User`s guide

This option defines whether to back up files one by one or by taking an instant data snapshot.

Note: Files that are stored on network shares are always backed up one by one.

The preset is: Create snapshot if it is possible.

Select one of the following:

 Always create a snapshot

The snapshot enables backing up of all files including files opened for exclusive access. The files

will be backed up at the same point in time. Choose this setting only if these factors are critical,

that is, backing up files without a snapshot does not make sense. To use a snapshot, the backup

plan has to run under the account with the Administrator or Backup Operator privileges. If a

snapshot cannot be taken, the backup will fail.

 Create a snapshot if it is possible

Back up files directly if taking a snapshot is not possible.

 Do not create a snapshot

Always back up files directly. Administrator or Backup Operator privileges are not required.

Trying to back up files that are opened for exclusive access will result in a read error. Files in the

backup may be not time-consistent.

3.4.1.6 Multi-volume snapshot

This option is effective only for Windows operating systems.

This option applies to disk-level backup. This option also applies to file-level backup when the file-

level backup is performed by taking a snapshot. (The File-level backup snapshot (p. 97) option

determines whether a snapshot will be taken during file-level backup).

The option determines whether to take snapshots of multiple volumes at the same time or one by

one.

The preset is: Enable.

When this option is set to Enable, snapshots of all volumes being backed up will be created

simultaneously. Use this option to create a time-consistent backup of data spanned across multiple

volumes, for instance for an Oracle database.

When this option is set to Disable, the volumes' snapshots will be taken one after the other. As a

result, if the data spans across several volumes, the resulting backup may be not consistent.

3.4.1.7 Volume Shadow Copy Service

This option is effective only for Windows operating systems.

The option defines whether a Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) provider—either Acronis VSS or

Microsoft VSS—has to notify VSS-aware applications that the backup is about to start. This ensures

the consistent state of all data used by the applications, in particular, completion of all database

transactions, at the moment of taking the data snapshot by Acronis Backup & Recovery 10. Data

consistency, in turn, ensures that the application will be recovered in the correct state and become

operational immediately after recovery.

The preset is: Create snapshots using VSS