HP StorageWorks P9000 Replication Manager Software 7.1 CLI User Guide (TB584-96026, May 2011)

Requirements and precautions when backing up file systems
Using VSS
This subsection explains requirements and precautions when using VSS to back up file systems.
• RM Shadow Copy Provider must be installed both in the file server and backup server in advance.
Note that, if RM Shadow Copy Provider has not been installed on those servers when Application
Agent is installed, RM Shadow Copy Provider will be installed together with Application Agent.
• The backup server is required even if data is not backed up to tape, because the backup server
imports VSS snapshots.
• File system write processing is halted for a given length of time (within 10 seconds) during backup.
This processing is resumed after backup has been completed.
• Note on integrity of the backup data for a file system when VSS is used:
When VSS is used to back up a file system, Application Agent obtains a snapshot without using
VSS Writer. Although this ensures the integrity of the file system, the integrity of the data for an
application that was operating during the backup cannot be ensured.
• Set up the environment of Application Agent to use VSS. For details on environment settings required
to use VSS, see “Specifying settings for using VSS” on page 148.
• All the file systems subject to backup and restoration must be mounted in advance.
• Do not use LUN#0 as a secondary volume for the backup destination. If the LUN#0 disk is used
as a secondary volume for the backup destination, other disks may not be recognized.
• Do not mount another volume in a directory on the volume to be backed up. If another volume is
mounted, mounting and restoration for the secondary volume may fail.
• If you change the settings of the following files, use the Services pane in the Windows Computer
Management console (for Windows Server 2003) or Server Manager console (for Windows
Server 2008) to restart the Protection Manager service:
• Application Agent configuration definition file (init.conf)
• RAID Manager-linkage definition file (DEFAULT.dat)
• If Veritas Snapshot Provider is installed on the database server or backup server where a VSS
backup will be performed, make sure you use version Veritas Snapshot Provider 1.04 or later.
If a VSS backup is executed using version Veritas Snapshot Provider 1.03 or earlier, the volume
to be backed up might be left with Read-Only and Hidden attributes. If this happens, the drive
will not be allocated at system startup.
If this occurs, release these attributes as described in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 840781.
Note that, to perform the operations described in Knowledge Base Article 840781, you need to
apply the hotfix described in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 831112.
If the OS is Windows Server 2003 SP2 or later, you do not need to apply the hotfix described in
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 840781 and 831112.
• If a system failure or other problem causes a VSS backup to be interrupted, the volume that is the
target of the backup might be left with the Read-Only and Hidden attributes. If these attributes
remain, the drive will not be allocated at system startup. If this occurs, release the attributes as per
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 840781. Note that, to perform the operations described in
Knowledge Base Article 840781, you need to apply the hotfix described in Microsoft Knowledge
Base Article 831112.
If the OS is Windows Server 2003 SP2 or later, you do not need to apply the hotfix described in
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 840781 and 831112.
• File systems on a dynamic disk cannot be backed up.
Application Agent system configurations82