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Unexplained drastic time increase on backup

Jake_Norman
Level 3
Ok, running 9.1 on Server 2003.

9/23/05 - 91 gigs backed up. 2 hours, 11 minutes, 41 seconds.

9/26/05 - 92 gigs backed up. 5 hours, 37 minutes, 30 seconds.

Backup's do not run over the weekend (9/24 & 9/25) and server was not changed/updated. Running an LTO U160 Tape Drive. This time increase has caused problems with subsequent backup jobs, mainly changing the priority for the job that ejects (3rd) to second job, causing the normal 2nd job to cancel because the tape has been ejected. We have hopefully fixed the out-of-order backups (have tested multiple ways), but sometimes the fixes cause the jobs themselves to go to Out-Of-Time-Window which requires restructuring.

Any help would be nice.

Jake
F&R
17 REPLIES 17

Harold_Burt-Ger
Level 2
Me too

I have a Dell server with Raid 5 on a perc 4 D/C and a LTO3 single drive on an Adaptec 39160 and have been getting 280 MB/min on backups for months, which we do on selected folders. I cleaned out a bunch of data from one of the folders to shorten the backup time and suddenly the speed dropped to under 200 MB/min - no reboots or hardware changes.

Robert_M
Level 4
If either server has had data moving around - you should consider defragmenting... Win2K3 can schedule these now in Scheduled tasks - schedule them to run on the nights that backup does not run

Also stoopid things like drivers and firmware need to be checked!

Jake_Norman
Level 3
I am running the defrag on one of the drives now. I did find out the transfer rate dropped from 685mb/min to 262mb/min between the two dates listed. If the defrag works (most fragmented drive) to reduce the time then I can try to defrag the rest and will see. I just don't know how fragmentation of the drive could cause a transfer drop of that much just over a weekend. Continual I could see, but how do you measure that against increase of data.

Guess we will ifnd out.

Jake_Norman
Level 3
Ok, 5 hour defrag of the largest drive backed up by the server and no difference in time. Newest drivers installed for SCSI card.

Anybody else have any suggestions?

Jake

priya_khire
Level 6
Hello,

Does the problem with the backup time increase persist still? If yes, revert with the following details:

- Between 23rd and 26th sept, were there any major changes on the server? eg. new application installation, any software changes or updates etc..?
- What are you backing up in the two jobs? Is it the same data?
- Are you backing yp to a tape?
- Is the option ADvanced open file used?

Revert with details if the issue persists.

Note : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked ‘assumed answered’ and would be moved to ‘answered questions’ pool.

Regards.

Jake_Norman
Level 3
Yes, the problem persists. No major changes were done on the server during that weekend. The two jobs are different, one is local backup the other is remote agent backups. That has never changed though so shouldn't make a difference on the backup time. I am backing up to a tape. The Advanced Open File Option is being used on local backup only, and not on remote agent backups.

Jake
F&R

kim_smith
Not applicable
nullMessage was edited by:
kim smith

shweta_rege
Level 6
Hello,

Kindly refer the following Documents:

Reasons why the data throughput rate can be slower than the theoretical maximum when backing up to tape media

http://support.veritas.com/docs/231488

What Backup Exec settings can be modified to reduce the amount of time it takes for a backup to run?
http://support.veritas.com/docs/249090

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Note : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked ‘assumed answered’ and would be moved to ‘answered questions’ pool.


Thanks.

Jake_Norman
Level 3
Not that it matters, BUT:

The server was working at one rate then fell, inexplicably, to a much lower rate over one weekend. So it's not "running slower" so much as it just stopped working correctly. Our jobs now take almost 8 hours for 100 gigs in what used to take 3 hours (at 90 gigs).

We have those settings set for the backup job the whole time.

Jake

Dave_Dick
Not applicable
I too have experienced the exact same problem. The throughput rates you mentioned are almost identical to those at our location.

We are currently using:

Windows 2003 Server
Veritas Backup Exec 9.1 w/ Open File Agent

We have approximately 90 Gig of data that takes about 3 hours to run on a normal backup. However, at random times throughout the month the throughput will drop and the backups take anywhere from 8-10 hours to complete. I have been able to get everything back to normal when I reboot the server and tape drive at the same time. However, I don't see this as an acceptable solution.

I would very much like to see more on this topic. As the original submittor has stated, it is not a problem optimizing the backups. These are overnight, unexplained drops in throughput. No changes have been made to the server when this occurs.

Marc_Sirvend
Level 2
Since the 15th of January we have the same problem. We are using Windows 2000 Advanced Server. The throughput dropped from 1,2GB per minute to 135MB per minute. The only thing we changed on the server was, that we installed the Microsoft Security Update KB912919. I don't know if there are any issues with that, but tonight i will deinstall the security patch and see what happens.

Marc_Sirvend
Level 2
Hotfix deinstalled and everything is back to normal. Maybe the restart of the server fixed the problem, maybe the deinstallation of the hotfix!

Jake_Norman
Level 3
We also have that Security Update installed. Going through the proper people to see if I can uninstall. Will let you know on Monday (hopefully) if it worked.

Jake
F&R

Jake_Norman
Level 3
That update was installed 1/5/06. Our problem started months ago, so that's not the problem.

Jake
F&R

jim_Payne
Level 2
I also have the same problem. We have a backup server that backs up to disk a number of other servers. The server is a high spec server with 300 gb of striped disks and 2 gb of memory, running w2k advanced server and veritas 9.1. Each night the run time increases and every 4th day or so we need to reboot the server to refresh it and then the backup returns to the original duration and the cycle starts again. This has been going on since the installation of this backup solution and we are still to identify the source of the problem. Just thought I would mention this so you know you are not on your own. If anyone has an answer please let me know.

Jake_Norman
Level 3
Moving up. Anybody have any ideas?

Jake

Swati_Joshi
Level 6
Accredited
Hi Jake!

Did you find the previously suggested technotes helpful?

Please update us on this issue.

Thanks and regards,