Staff Email - Backing Up Exchange Mailbox Data

In most cases users of the Exchange service will not need to backup their email data as the data are not held on the local computer but rather on the Exchange server itself. The data on this server are backed up by IS Services for the purposes of disaster recovery in the case of a server failure.

Note that you can recover deleted emails for up to 14 days, should you wish to recover an email that you inadvertently deleted or recover an email that was automatically removed after being in the Deleted Items folder for 90 days. However all users should be aware that it is not possible to recover emails after this period nor is it possible for IS Services to retrieve data for individual users should data be deleted in error.

Backup Local Email Data

Outlook and Entourage users who make use of Personal Folders or the AutoArchive feature should note that the data in these folders are held locally in .PST files and these should be backed up manually. Please follow the links below for further assistance.

• Backup Local Outlook Data on PC
• Backup Local Entourage Data on Apple Mac

Backup Local Outlook Data on PC

The main Exchange email folder is located on the Exchange server, and not on the local PC, so cannot be backed up by the user. The steps below only apply if you wish to backup a local folder, such as one used for AutoArchive.

1. Create a new folder on your computer into which you will place a copy of the .pst file that contains your Outlook data. For example, if you have a D: drive on your computer then create a new folder on the D: drive called 'Outlook Backup'.
2. Goto Start/Search
3. Do a search for all files of type *.pst
4. The .pst file with the most current date on it or with your username is most likely to be yours. If there is any ambiguity refer to the size of the file and the largest is likely to be your current .pst file
5. Copy this .pst file into the new folder that you created in step 1 above. There is no need to perform any further actions with this file unless data is lost and needs to be retrieved.

Backup Local Entourage Data on Apple Mac

Creating an Archive\Backup in Entourage - Exporting to a File

The main Exchange email folder is located on the Exchange server, and not on the local computer, so cannot be backed up by the user. The steps below only apply if you wish to backup a local folder.

1. Launch Entourage 2008.
2. From the main menu choose File - Export
3. In the Export window, ensure the 'Items to an Entourage archive' is selected and 'All Items' is selected.
4. Choose the items you want to archive from the list - tick the relevant boxes. To continue, click the right arrow.
5. Accept the default option to 'No, keep the items in Entourage after they are archived'. Click the right arrow to continue.
6. Enter an archive name in the 'Save as' field and choose the location where to save this archive. The archive is saved as a .rge file.

You can use this archive as a backup of your email files. Alternatively, you can also archive Entourage items by dragging them to the Desktop which may be easier if you just want to backup a few email folders. This alternative process maybe cumbersome if you have a lot of email folders to archive or backup.

Retrieving an Archive\Backup in Entourage - Importing from a File

1. Launch Entourage 2008.
2. From the main menu choose File - Import
3. In the 'Import' window, choose the default option 'Entourage information from an archive or earlier version'. Click the right arrow to continue.
4. Choose the version of Entourage that was used to archive, if it was Entourage 2008, choose the 'Entourage archive (.rge)' option. Click the right arrow to continue.
5. A pop up window will ask you to locate the archive file you created previously so it can be restored. Locate this and then click the 'Import' button.
6. You will be asked to confirm what you want to import, either leaving what you already have or importing the relevant information from the archive. Choose either the 'Skip' or 'Replace' option as desired and Entourage will complete the import process.
7. Click the 'Done' button and your archived items should be available for viewing in Entourage.