Inside Windows Storage: Server Storage Technologies for Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Beyond

5.4 Windows 2000 Backup Utility

Windows 2000 ships with a backup program that is really a light version of the VERITAS Backup Exec program. The bundled backup utility in Windows 2000 is well integrated with other components of Windows 2000; for example, it integrates with the encrypting file system and also hierarchical storage management. The backup utility offers support for backing up and restoring the encrypting file system (EFS) included with Windows 2000. Chapter 6 provides information about the EFS. The bundled backup utility is also well integrated with the Removable Storage Manager (RSM, described in Chapter 7). RSM provides support for operations essential to backup such as

• Enumerating media loaded in tape libraries

• Loading and ejecting media in tape libraries

• Providing secure access and preventing data corruption in the mounted media

• Performing housekeeping functions for managing media and tape libraries ”for example, cleaning a tape drive or media library

Full-fledged backup utilities offer features that the bundled backup utility in Windows 2000 does not offer. Included are features such as

• Backup agents for enterprise applications such as SQL and IIS

• Support for backing up open files

• Higher performance

• Centralized administration capabilities, including a centralized database that includes a directory and control software for all backup devices and backup catalog(s)

• Support for Extended Copy or third-party copy data movers

Note that the backup utility bundled with Windows Server 2003 has the capability to back up open files as well, because the backup is snapshot based.