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The following diagram shows how the Volume Shadow Copy Service controls the overall coordination of the requester, writer, and provider. This section puts the various roles of the requester, writer, and provider into context by listing the steps that need to be taken to create a shadow copy.

The following diagram illustrates how the VSS service coordinates with requesters, writers, and providers to create a shadow copy of a volume.įigure 1 Architectural diagram of Volume Shadow Copy Service How a Shadow Copy Is Created A hardware provider offloads the task of creating and maintaining a shadow copy from the host operating system.

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If you use a storage area network (SAN), it is important that you install the VSS hardware provider for the SAN, if one is provided.

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The Windows operating system includes a VSS provider that uses copy-on-write.

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This can occur in the software or in the hardware. VSS provider The component that creates and maintains the shadow copies. Non-Microsoft VSS writers are included with many applications for Windows that need to guarantee data consistency during back up. VSS writers for various Windows components, such as the registry, are included with the Windows operating system. This is typically provided as part of a line-of-business application, such as SQL Server® or Exchange Server. VSS writer The component that guarantees we have a consistent data set to back up. Non-Microsoft® VSS requesters include nearly all backup software that runs on Windows. The Windows Server Backup utility and the System Center Data Protection Manager application are VSS requesters.

Typically, this is the backup application.

VSS requester The software that requests the actual creation of shadow copies (or other high-level operations like importing or deleting them). VSS service Part of the Windows operating system that ensures the other components can communicate with each other properly and work together. System Center Data Protection Manager ( )Ī complete VSS solution requires all of the following basic parts: Windows features and applications that use VSS include the following: You need a fast recovery from data loss by restoring data to the original Logical Unit Number (LUN) or to an entirely new LUN that replaces an original LUN that failed. You want to back up application data and system state information, including archiving data to another hard disk drive, to tape, or to other removable media. The shadow copy can be used as-is, or it can be used in scenarios such as the following: VSS coordinates the actions that are required to create a consistent shadow copy (also known as a snapshot or a point-in-time copy) of the data that is to be backed up. When all the components support VSS, you can use them to back up your application data without taking the applications offline. The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), which was introduced in Windows Server® 2003, facilitates the conversation between these components to allow them to work better together. If the data set is large, it can be difficult to back up all of it at one time.Ĭorrectly performing backup and restore operations requires close coordination between the backup applications, the line-of-business applications that are being backed up, and the storage management hardware and software. This means that some of the data files might be open or they might be in an inconsistent state. The data usually needs to be backed up while the applications that produce the data are still running. Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7īacking up and restoring critical business data can be very complex due to the following issues:

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