[2021.03.31] Termination of Support for Mail-level Backup using MAPI Protocol on MS Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 23 or above

Due to limitations and functional issues with (Messaging Application Programming Interface) MAPI backup mode, which is a Microsoft technology used by CloudBacko Pro to enable MS Exchange Server 2013 mail level backup and restores, we have to terminate the support for mail level backups using MAPI Protocol on MS Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 23 or above. It is because starting from Microsoft Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 23 or above MAPI backup mode may stop working properly. To avoid issues with Microsoft Exchange 2013 mail level backup and restores, it is strongly recommended to transition from MAPI backup mode to (Exchange Web Services) EWS backup mode as soon as possible.

If CloudBacko Pro continues to use MAPI backup mode and MS Exchange Server 2013 is updated to Cumulative Update 23 or above. This will result in the following outcome:

• MS Exchange 2013 mail level MAPI backup jobs will stop working.
• All mailbox items already backed using MAPI will no longer be recoverable to a MS Exchange 2013 database.

Furthermore, MAPI backup mode is not fully functional after MS Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 20 or above is applied, as MAPI is unable access Public Folder items from the MS Exchange 2013 database. This will result in the following outcome:

• Inability to backup items in the MS Exchange 2013 Public Folder databases.
• Inability to restore items to the MS Exchange 2013 Public Folder databases.

This issue only affects backups currently running MS Exchange mail level backup set on MS Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 20 to Cumulative Update 23 or above using MAPI backup mode. To check the MS Exchange 2013 version and build number, use the Get-ExchangeServer cmdlet found in the Exchange Management Shell

Example: Get-ExchangeServer | Format-List Name, Edition,AdminDisplayVersion

Please refer to this Microsoft article for details of MS Exchange build numbers and releases:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/new-features/build-numbers-and-release-dates?view=exchserver-2019

• CloudBacko Pro v1.x
• CloudBacko Pro v2.x
• CloudBacko Pro v3.x
• CloudBacko Pro v4.x

• If your clients are currently on pre MS Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 20 and do not plan to apply any more updates then you do not need to take any further action.
• If your clients plan to continue to backup MS Exchange 2013 and apply the latest MS Exchange updates, then it is recommended to perform a transition from MAPI to EWS backup mode which is based in the Exchange Web Services protocol.

• Improved backup performance & reliability over MAPI.
• Flexible deployment – CloudBacko Pro can either be installed directly on the MS Exchange server or on a remote Windows machine for MS Exchange 2013 mail level backups and restores.

As backup sets using MAPI backup mode cannot be directly converted to EWS backup mode. A new backup set using EWS backup mode must be created.

The transition will result in the following outcome:

• All mailbox items will be re-uploaded again from scratch.
• All historical snapshots and retention mailbox items from your previous MAPI backup set will no longer be available for restore from the EWS backup set.

The transition from MAPI to EWS backup mode will involve:

• An upgrade of your CloudBacko Pro to 4.3.x or above.
• Creating a new MS Exchange mail level backup set using EWS backup mode.
• Running a full backup job to re-upload the Exchange mailbox items again from scratch.