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Anyone using MozyPro to backup SQL Server databases?

I'm concerned about the way it does the backup. It just copies data files the way they are. Not using the backup database command.

Is it safe?

Erick Sasse
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3 Answers3

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MozyPro uses the Volume Shadow Service (VSS) to create backups for SQL Server. SQL Server 2005 has been engineered so that VSS backups are consistent. So this is definitely a valid way to back up SQL Server databases.

Here is a white paper on how the SQL Server 2005 SQL Writer works with VSS.

Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 provides support for creating snapshots from SQL Server data using Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). This is accomplished by providing a VSS compliant writer (the SQL writer) so that a third-party backup application can use the VSS framework to back up database files. This paper describes the SQL writer component and its role in the VSS snapshot creation and restore process for SQL Server databases. It also captures details on how to configure and use the SQL writer to work with backup applications in the context of the VSS framework.

Here is the MozyPro manual (PDF), which describes how to restore SQL Server backups that were made using VSS.

That being said, if you don't trust this method, there is nothing stopping you from setting up a backup job and just having Mozy backup your *.bak files.

Bryan Batchelder
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Judging by the hell I am currently going through with Mozy.. NO NO NO! The backups work, in theory, just not the restore part. Mozy's extreme incremental backup system results in restores that can take weeks. Apparently. I'm still waiting despite talking their top level tech support, over 10 days have passed.

avram cheaney
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https://github.com/candera/hobocopy

WHY DOES HOBCOPY USE THE VOLUME SHADOW SERVICE?

Because HoboCopy copies from a VSS snapshot, it is able copy even files that are in locked by some other program. Further, certain programs (such as SQL Server 2005) are VSS-aware, and will write their state to disk in a consistent state before the snapshot is taken, allowing a sort of "live backup". Files locked by VSS-unaware programs will still be copied in a "crash consistent" state (i.e. whatever happens to be on the disk). This is generally a lot better than not being able to copy the file at all.

Tagar
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