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---
title: Back up Exchange server with Azure Backup Server
description: Learn how to back up an Exchange server to Azure Backup using Azure Backup Server
ms.topic: how-to
ms.date: 03/25/2025
author: AbhishekMallick-MS
ms.author: v-mallicka
ms.custom: engagement-fy24
# Customer intent: "As an IT administrator, I want to configure Azure Backup Server to back up an Exchange server, so that I can ensure data protection and facilitate recovery in case of data loss."
---
# Back up an Exchange server to Azure with Azure Backup Server
This article describes how to configure Microsoft Azure Backup Server (MABS) to back up a Microsoft Exchange server to Azure.
## Prerequisites
Before you continue, ensure that Azure Backup Server is [installed and prepared](backup-azure-microsoft-azure-backup.md).
## MABS protection agent
To install the MABS protection agent on the Exchange server, follow these steps:
1. Ensure that the firewalls are correctly configured. See [Configure firewall exceptions for the agent](/system-center/dpm/configure-firewall-settings-for-dpm).
2. Install the agent on the Exchange server by selecting **Management > Agents > Install** in MABS Administrator Console. See [Install the MABS protection agent](/system-center/dpm/deploy-dpm-protection-agent) for detailed steps.
## Create a protection group for the Exchange server
To create a protection group for the Exchange server, follow these steps:
1. In the MABS Administrator Console, select **Protection**, and then select **New** on the tool ribbon to open the **Create New Protection Group** wizard.
2. On the **Welcome** screen of the wizard, select **Next**.
3. On the **Select protection group type** screen, select **Servers** and select **Next**.
4. Select the Exchange server database that you want to protect and select **Next**.
> [!NOTE]
> If you are protecting Exchange 2013, check the [Exchange 2013 prerequisites](/system-center/dpm/back-up-exchange).
>
>
In the following example, the Exchange 2010 database is selected.

5. Select the data protection method.
Name the protection group, and then select both of the following options:
* I want short-term protection using Disk.
* I want online protection.
6. Select **Next**.
7. Select the **Run Eseutil to check data integrity** option to check the integrity of the Exchange Server databases.
After you select this option, backup consistency checking will be run on MABS to avoid the I/O traffic that's generated by running the **eseutil** command on the Exchange server.
> [!NOTE]
> To use this option, you must copy the Ese.dll and Eseutil.exe files to the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Azure Backup\DPM\DPM\bin directory on the MABS server. Otherwise, the following error is triggered:
> 
>
>
8. Select **Next**.
9. Select the database for **Copy Backup**, and then select **Next**.
> [!NOTE]
> If you don't select "Full backup" for at least one DAG copy of a database, logs won't be truncated.
>
>
10. Configure the goals for **Short-Term backup**, and then select **Next**.
11. Review the available disk space, and then select **Next**.
12. Select the time at which the MABS Server will create the initial replication, and then select **Next**.
13. Select the consistency check options, and then select **Next**.
14. Choose the database that you want to back up to Azure, and then select **Next**. For example:

15. Define the schedule for **Azure Backup**, and then select **Next**. For example:

> [!NOTE]
> Online recovery points are based on express full recovery points. Therefore, you must schedule the online recovery point after the time that's specified for the express full recovery point.
>
>
16. Configure the retention policy for **Azure Backup**, and then select **Next**.
17. Choose an online replication option and select **Next**.
If you have a large database, it could take a long time for the initial backup to be created over the network. To avoid this issue, you can create an offline backup.

18. Confirm the settings, and then select **Create Group**.
19. Select **Close**.
## Recover the Exchange database
To recover the Exchange database, follow these steps:
1. Select **Recovery** in the MABS Administrator Console.
2. Locate the Exchange database that you want to recover.
3. Select an online recovery point from the *recovery time* drop-down list.
4. Select **Recover** to start the **Recovery Wizard**.
For online recovery points, there are five recovery types:
* **Recover to original Exchange Server location:** The data will be recovered to the original Exchange server.
* **Recover to another database on an Exchange Server:** The data will be recovered to another database on another Exchange server.
* **Recover to a Recovery Database:** The data will be recovered to an Exchange Recovery Database (RDB).
* **Copy to a network folder:** The data will be recovered to a network folder.
* **Copy to tape:** If you have a tape library or a stand-alone tape drive attached and configured on MABS, the recovery point will be copied to a free tape.

## Next steps
* [Azure Backup FAQ](backup-azure-backup-faq.yml)
* [Recover data from Azure Backup Server](backup-azure-alternate-dpm-server.md)