BackupExec 12.5 for Windows Servers is extremely slow

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

Hi, 

I have recently installed BackupExec 12.5 for Windows Servers in our Backup server (Windows Server 2003) and it is connected with IBM Tape(IBM ULT3580-TD4) through SCSI card. We were supposed to take backup from our another file servers(Windows Server 2008 R2). My backup server is detecting tape and its driver. I am sucessfully able to run test and it is working like a charm. 

But when I run scheduled daily incremental or weekely full backup, it is taking backup on extremely slow like a dog without a leg. After reading different blog, I have try to work with Medium changers and modify to Unknown Medium Changer too. But there is no any luck. I am in great trouble. Please help me. 

Thank you

Regards,

Udhyan.

[CraigV]

Hi,

Are you using the Symantec drivers for the drive itself? Use tapeinst.exe to install this.

Also make sure the media server is fully patched and that these patches have been push-installed to any remote servers you might have.

What speed network do you have? Are you backing up many small files (could be why your tape drive never gets up to speed properly)? Lastly, do you get the same issue if backing up the local media server to tape?

Thanks!

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

Hi CragiV, thank you for your prompt response.

I have used tapeinst.exe to install the Symantec drivers for the drive itself. We have 1 Gbps network speed. Yes we are backing up many small files and it used to work fine when we were using Symantec Backup Exec 2003 for same types of files. 

We are running evaluation version and does that makes any effect for backup speed. I don't think so but thought to ask you during this conversation. 

In additon, I am not sure about the fully patched (Can you guide me how can I be sure about the media server is fully patched or not). Did you means update??

Hope to get sound and prompt response from you

Thank you

Regards,

Udhyan.

[CraigV]

...you can use LiveUpdate from the Tools menu to do so.

Thanks!

[pkh]

What kind of speed are you getting on your full backups?  Are you backing up a lot of small files?  If so, this will slow down the backup.

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

Craig V: I got almost 11 patches to be installed after running LiveUpdate and still the speed is same. But however it has been increase a bit to 115MB/min.

Pkh: Thank you man for your concern. It is like 112MB/min for full backup too. I think we are backing up a lot of small files too. Our backup for a week is also like 800 GB. How could I ignore to backup a small files. Small files are the files like word,excel,ppt and soon and it is basically on different subfolder.

In Backup Exec 2003, it was working like a charm. But now it is toooo much slow. Any other option.

Note: I have run SymatecHelp.exe to see the error running on my server. I got only 2 error (About VM and Exchange server). We are not taking any backup of Exchange server and VM. So I think I can ignore this error.

Please, guide and help me. I am in big trouble.

[pkh]

If you have 800GB of small files, then it is going to be slow.  You can try defraging the disk.

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

Yeah, I have started defragmenting the disk from yesterday and I think it will take time. So let see and wait. Thank you so much for your support. Really appericable.

[CraigV]

...the other option to try is to create a B2D and run a backup that way. Backing up to disk should be a bit faster than backing up to tape initially. Once done, duplicate (don't backup directly!) the B2D files to tape which would be faster.

Doesn't necessarily have to be the full backup, but a decent amount of data will indicate the speeds you could possibly get to disk.

Thanks!

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

CraigV: I try to take backup of local media server and the job rate on this case is also very slow. It is only 70MB/min suprisingly. So I don't think defragmentation will make any effect to it. I think I am truly missing something on my setting up. 

Beside this, what is suggest may not work on our scenario. Because, we don't have so much space in our Disk of Backup Server to make a backup. But after checking backup of local media server it seems that it will also not work properly. Please help me :(

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

Need help. No any from Symantec can help us. We brought your license and please guide us for this things.

[CraigV]

...Connect is a community-based forum first-and-foremost. If you need formal support, you have to log a call.

I'd still try source some disk space somewhere and run a backup to that to see what sort of speeds you're getting.

You can also update the firmware of the drive and SCSI card, and check to see if you have any failing/failed drives.

Thanks!

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

CragiV: Thank you for your true support. I have make 2 GB notepad text file on my file server and when I tested it. The speed is like 4,291 MB/min. and later on when I select all the folders of fileserver which I need to take backups, the speed is like only 169 MB/min. I am totally shocked. Is there could be the problem in network or what ?

[pkh]

Backing up one big file is definitely a lot faster than backing up a lot of small files.

[CraigV]

...try backing up a couple GBs of small files...small files cause your tape drive to stop/start constantly, and you never hit a constant speed. This is 1 of the main causes of slow backups...

Thanks!

[Udhyan_Timilsin]

PKH: Thank you for your reply. But isn't it toooo slow to take backup on 169 MB/min :( , I am totally out of track. I try all my best. I have cleanly formated my backupserver and install BackupExec 12.5 too. There is no any option ???

[CraigV]

...create a B2D folder and try running a backup of a couple of GBs of small files to this. If it is faster, then you can consider using this as your primary backup target before duplicating to tape!

Thanks!