Any way to backup from a VMFS file system/LUN to tape

[klasikrkade]

I have been using Backup and replication and backing up to local windows disk with abysmal troughput times. I started as a test to backup to some VMFS/LUNS with MUCH higher throughput times. Is there any way to easily get these folders/files to tape?

[Gostev]

No easy way, as VMFS is proprietary file system. I would recommend looking to fix the local storage for your Veeam Backup server, because backup to local disks should always be faster than to VMFS (where all disk I/O has to go through the service console agent). Sounds like there is some issue with I/O controller or its settings on your Veeam Backup server.

[klasikrkade]

Can you be specific?

I am running 2 backup servers. The servers are Gateway E9525R with 2 quad core CPU's and 4 GB RAM Each. They are running SATA drives configured in a RAID 5 array running through an LSI MegaRAID SAS 8308ELP RAID controller.

I have 2 QLOGIC HBA's in each running through a CISCO fiber switch to the Controller on the SAN.

I have each job set to run in SAN only mode.

[Gostev]

Unfortunately, I cannot be more specific - I am not big hardware/storage guy at all.

But the fact that backup to VMFS, when data flows from Veeam Backup server over LAN and our agent in resource-constrained ESX service console, is faster than backup to local storage clearly points out that the issue with the local storage. May be RAID controller issue (cache settings, drivers, firmware).

SAN connection is clearly not an issue, otherwise the job would go equally slow no matter of backup target.

I myself would probaly start troubleshooting from removing RAID controller and RAID5 from the game, and trying to back up to a single SATA drive connected via motherboard I/O controller.