Backup Exec 12.5 slow throughput

[aardvark_super]

Dear all,

Sound's famililar?!  I know. 

I've just took over a new network with 3 Windows servers.  These servers installed with Windows 2008 Standard server (SP1) + Backup Exec 12.5 (or it's agent) + SEP 11.05 which functioned as file server (+ primary AD), mail server (+ Notes Domino 8.5.1 and secondary AD) and application server (+ .NET).  All servers were either installed with SQL Express or MSSQL.  I've also attach Buffalo Terastation III as NAS.  All these equipments were connected to a 10G Cisco Switch. 

To start with, I'm aware that BE didn't support Buffalo (originally, I planed to have all backup files to be stored right here).  So, what I'm talking about is local backup, i.e. using BE to backup data from C: / D: / E: to the same server D:\backup folder (of course, I've unchecked and asked BE not to backup D:\backup folder :>  ).   SEP also set not to scan BE's AOFO and BE's db directory / file. 

As I've said, I've just pick up this project and when I tried to perform full backup (including System state), overall throughput was around 300 - 500MB/min (to D:\backup folder)!  Verification could reach 1500 - 2500MB/min.  Defragmentation, avoid selecting compress or encryption options at BE, improve nothing at all.  So, my question is, is there anyway I could improve the throughtput?

In case anyone what to ask, I've tried using the NAS for backup but the throughput was even worse, 99 - 150MB/mins with verification at 300MB/min.

So, what gives??  Any suggestion is much appreciate!

[Simon_B_]

What kind of data are you backing up? Maybe large amount of small files?

The fact that verification is running at up to  25-41MB/s suggests that the performance bottleneck would not be the backup destination but the backup source. This could have many reasons: as stated above a huge amount of small file, other I/O intensive applications on the servers when performing the backup etc.

Also you could check in the Joblog (hit "expand all") if all servers back up at around the same speed or if there are single servers who have a very bad throughput and lead to the overall average of ~400mb/min.

[Hywel_Mallett]

What's your disk configuration on the Backup Exec server? Particularly that of the D: drive. Is it on a RAID controller? If so, what RAID level? Is D: separate physical disks from C: and E:?

In short, I'm wondering what the raw write speed to the D: drive is.

[aardvark_super]

Thanks Simon and Hywel. 

I'll double check the speed by using expansion.  How stuipd I've overlooked it.  Concern all servers, as I've just set them up, thus, they didn't carry any user data, yet.  Therefore, just merely system data. 

Hard drives are hardware configured (yes, :> i.e. with Raid controller) with Raid 1 at server end, regardless whether they are C: or D: or E:.  A total of 300G x 6 SCSI with C: and E at 100G whist D: with 700G.  Actual consmed space is around, C: 50G, D: at 150G and E at 400M.

And my NAS is a Raid 5 hardware config.

[pkh]

Do note that BE 12.5 does not support the backup of Domino 8.5.1.  You need BE 2010 to backup Domino 8.5.1.