Slow backup of CIFS data via UNC

[ahlbraro]

Hello,

I am in the process of moving off of BackupExec 2010R3 on Windows 2003 to BackupExec 2014 SP2 on Windows 2012 R2.

On the old system, I would backup CIFs data on a NetApp filer and get a throughput of about 970MB/min.  (Please don't question why it's done this way, it's just suspenders for the belt)

The first backup on BackupExec 2014 on the same data is down to about 500MB/min.

I know it's not a SCSI card/Tape drive issue because the throughput of backing up local data is very quick.

I've checked NIC speed settings, they check out.  The two servers share the same switch.

What sould cause BackupExec 2014 to be half the speed of 2010?

[lmosla]

ahlbraro,

Just a few questions:

have you fully updated the BE server and followed with a reboot?

have you tried recreating a job?

what is the transfer rate difference copy and pasting data between the servers versus the backup?

verify the Backup Exec processes are excluded from antivirus scans.

[LegAEI]

The first backup is usually very slow.

If the problem persists through the second backup, I'd open a case with Symantec.

[ahlbraro]

Sorry for the delay in updating this.

1.  Yes, fully patched.

2.  Tonight I'm trying to use a re-created job.  My first tests since the first slow backup have been ok speedwise.  The past couple days i've been experimenting with NDMP backups but I don't think I want to go down that route.

3.  A test backup of 3.82 GB went at a rate of 1325MB/min to tape and 1907MB/min to disk.  I'd be ok with 1325 for a full backup of the 700GB of data I need to backup nightly.  That makes it fit into my window.

4.  AV is configured properly.

[ahlbraro]

Performance still in the toilet for the regularly nightly scheduled job.  I've opened a support case because this is unacceptable.

[ahlbraro]

Well the support call was wothless.  Seriously going to look to other vendors.

[J_Strobel]

Same here, when backing up FAS2020 or FAS2040 on two of our Customers with Backup Exec 2014 SP1 and SP2 still about 450MB/min.

Just created a workaround with a cheap QNAP Filer, which is connected trough ISCS,I using Robocopy with the /b for backup and /mir Option mirroring the CIFS Share from the FAS to the QNAP and after that using BE to Backup the Mirror :(

It is faster than a direct Backup with BE...

[ahlbraro]

The aggravation really comes from the fact that older versions of backup exec performed adequately.  I shelled out money for the new version and it's unusable.

[J_Strobel]

Same here, with BE 2010 with Win 2008 R2 it was slow but about 1000MB/min here... with 2014 it is much slower.

[Colin_Weaver]

Not sure how you can specifically blame Backup Exec, as you have obviously changed other components that affect the backup as well (Operating System, network drivers and possibly server hardware etc)

Note: I am not saying BE definitely is not the cause, all I am stating is that because more than one part of the environment changed you can't say it is the cause with a certainty

[ahlbraro]

That arrogance from Symantec is why I'm looking to different vendors.

When performance on a brand new server with substantially faster processing power performs at half the speed of a server I bought in 2003, it's not the new hardware that's the problem.

I've been using Backup Exec for 17 years.  BE 2012 was a disaster, I was hopeful BE 2014 would get things back on track because to be honest, the reputation of Backup Exec has fallen precipitously. 

I wasn't expecting performance to be faster than on my BE 2010 R3.  I was expecting it to be the same.  Pulling CIFS data is inherently slower than an NDMP backup.  Since NDMP is tied to the SAN vendor, I have to use a file-level backup to meet my data retention policies.