In a Microsoft clustering environment, observe the following precautions:

• Store XML files required for snapshot operations on shared storage.

  The XML metadata file for each snapshot set along with files that store snapshot schedule information are created in a folder on the local drive by default. In a cluster environment, store these files on shared storage so that the files are available from all nodes in the cluster. The snapshot XML files should be stored separately from the volumes that are included in snapshots.

  • If you use the Quick Recovery Configuration Wizard to create the snapshot set, you can use the wizard to specify the file path to the appropriate volume.

  • If you use a VSS wizard to create the snapshot set, you can store the XML files in a location of your choice using one of the following methods:

    • Edit the directory path in the Directory field in the VSS wizard.

    • Use a text editor to create a text file named "redirect.txt." This text file should contain a single text line specifying the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to the location of the metadata file, for example, \\ServerName\SharedFolderName. Save the redirect.txt file in the default VSS XML file directory C:\Program Files\Veritas\Veritas Volume Manager\VSSXML on each node of the cluster.

  • When using the vxsnap utility, specify the full path to the location of the XML metadata file in commands that require the filename attribute.

• If you plan to use the Quick Recovery or VSS Snapshot Scheduler wizard to specify scripts to be run before or after a snapshot, store the scripts on shared storage so that they are available to all nodes.

• If you set up a snapshot schedule with the Quick Recovery wizard and later add a node to the cluster, you can run the wizard again to synchronize schedules on the existing nodes with the new node.

• Exchange must be installed on all cluster nodes.

• If multiple Exchange virtual servers are online on the same server, ensure that they do not contain storage groups with the same name. Otherwise, snapshot operations on the components with the same name may fail. Rename any storage groups that have the same name, as follows:

  In the Exchange Management Console, right-click the storage group that you want to rename and click Properties. In General Properties, change the name in the editable box and click Apply.

• Before performing either a point-in-time recovery or a roll-forward recovery to the point of failure of an Exchange storage group, use the Microsoft clustering software console to offline the following resources:

  • Exchange HTTP Virtual Server Instance 100

  • Exchange IMAP4

  • Exchange POP3

  • Exchange Routing Service Instance

  • Exchange SMTP Virtual Service Instance

  The Exchange Information Store, Exchange SA, and VMDg resources in the Exchange resource group must remain online as these resources control the Exchange writer and enable the VSS snapshot and restore processes.

• Pause all passive nodes in the cluster before beginning a roll-forward recovery to the point of failure. This is necessary to prevent inadvertent failover during the recovery process. A failover can occur when the replaying of a large number of logs prevents Exchange from responding to the MSCS IsAlive call.

• Before performing a restore operation on a passive copy snapshot, manually dismount the databases and set for overwrite by restore.