New Features In Windows Storage Server 2003; Volume Shadow Copy Service (Vss) - Aberdeen AberNAS 120 Manual

New Features in Windows Storage Server 2003

The following are new features in Windows Storage Server 2003.
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Volume Shadow Copy Service
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Virtual Disk Service
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MPIO
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DFS

Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)

The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is an infrastructure that makes possible enhanced data
protection though high fidelity backups, rapid data restores, and data transport.
VSS is a component of the operating system, and as such, is not directly accessed by users. Instead
the Volume Shadow Copy Service coordinates with user applications, backup applications and
storage hardware to enable the creation of point-in-time shadow copies of data on single or multiple
volumes without significantly impacting performance.
High Fidelity Backups
Shadow copy creation is a highly effective means of protecting data with several advantages over
traditional tape backups when the goal is not long-term archiving. Tape-based technologies are time-
intensive to run, impose a considerable bandwidth burden on the local network, and can have data
inconsistency issues if applications are open during the backup process. As a consequence, tape
backups tend to be scheduled relatively infrequently and at times when applications are not in use
(such as nights or weekends)—a strategy that can work reasonably well for companies that do not
require 24x7 operations. In contrast, shadow copies can be created in seconds, without the impact on
network traffic that tape backups impose. Additionally, because the shadow copy process allows
open files to be backed up without data inconsistency issues, they can be scheduled at any time, and
much more frequently than tape backups.
Fast Restores
In the event of data loss, shadow copy restoration offers significant advantage over tape restores.
Because the shadow copies can be saved on storage arrays on site, they can be accessed directly,
without the need to travel offsite to a tape data vault, locate and bring back a tape. Even more
significantly, shadow copy restores takes only minutes to complete, while tape restores, depending
on the type of backup (full, differential or incremental) and the amount of data, can take hours or even
days to do correctly.
Shadow Copies for Share Folders
System administrators are not the only people to benefit from the fast restore functionality enabled by
VSS. System administrators can activate Shadow Copy for Shared Folders, thereby enabling end
users who overwrite or accidentally delete a file to restore a previous version of a file for themselves,
rather than having to recreate the file or request that a system administrator do a high cost single file
restore from tape.
Microsoft® Windows Storage Server 2003 White Paper