Use VSS or not?

[hutchingsp]

We're running Galaxy 7.0.

I'm looking at a few of our Windows File iDataAgents and have a couple of queries.

Firstly, I notice that some, but not all have two subclients by default, one called "Default" and one for "System State" yet some do not - why is this please?

Secondly, I notice that "Use VSS" isn't enabled by default on the "Default" subclient - why is this and should I be enabling it please? The main negative I can see is that the online docs suggest don't enable it on the default subclient.

 

[Cyklops]

Up to Galaxy 5.9 there were 2 default subclients defined: one for the File System Data and one for the System State. As from version 6.1 the System State became part of the default subclient. If you upgraded to version 6.1 (and later to 7.0) however, the system state remained a separate subclient. Newly installed clients (6.1 or 7.0) have only one default subclient. I guess you have an upgraded environment with some newly added client machines.

VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service) can be used for: 1 - Open File handling and 2 - creating snapshots. If you enable it it will do Open File handling from the Windows System itself.

regards

 

[mrfokker]

You can backup the System State via the "default" subclient or you can create a specific System State backup. I have the same situation. I believe it my be carry over from Commvault prior to 6.1. When they originally setup Commvault here(5.9) they seperated the system states from the default subclients. Now I just backup the SYstem State as part of the Default Subclient and use VSS for the System State only. In the class I took they do not recommend using VSS on the default subclient. If you enable VSS on the default subclient, locked database files and other system files that should not be backed up by the Windows File System iDataAgent will be backed up. If you enable VSS on the default subclinet, and you already have VSS enabled on you system state, you will be in effect backing up the data twice. Hope that helps.

 

[hutchingsp]

Cheers both - sounds like the individual system state jobs can go then.

Also sounds like VSS is best left for now.

Does anyone know much about the "Data Classification Enabler"? Just curious if it will cut down on the hour or so that each "Scan" process takes on our two largest file servers.

 

[mrfokker]

If you remove the invidiual System States make sure you enable the backup of the System State on the default subclient and enable VSS just for the System State backup.

 

[mrfokker]

Just curious on how large are you servers and how long does the scan and collect process take?

 

[hutchingsp]

Around 3/3.5tb each with 4m or so files on one and 6m or so files on the other one.

Hence the query as to if the "Data Classification Enabler" would be worth a try - didn't realise it existed until today.