Sporadic Long Backups…

[ZENYO]

Hello, every once in a while our Network/Local backups will double, sometimes triple in runtime. The byte count stays the same and there’s nothing in the event viewer that points to any issue on the OS or backup exec.

Set-up

Windows 2000 Server

Backup Exec 9.1 Rev. 4691
Quantum SDLT320 SCSI TapeDrive
Super DLT Tapes 320 Comp.

E.g.

We do a full overwrite every Friday (Windows 2000 server and SQL 2000 server). For the last 6 Fridays the backups have taken 4 hours. The byte count is anywhere between 130,000,000,000 and 142,000,000,000. This Friday just passed the backup took 28 Hrs, the byte count was 133,000,000,000. There is nothing in the log to point out that anything was wrong. This extends to our differentials also, 7 hours. Monday – Thursday diff backups usually take 1 hour.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Eemans_Dany]

Zenyo,

There are 2 possible cause for this:

1. How long do you use this specific tape, it can be thad this tape is end of live.
You can check this in the media set where the tape resides, klik on it and check in the bottom his value's like, hours in service, load, etc. Look specific for Hard read / write errors and Soft read / write errors. If these value's are unusually higher than wit other tapes, this indicates a problem whit te tape.

2. The head from the tapedrive may be dirty, Use off a cleaning tape may solve this problem.

The best way to test the backup is using a brand new tape, do a full backup and check the used time. If it has the same amount of time (28+ hours) then you have a problem whit the drive, if the backup is normal (4+ hours) this indicates a problem whit the tape. Check also the other tapes for problems. I hape this give you a start in solving your problem.

Dany

[ZENYO]

Hello Dany,

Thanks or youre reply and sorry for my late response, I was away for the easter long weekend.

Possible Cause 2 - I ran a tape cleaner the day before the long backup.

The hard read/write errors are pretty consistant. 0's and 1's... The soft read/write errors are considerably higher but also consistant with the other tapes.

The 2 full backup tapes have around 250 Hrs and the Diffs are aroung 125 Hrs. Is there a general limit for hours?

Thanks,
Al

[Ken_Putnam]

Local or Networked backups?

if networked, is the rest of your network slow recently?  Any service applied that may have reset NIC/port settings from  Hard Set to Auto

 

[ZENYO]

Most of the backup is local. The only networked part of the backup is our SQL database.

The rest ofthe network is fine and the NIC settings are as they should be.

[Ken_Putnam]

Does the local backup still run fast and the SQL backup drag, or does the whole backup drag now?

[ZENYO]

The whole backup slows down...