slow performance : SDLT + Netware 6 + Arcserve 9

[TADANG]

Hi, I have very low performance on my backup configuration.

Here is my hardware configuration :
- Compaq SDLT 110/220Go,firmware v52 ;
- Compaq ML 530 G2 (2Go Ram, 2.4 Ghz CPU,
- Smart Array 5312 (firmware v2.36)
- Bios P22-01/28/2003

Here is my software configuration :
- Netware 6 + SP2
- Scsi driver : adpt160m.ham v18.3m feb. 14, 2003 Adaptec Ultra160 Host Adapter Module
- Smart Array driver : cpqraid.ham v2.03 may. 10, 2002 Compaq Unified RAID driver

Here is the Arcserve configuration :
- acserve.nlm 9.00 jan-29, 2003 (build 588.001 01/29/03)
- aprocess.nlm 9.00 jan-24, 2003 (build 588.000 01/24/03)
- asdb.nlm 9.00 jan-29, 2003 (build 588.001 01/29/03)
- tapesvr.nlm 9.00 june-5, 2003 (build 575.020 06/05/03)
- standard.nlm 9.00 june-5, 2003 (build 575.020 06/05/03)
- changer.nlm 9.00 june-5, 2003 (build 575.020 06/05/03)
- btrieve.nlm v7.90 21 March 2001

Here is what we want to backup :
- 74Go of data on a NSS volume
- 1 136 032 files (compressed and not compressed)
- The NSS pool is based on 2 Raid 5 arrays (4 x 72Go) and a mirror (2 x 72Go)..i know, it's strange..=)

The results :
- It takes about 4 hours to backup the volume, with a bad transfert rate of 172MB/Min
- I have the same transfert rate / backup tims with Arcserve 7 or Arcserve 9

My thoughts :
I've already done a lot of tests :
- compressed / not compressed files
- Arcserve 7 / Arcserve 9
- SDLT Firmware upgrade
Is the large number of file responsible for this issue?

This will make a little bit of reading...

Thanx,

Maurice TADANG

[Janine Bertolo]

Hello;

Here are a couple of suggestions to start off with:

You can run the HP Library & Tape Tools software in NetWare to test the drive independently of the OS; though you're getting backups with bad throughput the tests themselves may be inconclusive.

The L&TT is also useful for upgrading the firmware on the drive which according to our documentation is now at V75.

You can download the utility from http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/storageworks/ltt/

The firmware on your array controller can be an issue for local backups - the most recent firmware for the 5312 is 2.38 available at http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/17404.html

I can't see in your post which ASPI manager you are using. You may also want to experiment between NWASPI from Novell and CANWPA from Computer Associates to see if you get any difference in performance using one over the other.

Cheers,

Janine

[Leif Halvarsson_2]

Hi,
If you not already have done this, try to set:
SET TCP DELAYED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT=OFF

It may be necessary to reboot the NetWare server before this setting takes effect.

[Allan_24]

Hi,
Make sure your SDLT drive is connected from dedicated SCSI controller. If its already connecetd without any disk drive and speed rate still slow, perhaps you may to use SMS SBCON native backup utility of Netware (for isolation) and see if the trasfer speed still range 3MB/sec.