If the Exchange database is corrupted, you can use ESEUtil to try to recover the database. However, this would take a lot of resources and administrative effort. Also, you may end up with loss of data and there is no guarantee that the database gets mounted after repair. In such situations, you can look around for applications which can help in recovering the corrupt database.

Stellar Repair for Exchange is one such application that stood out for various reasons – ease-of-use, compatibility, simplicity, and number of features offered. Let’s explore the application and see how effective it is in restoring the database.

Software Editions

Exchange Recovery Software comes in three editions – Corporate, Technician, and Toolkit. The Corporate and Technician editions are almost same. The only difference is that the Technician version allows recovery of unlimited number of mailboxes and comes with a lifetime license. The Toolkit is the most advanced edition which comes with a lifetime license, allows recovery of unlimited number of mailboxes, and comes along with a bundle of software, like OST Converter, EDB Convertor, and Password Recovery for Exchange.

Installation of the Software

Stellar Repair for Exchange is easy to download and install. The size of the application is as small as 23 megabytes. After accepting the terms and conditions, the application is installed in a few clicks, taking a few minutes. Stellar Repair for Exchange can be installed on Windows 10 or on a server.

How the Software Works?

Once you open the application, you will be presented with the prompt to select the EDB file or files to open. If you do not know the location of the EDB file, you can select the ‘Find’ option and the application would find and list all the EDB files in your drives.

The next step, before opening the EDB files, is to choose a quick scan or an extensive one depending on the damage. If you want to open an old EDB file, just a quick scan would suffice. After the scan is complete, you will be presented with all the database structure.

Interface of Stellar Repair for Exchange

Interface of Stellar Repair for Exchange

The software interface has most of the functionality on the same screen (see the above image). This is great as you do not have to go through multiple popups or windows as all the functionality is available in one screen and in a very simplistic way. The interface is very simple and similar to the Outlook. As you can see below, the structure of all the EDB files including the mailboxes and other components not visible to the users.

Left pane screenshot

Left pane screenshot

At the bottom of the screen, you can switch between Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes and other information. It will transform the view depending on the section you are on.

Calendar view

Calendar view

The middle pane of the application will list all the emails in the folder you select. You will be able to make searches directly from within the same view, in-line real-time search in the header of each section with multiple criteria such as From, To, Subject, and Date.

in-line search

In-line search

You will be able to preview the emails in HTML format, which will make it easier to find a particular email to export or view.

Preview pane

Preview pane

Once you have selected the emails, you can export either a single email or multiple emails/ mailboxes to PST, EML, MSG, PDF, and other formats. You can also export Public Folders to PST.

You can open any EDB file, be it healthy or damaged, of any Exchange Server version from 2007 to 2019. You do not need to have an Exchange Server installed to recover data from EDB files.

Saving options

Saving options

In case of a disaster or a corruption in the database, you can create a new database and simply export all mailboxes directly to a live Exchange Server database with mailbox matching. The application can also export directly to an Office 365 tenant. The recovery process is fast. It utilizes parallel processing technique and can process up to 4 mailboxes at a time. The process dependency is on RAM and the compute power of the server is used to import.

During a disaster recovery, you can also select VIP users to be given priority during the export, so that critical mailboxes can be imported first. With Stellar Repair for Exchange, you can resume an export if for any reason it is interrupted.

Verdict

Stellar Repair for Exchange really is a life saver and comes in handy when disaster strikes on your Exchange Server. It can export data from databases which are not mounted due to corruption, failure of Exchange Server, infection from malware or ransomware, or missing log files. It is a must have tool for every Exchange Server Admin as it reduces the recovery time to a minimum and get your business up and running with no complications.

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