Advanced Open File options

You can set the following options for the Advanced Open File Option (AOFO).

See Setting default options for the Advanced Open File Option.

See Configuring the Advanced Open File Option for backup jobs.

Table: Advanced Open File options

Item

Description

Use Advanced Open File Option

Indicates if AOFO is enabled for backup jobs.

If you do not select this option, jobs saved before you installed the Advanced Open File Option will continue to use the previous settings for backing up open files.

Automatically select open file technology

Enables Backup Exec to select the best snapshot method to use for the type of data being backed up.

However, even if selected, a snapshot method may not be used if the resources do not meet the requirements for using snapshot methods. If the volume you select for backup does not meet the requirements for using AOFO, then the open file backup options apply (Never; If closed within 30 seconds; With a lock; Without a lock).

See Advanced options for backup jobs.

If you select AOFO and the Microsoft VSS provider, then Backup Exec uses the first available hardware, software, or system provider to perform the snapshot.

Symantec Volume Snapshot Provider (Windows 2000 only)

Indicates if Symantec Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP) is enabled as a snapshot provider. You can only use VSP on computers that have Windows 2000/XP 32-bit.

VSP is Symantec’s snapshot technology for Backup Exec. You can use the AOFO Wizard to help you configure VSP.

See Best practices for using the Symantec Volume Snapshot Provider.

AOFO Wizard

Starts a wizard that helps you configure the Symantec Volume Snapshot Provider for use with AOFO.

Veritas Storage Foundation™ for Windows FlashSnap Option (Windows 2000 and 2003 only)

Indicates if Veritas Storage Foundation™ is enabled as a snapshot provider. You can only use Veritas Storage Foundation™ on computers that have Windows 2000/2003.

See About Snap Start on a Veritas Storage Foundation volume.

Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (Windows 2003 and later)

Enables third-party hardware and software vendors to create snapshot add-ins for use with Microsoft’s technology.

Microsoft, as well as other third party software vendors, often provide additional components that work in conjunction with VSS. These components, called Writers, are used to flush application data or file data (if a file is open) residing in the computer’s memory before the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service makes a snapshot of the volume to be backed up.

See your software documentation for information about VSS Writers that may be provided by the application software vendor.

If you turn off Active Directory, Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is not available. Jobs that require VSS fail.

Snapshot provider

Indicates the snapshot provider to use for jobs.

  • Automatic – Allow VSS to select the snapshot provider.

    Select this option to enable VSS to select the best provider for the selected volume. The order in which a snapshot provider is selected is hardware provider, software provider, and then the system provider.

  • System – Use Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider.

  • Software – Use Veritas Storage Foundation for Windows.

  • Hardware – Use technology provided by hardware manufacturer.

If you select Software or Hardware as the snapshot provider, then the following information applies:

  • If multiple volumes are selected, then all volumes must be snappable by the same type of provider.

  • Software and hardware providers cannot both be used to snap different volumes in the same job. You must either create another job, or select the option Process logical volumes for backup one at a time.

Process logical volumes for backup one at a time

Enables the backup of multiple volumes in one job, while creating a snapshot of only one logical volume at a time. To ensure database integrity, or if a volume contains mount points, multiple volumes may need to be snapped at one time. A volume with mount points to other volumes is considered a logical volume for snapshot purposes. Therefore, that volume and the mount point volumes will be snapped together simultaneously.

After the logical volume is snapped and backed up, the snapshot is deleted before the next logical volume is snapped. This option increases the ability to meet the minimum quiet time needed to complete a snapshot.

A logical volume can comprise multiple physical volumes. A single logical volume can encompass all of the volumes on which databases reside.

If this option is not selected, then a snapshot for all volumes in the backup job is created simultaneously. All volumes must meet the minimum quiet time.

This option is only available for Symantec Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP) and Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) jobs for logical volumes.

The Shadow Copy Components snapshots are created using VSS. This is reported in the job log and job history.

Advanced Open File options