Reliably backing up Outlook PST files.

[JohnR]

So, I've got Cobian running, and it handles all the normal files just fine. The problem, now, is the PSTs. I can have Cobian kill Outlook before running, but that's a problem - nobody wants their email program to die mid-use, and it doesn't always work. I can run it after hours, but that's a problem: machines get turned off, Outlook gets left on, and if it starts automatically on machine startup, that's great as long as the user doesn't open Outlook before it's finished.

Windows Backup uses shadow copy to get PST files from a live Outlook install, but that's not a good solution, because Windows Backup is unreliable and doesn't always handle backing up to a network location very well.

And, really, if I'm not backing up to the network, I'm not backing up. I'm just copying.

So: Who's got a tool for me, that can copy a live PST out from under a running copy of Outlook, without corrupting the live PST *or* the backup, reliably on a schedule?

Anyone?

 

[dipper]

So: Who's got a tool for me, that can copy a live PST out from under a running copy of Outlook, without corrupting the live PST *or* the backup, reliably on a schedule?

Anyone?

How about putting the pst files on the server (but accessed on the workstations through the network) and doing the backup overnight. This way the workstations can be turned off at night.

 

[JohnR]

No good - many of the workstations are laptops, for users who travel and who need to be able to open their email without an internet and VPN connection.

Good thought, though. Just not quite workable.

 

[JohnR]

Although....

Automatically archive anything older than 60 days to a PST on the server. Don't bother with backing up the PST on the system - the POP server holds new mail for *90* days, meaning that any problems on the system can be recovered from simply by creating a new Outlook profile.

That might work. Might lose "sent" for that time and need to re-sort messages if they're not autofiltered, but it could work.

 

[tartis]

If it is Outlook 2002 or newer, you can try the MS Outlook Backup tool.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA010875321033.aspx?pid=CL100626971033

 

[JohnR]

Hmm. I hate the fact that it requires user intervention, but that may be the way to go.

 

[Blues]

I am not sure as I know some files don't work right with this but put the pst on the server and set up offline file access.

 

[JohnR]

No way. Trying to "sync" a PST file is a recipe for data loss. That's just how Outlook is.

 

[greggh]

Cobian can run scripts before and after it does a backup. You could have cobian make sure outlook is not running then backup the file. If outlook was running you could have cobian re-start it.

 

[JohnR]

Gregg:

From my original post:

I can have Cobian kill Outlook before running, but that's a problem - nobody wants their email program to die mid-use, and it doesn't always work.

Killing and restarting Outlook to make the backup go is not an option. For one, some of the email backups are close to two gigabytes and run across a wireless connection, meaning this could potentially result in downtime of as much as 15 minutes. For another, killing email mid-work, even at a scheduled time of day, is never a good plan.

 

[Vitiated]

How often do you reboot? Write a simple batch/vbs script that uses robocopy to copy your pst files wherever and add it to your logoff script. gpedit.msc - windows settings - scripts (logon /logoff).

 

[JohnR]

Sure, except for the time necessary to make the backup happen. Stopping people for 15 minutes when they turn off their computers to leave, even leaving aside people who simply close their laptop, put it to sleep, and walk away?

What I really need is something that can read the volume shadow copy (which Windows Backup can, and Cobian cannot) and that can reliably connect to a network folder with a specified username and password (which Cobian Backup can, but Windows Backup cannot).

At the moment, I've got a simple batch script that remaps the drive right before Windows Backup runs, but I'm not fond of that. For one thing, it necessarily contains the shared folder password in plain text.

 

[mh348]

Have to tried using Google Apps. You you client is using their own domain for their email you can just set it up using Google Apps, and just re-configure Outlook to use the google pop3/smtp servers, that way all mail will automatically be backed up in gmail, should something happen to their PC, you can just log into gmail (branded), go to settings and select "download all mail", then run outlook and it will re-download the old mail.

Google Apps lets you run a Branded Version of Gmail, so you can have user@yourdomain.com and still use Gmail.

http://www.google.com/a

 

[jazz]

Have to tried using Google Apps. You you client is using their own domain for their email you can just set it up using Google Apps, and just re-configure Outlook to use the google pop3/smtp servers, that way all mail will automatically be backed up in gmail, should something happen to their PC, you can just log into gmail (branded), go to settings and select "download all mail", then run outlook and it will re-download the old mail.



http://www.google.com/a

That's exactly what we've done for our company, and many of our clients.. and they say they couldn't be happier !

But unfortunately, that solution may not suit everyone. BUT, i do have a solution for you, although not free..

We use Acronis Trueimage, for making backups while the files are in use ! you can select to backup just the emails, or perhaps even the entire drive while the system is in use. It even has differential / incremental backup solutions, meaning the backups wont take that long or be big in size as the original.

Kind Regards,
Jazz

 

[Simmy]

Is anyone able to download the outlook backup addin and host it on here? I don't have a copy of office.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA010875321033.aspx?pid=CL100626971033