[Box Backup] Does windows client handle exchange server files

[Stuart Sanders]

A while back after I first joined the list, I sent a comment on something I=
'd found to the dev list.  This might be a temporary solution to those with=
 windows file locking issues on Win2k3 servers.  Note I haven't tested this=
, as I've moved to another solution for now that can handle MS Exchange spe=
cifically, and have been snowed under workwise and familywise for the last =
couple of months.  Also whether it would work with winxp I don't know.  The=
 author specifically says only win2k3.

VSS is something I want to specifically spend some time on later when I get=
 a chance.  In the mean time see if this is of any help.

Stuart

http://www.itefix.no/phpws/index.php?module=3Dfaq&FAQ_op=3Dview&FAQ_id=3D81

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Extract:
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Can cwrsync copy files in use ?

A: =09NB! The recipe below applies to Windows 2003 Server only.

I recently had the issue of running rsync to backup up files that are "in u=
se". A good example was backing up documents and settings and the ntuser.da=
t file would always fail.along with several other system locked files.

Resolution was to download the VSS SDK from Microsoft's web site. The SDK h=
as an executable vshadow.exe which will allow you to create volume shadow c=
opies that are mapped to a drive, allowing rsync to use the VSS drive where=
 no files are locked.

An example command set would be:

rem create a permanent shadow copy
vshadow.exe -p -nw -script=3Dvars.bat
call vars.bat
rem drive H: is assigned to the permanent shadow copy created
vshadow.exe -el=3D%SHADOW_ID_1%,H:
rem perform your rsync operation, use drive H: (shadow drive) as source
rsync.exe -ruztiv '/cygdrive/h/xxxxxxx' myrsyncserver::myrsyncuser
rem remove the permanent shadow copy
vshadow.exe -ds=3D%SHADOW_ID_1%

-- Contributed by Rob Bosch

You may also visit the link for more detailed information.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boxbackup-admin@fluffy.co.uk=20
> [mailto:boxbackup-admin@fluffy.co.uk] On Behalf Of E.W. Peter Jalajas
> Sent: Wednesday, 1 November 2006 12:04 AM
> To: boxbackup@fluffy.co.uk
> Subject: Re: [Box Backup] Does windows client handle exchange=20
> server files
>=20
>=20
> Maybe this is obvious, but please also be careful of the converse:=20
> that is, not only can box backup not backup a file that is locked in
> use, but also, your customers cannot open a file that is being backed
> up by box backup if box backup gets to that file first. =20
>=20
> So, since I am primarily using lazy mode, and thus have not=20
> bothered to
> control when the backups happen, I cannot risk having my customers
> locked out of their important business files (quickbooks, outlook.pst,
> some .doc/.xls/.mdb files, etc) because box backup is running, that I
> am now defaulting to EXCLUDE those types and then work out a strategy
> with the customer for each of those software applications to backup
> only the backup versions of those business files. =20
>=20
> This lock-out problem is particularly problematic because, it seems,
> the more important business files are frequently quite large and thus
> the customer is locked out of them for very long and frustrating
> periods of time, usually at the worst possible moment.  Exchange would
> fall into that, and that is on my list to work on, when time=20
> permits. =20
>=20
> Maybe shadow copy is really the generic solution to this problem; I
> have to look into that more.=20
>=20
> Pete
>=20
> --- Chris Wilson <chris@qwirx.com> wrote:
>=20
> > Hi Dave,
> >=20
> > > Can anyone tell me if the current windows client handles=20
> files that
> > are=20
> > > always in use, especially the exchange server message store in
> > which I=20
> > > understand "shadow copy" has some involvement in how these files
> > are=20
> > > backed up?
> >=20
> > No, I'm afraid not. Files which are exclusively opened cannot be
> > backed up=20
> > at present, which includes the registry and SAM as well. Shadow copy
> > is on=20
> > our "to do" list.
> >=20
> > Cheers, Chris.
> > --=20
> > _ ___ __     _
> >   / __/ / ,__(_)_  | Chris Wilson <0000 at qwirx.com> - Cambs UK |
> > / (_/ ,\/ _/ /_ \ | Security/C/C++/Java/Perl/SQL/HTML Developer |
> > \ _/_/_/_//_/___/ | We are GNU-free your mind-and your software |
> >=20
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> > boxbackup@fluffy.co.uk
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> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
>=20
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