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BE2014 - LTO3 Tapes Compression issue

VALEXEC15
Level 3

Hi All,

Im new to BE. our old server died and we setup BE 2014 (Service Pack 2 with Hotfix 227745 ) on brand new HP server (physical )few weeks ago (with HP MSL6000 Tape Libraray with LTO3 Drive )  then we import the Data and Catalouge from previous faulty server, since then Backups are running fine.

But noticed today that its using 8x LTO3 tapes for 1.6TB Data, when it should be using only 3x LTO3 tapes for full backup.  even daily Diff backups, using more than one tape now. (note: on old server full backup used only 3x LTO3 tapes )

we  have three jobs that runs and following are the size of the full backups on each jobs. 

VM-FULL - 1.03TB, Windows-FULL - 533GB, SQL-FULL - 166GB

 

Following are the settings I have, not sure whats going on , please help 

 

2016-05-09 12_34_23-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection_0.png

 

2016-05-09 12_38_24-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection_0.png

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1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

VALEXEC15
Level 3

ooh Boy I think I resolved the issue now laugh, I didnt know about the following setting in BE2014 until this morning, accidently I came across. Wish Veritas support could have asked me to check this setting first before they spend nearly 2 hours on the phone other day, but no hard feelings.

Anyway I was right from the get go , it had do be something in BE2014, which it was, I did a test backup and it did compress 1.42:1 on HP LTO3 tape.

 

So this is how Hardware Compression feture needs to be enabled in BE2014. So im guessing that above Tracer logs trying to indicate that this feture was disbaled ?

 

2016-05-11 08_19_59-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png

----- BACKUP EXEC 16 USER -------

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15 REPLIES 15

Gurvinder
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CraigV
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...your compression ratio is all 1:1. Make sure that compression is set to Hardware if available, otherwise Software and see if that makes a difference!

Thanks!

Larry_Fine
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What was your previous/old version of Backup Exec?  BE changed significantly in BE 2012 and up, so if you were using BE 2010 or older, you are possibly being affected by the changes in BE behavior, rather than a hardware issue.  Sometimes BE 2012 and up tends to use more different tapes and not fill them up if you don't adjust your strategies.

I see that your full tapes all show 1:1 compression, but some of your "not-full" tapes show a valid compression.  I would definitly explore doing tape drive diagnostics.

You don't see to fix this article exactly, but it is something to keep in mind as it is hard to diagnose.  http://www.veritas.com/docs/000017157

VALEXEC15
Level 3

Hi Craig,

 

Thanks for your reply

Yes Hardware compression is enabled already, ( I might check enabling software compression and see later today )

Note: There a  tape yesterday  which was showing as 2.4:1 compression, I erased it, made it a scratch tape before runninng the daily backup last night. Backup completed ok as usual , but now the tape is showing as 1:1 Compression again :(

 

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VALEXEC15
Level 3

Hi Larry,

Thanks heaps for getting back on this.

We had the same BE2014 before, same build and Patch. Our previous server had hardware issue so we just baught a new server and setup BE2014 again on the new server.

I did a test on one of the tapes which was shwoing  as 2.4:1 compression,  I erased it, made it a scratch tape before runninng the daily backup last night. When I check this morning Backup completed ok as usual , but now the tape is showing as 1:1 Compression again :( so this shows me this has to be with BE 2014 ?

When I called the Veritas support yesterday they were trying to tell em that this is a Tape Media issue and the LTO3 tape that Im using might nogt support compression. This is not true as we always had been using the HP Ultrium LTO3 (C7973A ) 800GB RW tapes.

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Gurvinder
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Not sure if you got a chance run through the tests mentioned in http://www.veritas.com/docs/000084338 earlier. Please update us with results of tests performed using HP Library Tape Tools utility

VALEXEC15
Level 3

Hi Gurv,

I didnt get a chance to run that yet as the system is in DC, and we need someone to manually load a tape to the drive to do this tape (After disabling all BE services )

I've done following test on HP Drive and confirmed that Hardware compression is enabled on the drive and OK, after tjhat I follwed https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.TECH50960 on how to run tracer.exe . see details below (Full log file attached as zip file). Looking at the data bits does ti mean that Data Compression is not configured properly in BE 2014 ? (I have already enabled "Hardware Compresion " in backup jobs )

2016-05-10 13_42_12-2016-05-10 12_09_27-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png - Windows Photo Vie.png

From Tracer

2016-05-10 13_38_15-2016-05-10 13_16_47-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png - Windows Photo Vie.png

 

 

2016-05-10 13_39_01-2016-05-10 13_29_52-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png - Windows Photo Vie.png

 

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VALEXEC15
Level 3

Just another update, I've run the same test backup using Compression: Hardware (if available, otherwise Software ) , no difference, still the tapes comes up as 1:1 compression . Attached is the log file for this second test

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CraigV
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Did you run a compression test in HP LTT?

Have you checked to make sure there are no excessive Hard Write Errors on those tapes in question within BE?

Thanks!

VALEXEC15
Level 3

ooh Boy I think I resolved the issue now laugh, I didnt know about the following setting in BE2014 until this morning, accidently I came across. Wish Veritas support could have asked me to check this setting first before they spend nearly 2 hours on the phone other day, but no hard feelings.

Anyway I was right from the get go , it had do be something in BE2014, which it was, I did a test backup and it did compress 1.42:1 on HP LTO3 tape.

 

So this is how Hardware Compression feture needs to be enabled in BE2014. So im guessing that above Tracer logs trying to indicate that this feture was disbaled ?

 

2016-05-11 08_19_59-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png

----- BACKUP EXEC 16 USER -------

Colin_Weaver
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Employee Accredited Certified

Just for info - when looking at the tracer logs - at the start of the job we switch compression off (on all jobs even when HW compression is enabled) and then switch it back on again if HW Compression is enabled (and compression is enabled on the drive)

 

As such analyzing a tracer log (when comprsssion is set correctly) should show both on off command and then and  on command being captured

Larry_Fine
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Yes Hardware compression is enabled already, ( I might check enabling software compression and see later today )

If the problem is/was a compression setting in your environment, the backup JOB log would/should have showed that no hardware compression was even enabled (ie not being attempted).  What do your job logs from a few days ago show?

VALEXEC15
Level 3

Hi Larry,

 

This is what was showing before/after I made the above change. But Veritas support didnt pick this from the logs either :(, they are still analysing the various logs got from me for two days now but not solution from them yet (eventhough I have fixed the issue myself now, I need to know what they find ).

 

Before

===========

2016-05-12 07_36_03-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png

2016-05-12 07_37_22-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png

 

After

===========

2016-05-12 07_38_44-wattyl12 - Remote Desktop Connection.png

 

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Larry_Fine
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"compression type: none" in the set summary is your smoking gun, which goes along with "hardware if available, otherwise none"

When compression is turned off by the user, you get 1:1 compression.

I don't know of a way to tell who or when or why it got turned off.

VALEXEC15
Level 3

Yes Im guessing by default BE2014 mark this as "compression type: none" ? maybe.

anyway this has fixed the issue so I will mark  as solution.

Thanks eveyone again for the uspport.

 

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