very slow when I try to backup a novell server

[pooq]

it's fine from this server to another server. i saw 100M bytes in 10 minutes

it's also fine from other servers to backup machine.

but when i do the backup from the server to backup machine
it's very slow. i used sniffer to check the traffic. there is tcp packets window frozen....

all these servers connect to the same cisco catalyst 5500 switch with etherchannel dual-100Mbps. all the connections are 100Mbps full duplex.


what can be the problem? novell server network configuration?

 

[TheLad]

What backup software are you using including patches. What version of NetWare including Service Pack. Are both servers forced to the same network speed/duplex? Are the network ports forced to the same speed/duplex? -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
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[pooq]

thelad, Thanks for your reponse.
ARCserve tap server v7.00
netware 5.1 sp revision 03.
server/switch ports have all been forced to 100/full duplex.

it's fine to backup other novell servers except this one.
this one is fine to connect to other servers except this backup operation.

 

[Iamit]

Pooq
Are you using any Anti Virus software? If you are, unload it and try the backup. I had the same problem that you are having when I used McAfee. I changed to Norton and the problem went away

 

[ITsmyfault]

FWIW
1 - lose any AV software that might be running on the server
2 - if possible, lose Arcserve.. I had tons of problems with it and finally did a R&R. Am using Veritas Backup Exec for Netware with St. Bernard OFM and have reliable backups.. Arcserve 6.6 running over IPX runs well but v7 TCP/IP has issues. I know of at least one major site that moved back to 6.6 as a result.
3 - forcing speed/duplex made my 5.1 SP5 servers very angry. I'm running HP's with NIC teaming (HPAFT) so YMMV. I went back to "AUTO" after a lot of trial, error and PAIN. This is with Nortel baystack 450-24T switches. Cisco's could behace totally differently..
4 - Check server interrupts. Make sure drive controller has better IRQ settings than NIC(s) do, etc. Drives are fast, nics are chatty and slow.. great combo. This can cause crashes, hangs, high CPU, and all sorts of misery. Ask me how I know.

 

[TheLad]

My two pence worth:

1. Disagree. Set to scan writes, exclude reads if you have any Virus Scanning software. Disabling Virus Scanning software could cost your company lots of money should you get infected.

2. Disagree. My company runs AS7 over TCP/IP on over 70 NetWare 5.1 SP5 servers. There has been the odd problem, but nothing a visit to the CA website for a patch has not solved. Using the Client Agent for NetWare also.

3. Cisco switches cope with forced settings, Novell and CA recommend forcing network settings, especially if your switch connections are set to Full Duplex

4. I actually agree. The TID below is Novell's advice on Interrupt settings. Worth a read if you have a spare 10 minutes.

http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/2950154.htm

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"It's true, its damn true!"
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[ITsmyfault]

Hi - Good points all. Just a couple things I'd like to expand on.
1. Did not say to disable AV forever.. just for troubleshooting. Agree that it's a good thing.
2. Glad AS7 works for ya. We spend $2k buying it and $5k trying to make it run reliably. In training classes I've never met another admin who had as good luck with it as you've had. I spent too much time and $ fighting with it only to have it not work some nights out of the blue.. crash the server randomly and a host of other issues. Plus the DB grows insanely large for no good reason (I have 4 servers, I do the simplest backlup in history (full everynight) and my DB was over 2GB.., the admn console runs agonizingly slow as well. Whatever works is my motto. I don't get religious over software.. I just know that BUE went in easily although the OFO was not too reliable, hence St. Bernard. The OFM for AS is actually an old version of the St. Bernard code btw. Veritas' OFO is written by a 3rd party as well. The Veritas + St. Bernard pair runs really fast and reliably.
3. My Nortel Baystack 450's did not deal well with forced speed and duplex.. really made a mess of things. On paper it should be a slam dunk, but as I am sure you know reality has little respect for theory. I'm on the latest firmware and software and auto/auto is what they seem to like. I dunno why. If I had it to do over again I'd probably put Cisco's in there (replaced all my Nortel routers with Cisco and never looked back...) Re-doing our core switches
The servers are HP Netservers fwiw with HP Nics. 3 are a cluster running with a fiberchannel SAN and the 4th is a normal 5.1 server in a remote office.
4. We agree? JK!! I appreciate your POV - part of what makes the forums so valuable! Thanks.