# Antivirus Exclusions for Windows Backup Gateways

To ensure stable, optimal performance for your Commvault Cloud access nodes, you must exclude certain folders and files from antivirus read, write, and scan processes.

Improperly configured antivirus exclusions can cause outages of applications and services due to contention or file locking. For example, antivirus software might lock the collect files that are generated during a backup. Also, most virus-scanning applications use real-time scanning, which can degrade performance or cause failures during Commvault Cloud backups and other operations.

Test Commvault Cloud features and functions. During normal operations, monitor Commvault Cloud processes and how those processes interact with antivirus software. Coordinate with your antivirus software vendor to achieve proper configuration and tuning of the antivirus software. The goal is for the antivirus software's rules and schedules to allow Commvault Cloud operations to run normally and complete successfully.

The information provided is not a complete list of exclusions because the Commvault Cloud software might change with updates and new releases.

Important

- Make sure that no scheduled or on-demand antivirus scans run during Commvault Cloud backups.

- Degraded backup performance and unknown backup failures might be caused by host intrusion prevention systems (HIPS).

- If you experience performance and consistency problems with SQL Server when certain modules are loaded into the server, see Microsoft KB 2033238.

## Exclusions to Implement

### Client and Backup Gateway Installation Paths

Paths to exclude | File extensions to exclude
--- | ---
software_installation_path\Metallic | None
Job Results folder | None
Index Cache folder | For the Index Cache folder, exclude the following: .al .bmp.7z.cfg .cmt .conf .csv .cvf .cvf.7z .cvf.rfczip .dat .dbinfo .dblog .dbviewprops .dirty .dbs .fcs .fct .idx .info .lic .livelogprops .txt .xml *locks*

### Additional Backup Gateway Paths

Paths to exclude | File extensions to exclude
--- | ---
Disk libraries (CV_MAGNETIC folder) Note If you use a UNC path to access the magnetic libraries, exclude the UNC path as well. | For disk libraries (CV_MAGNETIC folder), exclude the following: *.bak *CHUNK* *.compact2 *.csivolume *.dat *.fcs.* *.fct *.idx *.lck *MEDIA* *.prunable *SFILE* *.xml
Deduplication engines (CV_SIDB folder) | *.cfg *.csv *.dbinfo *.dbLog *.dbViewProps *.lic *.FCS.* *.lck *.FCT *.dat *.idx *.xml ZRJournal.*
Virtual Server Agent | VMware VDDK (vmware-SYSTEM folder)

## Related Topics and External References

Related topics | External references
--- | ---
Microsoft virus scanning recommendations | Microsoft KB article 822158
Microsoft information about antivirus software for SQL Server | Microsoft KB article 309422
Microsoft information about problems caused by antivirus software on Cluster Services that are not cluster aware | Microsoft KB article 250355
Microsoft information about Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) group policy settings | Configuring and Viewing FEP Group Policy Settings
Symantec standard recommendations for servers to create exceptions | Creating Centralized Exceptions in Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager 11 Creating Exceptions Policies in the Endpoint Protection Manager
McAfee standard recommendations for servers to create exceptions | Virus Scan Enterprise exclusions (Master Article)
Sophos standard recommendations for servers to create exceptions | Recommended vendor exclusions for use with Sophos products Sophos Endpoint Security and Control: Exclude Windows items from scanning Sophos Endpoint: File and folder exclusions do not work
Microsoft Defender Antivirus scanning options By default, Microsoft Defender Antivirus UNC paths are not scanned. If you configured Microsoft Defender Antivirus to scan UNC paths, run the Microsoft Powershell script to exclude the paths from being scanned. | Configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus scanning options

## Disclaimer

Implementing the antivirus exclusions described in this document may increase the attack vulnerability risk to computers or network by malicious users or by malware or viruses. Before making these changes, it is recommended that the attack vulnerability risks that are associated with implementing these settings be evaluated. It is up to the discretion of the reader's and their company's policies whether to implement the guidelines recommended within this document. Minor revisions and/or service packs that are released by application and operating system vendors are supported by our software. We will provide information on any known caveat for the revisions and/or service packs. In some cases, these revisions and/or service packs affect the working of our software. Changes to the behavior of our software resulting from an application or operating system revision/service pack may be beyond our control. The older releases of our software may not support the platforms supported in the current release. However, we will make every effort to correct the behavior in the current or future releases when necessary. Please contact your Software Provider for any problem with a specific application or operating system. Additional considerations regarding minimum requirements and End of Life policies from application and operating system vendors are also applicable.

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