Following are recommended best practices for using AOFO and the Symantec Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP):

• Ideally, allow AOFO exclusive use of a disk. This disk should not have any user data, should never be backed up, and should have the AOFO cache file location directed to it.

• Make sure there is sufficient space on the disk to encompass all of the changed data. Changed data can include user files, system files, and the NTFS Master File Table (MFT).

• Exclude the cache file from real-time virus scanning software. Do not run regular scans or disk utilities such as scan disk or defragmenters during backups with AOFO.

• To prevent the VSP cache file from excessively large growth on a disk during a backup operation, avoid the following:

  • Processes that write excessive data to the disk.

  • Operations that copy large amounts of data to the disk.

• Create backup-to-disk folders on a different physical disk than the disk you want to back up. For example, if AOFO is used to snap volumes during a backup, and if the destination device is a backup-to-disk folder, the backup-to-disk folder should be on a separate volume that is not being snapped.