Backup Exec Media Server Specifications

[jamesol]

Hi

We have a a media server with the following specfications:

CPU: Xeon E5640 X 2

RAM: 32 GB

OS: 64 Bit windows Server 2008 R2 Standard

Storage: 20TB deduplication storage.

Media devices: 2 Tape Library's connected via iSCSI cable and card, 1 External iSCSI single tape drive.

Jobs:

10 Servers mixed VM and Physical devices on the same site as media server, targeting deduplications storage and then off to tape for weeklies and monthlies.

2 Servers backed up over WAN to the singe unit tape drive.

Client data backed up:

Exchange, SQL, Sharepoint, Snapshots of file servers and production servers.

We have only recently added the second tape library, to accomodate a dynamics installation and are interested in the following:

1. Are these specifications adequate for the backups being performed?

2. What we can do to improve backup performance with the given requirements?

3. If anyone has experience with Dynamics and what loads this may put on backups and storage requirements?

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

Hi,

1. Those specifications seem fine.

2. In terms of speeding things up, if you run an AV on the media server, make sure it doesn't actively scan the dedupe folder or the BE services. On the tape drives themselves, you can look at improving the performance on them by reading pkh's article below:

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/articles/tuning-my-lto4-tape-drive

Typically run backups outside of production hours and maintenance tasks as these interfere with the speed of the backups too.

3. N/A

Thanks!

[Siddhant_Saini]

Hello James,

1. Based on the specifications, I'm a little concerned about the total RAM provided. One recommendation that we make in terms of a Deduplication Folder is that we need atleast 1.5 GB RAM per 1 TB of a Deduplication storage. Based on 20TB of Deduplication we ideally need 30GB of RAM(refer to Best Practices for a Deduplication folder with Backup Exec 2012: http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO74446 for more details). In a wear and tear situation(which wont always happen) your system would have about 2 GB of RAM remaining for performing all the other operations(which I feel may end up in slowing down the performance). 

2. In addition to what Craig mentioned above, you may also want to refer to the Backup Exec 2012 Tuning and Performance Guide: http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5481 for getting more details on it. 

3. I am uncertain about how Microsoft Dynamics would affect backup/restore performance(I'll try to dig into it and provide an update..if any). 

[jamesol]

Hi

Thanks for your advice, we will look into some of the suggestions offered.

Thanks