Slow VM Performance during backups

[ilyo]

I am looking for advice on how to improve performance during backups.

Before virtualizing, we had Backup Exec agents on each server and all backed up over the network to tape without any noticable issues.

As I do not need the whole VM backed up, just certain folders...I have backup exec 2010 agents on each VM and all backing up to VM with Backup exec server to tape.  As soon as the backup job begins...the network becomes unusable...exchange mailboxes are unaccessible, Blackberry Enterprise servers cannot reach mail servers, rdp sessions cannot connect, etc.  To try to improve performance, I split up the VM's to different virtual networks with their own dedicated NIC ports...but did not improve.

Any ideas?  What can I do to improve performance and minimize disruptions?

Setup:

2 x HP Physical servers with VSphere 4.0..each server with 6 NIC ports

1 x AberNAS with dual NIC's teamed...datastore resides on nfs shares on NAS

Thanks

[eeg3]

Using agents on each of the VMs is likely not the best solution. I'd suggest looking at Symantec's Backup Exec Agent for VMware Virtual Infrastructure that is much more efficient. Also, there is Veeam's Backup & Replication.

Otherwise, I would try to do chunks of machines at a time instead of all at once.

[ilyo]

I do have the vmware option installed...however it appears to backup the whole VM....so I am backing up alot more then i really need to...that is why I went with the agents.  Currently, the backup job only backs up one VM at a time...but still seems to clobber the network.

[ilyo]

Just wanted to update that the issue ended up being the physical switches.  Once we removed a couple fo no longer required switches from the network and better setup all the VM host and NAS devices, the backups stopped affecting the network as bad.

Still going to take your suggestion and switch the Backup Exec Vmware backup module..since I already paid for it!  Just need to better learn on how I can control what is being backed up.

Thanks