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Before creating snapshots – Dell PowerVault NX3100 User Manual

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Target Details

Snapshots that are created on the iSCSI Target server are crash consistent.
iSCSI snapshots are created using VSS and a storage array with a hardware
provider designed for use with VSS. To enable consistent snapshots in Microsoft
iSCSI Software Target, you require the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target VSS
Hardware Provider. The Microsoft iSCSI Software Target VSS Hardware
Provider is available as an installation option in iSCSI Software Target. The
hardware provider coordinates with the local VSS to create a consistent image of
the volume that can be transported to a central backup server.

In a PowerVault storage system, you can create an iSCSI snapshot in two
ways:

Manually create a snapshot of a single virtual disk in the Microsoft iSCSI
Software Target console.

Use the Schedule Snapshot Wizard to set up a schedule for creating a
single snapshot or recurring snapshots automatically.

Before Creating Snapshots

Before creating snapshots for virtual disks, perform the following steps:

NOTE:

Use Windows Explorer and go to the volume that contains the virtual disks

that you are creating snapshots for.

1 Go to Volume→ Properties→ Shadow Copies→ Settings. Ensure that the

Located on this volume option in the Storage Area tab displays the same
drive letter as that of the volume.

2 Click Details to verify the volume usage. The default settings are as

follows:

Maximum size

Use limit—size in MB or No Limit

Change the size according to virtual disk/snapshot size or change the
settings to No Limit.

CAUTION:

Ensure that you have enough space in the volume to hold virtual disk

snapshots. If there is not enough space, the snapshots are lost.