query about v9 multiple job capabilities

[kk20]

Last time I used backupassist was v6, there was a limitation that jobs were performed sequentially - you couldn't run multiple jobs simultaneously. Is that still a limitation? Can you now run multiple jobs simultaneously?

[Mike D]

Because BackupAssist uses the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), we can only run one backup at a time because we can only have one snapshot running at a time.

[kk20]

Even the exchange or remote server backups? The main reason I moved away for BA was the fact that you couldn't run dissimilar backups (or backups on remote computers) simultaneously. For example, BA is installed and licensed with exchange addon on SERVER 1. BA has 4 jobs, job 1: backup files and folders on server 1 to NAS1, job 2: backup exchange mailboxes (Unicode with outlook) from server 1 to NAS1, job 3 backup files and folders on server 2 to NAS2, job 4 backup files and folders on server 3 to NAS2. files and folders are daily+nweek backups.

Now the obvious answer would be to buy and license 2 more copies of BA for server 2 and server 3. However, other backup software did the same job with the same setup and allowed simultaneous backups (backupchain is what I settled with and works/restores fine but is quite clunky and has a different almost baffling approach to file retention and deduplication), it also means I can use one console to manage the jobs and look at reports rather than log onto three servers. I do find that BA is more user friendly and was willing to look at coming back to BA now our BC maintenance is up for renewal, however, the lack of simultaneous jobs is a massive turn off for me; our exchange backup takes 7 to 8 hours whereas our 3 other jobs take about 6 hours. 13 hours is unacceptable overnight whereas 7 to 8 is fine when run simultaneous. The servers are all VMs so "networking" isn't a bottleneck, the destinations are different NAS boxes and can handle the multiple load (again, this is run "now" on BC so I know the loads are fine). Pity.