The Backup Exec Shadow Copy Components file system uses Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service to protect critical operating system and application service data, and third- party application and user data on Windows resources.

A Writer is specific code within an application that participates in the Volume Shadow Copy Service framework to provide point-in-time, recovery-consistent operating system and application data. Writers appear as Shadow Copy Components, which are listed as resources in backup and restore selections. When expanded, the Backup Exec Shadow Copy Components file system includes the following selections:

The User Data Writer in Backup Exec is the Active Directory Application Mode Writer (ADAM Writer). When restoring data with the ADAM Writer, Backup Exec stops the service for the ADAM instance you want to restore before the restore job starts. However, Backup Exec does not restart the ADAM service when the restore job completes because post-processing jobs, such as authoritative restores using Adamutil.exe, may be needed. You must restart the ADAM service. If Backup Exec cannot stop the ADAM service or if Backup Exec cannot restore all of the ADAM files, the ADAM restore fails.