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Crashplan. How to I make it faster???

J

Jenni8

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 27, 2011
87
0
CA
So I started using Crashplan. I've looked and looked for a way to make the initial backup faster. It seems to bottleneck at only 1.5 mbps no matter what settings I change in the app. It's way slower than my internet capabilities.

I've read places that the server is to blame. IF it is how do I go about figuring out what server it's using? And how would I find a closer server?

Also I've read that it could be a process priority issue. I've also looked for ways to adjust that with no luck. Only apps I've found won't work with the current 10.8.2. If I can figure out how to change the priority than I could figure out if the problem is on my end or the server.

Anyone have a clue? Anything I find is either outdated or too vague for any real help.

Thank you in advance.
 
Unless you have an inordinate amount of data... I would recommend that you do not worry about it. It's backup... not primary data.

I would recommend that you backup to a cheap USB drive while you are waiting for it to backup... and store it someplace offsite. That way you have a cheap offsite backup snapshot to hold you until your initial backup finishes.

My backup set has increased from about 300-400GB when I started... to my current 1.5 TB backup. When I get my new iMac... I'll be spending the $125 or so to do a seeded backup to their server... only because my initial backup is somewhat large. If you have a huge backup... then I would recommend that you seed it.

What I did originally, was to restrict initial backup... and slowly turn on more data as the higher priority backup finished. That way I was backing up my most important data first. In order I did:

1) Documents (finished in a few hours)
2) Pictures (finished in less than a week)
3) Home camcorder movies (less than a week)
4) Music (another week or so)
5) Video (who cares... it is easily replaceable).

/Jim
 
Have you contacted support? They are quite responsive.

I can always saturate my 5Mb connection, but have found restores to be slow.
 
flynz4 said:
Unless you have an inordinate amount of data... I would recommend that you do not worry about it. It's backup... not primary data.

I would recommend that you backup to a cheap USB drive while you are waiting for it to backup... and store it someplace offsite. That way you have a cheap offsite backup snapshot to hold you until your initial backup finishes.

My backup set has increased from about 300-400GB when I started... to my current 1.5 TB backup. When I get my new iMac... I'll be spending the $125 or so to do a seeded backup to their server... only because my initial backup is somewhat large. If you have a huge backup... then I would recommend that you seed it.

What I did originally, was to restrict initial backup... and slowly turn on more data as the higher priority backup finished. That way I was backing up my most important data first. In order I did:

1) Documents (finished in a few hours)
2) Pictures (finished in less than a week)
3) Home camcorder movies (less than a week)
4) Music (another week or so)
5) Video (who cares... it is easily replaceable).

/Jim
Click to expand...

Ok so I've gone this route because I've already had 2 USB drives crash on me and at this point I just cannot afford to buy another one. I went for the cheaper drives due to cost compared to the apple brand which I'm betting would less likely crash because compatibility is better. Also having it onsite somewhat defeats the purpose if my home gets robbed or a fire occurs. I'm not about to have a drive somewhere else I have to move back in forth to keep updated.

All Together I have about 500GB of my 1TB drive full. I only set it up to initially store my home folder which is about two third of my entire system due to all my pics. If I lost all my pics I'd go crazy, they are my whole life. I almost lost them once and had a friend recover them from a bad drive.

I did a ton of research on offsite companies and this one was the one I ended up going with. Also in using this company I can access my files anywhere and even on our iphone. I just hate that its taking so long and it won't even be finished with EVERYTHING for like a month.

----------
Weaselboy said:
Have you tried everything listed here?

I don't think it is their servers. I am always able to saturate my connection.
Click to expand...

Yes, it changed nothing changing the apps settings. I even changed the usage to 100% with no change. Upped the upload limit and everything that page suggests.

I don't know how to change the priorities on my mac and that is one thing I can try if I can figure out how to do it.

----------

I read that if it puts you in a far away or slow server that it could be the problem, but I don't know how to figure out what server it's using. I'd be willing to change up the server and start over if I could figure out how to identify the server it's using.

I personally think it's a combo issue of my computer priorities AND the server. I originally tried the 30 day trial. It took me too long to pay for the service so I had to start over.

The upload was faster and fluctuated more and was often at 2 mbps. This time it refuses to go faster that 1.5 and I've thinking cause I must be on a slower server.
 
You're saturating your network connection.

Download speeds are MUCH faster than upload speeds.

I have a $50/mo comcast plan (bundled so that may make a difference) but it is only a 5 mb connection upstream. Downstream bursts up to 25 mb, and then calmly goes down to something like 10 after a minute or so.

It's not the app, it's simply your internet speed.
 
zhenya said:
Have you contacted support? They are quite responsive.

I can always saturate my 5Mb connection, but have found restores to be slow.
Click to expand...

So I did email support, so we will se if they are helpful with their response.

Anyone know anything about changing process priorities though?? It would be helpful knowing for other uses too.

----------
kgs said:
You're saturating your network connection.

Download speeds are MUCH faster than upload speeds.

I have a $50/mo comcast plan (bundled so that may make a difference) but it is only a 5 mb connection upstream. Downstream bursts up to 25 mb, and then calmly goes down to something like 10 after a minute or so.

It's not the app, it's simply your internet speed.
Click to expand...

No it's NOT my internet speed. I can upload at faster than 1.5. I've done it many times. I pay for a faster than basic plan. My upload speed is max 5mbps. Not the pathetic 1.5.
 
Jenni8 said:
Anyone know anything about changing process priorities though?? It would be helpful knowing for other uses too.
Click to expand...

Find the process number in Activity Monitor. Then enter the below string in Terminal app substituting the process number for xxxx.

-20 will give it highest priority. For more info enter "man renice" in Terminal.

Code: 
sudo renice -20 xxxx
 
I will add my two cents since i just started using crashplan recently.

One thingI kept reading about was how much of a CPU hog crashplan app can be. I never noticed it slowing down my machine. It took about a week or so to do my first full backup (around 90GB). I am now doing a recent massive iTunes purchase (i initially excluded the TV Shows and Movies folder from the backup since I was worried about the CPU usage that I mentioned above).

I agree with flynz4 two points- so long as you have an additional backup (timemachine or similar), I would not worry and i f you have a very large amount of data, seeding is probably the way to go (I am considering it for all my ripped TV Shows and Movies).
 
Jenni8 said:
No it's NOT my internet speed. I can upload at faster than 1.5. I've done it many times. I pay for a faster than basic plan. My upload speed is max 5mbps. Not the pathetic 1.5.
Click to expand...

What are you getting for upload speeds to a variety of speed test sites from the same computer you are backing up? (Pause Crashplan while doing this)

It could also just be your ISP. They may have a poor route between you and Crashplan's data center.
 
zhenya said:
What are you getting for upload speeds to a variety of speed test sites from the same computer you are backing up? (Pause Crashplan while doing this)

It could also just be your ISP. They may have a poor route between you and Crashplan's data center.
Click to expand...

To Original Poster:

It is NOT your internet connection... nor it is your process priority... nor is it your ISP.

It takes a long time on Crashplan's servers. It always has. The only two options are:

1) Wait it out
2) Seed

As long as you have another backup offsite... I would suggest just waiting it out. It will complete.

Since you care so much about your pictures (they are also my most important digital asset)... then I would first ONLY back up your pictures. Once that completes, then start turning on other data folders in priority order. Eventually... just turn on your entire user folder.

Trust me... it will complete. Perform a temporary backup (and store it offsite) until your CP backup completes. Borrow someones USB drive for a few weeks if you cannot afford one now. Then erase and return it when your data is backed up. I have 1.5 TB backup... and it was all over the wire. I also have a total of 7 Macs all backed up to Crashplan.

I love the CP service... I think it is the best out there. Giving yourself a hernia worrying about your initial backup is a waste of human energy.

/Jim
 
flynz4 said:
To Original Poster:

It is NOT your internet connection... nor it is your process priority... nor is it your ISP.

It takes a long time on Crashplan's servers. It always has. The only two options are:

1) Wait it out
2) Seed

As long as you have another backup offsite... I would suggest just waiting it out. It will complete.
Click to expand...

What makes you so sure that it's not specific to him? He has a 5Mb up connection and he's seeding no faster than 1.5Mb. I've uploaded terabytes of data to CP always at my full 5megs.

Sure, to some extent I agree with you that in the long run it won't matter too much, but at the same time, it might be exposing other issues in his system or network. I upload several GB/week usually, which would take much, much longer on a 1.5Mb connection vs. 5.
 
zhenya said:
What makes you so sure that it's not specific to him? He has a 5Mb up connection and he's seeding no faster than 1.5Mb. I've uploaded terabytes of data to CP always at my full 5megs.

Sure, to some extent I agree with you that in the long run it won't matter too much, but at the same time, it might be exposing other issues in his system or network. I upload several GB/week usually, which would take much, much longer on a 1.5Mb connection vs. 5.
Click to expand...

After using CP+ for 3+ years... across a total of 9 Macs (7 of which are still being backed up)... and backing up TB's of data... and with two different ISPs. One Comcast with 15Mb service... and also with Verizon FIOS with 25Mb up and 25Mb down... and backing up across three USA states... and also Canada and Ireland.... I have consistently seen that the upload performance of Crashplan is for all practical purposes... unrelated to one's local internet connection.

/Jim
 
zhenya said:
What makes you so sure that it's not specific to him? He has a 5Mb up connection and he's seeding no faster than 1.5Mb. I've uploaded terabytes of data to CP always at my full 5megs.

Sure, to some extent I agree with you that in the long run it won't matter too much, but at the same time, it might be exposing other issues in his system or network. I upload several GB/week usually, which would take much, much longer on a 1.5Mb connection vs. 5.
Click to expand...

You have to remember that speed slows greatly when you are talking about small files. Lets say it uploads a single file at once.

If the files are small then the speed will be quite low because of this. Try the same thing with an FTP server, a single thread, small files. It can take longer than uploading a single larger file. (i should qualify that with a series of small files that total the same size as the larger file. In this case the larger file will upload faster than the many smaller ones).

Larger files will prove to show you faster speeds. This is why speed tests show your maximum speed.
 
Mine caps at 1.5Mbps, too. I am almost done uploading my 750+GB of data...only took about 7 weeks or so. :)
 
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