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Mehul_Pal's avatar
Mehul_Pal
Level 5
8 years ago

VSS Issue

Hi All,

I have 2 questions regarding vss

1.I would like to understand the difference between VSS & VSP

2. if we disable windows open file backup will it affect the complete backup or recovery?

 

  • Marianne's avatar
    Marianne
    8 years ago

    Please read up about WOFB in Chapter 3 of NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I 

     Extract:

    Snapshot Provider:

    Note: This option is used for back-level versions of NetBackup only. Support for the Windows versions that are listed here has ended.
    Selects the snapshot provider for the selected clients:
    ■ Use Veritas Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP)
    This option specifies that Veritas VSP be used as the snapshot provider. VSP is required
    for Windows 2000 clients and can also be used on 6.x Windows 2003 clients.
    ■ Use Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
    This option specifies that Microsoft VSS be used to create volume snapshots of volumes
    and logical drives for the selected clients.
    Configure VSS through the Microsoft VSS configuration dialog boxes.
    For information about how to do Active Directory granular restores when using VSS, see
    the following topic:
    See “Active Directory host properties” on page 73.
    For Microsoft Distributed File System Replication (DFSR) servers, select Use Microsoft
    Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
    See “About Microsoft DSFR backups” on page 672.

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  • StefanosM's avatar
    StefanosM
    Level 6
    8 years ago

    You can not use VSP with windows 2008 and 2012, as it is an old open file procedure for windows 2000. Current netbackup versions does not use VSP (veritas snapshot provider).

    If you disable open files, the backup will skip all open files, without any option to recover them.

    Windows system state always use VSS regardless your open file configuration.

     

  • nbutech's avatar
    nbutech
    Level 6
    8 years ago

    AS mentioned earlier the default will always be VSS and that is the method to use on WIndows system..

    I have seen sometimes irrespective of one allowing to backup open files they get skipped bcuz of permissions issue to access it.. You will be anyways be able to see the skipped file sin job logs or bpbkar logs

    You should be recoverable except for the skipped files.. All you need to have his System State backup and backup for your drives

    • Mehul_Pal's avatar
      Mehul_Pal
      Level 5
      8 years ago

      Hi

      by default vsp is selected

       

      if i manually change it to VSS will it change anything ?

      • Michal_Mikulik1's avatar
        Michal_Mikulik1
        Moderator
        8 years ago

        Hello,

        the difference is only in background low-level mechanism for taking snapshots.

        VSS is operating system part and VSP was a SW-based solution.

        The result - consistent point-in-time backup of a data incl open files - is the same.

        However as stated above (and I am not sure you have read these posts carefully), the last OS which could be used with VSP was Win 2000.

        Michal