Backup Exec 2012 + slow through/low nic util %
Running Backup Exec 2012 on Server 2008 R2 with an iSCSI NAS for backup job disc storage.
This server is in a different site, therefore I haven't had to touch it in a while, but the tech in that site reported that backup jobs have been dragging lately in terms of elapsed time.. in particular Exchange 2010.
I remote into both servers and right off the bat I notice how nic utilization on either server never exceeds 21.6%
Is there a reason for this? Is there any way to remove this apparent limit?
This server is in a different site, therefore I haven't had to touch it in a while, but the tech in that site reported that backup jobs have been dragging lately in terms of elapsed time.. in particular Exchange 2010.
I remote into both servers and right off the bat I notice how nic utilization on either server never exceeds 21.6%
Is there a reason for this? Is there any way to remove this apparent limit?
Amit
Best practice, is to avoid backup during production hours, also if server is not recycled from long time, you can reboot the Exchange server and check if that improves the performance. Also, it depends on DB size. If db size is high, backup process can be slow.
ASKER
*sigh*
Both my backup source servers and the BUE server itself all have secondary 'backup' nics that all are cabled via their own Cisco layer 2 switch.
I thank you for offering some suggestions but you rather ignored my real question there bucko.
Both my backup source servers and the BUE server itself all have secondary 'backup' nics that all are cabled via their own Cisco layer 2 switch.
I thank you for offering some suggestions but you rather ignored my real question there bucko.
What are you backing up?
Are you doing an information store backup or a GRT/Brick level backup?
The usual bottleneck is storage, in many cases the NIC can outrun the storage controller. Therefore the first thing I would do is run some perfmon counters when the backup is running to see whether you are getting storage peaks.
Simon.
Are you doing an information store backup or a GRT/Brick level backup?
The usual bottleneck is storage, in many cases the NIC can outrun the storage controller. Therefore the first thing I would do is run some perfmon counters when the backup is running to see whether you are getting storage peaks.
Simon.
ASKER
Normally I'd whole-heartedly agree Simon. But this is a recent development.. like last winter the full Exchange job was completing in under 12 hours for a total of ~600gb. Yesterday I was watching it, 17 hours and 658gb later it was still processing.
But my real question is still missed, I'm wondering more about the observed nic throughput limit.
But my real question is still missed, I'm wondering more about the observed nic throughput limit.
It could still be a storage issue - if you have a hard disk failing or something like that.
Have you tried sending other traffic through the NIC to see if you can flood it? You need to eliminate the application layer. If you can max out the NIC with a regular file copy (for example) then that points at the application/s being the source.
Simon.
Have you tried sending other traffic through the NIC to see if you can flood it? You need to eliminate the application layer. If you can max out the NIC with a regular file copy (for example) then that points at the application/s being the source.
Simon.
ASKER
I cannot max out the nic with a normal file copy.. either using windows or a util like RoboCopy. Nothing I do exceeds 30% of the reported traffic.
ASKER
Actually here's a monkey wrench that I didnt notice before.. starting the backup job I'm watching the 'backup' nics on both the server and the source box being backed up. Both nics eceed 75% utilization for about 3 minutes. Then both drop to under 25% and fluctuate between 0 and 25 but never again going above that.
I have jumbo frames enabled on both nics and teh switch between them, I have RSS enabled on both ends, and flow control on both. Nic drivers on both servers are less than 2 years old, IDK what else to try.
I even disabled GRT on this backup job.. has made zero difference.
I have jumbo frames enabled on both nics and teh switch between them, I have RSS enabled on both ends, and flow control on both. Nic drivers on both servers are less than 2 years old, IDK what else to try.
I even disabled GRT on this backup job.. has made zero difference.
ASKER
i realize that there's many.. many things that affect a backup job and network throughput. I have updated nic drivers, I've replaced patch cords with Cat6, tests the disk subsystem performance on both the source server and the backup servers volumes. If the theoretical maximum throughput on gigabit Ethernet is 125MB/s or 7500MB/m.. my source servers disk perf is @358MB/s on Read. I'd have to assume the bottleneck would be the network.
Honestly I've found no way to test writing on the iscsi nas the BUE server uses because the utility wanted it to be blank.
In any event I posted here as a last resort...
Honestly I've found no way to test writing on the iscsi nas the BUE server uses because the utility wanted it to be blank.
In any event I posted here as a last resort...
Last time I saw something like this it was Jumbo Frames that was the cause of the problem. Switch I think it was. I also have a distant recollection of AV software causing throttling in certain scenarios.
The fact that it happens even on a straight file copy rules out Backup Exec as the cause, it is something with the underlying system.
Can you get any faster speeds from another source system to the same target?
Simon.
The fact that it happens even on a straight file copy rules out Backup Exec as the cause, it is something with the underlying system.
Can you get any faster speeds from another source system to the same target?
Simon.
ASKER
Actually JF wasn't enabled until yesterday during my testing. I enabled it not remembering if I had had it enabled two years ago when I set this system up. (insider hint: another tech changed everything around< so now I'm having to fix it)
Also I do not run AV on my Exchange server, but I do on my BUE server.
two years ago I had setup all teh source servers and teh BUE box with secondary or tertiary nics, all addresses on a 192 subnet and all cabled to a separate Cisco Small business gigabit switch. This other tech, recabled the entire mess routing them all through the core switch on it's own VLAN. This was done months ago and to my knowledge it's been slow and getting slower ever since. My test today was putting BUE and Exchange back onto that Small Business switch. Which did seem to help initially.. I had throughput rates of 4K+ MB/minute in Backup Exec, but after 3-4 minute it tapers off to below 1000 and keeps gradually falling to sub-600's after roughly 20 minutes.
I agree with you that it's likely not BUE itself causing this.
Also I do not run AV on my Exchange server, but I do on my BUE server.
two years ago I had setup all teh source servers and teh BUE box with secondary or tertiary nics, all addresses on a 192 subnet and all cabled to a separate Cisco Small business gigabit switch. This other tech, recabled the entire mess routing them all through the core switch on it's own VLAN. This was done months ago and to my knowledge it's been slow and getting slower ever since. My test today was putting BUE and Exchange back onto that Small Business switch. Which did seem to help initially.. I had throughput rates of 4K+ MB/minute in Backup Exec, but after 3-4 minute it tapers off to below 1000 and keeps gradually falling to sub-600's after roughly 20 minutes.
I agree with you that it's likely not BUE itself causing this.
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Simon was'nt able to offer a clear solution. While my end result and how I got there didn't directly address my problem.. it is what I've come to as a resolution, as it were.