ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)
1748224 Members
4563 Online
108759 Solutions
New Discussion юеВ

Slow backup to tape with new Proliant ML350 Server

 
David B Walsh
Occasional Advisor

Slow backup to tape with new Proliant ML350 Server

Hi,

I have recently upgraded a customers system, and after the upgrade we are seeing terribly slow backups to tape from a remote server (on the same LAN using the Veritas Backup Exec Remote Agent). Details of the system before and after the upgrade, plus backup performance statistics are below:


BEFORE UPGRADE

SERVER1 - HP Proliant ML350 G4 running SBS 2003 Premium with Backup Exec version 10.0 plus HP Ultrium 1 tape drive

SERVER2 - Old Compaq Proliant ML370 running Windows 2000 Server SP4 plus Backup Exec version 10 remote agent

Both server NIC's running at 100Mbps connected to a 100Mbps switch

Backup to tape from local drives on SERVER1 resulted in a throughput of about 500MB/min.
Backup to tape from drives on SERVER2 (via Backup Exec agent) resulted in a throughput of about 250MB/min.




AFTER UPGRADE

SERVER1 - Same as before

SERVER2 - New HP Proliant ML350 G5 running Windows Server 2003 Standard SP2 and Backup Exec version 10 remote agent

Both server NIC's now running at 1Gbps full duplex (manually configured to this setting on each server) connected to a new 1Gbps switch

Backup to tape from local drives on SERVER1 are as before the upgrade, i.e. about 500MB/min.
Backup to tape from drives on SERVER2 (via Backup Exec agent) now result in a throughput of about 20MB/min.


In summary, I have installed a much faster new server and a much faster new managed switch, which has resulted in a TEN FOLD DECREASE in backup performance to tape from the new server.

The intersting thing is that if I create a backup to disk device on SERVER1 and backup SERVER2 using the backup to disk device as the target, the throughput is 1GB/min. To me, this rules out the new server, the new switch and the rest of the network, and points the
finger at the tape drive, but I can't see any logic to this.

Anyone else seen anything similar and can offer any suggestions for a fix?

Thanks in advance,
Dave.
2 REPLIES 2
James ~ Happy Dude
Honored Contributor

Re: Slow backup to tape with new Proliant ML350 Server

David,
I would agree with you when you say >> "To me, this rules out the new server, the new switch and the rest of the network, "
However, I have seen, Changing the SWITCH resolving this issue; Try it & let us know.

Regards,
James.
David B Walsh
Occasional Advisor

Re: Slow backup to tape with new Proliant ML350 Server

FYI, this was solved by disabling TCP offload engine on the new ML350 G5 server.

I thought TOE was supposed to improve performance not hinder it!!