About running command files during a backup

You can use command files (.exe, .cmd, .bat) during a backup. You can use command files to integrate Backup Exec System Recovery with other backup routines that you might be running on the computer. You can also use command files to integrate with other applications that use a drive on the computer.

Note:
You cannot run command files that include a graphical user interface, such as notepad.exe. Running such command files will cause the backup job to fail.

You can run a command file during any of the following stages during the creation of a recovery point:

• Run before snapshot creation

• Run after shapshot creation

• Run after recovery point creation

You can also specify the amount of time (in seconds) that a command file should be allowed to run.

You can specify the location of command files if you want them to be located in a place other than the default location. You can also specify a location on a per-job basis, as well as specify a location that can be shared among several computers. If you specify a network location, you will be asked for network credentials.

The most common use for running command files is to stop and restart non-VSS-aware databases that you want to back up.

To use a Visual Basic script file (.VBS) during a backup, you can create a batch file (.BAT) to run the script. For example, you can create a batch file called STOP.BAT that contains the following syntax:

Cscript script_filename.vbs

Make sure that Cscript precedes the file name of the Visual Basic script.

Warning:
The command files cannot depend on any user interaction or have a visible user interface. You should test all command files independently of Backup Exec System Recovery before you use them during a backup.

When the backup begins, the command file is run during the specified stage. If an error occurs while a command file is running or the command file does not finish in the time you specified (regardless of the stage), the backup is stopped, the command file is terminated (if necessary), and the error information is logged and displayed.

The following table describes the stages of recovery point creation.

Table: Recovery point creation stages