{"id":4537,"date":"2015-01-14T13:42:36","date_gmt":"2015-01-14T13:42:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backupassist.com\/blog\/?p=4537"},"modified":"2019-11-19T02:46:35","modified_gmt":"2019-11-19T02:46:35","slug":"vss-application-backups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.backupassist.com\/blog\/vss-application-backups","title":{"rendered":"VSS application backups"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"vssapp-header\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service or VSS is a storage management framework designed for Windows to create point-in-time copies or snapshots of drives while files are in use.
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How does VSS work?<\/h2>\n

VSS application backups work as follows:<\/p>\n

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  1. BackupAssist sends a request to VSS to perform a snapshot of the selected disk volumes.<\/li>\n
  2. VSS communicates with running applications to complete existing transactions and halt new ones.<\/li>\n
  3. VSS takes a snapshot of the selected drive volumes.<\/li>\n
  4. Once complete, VSS communicates with running applications to resume normal operations.<\/li>\n
  5. BackupAssist backs up the snapshot created, where no open files are present.<\/li>\n
  6. Once the backup of the snapshot completes, VSS removes the snapshot from the system.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    BackupAssist<\/a> is a VSS-Aware application that has integrated support for local VSS application backups and restores. The supported applications include Microsoft Exchange Server, SQL Server, SharePoint Server and Hyper-V Server.<\/p>\n

    \"vssapp1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    BackupAssist cannot be used to back up VSS applications running on remote machines.<\/p>\n

    Backing up VSS applications<\/h2>\n

    System Protection<\/a>, File Protection<\/a> and File Archiving<\/a> can all be used to create VSS application backups. When you create the backup job, the first screen is called Selections<\/strong>. This is where the locally installed VSS applications will be automatically detected and listed.<\/p>\n

    Just tick the box next to the name of the VSS application, and all of the folders required to back up that VSS application will be selected as well. You can then proceed with the rest of the steps.<\/p>\n

    If a locally running application is not listed, try re-starting the application’s service and then click the Refresh<\/em> button in BackupAssist.<\/p>\n

    System Protection backups<\/h2>\n

    With System Protection image backups, VSS applications are backed up as part of a full volume snapshot.<\/p>\n