We have the following setup:

1 x SAN

2 volumes are mapped, 1 for data and other for shadow copies. These are added in failover cluster as separate cluster disks

2 x Windows Server 2008 R2 in Failover cluster.

File server is clustered and data is stored on the SAN

Whenever the cluster fails over all shadow copies are lost. I have read various posts regarding creating dependencies etc. but would appreciate if someone could advise if we have an unsupported configuration that is causing the loss of shadow copies at failover?

Thanks

Alistair

Use SAN to feed shared storage to cluster. Create a CSV on top of it. Throw in VHDs for file server content (just make sure you don't create them growable, stick with pre-allocated ones). And failover everything with VSS just fine. 

Both the data and shadow copy disk must be clustered, and they must be in the same group so that they failover together.  It is also recommended to make the data disk dependent on the shadow copy disk.

Verify that, and report back...

Thanks!
Elden

• Proposed as answer by Microsoft contingent staff Monday, May 13, 2013 2:27 AM
• Marked as answer by Microsoft contingent staff Wednesday, May 22, 2013 6:33 AM

Thanks Elden. I can confirm that the data and copy disks are both clustered and part of the same group. However, there is no dependency configured for the disks so I will modify this.

Thank you

I suffered of the same problem. Windows 2012 cluster, both X and Z (shadow copies volume of X, created following all the MS best practices). While cluster failing, shadows copies of X will be cleared from Z.

I checked that there was not dependency on volume X then I've inserted Z as resource dependency. I will update if that would solve this issue.

Hello Mauro,

Did you (or anyone else) got this working with windows 2012? We experiance the same issue.

Kind Regards

Bas

I have the same issue!

Failover cluster with the File Server role with two storage elements. A 5TB for users data and a 1TB for Shadow Copy and I have made the Shadow Copy 1TB drive a dependency on the 5TB drive.  

When selecting properties on the 5TB drive then the Shadow Copy tab only the 5TB drive is in the list of available volumes to be used for Shadow Copy! The 1TB disk isnt displayed.  

Is there some magic with vssadmin or diskshadow to sort this out?

Thanks in advance

Kev