VSS backup and restore operations each use a protocol for the interaction of the systems that use mass storage (writers) and those that back it up (requesters).

Both backup and file retrieval operations are primarily driven by the requester, which controls writer and provider behavior by generating systemwide COM events for the writer to process. Because event-generating methods are asynchronous, writers do have limited control into the requester's state through the asynchronous handlers available to VSS (see IVssAsync).

This interaction requires basic data structures describing files and groups of files (components), as well as a metadata model to allow the storage of backup information and to permit writer/requester communication.

• Usage Conventions
• Configuring VSS
• VSS Metadata
• Working with Selectability and Logical Paths
• Overview of Processing a Backup Under VSS
• Overview of Processing a Restore Under VSS

Send comments about this topic to Microsoft

Build date: 6/18/2009