How Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange Works

The following steps describe the overall process when recovering Exchange database files using Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange.

1. Exchange mailbox database (.edb or .adb file) is obtained from the image-level VM backup created by Veeam Backup & Replication, or from the mail datastore backup created by Veeam Backup for Microsoft Office 365. In the former case, the file system of a VM is mounted to the local mount server, that is, the machine where Veeam Explorer runs. In the latter case, the restore process goes as described in the How Veeam Backup for Microsoft Office 365 Works section.
2. Mailbox database is added to the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange scope.
3. Finally, database becomes available for browsing and item-level restore with help of the Extensible Storage Engine.  
4. Then, you can use browsing, searching, and restore capabilities to find and restore mailbox items in the Exchange database. Restore options include:

• Restoring mailboxes, folders and items to the original or different Exchange server mailbox (available with Veeam Backup & Replication Enterprise and Enterprise Plus Editions, as well as with Veeam Backup for Microsoft Office 365)
• Exporting mailbox folders and items as Personal Folder Files (.pst)
• Saving mailbox items as Microsoft Exchange Mail Documents (.msg)
• Sending mailbox items as attachments via email

Veeam Backup & Replication quiesces the application and creates a snapshot for the Exchange Server VM, and for restore purposes it communicates with Exchange through the Client Access Server. Thus, restore of mailbox items is supported regardless of membership of an Exchange Server in the DAG and IP address assigned to the DAG (in particular, in case of IP-less DAG in Exchange 2013 SP1 and later).

To open mailbox databases, Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange uses Extensible Storage Engine dynamic link library (ese.dll) which is installed with Microsoft Exchange.