With the Backup Manager, you can set up backup and recovery service for content management systems powered by Microsoft SharePoint. The following versions are supported:



  • MS SharePoint 2007

  • MS SharePoint 2010

  • MS SharePoint 2013

  • MS SharePoint 2016


The feature is available on the server versions of Windows.


The whole SharePoint Server is included into the backup selection. You can view the sites inside.



Requirements


Host system



  1. The Backup Manager must be installed on the same SharePoint server that you want to back up.

  2. SQL databases for SharePoint must be located on the same SharePoint server that you want to back up.


Free space


There must be a sufficient amount of free space in the VSS Shadow Copy storage area.


MS SharePoint backups depend on VSS snapshots. When a backup session is completed, snapshots are automatically deleted.


VSS writers


The Backup Manager depends on 3 VSS writers for SharePoint backups:



  1. SqlServerWriter

  2. SharePoint Services Writer

  3. OSearch VSS Writer


You can check the availability of these writers through a system console, for example cmd.exe:


vssadmin list writers

If any of the writers isn't listed, the backup won't be completed.


Note for MS SharePoint 2013


SharePoint Services Writer is disabled in MS SharePoint 2013. To enable the Writer, you need to register it in the Windows registry. Here are steps to follow:



  1. Start cmd.exe. Go to the BIN directory: cd "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\BIN".

  2. From the BIN directory, run the stsadm -o -registerwsswriter command.


Detailed instruction are available in the Microsoft help center.


Activating VSS writers


The VSS writers are activated through appropriate services. If any of the writers isn't available, please start the Services Console and make sure the following services are available and their statuses are as follows:



  1. Volume Shadow Copy – shouldn't be disabled

  2. SharePoint Server Search 14 – shouldn't be disabled

  3. SQL Server VSS Writer – Started and set to the Automatic startup type

  4. SharePoint VSS Writer – Started and set to the Automatic startup type