Manual Backup

You can use any tool to backup Add2Exchange or you could manually backup the installation of Add2Exchange.

The manual process is stopping the Add2Exchange Service, and the SQLA2ESqlserver Service from Service Control Manager.

By default, the files are located in this location: C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenDoor Software®\Add2Exchange\Database

Copy the files under the \Database directory to a new location off the machine.  Daily is usually sufficient.

This directory includes the A2E.mdf and A2E.ldf files and are usually all that is sufficient for the restore for any Enterprise installation to the last time it synced.

To be complete, you can copy and save the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\WOW6432Node\SOFTWARE\OpenDoor Software®

After the backup copy of files and registry, be sure to start first the SQL Service and then the Add2Exchange Service:

Recovery

It is fairly easy to recover if you have the files to restore.  See the caution re reverting VMs below.  That is usually not a fix unless considerations are made prior. Save this instance.

Migrations and Restorations 

Make a new machine as per specifications.  Once done, open the Add2Exchange Console. It will install SQL.

Then close the Console, detach the database files and move to the installed directory and attach the old database files.

Open the Console and submit a license request.

For a smooth transition, we need the most recent copy of the database before the disaster, after any relationship changes and most recent sync for a smooth reconstruction after a disaster.

Note: If the Add2Exchange machine is a VM, consider avoiding any reverting of the replication server to a prior instance. If you are restoring Add2Exchange, it only contains meta data of the synced informaiton, and the real information could have already been copied into Exchange.  To avoid duplication - it would be best not to revert, or to revert, but get the copy of the Database as it is on the affected machine, then revert, and then attach the newer database to the older installation.

In the event of an Add2Exchange database restore, or system failure and reinstall of Add2Exchange, this "worst case" would involve a desync - which you can do by configuring Add2Exchange as a "start over".  Contact Tech support to proceed. 

This "desync" can also be done "surgically", or one folder at a time, or by group

Caution:

As a side note, using the Add2Exchange Toolkit to surgically delete items from folders without removing the metadata stored in the user properties table can result in relationship item deletion triggers activating. If you remove copies and leave the metadata in place, it would appear to the working system that the user deleted the copies, and if the relationship was set to delete sources if destination items are deleted, then it could potentially delete the source items.

In the Enterprise edition, at least backup the database after every relationship change or export the setup from the Console\Help option and save somewhere so we can reference the current relationships. If you backup our entire directory, the \Registry directory has backup copies of Add2Exchange Standard relationships. We would also caution about importing prior registry files into the registry. Email tech support prior, save what was there first, and track changes if tempted to fix it in this way (which would almost be never).

In Add2Exchange Standard, we store the relationships in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\OpenDoor Software®

In Enterprise, we store the relationships in the database.

In a disaster, start here (http://support.diditbetter.com/support-request.aspx) but please don’t do anything in regards to Add2Exchange until you get a response. Our email support is free and initial conversation, and together we will find the simplest fix for your unique situation.

　Being a member of Premier Support, you will have a certified technician resolve your unique issue.