Comparison of methods for creating restorable backups

You can create Snapshot copy backups in a variety of ways. It is important to understand when each of these methods can produce a restorable image and when each cannot. SnapManager Backup might create several Snapshot copies, depending on how you configure your Exchange database.

For some system states, other Snapshot copy backup tools can create restorable backups. The following table illustrates when each of the Snapshot copy backup tools can create restorable backups.

• SnapManager and conventional backup processes
  SnapManager complements conventional backup processes. However, some backup processes interfere with SnapManager’s ability to back up and restore correctly. It is important that you understand which of your current backup tools and processes you need to modify or eliminate when you implement SnapManager.
• Types of external backup to use with SnapManager
  SnapManager backups replace the backups that are created by Exchange-aware backup tools (such as Windows NTBackup). If you need to create a backup using an Exchange-aware backup tool on a system with SnapManager installed, you must use only copy or differential backup.