Shared Folder on an Advanced format (4K) Disk

[KDSym]

If my target storage is a shared folder on an Advanced Format (4K) disk, will there be issue backing up the SYSTEM STATE of a Windows 2008 server from Backup Exec 2012?

I understand that Backup Exec 2012 cannot backup to a local Advanced format (4K) USB Disk storage on Windows 2008 because of VSS errors but would it be different if it were a shared folder since it does not know whether the shared folder is 512 or 4K byte sector as long as the OS sharing the folder supports 4K like Windows 2012?

[pkh]

For shared folder, it is the media server which initiates the write and not the server sharing the folder, so no to your question

[Colin_Weaver]

I believe the System State VSS issues that related to USB disks on 4K format was something to do with the System State of the server that the USB disk was directly connected to and was specific to how local 4K disks are registered to the operating system and then accidentally linked to the System State even though you are not backing up from the 4K partition.

We are not aware of any specific issue with Sytem State of 2008 being backed up to 4K on a NAS. That said however There are some known issues relating to Exchange GRT, where the transaction logs have to be backed up to storage with the same sector size as the source disk and it is therefore possible that a System State backup with AD GRT enabled might experience a related issue.

[KDSym]

Will there be the same error if 4K format drives were configured as raid 5 on a Windows 2008 server?

Will Windows 2008 even recognize the raid 5 since it is 4K format drive?

[pkh]

You should ask Microsoft this question

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

The following Microsoft KB discusses Microsoft support for 4K

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2510009

which basically suggests that you should format in Advanced format (512E) mode if running windows 2008 (Note for System State backups with connected 4K USB disks we know the reformatting with 512E fixes the problem)

If you look at the 3rd bullet point in the Known Compatibility Issues section,  I think it partially explains the reason why we have seen issues with System State backups. However it does not state whether there is any difference for directly/locally attached disks vs disk connected over a share (I suspect there is)

Taking the document as a whole however then probably the best recommendation is plan to use an operating system that fully supports 4K if you intend to connect to volumes formatted with 4K.