Overview

With IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot, you can back up and restore Exchange Server data, SQL Server data, file system volumes, and custom application data on volumes. You can back up and restore the data to IBM Spectrum Protect server or local shadow volumes.

A local shadow volume contains data that is stored on shadow volumes, which are local to a disk storage system.

You can install, configure, and use IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot with different operating systems, databases, and applications or file systems. The software is compatible with most hardware that uses FlashCopy® technology.

The following table lists IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot components that operate in Microsoft Exchange Server Microsoft SQL Server and file system and custom application environments:
Table 1. IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot components in Windows environment
Component Description
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Snap-in and Base System Services Uses MMC and a generic backup agent to create snapshots of file systems, applications, or databases.
VSS Requestor Uses the VSS backup-archive client as a VSS interface to communicate with Microsoft VSS services, access data, and create volume shadow copies.
IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for Exchange Server Uses Microsoft Exchange Server capabilities to complete the following tasks:
  • Store VSS backup copies locally as persistent snapshots, or store VSS backup copies as snapshots on the IBM Spectrum Protect server. You can also offload backups to IBM Spectrum Protect.
  • Centralize policy management and scheduling.
  • Complete VSS, and volume-level instant restore operations.
  • Complete individual mailbox restore operations.
IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot for SQL Server Uses Microsoft SQL Server capabilities to complete the following tasks:
  • Complete legacy-style and VSS backups.
  • Store VSS backup copies locally as persistent snapshots, or store VSS backup copies as snapshots on the IBM Spectrum Protect server. You can also offload backups to IBM Spectrum Protect.
  • Centralize policy management and scheduling.
  • Complete VSS, and volume-level instant restores.

You can use IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot with IBM Spectrum Protect. When the two products are used together, they provide advanced data protection and centrally managed, policy-based administration capabilities for IBM Spectrum Protect Snapshot backup images.