Locked/Open Files

Choose the desired topic:

• Handling Locked Windows Files During Backups
• Handling Locked Unix and Macintosh Files During Backups

Related Topics:

• QSnap
• Open File Handler (OFH)
• Open File Manager (OFM)
• Volume Shadow Services (VSS)

Handling Locked Windows Files During Backups

Some applications and system programs lock certain files while in use (open), thereby preventing the files from being backed up. This is often the case with some system files that are locked by the operating system. Files that are locked are skipped in the backup process and their file names and paths are logged to Backup Job History log. You can use the CommCell Console, to examine this log to determine if any files were skipped. The QiNetix system automatically attempts to obtain any skipped files in the next backup.

Windows Server 2003 clients can back up locked files using Volume Shadow Services (VSS).

Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003 can back up locked files using QSnap or Open File Handler.

See Using Open File Manager with QiNetix for an example of using third party software to enable backups of locked files.

For more information on the Backup Job History log, see Backup Job History.

Handling Locked Unix and Macintosh Files During Backups

There are two types of file locks used by the Unix file system: advisory locks and mandatory locks. Files with an advisory lock are available to multiple users and applications. Files with mandatory locks cannot be used by any other user or application other than the current user. During a backup, if the QiNetix system encounters a file with a mandatory lock, that file is skipped over, and its file name and path are logged to the Backup Job History log. You can use the CommCell Console to examine this log to determine if any files were skipped. The system automatically attempts to obtain any skipped files in the next backup.

Note that this does not apply to AIX clients and that the Macintosh File System supports only advisory locks.

For more information on the Backup Job History log, see Backup Job History.

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