You can use the Optimize Backup Performance dialog box to improve the performance of backups for full volumes, which can improve server performance. It is available from the homepage of the Windows Server Backup snap-in. However, these settings apply only if you are including entire volumes in the backup. The performance settings will not be applied if you specify a file or folder backup (in this case, backups will be created using the file backup engine and these settings will not be applied.)
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To adjust performance settings for Windows Server Backup |
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Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Windows Server Backup.
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In the Actions pane of the snap-in default page, under Windows Server Backup, click Configure Performance Settings. This opens the Optimize Backup Performance dialog box.
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In the Optimize Backup Performance dialog box, do one of the following:
- Click Normal backup performance.
Choose this option to specify that the backups you create are full
backups. During a backup operation, Windows transfers all the
contents of the volume being backed up, but the space used on the
backup storage location is only for the changed blocks on the
source.
- Click Faster backup performance.
Choose this option to specify that the backups that you create are
incremental backups. Windows will leave a shadow copy on the source
volume to use to track the changes. During next backup operation,
only the changes since last the backup are transferred (by reading
from the “diff area” of the shadow copy)—as compared to the
Normal backup performance option, where the entire source
volume data is transferred. (Because only changed blocks are
written, there is a performance increase.) The space used on the
backup storage location will still only be for the changed blocks
detected on the source. Use this method for servers that are less
I/O intensive because shadow copies can degrade the performance of
write operations for the volume they are on (read operations are
not affected).
Note Even if you choose the option to create incremental backups, Windows Server Backup will create a full backup once every 14 days, or after 14 incremental backup operations, to reduce the risk from disk corruptions.
- Click Custom. And then for each item
under Volume, select either Full backup or
Incremental backup from the adjacent drop-down list.
- Click Normal backup performance.
Choose this option to specify that the backups you create are full
backups. During a backup operation, Windows transfers all the
contents of the volume being backed up, but the space used on the
backup storage location is only for the changed blocks on the
source.
Additional considerations
- To use Windows Server Backup, you must be a
member of the Backup Operators or Administrators group, or you must
have been delegated the appropriate authority.