About backing up databases using Arctera System Recovery

Arctera System Recovery enables you to back up both, Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)-aware and non-VSS aware databases. For backing up VSS-aware databases, Arctera System Recovery integrates with VSS to automate the backup process. While, for backing up non-VSS-aware databases, you can create manual or automatic cold or hot recovery points of the databases.

VSS-aware databases

Arctera System Recovery integrates with Microsoft's VSS to automate the process of backing up VSS-aware databases, such as the following:

VSS-aware databases are auto-enabled and cannot be turned off. VSS lets administrators create a shadow copy backup of volumes on a server. The shadow copy includes all files and includes open files.

When it creates a recovery point, Arctera System Recovery alerts the Volume Shadow Copy Service. VSS then puts the VSS-aware databases into a temporary sleep state. While in this quiesced state, the database continues to write to transaction logs during the backup. After the databases are quiesced, Arctera System Recovery takes the snapshot. VSS is then notified that a snapshot is completed. The databases are awakened, and the transaction logs continue to be committed to the database. Meanwhile, the recovery point is created. The databases are only quiesced for the snapshot, and are active for the rest of the recovery point creation.

Arctera System Recovery supports Exchange Server 2007 or later, which implements VSS technology. However, if the database load is heavy, the VSS request might be ignored. Create recovery points at the lightest load time.

Be sure that you have installed the latest service packs for your given database.

Non VSS-aware databases

With Arctera System Recovery, you can create manual cold backups, automatic warm backups, or hot backups of non-VSS-aware databases.