GigaVaultStorage uses the Windows NT backup utility to backup MS Exchange Server. So restoring exchange server is a two step process,
1. You should restore the NT backup generated bkf file first and
2. input the bkf file to the NT backup utility to restore the exchange information stores.

Step 1: Restore the exchange backup bkf file from the GigaVaultStorage server to the machine in which exchange is installed.

Follow the steps described in the "Restore Data" section to restore a version of the bkf file.

Step 2: Restoring Exchange from the bkf file using the NTBackup utility

1. Let us say the bkf file is restored to the location C:\Exchange-Restore directory.

2. Open the Microsoft Exchange System Manager from Windows "Start->Programs->Microsoft Exchange" menu.

3. In the left side tree, under the "Servers" node open the "exchange server name" to which the bkf has to be restored. Under the "exchange server name" node the following nodes will be present:

1. "First Storage Group" node under which you will have "First Mailbox Store" node and "Public Folder Store" node.

2. You may have other Storage Group (eg. Second Storage Group) with corresponding mailbox stores under each information store.

4. Select the "First Mailbox Store" node and "Public Folder Store" node and Dismount them by right clicking the mouse.

5. Select any other mail box stores available under other Information Stores and dismount them.

6. The next step is to backup the existing database files (*.edb, *.stm, *.log, *.chk etc.). For each of the dismounted mail box stores, you can find the database location by right clicking the mouse and then choosing the properties. In the dialog that opens, select the "Database" tab and note down the database location for each of the mailbox stores.

7. Go to the database locations and move all the files (*.edb, *.stm, *.log, *.chk etc.) to a new location as a backup.

8. Open the NTBackup utility from Windows "Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Backup" menu.

9. In the NTBackup UI, open the Restore Wizard from the "Tools->Restore Wizard" menu item.

10. In the "Restore Wizard", click on the "Import File" button and choose the bkf file from C:\Exchange-Restore directory (from step 1).

11. Once the bkf file is imported the left side tree (in the NTBackup restore wizard) will show the Exchange Information Stores that have been backed up. If your Exchange Server does not have those information stores already, you should create them first and then follow the steps from 4 to 7 above, i.e. dismounting and moving the database files.

12. The "What To Restore" tree in NTBackup will list the mail box stored and the logs for each of the information stores. You need to select the mailbox store and all the logs (typically the latest under a information store) for restore. The following example is used to clarify how to choose the nodes in the tree for restore.

Let us say the tree has the following nodes:

First Storage Group
First Mailbox Store
Log Files
Public Folder Store
First Storage Group
Log Files
Second Storage Group
Log Files
Second Mailbox Store
Second Storage Group
Log Files

The above tree means the Exchange backup has been done twice and the first time the Storage group shows the mailbox store and the log files and for the second backup only the log files are being shown.

You should always select the Mailbox store from the storage group for restore and then select all the log files from the corresponding backup. Note that you should always select the Mailbox store and all the log files for the default Information store "First Storage Group" - i.e. the default information store, "First Storage Group" should always be selected for restore.

13. In the next "Restore Database Server" UI in NTBackup, provide a temporary location (directory) for log and patch files. Also check the "Last Backup Set" checkbox. Do not check the "Mount Database For Restore" checkbox.

14. Skip the next "Advanced Restore Option" UI.

15. In the next screen, click Finish to start the exchange database restore process. If you are asked to confirm the location of the bkf file, confirm by clicking the OK button.

16. Once the NTBackup completes the restore operation, wait for a couple of minutes before mounting the information stores that have been restored into your Exchange Server.

17. Go to the Exchange System Manager and mount the "First Mailbox Store", "Public Folder Store" and all other mailbox stores under other information stores that have been restored.