{"id":1221,"date":"2018-10-22T15:13:29","date_gmt":"2018-10-22T09:43:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liai.co.in\/blog\/?p=384"},"modified":"2022-01-21T03:37:49","modified_gmt":"2022-01-21T03:37:49","slug":"how-windows-vss-snapshot-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.liainfraservices.com\/blog\/how-windows-vss-snapshot-works\/","title":{"rendered":"How does Windows VSS Snapshot work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/span> 4<\/span> min read<\/span><\/span>
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 <\/h6>\n
How does VSS Snapshot work?<\/strong><\/em><\/h6>\n

If any files are opened or constantly being changed with data sets or some high I\/O operations, it becomes a difficult job to back up that file because the file could be in an inconsistent state.<\/p>\n

If there is any database file like ntds .dit, DB file,etc which experience a high I\/O in business hours,and if these files are not continuously monitored and backed up which contains mission-critical data of an organization, any single disaster or fault can cause damage to that organization.<\/p>\n

So, to have an HA or BAU architecture maintained it is always advisable to back up those data in a certain period of time based on their RPO and RTO SLA agreement.<\/p>\n

But to have any backup in place while the data are always in an inconsistent state, is rather a tedious process.<\/p>\n

The solution for these came from the Microsoft VSS service.<\/p>\n

It takes advantage of concept Point in time Snapshot.<\/p>\n

So, here it comes Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service, which was first introduced with server 2003 and with client OS like XP and higher with \u201cPrevious Version\u201d feature.<\/p>\n

Let me try to put things in order for a better understanding of how this entire process of taking snapshot works.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

VSS or Volume Shadow copy Service has these three main components.<\/p>\n