High pages/sec on DL560

[Steve Giordano]

I'm seeing a very high rate of pages/sec and interrupts/sec on a DL560 while a backup is being performed. It appears to be mostly soft faults though because disk time is still 99% idle. We use TSM for backups and it's backing up over the network. Perf data shows normal activity at around 124 pgs/sec, 16 packets/sec, 1500 proc interrupts/sec. When the backup starts the numbers are 6800 pgs/sec, 4500 packets/sec and 5300 proc interrupts/sec. The NIC's are configured at 1000/Full and teamed in a Fail on Fault setup. This server has Support Pack 7.10 installed. Since the pages increase as network packets increase does it sound like a possbile NIC driver issue? I was thinking of upgrading the Support Pack to 7.40 which will install version 8.10 of the NIC driver. Thoughts?

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

Please update the NIC Driver only and check it. Where not sure about backAPP working nature. Possible to check with diff back up app to see the difference.

REgards,
PRashant S.

[Steve Giordano]

I upgraded the NIC to the version from the 7.40a Support pack and so far I'm still seeing a high number in Interrupts/sec. But only when network traffic increases. I'm also seeing a high amount of pages/sec with the increase in network. Although the disk Idle time is 99% so it's not hitting the disk very hard (soft faults). I understand that processors can handle a pretty high number of soft faults without seeing any performance impact because the fault is found elsewhere in memory. It's very clear this is the case. Does it sound like I even have a problem? I'm wondering if our monitoring is a little too sensitive for these servers. Thoughts?