How do I determine whether a backup performance issue is caused by the client or the Media Agent?

Check the job details in Command Center and examine the throughput breakdown. If the read category shows a high percentage, the bottleneck is likely on the client's disk infrastructure. If the write category percentage is high, the issue is probably with the Media Agent or library disk infrastructure.

What are the default settings for CVDiskPerf and when should I customize them?

Default settings include 64KB block size, 16384 block count, 6 file count, 6 thread count, and random I/O operations. These defaults are optimized for Commvault workloads and work for most scenarios. Customize only when you need to match specific storage configurations or test sequential versus random I/O patterns.

Identifying Disk Bottlenecks with CVDiskPerf

Name: Identifying Disk Bottlenecks with CVDiskPerf
Uploaded: 2026-03-20T17:03:16-04:00
Duration: 3 min 18 s
Description: TL;DR Use Commvault Command Center job details to analyze throughput performance across read, write, DDB, and network categories to identify where bottlenecks originate in your backup environment. High read percentages in job metrics indicate client-si...

Commvault

03/20/2026

0 (0%)

Report Like Favorite

TL;DR

Use Commvault Command Center job details to analyze throughput performance across read, write, DDB, and network categories to identify where bottlenecks originate in your backup environment.
High read percentages in job metrics indicate client-side disk issues, while high write percentages point to Media Agent or storage infrastructure problems requiring investigation.
Run CVDiskPerf on the client system for read performance issues or on the Media Agent for write performance issues to validate disk infrastructure with Commvault-optimized workloads.

This tutorial provides a practical guide to diagnosing and resolving disk performance bottlenecks that impact Commvault backup and recovery operations. Environmental factors such as slow storage infrastructure can cause data protection jobs to run sub-optimally, and Commvault includes built-in tools to help administrators identify and address these issues efficiently. The video begins by explaining how to use the Command Center to view job details for both running and historical jobs, where administrators can analyze average throughput performance broken down into four categories: read, write, DDB, and network. This categorization is essential for pinpointing where bottlenecks originate—high read percentages typically indicate client-side disk infrastructure problems, while high write percentages suggest issues with the Media Agent or library storage systems. The core of the tutorial focuses on CVDiskPerf, a command-line utility included with every Commvault installation that validates disk performance using workloads optimized for Commvault processes. Administrators learn that the tool should be run on the client system when investigating read performance issues and on the Media Agent when troubleshooting write performance problems. The video covers the tool's location in the Commvault base installation directory and demonstrates both default and customized test configurations. Key customization options include specifying local or network paths, adjusting block size from the default 64KB, modifying block and file counts, changing thread counts, switching between random and sequential I/O operations, and using credential impersonation for network share access. Test results provide detailed metrics including data processed, time elapsed, and calculated throughput in GB per hour, giving administrators actionable data for storage optimization decisions.

Chapters

0:00 - Understanding Performance Bottlenecks
0:19 - Analyzing Job Throughput Metrics
1:02 - Introduction to CVDiskPerf
1:27 - Customizing Test Parameters
2:51 - Running Tests and Interpreting Results

Key Quotes

0:11 "Commvault has made it easy to identify these bottlenecks, test performance and identify steps that can be taken to optimise your environment."
1:46 "The default values are optimised for Commvault processes and will provide the most relevant tests."
3:06 "With CV Disk Perf in your toolbox, you can help ensure your environment is running optimally."

Categories:

» Webinar Library » Commvault
» Data Protection

Tags:

Show more Show less

Browse videos

Upcoming Webinar Calendar

05/06/2026

10:00 PM

05/06/2026

World Password Day: What to Do Now That You Still Have Passwords

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1913/world-password-day-what-to-do-now-that-you-still-have-passwords/
05/07/2026

05:00 AM

05/07/2026

World Password Day: Strategies for Managing Your Passwords Effectively.

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1914/world-password-day-strategies-for-managing-your-passwords-effectively/
05/07/2026

01:00 PM

05/07/2026

World Password Day: Strategies for Managing Your Existing Passwords.

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1915/world-password-day-strategies-for-managing-your-existing-passwords/
05/12/2026

01:00 PM

05/12/2026

Transforming Black Box to Glass Box: Revealing Hidden Threats and AI Risks through Data Lineage

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1895/transforming-black-box-to-glass-box-revealing-hidden-threats-and-ai-risks-through-data-lineage/
05/12/2026

11:30 PM

05/12/2026

Effective Strategies for Safeguarding Active Directory and Minimizing Data Risks

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1888/effective-strategies-for-safeguarding-active-directory-and-minimizing-data-risks/
05/13/2026

01:00 AM

05/13/2026

Transforming the Black Box: Revealing AI Risks and Hidden Threats through Data Lineage

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1890/transforming-the-black-box-revealing-ai-risks-and-hidden-threats-through-data-lineage/
05/13/2026

05:00 AM

05/13/2026

Transforming Black Box to Glass Box: Revealing AI Risks and Hidden Threats through Data Lineage

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1894/transforming-black-box-to-glass-box-revealing-ai-risks-and-hidden-threats-through-data-lineage/
05/19/2026

01:00 PM

05/19/2026

Establishing AI Governance Foundations for GenAI at Every Deployment Stage

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1936/establishing-ai-governance-foundations-for-genai-at-every-deployment-stage/
05/21/2026

11:00 AM

05/21/2026

The Autonomous Era: Orchestrating a Resilient Enterprise

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1372/the-autonomous-era-orchestrating-a-resilient-enterprise/
05/27/2026

04:00 AM

05/27/2026

Rivoluziona i rischi dell'AI in opportunità con Netskope AI Security

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1925/rivoluziona-i-rischi-dellai-in-opportunità-con-netskope-ai-security/
05/28/2026

10:00 AM

05/28/2026

Harnessing AI: Transforming Perception into Purposeful Mastery

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1924/harnessing-ai-transforming-perception-into-purposeful-mastery/
06/02/2026

01:00 PM

06/02/2026

Spring of Satori: Insights into Our New Findings and the 2026 Threat Landscape

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1930/spring-of-satori-insights-into-our-new-findings-and-the-2026-threat-landscape/
06/04/2026

02:00 AM

06/04/2026

Mastering the Unseen: Managing Shadow AI and Agentic MCP Traffic

https://www.truthinit.com/index.php/channel/1948/mastering-the-unseen-managing-shadow-ai-and-agentic-mcp-traffic/