Restarting VSS Writers with PowerShell script

VSS Writers are responsible for backups – if they stop working, then backups might fail. The solution to that is restarting VSS Writers, but the problem here is that there are many, and at least out of the box, there’s no mechanism to make this automatic… but there’s PowerShell. I’m not interested in your code, I just want to restart these VSS Writers In that case, head on to: mygithub, use the code and run:...

1 December 2019 · 4 min · 737 words · Kamil

The automation process stages

This will be a high level experience I’ve been gaining whenever automating manual processes. What does it mean to automate? Simply put, is to remove a person from equation in order to complete the task. It can go as far as automating the whole process, or just part of it. The main goal here is to release the resource – that is a person’s time and energy – and redirect it toward something more valuable....

25 June 2019 · 7 min · 1382 words · Kamil

Backup Exec – cataloging multiple tapes with a single tape drive

Recently I’ve had a request to restore a certain backup from the old backup tapes. We’ve had a new Backup exec installation which didn’t have the catalogue/record of these tapes nor the actual tape drive to recover them – I knew it was going to be one in the world task. And the hell it was. Locating tapes in the storage unit was a pure joy – no need to go to the gym after this....

30 September 2018 · 2 min · 339 words · Kamil

Do you even back up?

It’s early Monday – the time between the coffee and checking emails – you realise everything’s gone. Files. Videos of your children since they were born. Years of company’s spreadsheets. Gone. It’s not going to be a good week, for sure. There are 2 kinds of people… According to one of the IT jokes, there are two kinds of people: ones who do back up, and the ones who will....

26 October 2016 · 9 min · 1801 words · Kamil