Glossary of Terms

Base Image - A base image represents an application consistent point-in-time block replica of a complete volume.  Think of a base image as a large snapshot.  Base images usually represent time zero and serve as the basis of any recovery point. 

Bare-metal Recovery – Bare metal recovery is the process of recovering a system that does not contain bootable OS software or before the OS has been booted.    

Data Store - A data store (or Exchange Data Store) is a set of files that represents an Exchange email database, that contains users' mailbox data.  

Differentials - Differentials represents an application consistent point-in-time log of the block changes for a volume between base images.  Differientials are delta changes from the last snapshot or base image and are additive on top of the base image. 

NOTE: A base image must exist to build a Recovery Point. 

EDB - An EDB is an Exchange data store file that contains emails.   

Instant Replay - Replay offers a unique “Instant Replay” capability that dramatically reduces volume recovery times by virtualizing each application’s disk read/write operations onto a chosen recovery point while the recovery point is being restored to the physical disk in the background. This feature allows for continuous application availability during hot online restores.

Mounted Recovery Points - Mounted recovery points are virtual representations of an application consistent point-in-time volume.   The mounted recovery points are represented to Windows as virtual NTFS volumes and may be manipulated with standard Windows utilities such as Explorer. 

Mount Points - A mount point is a Windows term used to represent a volume that is mounted to an empty directory, i.e. the directory becomes the root of the volume.  Replay leverages mount points as a mount option.   For example, Replay will mount a recovery point to C:\PG as follows: 

Recovery Points - A recovery point is a collection of differentials and a base image that represent an application consistent recovery point for a volume or set of volumes.  For example, an Exchange storage group may span volumes and hence must be captured and recovered as a synchronized group.  Recovery points contain base images and differentials for each volume on the protected server. 

Replay Recovery Console (RRC) - The Replay Recovery Console is used to recover a system disk from a recovery point. The RRC recoveries are typically performed from a bootable CD however they can be invoked from the management console as well.  The RRC builder is installed on the Exchange server by default.

Replay Recovery Server - A Replay Recovery Server stores the Replay configuration definitions, configuration and repository for the managed Exchange Server's domain controllers and role servers.  

Rollbacks – Rollbacks are the process of rolling back or recovering a server, volume, storage group, data store, directory, or file to a particular point in time.

Rollup and Retention - Rollup refers to the ability to merge multiple recovery points into a single recovery point for retention management and disk space saving purposes.  For example, you may want to rollup the recovery points for a given day from every 15 minutes to hourly and rollup the hourly recovery points into daily ones. 

Storage Groups - A storage group is an Exchange management object that contains a collection of volumes, data stores, and log files.  

STM - An STM is an Exchange data store file that contains streaming data such as attachments.   STM does not exist in Exchange 2007 environments.

ReplayCAP Technology - The ReplayCAP continuous application protection technology protects the Exchange server in real-time by capturing all block I/O activity and indexing, compressing and storing the results on a Replay Recovery Server.  

ReplayLive Technology - The ReplayLive technology employs a unique instant replay capability which dramatically reduces volume recovery times from hours to minutes regardless of the data set size.  Once a rollback is initiated, the volume and storage groups are mounted immediately providing users access to email during the recovery process.   

Replay Data Store Manager - ReplayDSM utilizes the Microsoft JET API to detect and analyze Exchange data store corruption.  If corruption is detected, a detailed description is provided along with a recovery tool that surgically extracts the recoverable email objects to a live Exchange server or a PST file.   Additionally, Replay includes a robust search capability and granular recovery options such as differential restores.     

ReplayViews Technology (Views)- Leveraging ReplayCAP's continuous application protection capabilities, ReplayViews serves up volume-based views into any point-in-time recovery points.  These readable, writable, and recoverable volume-based views are virtual NTFS volumes that represent the protected server at any given point in time and are generated without impact to the on-line Exchange server. 

Unfold - Replay has the ability to unfold a complete Exchange environment on a new machine or virtual server environment in the event of a complete system failure.   A complete system environment, includes the OS environment, Exchange environment and all of the storage groups.  You can unfold domain controllers and Exchange 2007 role servers as well.