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Best process to backup large number of VMs?

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We have over 70 VMs, across 3 hosts. We utilize local SAN for primary backup location, then remote SAN and Remote Tape Drive for our 2nd and 3rd storage destinations

Is it better to create a backup task for each VM or to create a few tasks comprising a large number of servers.  We currently have about 10 tasks based server function\OS Type.  But it seems Acronis doesn't back up all servers in a task.  For example, I created a task to backup our Active Directory servers. They all have the same credentials and setup.  But Acronis won't back up one of them unless I set it on its own task.

Also, it seems the backup process handles only a couple servers at a time within a task.  Is that normal? Under Acronis Backup Options, we have selected 8 machines to run simultaneously.  We'd like to up that to 20 or more.  Or does this setting control TOTAL number of machines backed up simultaneously, and not on a per task basis?

If we create one task for each server, then they can run parallel. 

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Posts: 22
Comments: 3800

Hi Dee,

You should treat simultaneous VM backup option very carefully since simultaneous processing imposes a high load onto both the backup agent and the source hypervisor. This setting is applied on per-backup task basis, so if you have 8 tasks running at the same time with simultaneous VM backup value set to 8, you will get 64 VMs backed up at the same time.

The problems in your case are most likely coming not from the virtualization part - the issue is related to the actual backup storage location which is on a Managed Vault controlled by Acronis Storage Node - there is a limit of simultaneous connections to the vault defined in Acronis Storage Node vault settings: it's 10 backups by default. See "Client Connection Limit" described here. Increasing this limit will likely resolve the issue for you. If not then please contact our support team for assistance.

P.S. I've moved the thread to Acronis Backup Advanced 11.5 for virtualization forum branch as you're using an Advanced edition of the product..

Thank you.

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Best regards,

Vasily

Acronis Virtualization Program Manager

Thank you. I will give that a try.

When we have most of the tasks running, cpu is barely hit and memory is barely above 5 gig for a 48gig machine. 

Any thoughts on why a task won't even touch most of the servers in a task?  There is no error, it won't even show up in the process list as error'd.  We won't know it wasn't backed up until we look in our vault archives to see if the machine's backups are not there.

frestogaslorastaswastavewroviwroclolacorashibushurutraciwrubrishabenichikucrijorejenufrilomuwrigaslowrikejawrachosleratiswurelaseriprouobrunoviswosuthitribrepakotritopislivadrauibretisetewrapenuwrapi
Posts: 22
Comments: 3800

Hi Dee,

The non-running tasks problem should be investigated separately - probably it will be gone after you adjust the connections limit for the backup vault, but if not then please contact our support team for assistance with reference to this thread (remember to collect system report: Help->Collect system report).

Thank you.

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Best regards,

Vasily

Acronis Virtualization Program Manager