Networker module for Exchange server - poor performance

Question

I am having a problem with our Exchange 2003 backups. I am backing up to a Solaris 9 networker server version: 7.2.2 build 422
The Exchange server has the Networker module for exchange server version: 4.1.0.148
Both the Networker and Exchange server have Gb links, with very little utilization. The CPU on the Exchange server is at about 6% utilization.
We are currently using LTO2 drives on our jukebox, that will normally write at a speed of about 35MB/second.

We should have backups operating close to the tape speed, but I am seeing backup speeds of about 2-4 MB/second.

I am also trying to run a copy backup, but it seems to revert to a full backup. THe backup command i am running is: nsrxchsv -c servername -l copy

Please let me know if you know of anything that will fix either of these issues.

Thanks,
Ryan

Please let me know if there is any performance tuning I can do on our Exchange server.

dk3 · Answer

Is the 6% processor performance measured during a backup or else? My first though: Is a virus scanner or somethings similar running on that machine?

nayrgreb · Answer

The processor utilization has went up to about 10%, but the system is only backing up at about 1.5 - 3.5MB/second. The server is a Dell 2950 with 2 dual-core Zeon processors operating at 2.8 Ghz each. It has 4GB of RAM. It's Exchange storage is split into 4 information stores and each store is about 30-40 GB in size and is mounted on a NetApp G940 filer with iscsi links. Both the network connection and iscsi connections are operating at 1Gb/full-duplex and are showing very little usage. I know that it is not an problem with the iscsi connection, being that during a snapshot operation I am seeing data transfer average about 65-85 MB/second. Please let me know if you need any additional information.

ble1 · Answer

1. If you try file system backup (which is not valid, but this is not important) of the same data - what speed do you get?
2. What backup are you running - IS or MB backup?
3. If you run the same backup from 2), but with db on separate system do you see the same performance?
4. Try to obtain latest module version build - build 353 was current year ago (or even more).

nayrgreb · Answer

I am running the IS backup. I am also running the latest downloadable module from EMC. I do not see any module that has a build of 353. Being that this is currently on a production exchange environment it is rather hard to move the DB to a seperate system.

ble1 · Answer

Modules are always downloadable for their initial release - you will need to open support ticket to obtain latest one.You can do directed restore to test box and test it from there.

NetWorker

Networker module for Exchange server - poor performance

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