Slow Back Up Speed - Linux Server

[superalf]

Hello,

I'm having a speed (lack-of) backup issue on a server with BEWS 10d rev 5629. The backup server (media server) backups about 12 servers. All of these backups run at a normal, acceptable speed, except for one. The problematic one is a Linux server, and it runs at about 3 MB/min (compared to >400 MB/min on the other ones). The media server does not backup any other Linux servers, but in other subnets I do have other media servers that backup several Linux boxes at regular speeds. Note that we are using the Legacy UNIX/LINUX Agent on all these Linux hosts.

The configuration of the backup job is the following.

• backup account has root access on the linux server
• back up to disk
• backup method: Full - using modified time
• no verification
• Hardware compression
• No Advanced Open File
• Open file backup when AOFO is not used: Never
• Network and Firewall: Use any available network interface

Here is the troubleshooting steps we've taken. We tried backing up to both disk and tape. The speed is the same. We've run the job at different times of day and night. We've restarted the remote agent. We've rebooted both the backup and linux servers. We've checked the physical connections, replaced the ethenet cables. The most revealing test is when we ran a file copy using WinSCP between the servers, and that ran at a normal speed, above 1 GB/min. So it all seems to point to the backup application.

Here are the servers' specs.

Backup Server

• HP ProLiant DL380 G3
• NIC: HP NC7781 (driver ver. 7.103.0.0)  - set to manual 1000/Full duplex
• Windows 2003 Standard Ed R2 SP2
• BEWS 10d rev 5629

Linux Server

• ProLiant DL380 G3
• RHEL 4 Update 7
• Dual NICs: - Bonded Full duplex 100 Mb (not sure of the make, I will update with that info)
• Apps: Apache, php, MySQL

We, our Linux admin and myself, are both stumped with this problem. Not sure what else to try. Any help on this issue is highly appreciated.

[superalf]

I forgot to add that this problem has been like this since we first started backing up this server. We have been unable to run a full backup because it will run for too long (70+ hours). The tape library used by the backup server is partition of a Spectra Logic 20K library using AIT-4 tape media.

[Ken_Putnam]

I've never had to backup a *nix server using the agent, but speeds this slow for Windows servers were generally when a swtich-port/NIC couldn't autonegotiate a connection properly.

Make sure each end of each pipe between the media server and the Linux server is hard set to the fastest speed both ends will support

>>>>>>>>


Edit

Sory, just re-read your post and if file copys run acceptably, then it's not a setting mismatch.

All other backs to the same tape device run acceptably?

[superalf]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I have seen on Windows servers, as you said, that speeds at this rate are usually a port speed issue. That's why we have the backup server's NIC hard set to 1000 Mbs. The Linux server is set to 100. I wouldn't think that different speeds would cause an issue, but we could certainly play with these speeds to see if it makes a difference.

As for your question, yes, all the other backups run at speeds about 400 - 1800 MB/min on the same tape library. Note that the 3 MB/min speed we get for this job occurs both on the tape library and on a B2D device.

[Ken_Putnam]

Well, as I said, if file copies run OK, it's not a NIC speed setting problem

If other Linux servers backup acceptably it's not a problem with the version of the agent.

That, I guess, only leaves configuration of the RALUS itself or some corruption.   Have you tried removing and re-installing the agent?

[mathieu]

I am having the exact same issue backing up a SUSE10 SP2 server to disk. With backups to tape I get between 1200 and 1500 mb/min, now I get 3 MB/s since I configured backup to disks. However I managed to fix the problem.

Try disabling hardware compression in your "to disk" jobs. Mine were set to "Hardware [if available, otherwise none]" and since I changed the job to "None" my backup speed is around 900 mb/min.

Hope this will help!

Mathieu

[superalf]

Hi Mathieu,

I'm actually having the problem while backing up to disk AND to tape. So on either media the speed is the same (3 or 4 MB/min). But I will try this anyways, just to see if it makes a difference. Thanks for the suggestions!

I will also try reinstalling the agent as Ken suggested. I'm waiting for my Linux admin to get some down time, as he is quite busy at the moment.