How to Configure Windows Server 2008 and 2012 to Store Shadow Copies
Summary
This Knowledgebase article provides information about how to configure Windows 2008 to store Volume Shadow Copies.
More Information
The Neverfail Data Rollback Module incorporates Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to create shadow copies of protected data so that in the event of data corruption, data can be rolled back to an earlier point-in-time. To configure the Data Rollback Module, it is first necessary to configure Microsoft's VSS to create shadow copies at regular intervals. The procedure outlined below is performed on both the Primary and the Secondary servers.
Note: When Neverfail for File Server is installed on a server pair, the Server service is stopped on the passive server and running on the active server. To configure Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) on the passive server, the Server service must be running and therefore requires that a switchover be performed so that the previously passive server becomes active for the configuration procedure. Once the configuration is complete, a switchover can again be performed to return the servers to their previous role.
Note: If the Data Rollback Module is enabled, DRM should be configured to perform snapshots of your protected data. Neverfail recommends that all snapshot configuration be conducted via DRM and not via the Microsoft VSS user interface.
Procedure
To configure Windows 2003 to store Volume Shadow Copies when Neverfail is installed on a server pair, follow the steps below:
- On the active server, double-click Computer .
-
Right-click a hard disk icon, and select
Configure Shadow Copies...
.
-
The 'Shadow Copies' dialog is displayed.
-
Select the volume for which you wish to configure storage, and click on the
Settings
button.
-
Set the storage area size limit.
Note: Neverfail recommends that in accordance with Microsoft guidelines, a separate volume on a separate disk be allocated for storing shadow copies. This provides better performance and eliminates the possibility that a high I/O load will cause shadow copies to be deleted.
The size of the storage area required is dependent on the typical load for your application, such as the number and size of emails received per day, or the number and size of transactions per day. The default is only 10% of the shadowed volume size, so this should probably be increased, or ideally, dedicate an entire volume on a separate disc to Shadow Storage and select 'No limit'. - Click on OK .
- Click on the Enable button of the 'Shadow Copies' dialog.
- Repeat this procedure on the passive server (if Neverfail for File Server is installed, see 'Note' above).
- Restart Heartbeat on both servers.
Applies To
Windows Server 2008 and 2012
Related Information
None
KBID-1614
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