Scenario: there is email from a previous employee that needs to be recovered. Problem: it only exists on older backup sets. To simplify, let's say Set 1 and Set 2. Set 1 is older and would contain the oldest email but not the latest. Set 2 would contain the oldest email but nothing new. I can create a Recovery Storage group to recovery it. I know that much (and, yes, have practiced recovering items with this method) but how do I deal with needed data being on two (or possibly more) sets??? 1) Create a RSG 2) Recover the mail from Set 1 to the mailbox that I would create specifically for the recover operation. 3) Recover the mail from Set 2 to the same mailbox and let the items merge? Or the other way around? Or create two separate mailboxes? Note: I am working with Exchange 2007 SP2. The backup software is third party but I'm familiar with it. We have no special archiving system in place.

Theorectially all your solutions would work. Restore one backup set then search for the missing email if it's not there, that backup is basically null at that point no? I don't see a need to merge or anything. James Chong (MVP) MCITP | EA | EMA; MCSE | M+, S+ Security+, Project+, ITIL msexchangetips.blogspot.comJames Chong (MVP) MCITP | EA | EMA; MCSE | M+, S+ Security+, Project+, ITIL msexchangetips.blogspot.com

I agree with James, order doesn't matter other then if its in both sets and if so then in that case I would do the newest set first so that if you find what you need you can avoid having to run through the second set. On another note, check out Lucid8's DIgiScope http://www.lucid8.com/product/digiscope.asp that provides a nice GUI and lots of other options etc.Troy Werelius www.Lucid8.com

RSG operation was successful. Thank you for your input.

RSG operation was successful. Thank you for your input.