Windows Server 2012 Deduplication
Follow the recommendations provided in the configuration guidelines above; here is the summary:
- Use Windows 2012 R2 and apply all patches (some roll-ups contain improvements to deduplication).
- Format the disk using the command line "/L" option (for "large size file records") and 64KB cluster size (use parameters
/Q /L /A:64K) - Follow compression and deduplication guidelines for non-integrated deduplication storage in previous chapter.
- Modify garbage collection schedule to run daily rather than weekly.
- Use backup jobs configured to perform Active full with incrementals.
- If possible, spread active full backups over the entire week.
- Try to keep the .VBK files below 1TB in size (there is no official support from Microsoft for files bigger than this; see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh769303(v=vs.85).aspx). Large files take a long time to deduplicate and will have to be fully reprocessed if the process is interrupted.
- Where possible, use multiple volumes. Windows deduplication can process multiple volumes using multi-core CPU – one CPU core per volume; see http://blogs.technet.com/b/filecab/archive/2014/12/04/sizing-volumes-for-data-deduplication-in-windows-server.aspx for details.)
- Configure deduplication process to run once a day, and for as long as possible.
More information can be found here: http://forums.veeam.com/veeam-backup-replication-f2/best-practice-for-ms-server-2012-dedup-repo-t14002-135.html.