How to use off-host backup to process remote computer backups on the Backup Exec server

Last published : Apr 02, 2026
Off-host backup enables Backup Exec to move backup processing from the host computer to the Backup Exec server. The off-host backup creates a snapshot of the volume or volumes that are selected for backup on the remote computer. The snapshots are then imported to the Backup Exec server, where they are backed up.
After the backup, the snapshots are exported from the Backup Exec server and mounted back on the remote computer and resynchronized with the source volume. This process requires solutions from the hardware providers that can support transportable snapshots. Transportable snapshots are snapshots you can import to and export from the Backup Exec server. The Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) provider that you select is used for each volume in the off-host backup. An off-host backup job is performed on one remote computer at a time.
Off-host backup supports the following:
  • Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
  • Backups for the NTFS volumes that use the full, incremental, and differential backup methods.
  • SQL Agent backups for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and later databases.
  • Exchange Agent backups for Microsoft Exchange Server instances: Support for the option to use Backup Exec Granular Recovery Technology for Exchange Agent backups is included.
Requirements for off-host backup
Additionally, the following are requirements for off-host backup:
Table: Off-host backup requirements
Item Description
Backup Exec server The Advanced Disk-based Backup feature must be installed.
Remote computer The Agent for Windows must be installed on the remote computer.
Backup Exec server and the remote computer The following must be installed on both the Backup Exec server and on the remote computer\:
- The same operating system.
- The most recent Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) patches.
- The Microsoft VSS hardware snapshot provider that you want to use. Otherwise, the snapshots of the volumes cannot be exported to the Backup Exec server.
- Ability to access the SAN shared storage or logical disk that is shared between the Backup Exec server and the remote computer.
GRT-enabled off-host backup of Exchange Server resources Off-host backup supports Exchange Agent backups for Microsoft Exchange Server. Both the Backup Exec server and the Exchange server must be running the same version with the same software patch level (including VSS patches). The devices must also be listed on the Hardware Compatibility List.
Central Admin Server feature If the Central Admin Server feature (CAS) is installed, do not let the central administration server delegate the job. It can delegate the job to a managed Backup Exec server that does not have the off-host capability. You must manually select the storage device for the CAS jobs that use the off-host backup method.
Advanced Disk-based feature off-host backup does not support the following:
  • The option Checkpoint Restart.
See Configuring checkpoint restart.
  • Volumes that run Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  • The backup method for files Using catalogs.
See How Backup Exec determines if a file has been backed up.
Best practices for off-host backup
The following best practices are recommended:
  • Do not allow source volumes and snapped volumes to share the same physical disks. Otherwise, any attempt to split the snapshot volume from the original volume fails.
  • Most hardware and software providers have some limitation about the types of volumes that are transportable. Therefore, it is recommended that you use off-host backup jobs only for backing up data for which all dependent volumes can be imported and exported.
  • Ensure that the volume that you select to back up can be imported and exported and that the VSS hardware provider is on the compatibility list. Otherwise, the off-host backup fails. You can choose to continue the backup if the off-host backup fails.
You can find a list of compatible types of storage in the Backup Exec Hardware Compatibility List.
  • The Hitachi Raid Manager log cannot be on a volume that is being snapped. Hitachi executes I/O to its Raid Manager log file during the snapshot commit process, and the VSS coordinator blocks I/O to any drive being snapped. Therefore, if the log directory for Raid Manager is on the volume that is being snapped, then log I/O is blocked and the snap process is deadlocked.
  • If the Central Admin Server feature (CAS) is installed, you must manually select the storage for the off-host backup. Otherwise, the job may be delegated to a Backup Exec server that does not have off-host capability.
See How to use Backup Exec server pools in CAS.
  • When you run an off-host backup that uses a VSS hardware provider in a Microsoft Cluster (MSCS) environment, the Backup Exec server and the remote computer must not be in the same cluster group. The cluster applications cannot support the devices' logical unit numbers (LUNs) that have duplicate signatures and partition layouts. The snapshots containing the LUNs must be transported to a host computer that is outside the cluster.
More Information
Backing up data
Configuring off-host backup options for a backup job
Setting default backup options for the Advanced Disk-based Backup feature
Troubleshooting off-host backups