because all the log files aren’t committed to the database and end-up having the hard disk full of log files.
While purchasing the backup software ensure that it should compatible with the versions of Exchange Server & application-aware.
2. Space Size Issue
You are unable to send or receive the emails when the storage size is completely full where the Exchange database and log files are stores and then this results in corruption of log and EDB file. In order to prevent this problem or issue, configure the monitoring application or software which sends the notification to the users when the storage or space is low. If you have enough or sufficient space to store the database and log files then there is no need to worry about anything.
3. Harmful Computer Programs (Ransomware, Virus & Malware)
These malicious computer programs interrupt the working of the Exchange Server and cause data loss. Because of this, the server stop working and the database cannot work without an Exchange Server. So, it is suggested to install or keep the antivirus and a healthy backup to prevent Exchange Server from downtime as well as the loss of data.
4. Power Outage
Unexpected power or electricity outage can cause the Exchange Server hardware failure and also damaged the log files and database. In this situation, the database is closed suddenly other in normal shutdown the database is closed properly.
To resolve this issue what you can do is keep the spare part of the Exchange Server in case of any hardware damage you can easily change it on the spot. In this case, also the server is stopped suddenly. The other option is to use the virtual infrastructure, in which users need not worry about any hardware, and in case of power failure the virtual server switch to another host if one fails.
To prevent the Exchange Server from sudden electricity failure, install the UPS with sufficient power to protect the server. Then the Exchange Server would have dual power supply – one is connected directly and the other one is UPS.
Also, users can set-up the DAG system with two Exchange Server running actively where entire mailbox databases are replicated between the servers. In case, when one server goes down then they can switch it to another server.
Use Best Alternative Solution to Prevent Exchange Database
Due to various problem or error, there are chances that cause Exchange dirty shutdown state. In this case the database fails to mount, then either user can use the ESEUTIL utility or the advanced software provided by SysTools i.e. Exchange EDB Recovery Tool.
Note: It is suggested to use the automated wizard to recover and repair EDB file from corruption because it need users to have technical knowledge, skills and hands-on experience to use the ESEUTIL tool. So, to avoid all the complexity and technicality of the manual solution, users can use the advanced Recovery manager for Exchange database utility as it provides graphical interface which makes the users work easier and anyone (technical & nontechnical user) can use this software.
This utility support offline / dismounted Exchange database file (Public and Private). The Quick & Advance scan mode of this tool recovers EDB file from corruption automatically without using any command. To remove minimal corruption use the quick scan and to recover highly corrupted Exchange database file select the advance scan.
After recovery, you can extract mailbox from EDB file Exchange 2016/2013 and export it directly to the Live Exchange Server 2003/2007/2010/2013/2016 mailboxes, Office 365 and various file formats. This software support all version of Exchange Server, Microsoft Outlook and Windows OS.
Bringing It All Together
Now users have detailed information to prevent Exchange Server from downtime. The other reasons (such as: installation of third-party software, bad windows update, hardware failure) due to which users face downtime. In case of corruption, users can use the advanced software described in the above section which easily recovers and repair Exchange mailbox and EDB file with no data loss and export the recovered healthy mailboxes to the Exchange Server, O365, and PST, MBOX, PDF, MSG, EML, HTML file formats in a simplified manner.