VMware Cloud Community
CBacon
Contributor
Contributor

Network throughput issues on ESXi 4

I am running a Win2008r2 web server on a host running ESXi 4 and I am seeign horrible network throughput when running a backup. My backup runs at about 3.5MB per min. I have reviewed some setting on teh NIC adaptor in windows and turned of the TCP off load and that made some inprovements that are visible with copying files accross teh network to and from the VM but it has not helped my backup issue.

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10 Replies
rogard
Expert
Expert

Can we have some more info as to your network?

What is the setup of nics on your esx host?

What sort of back up are you doing and from what? to what?

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CBacon
Contributor
Contributor

Currently using a single onboard Broadcomm NIC (Dell PE T410) which is used in a single vswitch with the VM and a ESX management connection. This NIC is connected to a 100MB switch and is confirmed to be running 100MB full duplex. Currently this is the only thing configured in ESX, there are no other VM's.

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jkumhar75
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Have you check the port speed and configuration on the physical switch port side?

One more thing you need to check about the trunking on the switch port enabled, this will help to flow the different VLAN information.

Jay

VCP 310,VCP 410,MCSE

Consider awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Jayprakash VCP3,VCP4,MCSE 2003 http://kb.vmware.com/
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rogard
Expert
Expert

How are you backing up?

Do you have any centralized storage?

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CBacon
Contributor
Contributor

Through a Backup application that has a network agent installed on the

guest OS.

Chris

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rogard
Expert
Expert

Your using ESXi, so what datastores have you got connected? What type are they?

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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

I am seeign horrible network throughput when running a backup. My backup runs at about 3.5MB per min

It's not network it's DISK IO, that's the problem. Or your backup software. Network is seldom if EVER the bottleneck.

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DSTAVERT
Immortal
Immortal

Why are you using 100MB? Compared to the GB speed the NIC is capable of, 100MB is poor throughput.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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CBacon
Contributor
Contributor

There is only 1 data store and it uses local disk (6 disk R5), the datastore is formatted with a 2MB block size and vmfs3. When I monitor the performance stats there appears to be very little disk I/O. This backup application is capable of alot more than what I am seeing. If this Guest were running on a physical server I would likly see 600-800MB per min on a 100Mb network link.

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DSTAVERT
Immortal
Immortal

You need to start digging for errors / configuration etc. I misread the speed as 3.5 mb/s. Check your logs. Check your switch. Check your cables ????

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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