PowerProtect Data Manager 19.13 Microsoft Exchange Server User Guide

The following list describes the optional parameters for the Backup-Exchange cmdlet:

-Incremental

Specifies that the backup level is a block-based incremental backup.

If you don't specify this parameter, the backup is taken at level full.

-Retention +<number>{d | m | w | y}

Specifies the period in which to retain a backup. After the period passes, the backup expires.

The default retention period is 30 days. The maximum retention date is 2/7/2106.

The -Retention parameter accepts a + followed by an integer followed by one of the following time indicators:

• d specifies a retention period in days.
• w specifies a retention period in weeks.
• m specifies a retention period in months.
• y specifies a retention period in years.

For example, -Retention +20d specifies to retain the backup for 20 days.

-Identity <database_identity>

Specifies the identity of the database to back up. If you do not specify this parameter, the operation backs up all databases.

-LockBoxPath <full_path_to_lockbox>

Specifies the folder that contains the lockbox file, which contains encrypted information about the registered hosts and the corresponding usernames in pairs. Each pair is associated with a password that backups use.

You can use the -LB or -LBPath alias for the -LockBoxPath parameter.

-DebugLevel <1_through_9>

Specifies the debug level for the backup. The default value is 0 (zero).

You can use the -DL or -D alias for the -DebugLevel parameter.

-DeleteDebugLogsInDays <number_of_days>

Deletes debug log files that are older than the specified number of days. The valid range is between 1 and 32767.

By default, debug logs are deleted after 30 days. Regularly deleting debug logs prevents the log folder on the installation drive from becoming too large.

This parameter only deletes debug logs named in the default format and located in the logs folder at <installation_path>\MSAPPAGENT\logs.

-Verbose

Indicates the verbose output. In this context, the standard output stream of the Microsoft application agent appears.

You can use the -vb alias for the -Verbose parameter.

-VeryVerbose {True | False}

Increases the volume of the verbose output.

To use this parameter, you must also specify the -Verbose parameter.

The default value is False.

-ExeFileName <msagentsv.exe_path>

Specifies the full path to the application program executable msagentsv.exe.

Use this option only to diagnose. In normal operations, the cmdlet automatically locates the installed application.

-AsJob {$true | $false}

Runs the cmdlet as a background job.

The command returns an object that represents the job, and then displays the command prompt. You can continue to work in the session during the job.

You can use the -AJ or -Job alias for the -AsJob parameter.

-JobName <name>

Specifies a friendly name for the job when you use this parameter with the -AsJob parameter. If you do not specify the -AsJob parameter, the -JobName parameter is ignored.

You can use the name to identify the job against other job cmdlets such as, Stop-Job.

-Parallelism <parallelism_value>

Specifies the parallelism setting for the backup.

Based on the number of CPUs on the host and the parallelism setting, the application agent uses the following effective parallelism value for the backup:

• With 10 or more CPUs, the effective parallelism equals the minimum of the number of CPUs and the parallelism setting, minus 4. For example, with 12 CPUs and a parallelism of 16, the effective parallelism value is 8 (12 minus 4).
• With 4 to 9 CPUs, the effective parallelism equals the minimum of the number of CPUs and the parallelism setting, minus 2. For example, with 8 CPUs and a parallelism of 10, the effective parallelism value is 6 (8 minus 2).
• With fewer than 4 CPUs, the effective parallelism equals the number of CPUs. For example, with 2 CPUs, the effective parallelism value is 2.

If the effective parallelism value is 8, then 8 threads are created for the backup, with each thread assigned to transfer either an EDB file or the related log files. An asset transfer is complete only when an EDB file and the related log files are both copied to the DD system. Using 8 threads, effectively 4 assets are backed up in parallel from the host.