Preparation for installing or upgrading SnapManager

Before you install SnapManager 6.0 for Microsoft Exchange or upgrade from a previous version, you might need to configure Windows host systems, hardware, and software components; back up your databases; and check licensing and account requirements.

For the most current list of system requirements, see the SnapManager 6.0 for Microsoft Exchange Description page on the NOW NetApp on the Web site.

For information about compatible versions of SnapManager, SnapDrive, and Data ONTAP, see the SnapManager and SnapDrive Compatibility Matrix.

• Where to install SnapManager
  In a basic configuration, SnapManager is installed on the same Windows host system as Exchange. You can also install SnapManager on one or more remote Windows hosts for remote administration of the Exchange computer or for remote verification of the databases in backup sets.
• SnapManager in a DAG environment
  You must install SnapManager and SnapDrive for Windows on all member servers of the Database Availability Group (DAG) to ensure proper working of SnapManager.
• Backing up system resources and data
  Before you install SnapManager, back up your system resources and data using Windows NTBackup or another industry standard backup utility to prevent any data loss during configuration.
• SnapManager licensing options
  SnapManager supports two licensing options: Per Server and Per Storage system licensing.
• Exchange permission level required for SnapManager
  If you need a granular control for the SnapManager for Exchange Service, you can apply Exchange-specific permissions to the object.
• Windows host system requirements
  Your system must meet the operating system, hotfix, Exchange server, hardware, protocol, and licensing requirements to run SnapManager.
• If your storage system has multiple IP addresses
  If your storage system has multiple IP addresses, you must configure a SnapDrive preferred IP address; otherwise, SnapDrive times out when attempting to create Snapshot copies simultaneously for more than one LUN on a storage system. See the SnapDrive Installation and Administration Guide for your version of SnapDrive.
• Storage system requirements
  Your storage system must meet some hardware, protocol, and licensing requirements before you use it with SnapManager.
• Remote administration server requirements
  You can remotely administer an Exchange server running SnapManager from another Windows system that is configured as a remote administration server. Your remote administration server must meet some installation requirements.
• Remote verification server requirements
  Remote verification is performed using the same mechanisms that are used for local verification, except that the verification is performed on a host that is different from the Exchange server that initiated the backup set. To run remote verification, your remote system must meet some configuration requirements.
• Exchange Server 2003 files to back up with a Windows backup utility
  SnapManager does not back up all the files commonly used by Exchange Server 2003. You should use a standard Windows backup utility, such as Windows NTBackup.
• Exchange Server 2007 files to back up with a Windows backup utility
  SnapManager does not back up all the files commonly used by Exchange Server 2007. You should use a standard Windows backup utility, such as Windows NTBackup.