deanderson
Technical User
We have a Compaq Proliant 1600 server with Windows 2000 SP1 installed and Arcserve 2000 Workgroup Edition (Build 1050) and a Compaq 20/40GB Dat Drive, Firmware 1.09 Backing up 30.5GB, takes around 12hrs.
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Arcserve backup taking long time
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Adding to Bofo's comment: Also, avoid using "auto" when configuring the speeds/duplex on the NICs and switches. Hard code it on both the switch and the server. I've seen "auto" cause lots of problems and very slow speeds.
Of course, that's all assuming you're doing a network backup. If this is a local backup, then check you SCSI configuration to make sure you have that all set up right and is properly terminated. There are options that can be set in terms of speed, width, and duplex that effect SCSI throughput. Check to see that your SCSI card and drive interface are compatible, and using the best options.
If that is a 20/40 DLT, then you are not dealing with the latest and greatest of hardware. Check the specs to see what your expectations should be.
Try cleaning the drive. A lot of soft errors can slow things down.
Listen to the drive during the backup. Does it sound like it is stopping/rewinding/starting? If so, then the data isn't keeping up with the drive, and the stopping/starting is really killing your performance, and you need to troubleshoot why the server/interface is running so slow.
I also had an experience once with Compaq hardware of that era where the drive/library needed to be configured for particular SCSI addresses to work right. Check with Compaq on that, I believe it was documented.
Oh, and here's a few to check before all that - Check your verify options on the job. A full verify can double the time a backup job takes. Also, compression or encryption on the server can slow things down considerably - allow the hardware to do the compression/encryption if it has the capability. If you are doing a network backup, be sure to use the appropriate agent - that speeds things up considerably. Network and server (other applications?) load can be a factor, too.
Hope this helps.
Of course, that's all assuming you're doing a network backup. If this is a local backup, then check you SCSI configuration to make sure you have that all set up right and is properly terminated. There are options that can be set in terms of speed, width, and duplex that effect SCSI throughput. Check to see that your SCSI card and drive interface are compatible, and using the best options.
If that is a 20/40 DLT, then you are not dealing with the latest and greatest of hardware. Check the specs to see what your expectations should be.
Try cleaning the drive. A lot of soft errors can slow things down.
Listen to the drive during the backup. Does it sound like it is stopping/rewinding/starting? If so, then the data isn't keeping up with the drive, and the stopping/starting is really killing your performance, and you need to troubleshoot why the server/interface is running so slow.
I also had an experience once with Compaq hardware of that era where the drive/library needed to be configured for particular SCSI addresses to work right. Check with Compaq on that, I believe it was documented.
Oh, and here's a few to check before all that - Check your verify options on the job. A full verify can double the time a backup job takes. Also, compression or encryption on the server can slow things down considerably - allow the hardware to do the compression/encryption if it has the capability. If you are doing a network backup, be sure to use the appropriate agent - that speeds things up considerably. Network and server (other applications?) load can be a factor, too.
Hope this helps.
If you happen to be using the Arcserve 2000 Agent, remove it. I recommend using the 6.61 Agent even if CA reckon it doesn't work with Arcserve 2000. I noticed when I ran the 6.61 Client Agent connecting to Acrserve 2000 (V7) I had no issues. As soon as I installed the 2000 Agent, Including SP2 for Arcserve 2000 Server and SP2 Client Agent update all went to mustard. File Pattern Filter failed to work (*.tmp), Compression was not working and above all performance went from a respectable 300-400 mb/min to a shocking 70 mb/min. Well as soon as I noticed that my 17 NT4.0 Server backup (330 GB full backup) took 23hrs through the 6.61 Agent and an alarming 4 Days (Finally gave up after 10 servers)through the 2000 agent. I removed all the 2000 client agents and went back to the 6.61 agent and finally got some worth while sleep and got to keep my job.
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