Incremental offhost backup files using catalogs are not restored if Hitachi VSS Hardware Provider is used

[dori_bashan]

Hi

Regarding that kb article:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH190622&viewlocale=en_US&impressio...

Can i select "System- use Micorosft Shadow Copy Provider" insted of "Automatic - Allow VSS to Select the Snapshop Provider"  and contine using the "Using Catalogs" option?

It is vey important for us to use "Using Catalogs" - this is the reason we bought the ADBO option (Enterprise Server Bundle)

Thanks

Dori

[pkh]

Yes. Definitely.

[dori_bashan]

Can you please explain the diference between the two methods:

Micorosft Shadow Copy Provider vs. Hardware VSS technology.

Why hardware is better then software?

Waht are the risks when choosing software VSS and not hardware VSS?

i'm asking that as i've always used the defualt settings that is "Automatic - Allow VSS to Select the Snapshop Provider" and i dont really know the diffrences between the two.

Thanks

Dori

[CraigV]

...it's not a case of why hardware is better than software...each vendor might have its own VSS provider. Normally this is left as Automatic within BE, but sometimes it gets recommended (by a vendor) to use their specific VSS provider.

Automatic is normally the best option to go with.

[dori_bashan]

Unless there is a bug...Like here with Hitachi VSS provider.

So will it be ok to change it to Microsoft Shadow Copy?

[CraigV]

...it's worth a try. If it works, test a restore. I've been told on different support calls to try various VSS providers during troubleshooting.

[dori_bashan]

Thanks

I will test and update

[dori_bashan]

Can i just disable Advanced Open File Option by de-select "Use Snapshot Technology"?

What is the purpose of Advanced Open File anyway? what can happened if BE is trying to backup a file that is in use while Advanced Open File Option is disabled?

If i remember correctly, AOFO was disabled by default in BE 2010 R3.

Thanks

Dori

[pkh · Accepted solution]

You can disable AOF, but you would not be able to backup any files that are opened when your backup is taken.  These opened files will either be skipped because they are in use or will be backed up as a corrupted file.

AOFO is always enabled in any version of BE.  Otherwise, it will not be able to back up opened files.

For off-host processing, you need a device which is capable of taking snapshots.  These snapshots are then processed by BE directly, independently of the remote server.

For your other problem,

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/restore-job-completes-status-successful-no-files-are-...

try disabling off-host backup and use the Microsoft VSS.  You can still do True Image backups ("Using catalogs") without doing off-host processing.