The Volume Shadow Copy Service

[] What is Volume Shadow Copy (VSS)?

The Volume Shadow Copy Service is one of the hidden charms of Windows XP & Windows Server 2003 and dedicated to enhance Windows backing up solutions as well as a mechanism for creating consistent point-in-time copies of data known as shadow copies. The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is also termed as Shadow Copy & Volume Snapshot Service (VSS).

[] The purpose of using Shadow Copy is as follows:

1. Creating consistent backups of open files and applications.
2. Creating backup for shared folders. Shadow Copy works like a Recycle Bin for Network Share. With Shadow Copies for Shared Folders, users can quickly recover deleted or changed files that are stored on the network without administrator assistance, which can increase productivity and reduce administrative costs.
3. Recovering and restoring files and data. The Volume Shadow Copy Service provides users with a way of restoring files themselves without having to involve administrator.
4. Creating transportable shadow copies which allow importing facilities of data to the same server or a server connected to the SAN (Storage Area Network).