This article is for Amanda Enterprise (AE)
Info Type: General
Info Description:
Zmanda Windows Client uses Microsoft VSS (Volume Shadow Services) to perform backup and recovery of file systems and applications. VSS writer services for the application must be stable and must not have any error for successful backup.
Windows command vssadmin list writers returns the state of all VSS writers on the system. If the required application writer’s state is not stable, restart the respective service (sometimes system reboot might be required). After restarting the service or rebooting the system, recheck the VSS writer state using the same command.
On Windows Vista and above, Above command will require Administrator privileges.
The list below shows the name of the VSS writer and the Windows Service associated with the writer. Restarting the Windows service will restart the VSS writer
Exchange Application :
- Writer Name – Microsoft Exchange Writer
- Writer Service (Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010) Microsoft Exchange Information Store
MS-SQL Application :
- Writer Name – SQLServerWriter (MS-SQL 2005 and MS-SQL 2008) and MSDEWriter (MS-SQL 2000)
- Writer Service MS-SQL 2005 and MS-SQL 2008 – SQL Server VSS Writer, MS-SQL 2000 – No associated service. System reboot is required.
Sharepoint Application :
- Writer Name – SharePoint Services Writer
- Writer Service WSS-3.0 and MOSS 2007 – Sharepoint Services VSS Writer, Sharepoint 2010 – SharePoint 2010 VSS Writer
Oracle Application :
- Writer Name – Oracle VSS Writer
- Writer Service – Oracle sidname VSS Writer (where sid name is name of the oracle database instance)
System State: List of VSS writer names depends on the operating system
- Windows XP – Microsoft Writer (Bootable State)
- Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 2008 – System Writer, Registry Writer, COM+ REGDB Writer
- Windows 2003 and Windows 2008 – NTDS (if AD is installed), FRS Writer(If AD is installed), DFS Replication service writer (if DFRS is enabled), Certificate Authority (if Certificate Authority is installed)
- Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 7 – Task Scheduler Writer, Performance Counters Writer
- All OS – IIS Metabase Writer, IIS Config Writer (if IIS is installed)
If any of the above writers not in stable state, reboot the system
