Volume Shadow Copy Service

Using the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) feature provided with Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Arcserve Backup enables you to take advantage of the point-in- time backup feature of VSS that allows open files to be backed up. Applications and large databases that are VSS-aware can also be backed up, ensuring transactional consistency during the backup process.

Note: Volume Shadow Copy is a technology provided by Microsoft in Windows XP and 2003. Therefore, this option is disabled on NT4 and Windows 2000 agents.

VSS Support in Arcserve Backup

Arcserve Backup provides VSS backup and restore support through the following solutions:

• Arcserve Backup Client for VSS Software Snap-Shot--Works with VSS-aware applications to provide point-in-time backup and restore of Windows 2003 files and data sets. As changes are made to the original information, intermediate shadow copies are created to back up only the changes. The Arcserve Backup Client for VSS Software Snap-Shot (the client) creates software-based shadow copies as well as hardware-based shadow copies on devices that support this functionality; however, these hardware-based shadow copies are not transportable.
• Arcserve Backup Enterprise Option for VSS Hardware Snap-Shot--Works with the client and VSS interfaces supplied by specific vendors of disk array equipment to create transportable hardware-based shadow copies. Transportable shadow copies allow greater flexibility for the backup and restore of your mission critical applications and files by enabling the shadow copy to be imported onto other servers within the same system. You can then use the transported shadow copy volumes for additional tape backups, or for other uses such as data mining and software development testing. The Arcserve Backup Enterprise Option for VSS Hardware Snap-Shot (the option) is available with the Arcserve Backup for Windows Enterprise Option and currently supports Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.

When used in a remote backup and restore configuration, both of these solutions use the Arcserve Backup Client Agent for Windows to provide communication between a workstation and the Arcserve Backup server.

For detailed information about the Volume Shadow Copy Service and how it interacts with Arcserve Backup, see the Agent for Microsoft VSS Guide.

More information:

Volume Shadow Copy Service Writer Options