CodeTwo Backup for Exchange
Granular backup and recovery tool for Exchange Server and SharePoint
30-day free trial with support;
no credit card required
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How does CodeTwo Backup for Exchange work?
CodeTwo Backup for Exchange can be deployed on Windows 10 (or newer) or Windows Server 2016 (or newer) machine within your domain. It connects with your servers via Exchange Web Services (EWS) and SharePoint API to back up mailboxes, public folders and on-premises SharePoint data to an in-house storage. The admin using the program must have impersonation rights granted on users' mailboxes. The admin using the program must be assigned specific roles or given necessary access rights to back up Exchange and SharePoint data (learn more).
Backups are based on jobs which have 3 customizable properties: location of the backup; scope of data to be archived (defined using a wide range of criteria); start and end time of the backup job.
2 types of backup jobs are available: one-time and continuous. Continuous backups are performed in cycles. The first cycle creates a backup copy of all the data that meets the criteria defined by the admin. Subsequent cycles create only incremental layers in places where changes have been introduced.
Restoring data is possible on virtually every level: starting with items or attachments, through folders, ending with entire mailboxes. As for SharePoint, the program allows you to restore entire site collections, individual sites, lists, libraries, folders or single items. The target location of a restore action can also be chosen freely. It can another SharePoint server or even Office 365 tenant.
- Can I trial the software?
Yes, you can.
The trial version is free and works for 30 days. All backup features are fully functional during the trial. Restoring items is limited to 5 per folder. If you want to test the restore feature without this limit, you can contact CodeTwo Customer Success team and ask for a special temporary license key that removes the limit for a few mailboxes.
After the trial ends, the software ceases to operate, but all settings and completed backups are kept. When you activate CodeTwo Backup for Exchange with a license key, the software will pick up from where you left off during the trial.
- What are the system requirements?
The minimum hardware and system requirements for CodeTwo Backup for Exchange to work correctly can be found in the user's manual.
The software can be installed on a physical or virtual machine. The user performing the backup tasks needs to have impersonation rights granted on users' mailboxes (if not, the program will assign that user the necessary rights automatically). By default, such rights are granted to members of the Organization Management group.
Disk space requirements depend on the amount of data you want to back up. We highly recommend using SSD drives for storing your backed-up data.
- Does CodeTwo offer storage for mailbox backup copies?
No, we don't. All mailbox backup copies must be stored on your own drives.
- Is there a backup-to-cloud option?
No, not yet. But we may add support for 3rd party cloud hosting services in the future.
- How much disk space will I need?
It depends on how much data you want to back up. CodeTwo Backup for Exchange will perform backups until there is no free space left. The program's interface displays information about the amount of used and free disk space.
- How is CodeTwo Backup for Exchange priced and licensed?
The license for the program is sold in an annual subscription model. One license is taken per each backed-up user. To back up shared resources such as public folders and SharePoint data, you need to assign licenses to each user who has access to and can modify the contents of a certain resource. The license has to be renewed after one year if you want to continue backing up your data. You can’t pay for the subscription monthly. Learn more on the pricing page.
When your annual subscription expires you will no longer be able to back up data, but you will still be able to restore items.
- Can I reassign a license of a user who left the company?
Yes, you can.
CodeTwo Backup for Exchange allows you to recycle licenses meaning that you can release a license from a mailbox and reassign it to another one – providing that the license has already been in use for at least 30 days.
- How can I add seats to my license?
You can purchase additional seats for your license using the Additional licenses option available in the CodeTwo Backup for Exchange order form. Make sure to prepare your existing license key, so that you can provide it during the ordering process.
Purchasing additional licenses does not extend the subscription end date (the cost of additional licenses is reduced to cover only the time left on your subscription).
- What does CodeTwo Backup for Exchange back up?
The software backs up user mailboxes, archive (in-place archive) mailboxes, shared mailboxes, SharePoint site mailboxes, resource (room and equipment) mailboxes and public folders from Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 and 2016, as well as SharePoint Server 2019 and 2016 site collections. All typical folder and item types are supported. CodeTwo Backup for Exchange also can be used to back up Office 365 (Microsoft 365), that is mailbox data in Exchange Online, site collections and team sites in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business data. For more details on supported scenarios see our user’s manual.
At this point, the program does not back up Skype for Business. If you need this feature, please contact us to submit your feature request.
- Can I use it to export mailbox data to PST files?
Yes, you can. To export mailbox data to PST files using CodeTwo Backup for Exchange, you have to perform 2 steps:
- Create a backup of selected mailboxes. Learn more...
- The backup will be saved in a storage, which can be archived to PST files using a dedicated option. Learn more...
CodeTwo Backup for Exchange allows for exporting public folders data to the PST file format as well. Learn more…
You can also set CodeTwo Backup for Exchange to archive data to PST files repeatedly. To manage disk space taken up by the archives on your local drive, you can apply an archive retention policy.
- Is there an option to limit the scope of backed up items?
Yes, there is. The available options include:
- Will I be able to create one-time data snapshots or do I need to run continuous backups only?
CodeTwo Backup for Exchange lets you do both. You can set it to create a one-time snapshot of a selected chunk of mailbox data, and then stop. But you can also configure continuous backups that work non-stop, or in scheduled activity periods.
- Does the software impose item size or speed limits?
No, it doesn't. Its performance depends only on environmental factors such as hardware speed, mailbox database access speed, EWS and SharePoint API performance (CodeTwo Backup for Exchange uses EWS to connect to your server and SharePoint API to connect to your SharePoint), etc.
There is also no limitation regarding total backup copy size.
- Does it back up Outlook rules?
No, not in the current release. But we may add this capability in the future.
- How are end-users affected by the program's performance?
They aren't. CodeTwo Backup for Exchange accesses all mailboxes and SharePoint sites on the server-level, reads their contents and creates copies in a location chosen by the admin. Service availability is not interrupted during the process.
- How many backup/restore jobs can I create?
CodeTwo Backup for Exchange does not limit the number of jobs that can be created in the program. So, to answer the question: an infinite number.
- How are shared mailboxes licensed?
- Can I back up mailboxes to a shared network drive/storage?
- Why should I use CodeTwo Backup for Exchange?
Thanks to CodeTwo Backup for Exchange you can create and manage your mailbox, public folders and SharePoint data backups from one place, all that via the admin-friendly console.
Once backup copies are stored on local drives, the program ensures unlimited accessibility of important data (offline backups) and allows for searching and restoring certain items when it is necessary.
CodeTwo Backup for Exchange will also help you fulfill legal requirements regarding the need for electronic data preservation so that certain data is available for legal actions.
Additionally, you can be ensured that no important emails will be lost irreversibly as you have its all versions kept safe.
More reasons speaking in favor of this software are available here.
