How does computer backup work?

Updated: March 30, 2011

Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials

The following things happen during the backup each day:

  • Network computers are backed up one after another.

  • A backup that is in progress finishes, even if the end of the backup time has passed.

  • Windows Updates are installed, and Windows SBS 2011 Essentials restarts (if required).

  • On Sunday, Backup Cleanup runs.

Important

Windows SBS 2011 Essentials does not support GUID Partition Table (GPT) file systems. If you have a computer that is an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)-based system and you set it up using the GPT file system, system backup, file and folder restore from a backup and full system restore from a backup are not supported.

Important

Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) does not support creating a shadow copy of a virtual volume and the host volume in the same snapshot set. VSS does support creating snapshots of volumes on a VHD, if backup of the virtual volume is necessary. If you want to back up a virtual volume, see the “What are the best practices for backing up VHDs?” section in Frequently Asked Questions: Virtual Hard Disks in Windows 7 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=204720).

For more information about computer backup, see Manage Backup and Restore.