XADM: Open File Backup Backs Up Inconsistent Exchange Databases

CAUSE

The Exchange databases are a combination of the database files (.Edb files) and the logs (.Log files). All transactions occurring in Exchange Server are written to the log files first and then written into the actual database files, after a period of time.

The Exchange databases are considered to be consistent when all transactions from the log files have been written into the database files. The database is then consistent with the log files. When the information store service is shut down, all transactions from the log files are written into the information store service databases (Priv.edb and Pub.edb). When the directory service is shut down, all transactions from the log files are written into the directory database (Dir.edb). The only time you can be absolutely certain that an Exchange Server database is consistent is when its respective service is shut down without error.