Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox Server Storage Cost Calculator

VSS Clone implementations ensure a fast recovery mechanism (close to LCR/CCR activation timeframes).  Not all snapshot solutions can guarantee that (e.g. DPM is a fast backup solution but is not necessarily, a fast restore solution), though there are some that

probably can.

I'm not sure where it was indicated that we do not support backupless infrastructures with Exchange and continuous replication because we certainly do.  You simply enable circular logging (for more information, please see

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc535020.aspx#LogTrunc

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc535020.aspx#LogTrunc).

But yes, you are correct that the calculator currently depicts an end-to-end solution for SCC and not for CCR by excluding a CCR backup solution.

However, the key point that I am making in the SCC vs. CCR comparison is that if you want to deploy large mailboxes (1GB or greater) then if you have database failure(s) you need a fast recovery mechanism.  For SCC, a VSS clone solution will meet that requirement;

and for CCR that is you copy.  In no way am I implying that for one solution you need backups and the other you do not.

Thanks for the feedback,

Ross