Copy Backups

A Copy backup of an Exchange database typically stores the same elements that are included in a Full backup (a complete copy of the database file, transaction logs, and checkpoint files).

However, unlike a Full backup, the transaction log files on disk are not truncated when the backup is complete. Copy backups are not intended for data recovery purposes. Instead, Copy backups are intended to provide an image of data for use in testing, problem diagnosis or for seeding a replica.

For example, a Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 administrator who is experiencing problems with a storage group could make a Copy backup for use in a test environment, where the problem can be studied in greater detail without affecting the production system. Normal backup schedules are not typically affected by the creation of a Copy backup but since a Copy backup also puts the storage group in backup-in-progress state it will block other scheduled backups from proceeding until it is completed or aborted.

When the VSS_BACKUP_TYPE enumeration in the Volume Shadow Copy Service is set to VSS_BT_COPY, the following components are included in a Copy backup:

• A database with the logical path Microsoft Exchange Server\Microsoft Information Store\<Server Name>\<Database GUID>

• A log file component with the logical path Microsoft Exchange Server\Microsoft Information Store\<Server Name>\<Database GUID>

Similarly, if the Copy backup is taken from a DAG copy location using the Replication Writer, the above components will be included in the Copy backup with the exception that in the logical file paths the \<Server Name> will be pre-pended by \Replica to designate the actual files coming from DAG replica location and the file paths will reflect the DAG file location.