Administering the Backup Server › Configure CA ARCserve Backup Engines › Job Engine Configuration

Job Engine Configuration

The CA ARCserve Backup Job Engine controls the execution time of jobs in the job queue. It scans the job queue regularly, starting jobs as their execution dates and times are reached. CA ARCserve Backup provides the following job engine options:

• Job Queue Scanning Interval (seconds)--The Job Engine constantly scans the job queue for jobs that should execute. By default, the job queue is scanned every 10 seconds. To change the time interval, specify a number from 1 - 9999.
• Retention Time for DONE Job (hours)--Jobs with a final status of DONE remain in the job queue for the time specified in this field. By default, CA ARCserve Backup keeps DONE jobs for 24 hours before they are deleted from the queue. To change the time, specify a number between 0 and 999.

  Note: Single occurrence staging jobs (disk to disk to tape and disk to tape to tape) will be removed from the job queue after the migration phase of the job is complete and the length of time specified for this option has elapsed.

• Database Polling Interval (minutes)--The Job Engine periodically polls the CA ARCserve Backup database to discover copied and purged sessions on staging enabled devices. The value specified in this field determines the time interval between polls. The default value for this field is five (5) minutes, and the minimum value is one (1) minute.
• Message Type in Activity Log--The Activity Log contains information about all CA ARCserve Backup activities. By default, notes, warnings, and errors that occur when running CA ARCserve Backup appear in its Activity Log. To change the types of messages, specify one of the following values:
  • None

    No messages appear.

  • Errors

    Only errors that occur while running CA ARCserve Backup appear.

  • Warnings & Errors

    Warnings and errors that occur while running CA ARCserve Backup appear.

  • Notes, Warnings & Errors (default)

    Includes all notes, warnings, and errors that occur while running CA ARCserve Backup.

  • Debug

    Includes debugging information and all notes, warnings, and errors that occur while running CA ARCserve Backup.

• Network Shares--By default, CA ARCserve Backup opens Use All Shares in the Browser. This means that both Default Shares and User Shares are available for selection as either your source or destination for a job. To change the type of shares that are displayed in the Browser, specify one of the following:
  • Use Default Shares Only

    Only administrative shares are available.

  • Use Users Shares Only

    Only shares that have been specifically set by users are displayed.

• Buffer Size (K Bytes)--Defines the buffer size used by CA ARCserve Backup.

  Default value: 256 KB

  All computers behave differently. Factors affecting their behavior can be related to backup server hardware, the total size of the backup job, and the number child jobs that a backup job spawns. You can increase or decrease the size of the buffer to optimize your system's performance while performing a backup.

  Increasing or decreasing the buffer size does not necessary improve backup and restore performance. For example, if the backup server has abundant system resources, such as a large amount memory, access to a fast network, and fast disk I/O, increasing the buffer size can increase the system's backup and restore performance. Conversely, if the backup server has limited system resources, reducing the buffer size can increase the system's backup and restore performance.

  Note: For a typical server, the best practice is to apply the default value of the buffer size.

• Backup--Allows you to customize additional options in your backup jobs:
  • Record Hard Links for NTFS Volumes

    If you back up hard links files, this information is included and preserved by default.

    Default value: ON

  • Confirm when Overwriting Media

    Any time a media is to be overwritten, CA ARCserve Backup can prompt you to confirm that you really want to overwrite the media. By default, this option is disabled (OFF). If you set this option, a confirmation dialog is displayed. If you do not respond within five minutes, the job is cancelled.

    Default value: OFF

  • Backup Registry key details when an entire machine is selected

    You can turn on the option to back up the Registry key details for target machines by clicking on the Backup registry key details when an entire machine is selected check box.

    Default value: OFF

  • Enable Media Maximization

    Lets you optimize disk and tape usage in GFS and rotation jobs. For more information, see Media Maximization.

    You cannot change this value from a member server. Member servers inherit the value specified for this option from the CA ARCserve Backup primary server.

    Default value: ON

• Retry Crashed Jobs after Job Engine Restart--This option is a checkpoint mechanism. CA ARCserve Backup attempts to restart a crashed job if this box is checked. It should only be turned on if a cluster environment is configured to allow for fail-over.
• Submit Makeup Jobs on HOLD--Use this option to place a hold status on a job rather than a ready status.
• Block pop-ups when data migration jobs finish--When a staging migration job is finished, pop-up messages display to inform you if a job was successful, failed, and so on. If you do not want pop-up messages to appear after the migration job is finished, enable this option.
• Block pop-ups when any job finishes--When a job is finished, pop-up messages display to inform you if a job was successful, failed, and so on. If you do not want pop-up messages to appear after a job is finished, enable this option.