Forum Discussion

JinxPony's avatar
JinxPony
Level 3
10 years ago

Maximum file size setting not being retained.

We have recently upgraded to BE2014 from BE2012.  I am somewhat familiar with the settings and management of the software.  I have set the maximum file size to 1TB for the NAS disk drive that we use to store our backup.  This is the same setting we used with 2012 and had no issues.  Now it seems that 2014 keeps reverting the size to the default 4GB.  I have noticed this happens when I switch from viewing one storage source to another.  Even after changing it back to 1TB and clicking "apply" it will still change back to 4GB after leaving the current storage view.
 

We are running the latest updates and service packs for BE2014.

Is this a bug in the software, or am I missing something?

 

Thanks for any help.

2014
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Windows Server (2003-2008)
  • JinxPony's avatar
    JinxPony
    10 years ago

    Well Standard Tech support kicked it up to the Advanced Tech Support.  They remoted in and gathered all the information they needed.  They said they could not replicate the issue in their lab setup and informed me that it must be a cosmetic issue.  They wanted to know if I would like to push the case to the Engineering staff, after informing me it would take lots of my time and lengthy communication.  I said "No" and that I'd just go with a smaller bkf file scenario.

     

    So Symantec is stumped by this issue and who know's if it will ever be figured out.

     

    SOLUTION/WORKAROUND:  (per Symantec Advanced Tech. Support)

     

    -Started webex session .

    -Fresh installation of 2014 on brand new server.

    - Nas is configured on 10.50.1.7.

    -Configured as NAS 1 and NAS 2 .

    -NAS1 is online and NAS 2 is disabled.

    -The make and model of Nas Device is QNAP qts -The NAS Is 4 disk array -- mirrored and its each drive is 2 tb -Nas is Not configured ...as local -- and its configured as network drive .

    -The CIFS Share are created .

    -The maximum file size when change to more than 400 gb and save and exist.

    -when goes to properties of Nas Device NAS 2 and then again switch over to Nas 1 -- the maximum file size revert back to 1 GB .

    -The same does not reproduce when The maximum file size is set to 400 gb and below.

    -The same issue occurs with 2 Local disk configured .

    -We tried to reproduce the issue in out test Lab ........and found that no similar issue .-Informed him that will research and call him back later.

    As discussed with Back line Engineer sameer....we tried in out test lab ; -we found no such issue, -Informed Robert that no such issue has been observe and tested in our lab .

    -Informed JinxPony that this is a cosmetic issue .

    -Suggested JinxPony that BE2014 will only retain a setting up to 400GB for the max bkf file size.

    -JinxPony agreed to close the case.

11 Replies

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  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    ...not sure why you would want to do this? Sure, you end up with a very big file that streams off to tape if you do so, but you're putting all your eggs into 1 basket.

    If that file corrupts, your entire backup is gone. This might be some sort of protection built into BE 2014. Larger file sizes are fine, to a point. Anything too big and you risk corrupting a lot of data with no way to restore it, so think twice about a 1TB *.bkf file size.

    Thanks!

  • JinxPony's avatar
    JinxPony
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    We were using the 1TB file size as our default size, only because that's how it was originally configured years ago when the IT person that we hired set the system up. 

    We are currently backing up 2.3TB on a weekly basis starting on Friday PM and running trough Sunday, then we run incrimentals on Monday through Friday AM.

    What size bkf file would be good?  It seems like 4GB would leave a lot of bkf files to dig trough for a single file restore.

  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    ...it's a tough one really, but start by reading the B2D best practices on the link below:

    http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH164267

    For your size backup, 4GB files would be a nightmare. However, the correct size to use depends on:

    1. How many "eggs in 1 basket" you want to place your backups in. Too big, and you risk losing a lot of data if a B2D file corrupts (in your current case, 50% of your data would be lost).

    2. How you've tested this in your production environment.

    I'd say you should start by testing with 50GB files and see what the speed is. Play around with the sizes, but I personally would not go above 100GB.

    THanks!

  • JinxPony's avatar
    JinxPony
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    Will changing the max bkf file size have an effect on the current catalog or index?  Currently the backup is running at 2,364 MB/s over an estimated 12hr period using the 1TB max bkf size.

    I have our backup sets programed to expire after 2 weeks so that new ones can be placed on the disk at the start of the 3rd week.  We are currently alternating NAS storage devices between 1 and 2 so that one NAS device is off site every other week.  This system has worked well for us in the past.

    with a back up currently in progress, I do not want to interupt the process.  I will see about altering the max size to somewhere between 50gb and 100gb.  If BE2014 still refuses to retain the deisired setting, I will post a followup here.

    Thanks

     

  • JinxPony's avatar
    JinxPony
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    BE2014 will only retain a setting up to 400GB for the max bkf file size.  It is still unkown to me as to why I can not over ride this setting.  Not sure that it matters since I will be using a setting less than that, but it is still annoying that it reverts to a setting other than what an enduser specifies.  If Symantec did not want us using more than 400GB for a bkf file, then why give us the option??

     

    After reading the above link to Tips.  I have made some minor adjustments to the OS settings to help with the process of the backup and reduced the bkf output file size to less than 400GB.

    I would much rather only have to dig through 10 or 20 bkf files to recover a sigle file than to have to dig through 400 or so.

     

    Thanks.

  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    10 years ago
    This bug was fixed in BE 2012. See this document http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH200857 Looks like it is back. You should log a formal support case with Symantec and report this. The management of .bkf files are handled handled by BE. You don't have to worry about them
  • VJware's avatar
    VJware
    Level 6
    10 years ago

    Now it seems that 2014 keeps reverting the size to the default 4GB

    This is strange as the default size is 50GB for BE 2014.

    I would much rather only have to dig through 10 or 20 bkf files to recover a sigle file than to have to dig through 400 or so.

    The searching of data within the .bkf files is handled by the catalogs and the BE software itself and as such one should not have to manually search for the .bkf files. And I really haven't noticed much of a difference when restoring from a single 1TB .bkf file vs restoring data from multiple 100GB .bkf files (probably the other users will be able to give a better, practical opinion on this)

     

  • CraigV's avatar
    CraigV
    Moderator
    10 years ago

    Hi,

     

    No, probably not. The size of the catalog is determined by the size of the backup and the details contained therein.

    Thanks!

  • JinxPony's avatar
    JinxPony
    Level 3
    10 years ago

    Spent 3 hours on phone with tech support.  No solution found, so Symantec is sending it up to the next level of tech support, and will be contacting me today.  The tech did remote in to my system and witnessed the changing of the size setting himself.  It would switch from 1TB to 1GB and back to 1TB and then 1GB again without even touching the mouse.

    Will keep you all posted when a resolution is determined.