If I have a set as the following:
Host
- Host Windows Server 2008 r2
- 2 external usb drives attached to Host
Guest
- Windows Server 2008 r2
- Webserver IIS
- sharedfolders enabled
- Web applications save files to one of the USB external drives accessed via a sharedfolders unc path (eg \\vmware-host\shared folders\E )
- Web applications also read files from the same USB external drive accessed via a sharedfolders unc path as above
- The 2nd external USB drive is only accessed by the HOST OS.
All of the above works fine, no problems at all, however the question that I need a definitive answer to is as follows:
The first USB drive will over time contain a lot of information and I wish to backup the data from the first usb drive to the 2nd usb drive. However, I do not wish to perform this backup from the guest server as Robocopy in the guest environment is very slow.
If I run my robocopy backup process from the first usb drive to the other on the HOST computer (which is preferred as it is very quick), is there any danger that the files on the first (original) usb drive will become corrupted because they are also being accessed by the guest, even though my HOST robocopy process is only reading from the first USB drive and copying to the 2nd USB drive, or is this only likely if new files are being written to the first USB drive by the guest at exactly the same time that robocopy on the HOST is attempting to copy the same file ?
A very long winded question I know, but I'm looking for expert opinions on this please, and please no questions as to "why are you doing it this way" etc as this is THE way the client wants this to work so I am keen to do as he asks, but only if it is safe.
many thanks
Jon