Volume Snapshot Backup Program: How Good Is That?
What is VSS for backup software? Is it a positive news when there is some VSS in a file backup utility?
Volume Snapshot Service is the technology that provides taking human-operated (or automated which provides even more tricks; automatic rules!) shadows of files at a moment in time when the backup starts. The ‘shadow’ thing seems interesting, but it is not poetic phrases which makes Volume Snapshot Service worth considering. The greatest advantage about the service is the feature: it backs up blocked data. To be capable to perform and store shadow copies, Volume Shadow Copy Service expects for the file system to be NT.
Thus, with the VSS functionality aboard, you have an opportunity to create reliable backups of a volume as the size is not changed and no issues with data being locked occur.
The files saving procedure can be arranged two basic steps. The first one is to transfer over VSS functionality to the operating system. The other option is to use the stuff as a Windows service.
But let’s pass the wimp theory and start to see a portion of pleasant activities. So, once more time, what do these yummy Volume Snapshot Service things precisely mean for data backup programs?
Practically, the intelligent VSS feature offers the advantage of hot backup for files with multiple configuration to be safe and functioning. For instance, while coping databases, this solution accurately processes all existent actions regarding those databases and makes a snapshot of files, the processing database edition. So, here comes good morning to on-the-fly backup files of Microsoft SQL Server (and here is bye-bye to blocking the service in order to pass with the saving routine).
Take MS Exchange Server. The Volume Snapshot Service thing inside backup utilities will do an advanced job here too. For example, it will back up existent databases instead of duplicating the entire volume they are hold to (a common MS activity, sadly).
And when it comes to HDD imaging, the strong power of Volume Snapshot Service for hot backup runs on providing awesome features, as the entire OS saving without logging off Windows OS, syncing of two HD images, and as a consequence comfortable PC cloning.
So, if you still haven’t evaluated backup programs with Volume Shadow Service aboard, isn’t now sounds like a perfect moment to get one?
About the Author
This paper was written by Paul Black, the IT fan, violin player, amateur chemistry instructor, automatic testing guru, web programming geek, and online community consultant. When he doesn’t create stuff implied by the listed above activities, he writes on software for online and offline media, well, sleeps, and once again writes on software (looks like he can’t get enough of sharing cool things he thinks about all kind of utilities). Take Handy Backup program on Google+, the official web site, to get more of Paul (hangout?)
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