IBM DS8000, DS6000 manual Validate VSS Operations with Vshadow.exe

Validate VSS Operations with Vshadow.exe

Before installing backup applications, it is highly recommended that core VSS functionality be tested. VSS functionality can be validated with the VSHADOW tool, which is a lightweight VSS requestor available from Microsoft. The following are the VSHADOW tests recommended before any backup software is installed.

1.Test Non-persistent shadow copy creation and deletion.

At a command prompt, type:

VSHADOW k: l:

Note: k: and l: represent the Exchange Database and log volumes. Repeat this 4 times. Verify the Windows Event Log contains no errors.

2. Test Persistent shadow copy creation and deletion. At a command prompt, type:

VSHADOW -p k: l:

You may need to run the following if there are space limitations:

VSHADOW –da(Deletes all local shadow copies)

Repeat this 4 times. Verify the Windows Event Log contains no errors.

3.Test Non-persistent transportable shadow copy creation and deletion

At a command prompt type:

VSHADOW -t=export.xml k: l:

With VSHADOW, you must manually copy the .xml file to the offload server. On the machine you have set aside for offload, type:

VSHADOW -i=export.xml

Verify the Windows Event Log contains no errors.

After all of these tests complete without errors, you are ready for the Backup Exec component installation.

Exchange 2003 VSS Backup Solution	Page 48	David West, David Hartman
For IBM Storage DS8000/DS6000		©Copyright IBM Corp. 2007
And Symantec Backup Exec 11d