Excluding File Folders from Volume Backups (4035396)

This article addresses the ability to exclude file folders from volume backups in AppAssure and Rapid Recovery.

Both AppAssure and Rapid Recovery are block level backup solutions; therefore, there is not an option to merely backup a single file or directory, as the software backs up the entire volume at the block level. AppAssure and Rapid Recovery use Microsoft’s Volume Shadow Copy Service and VSS writers, which are block level snapshot processes using native Microsoft Shadow Copies. When the snapshot process begins, the Shadow Copy Service starts and invokes the VSS subsystem, which will trigger the VSS writers and the protected volume is snapped. Thereafter, the incremental snapshots will also be taken at the block level; however, they will only backup the blocks that have changed from the previous snapshot.

Therefore, because Rapid Recovery and AppAssure volumes backup and function on the block level, folders and files cannot be excluded.

For more information on the usage and limitations of Rapid Recovery, please refer to the User Guide, located on the Rapid Recovery Technical Documentation page.