2.1.1.2 Backing Up and Restoring Data
The Shadow Copy Management Protocol, as described in [MS-SCMP], the File Server Remote VSS Protocol, as described in [MS-FSRVP], and the Encrypting File System Remote (EFSRPC) Protocol, as described in [MS-EFSR], aid in backup and restore functionality.
The Shadow Copy Management Protocol is applicable when an application is required to configure shadow copies and shadow copy storage on the server remotely, which in turn is used by any snapshot provider to perform data backup-and-restore operations.
The Shadow Copy Management Protocol provides a mechanism for remote configuration of shadow copies to implement the following functionalities:
Enumerate the volumes on the server that can be shadow copied or used as shadow copy storage.
Enumerate the shadow copies that are available on the server and that are snapshot copies of a specified original volume.
Create, modify, enumerate, and delete the shadow copy storage association objects, as described in [MS-SCMP], that define the location and size of shadow copy storage for specific original volumes.
Query all the shadow copy storage association objects on the server that provide shadow copy storage for a specified original volume and that are located on a specified shadow copy storage volume.
The File Server Remote VSS Protocol enables an application to query, create, or delete shadow copies on a file server. After the shadow copy of the file share is created, a VSS-aware application can use the shadow copy share to back up the application state and data from network shares that are hosted on a file server. This protocol can be integrated with existing volume shadow copy creation utilities.
The EFSR protocol is used for backup-and-restore operations of encrypted files when application consistency is not required. For these operations to succeed, the file cannot have an open handle while it is being backed up; otherwise, the backup-and-restore operations fail. For more information about backup-and-restore operations for encrypted files, see [MS-EFSR] section 4.