Arcserve2000 Datebase problems

[ghudson]

I have a 2000 server, SP2. Running Arcserve 2000 SP5. It is connected via Adaptec SCSI 39160 to a StorageTek L40. With 1 internal Seagate Ultrium drive.

The problem I have:- Database corruption seems to be a massive probelem.

After every incremental backup the database grows by 100Mb.

I have moved Arcserve and the backup silo to a different server, problem is the same. The database reached 11Gb in size and was more or less unusable.

So I moved it to yet another server. Clean install SP5 etc. Same problem.

I've run all the usual tools dbfix, dcain, dbdefrag, keybuild. Even purchased 40 new LTO tapes.

The only thing that I think might be causing the problem is when I am backing up the terminal server profiles, which seem to contain millions on 1k files. I am currently testing this to see if I don't back them up the DB doesn't grow.

Does any1 have any other ideas as to what is causing this problem? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[davidmichel]

Database size and how fast it grows are most likely the source of the problems. Suggestions:
1) move to MS SQL for the database
2) modify the Database Prune job to retain records for fewer days.
3) modify the backup jobs to record job and session information only to the database.

The last will put everything into the database except the listing of files and directories. End result is the Database size is a fraction of what it was and it is easy to locate the session you want to restore from if need be.

 

[ghudson]

good idea, ill try #3 tomorrow. Also read on CA#s website, for every file that is backed up, it creates an 80byte file in the database as a reference.

There are over 3,000,000 files backed up on each incremental, so I think the problem may stem from here. Ive set prune to 7 days.

Will try your sugestion 2morrow.

Ta

 

[mohamdr]

In addition to what David told ...
3) modify the backup jobs to record job and session information only to the database.

In the New version of Arcserve you can change you can use Calagoed Database, if you enable this option from Server Admin then Arcserve keep all your sessions details in folder called CATALOG.DB and if you follow above David advice it will update arcserve dataabse with Job & session info and then whever you need to restore from any tape you will just go to the session you want to restore from then arcserve will merge the requried session info from the folder CATALOG.DB istead from doing it from tape which slow process.

 

[ghudson]

good tip, I will look into it.

I did some more testing and it is definately the millions of files on the server causing the problem.

 

[velley]

I'm interesting with ur backup performance for this scenario. Image Option should be considered.