Knowledge Base

Preventing backups over the network from timing out

Category: How do I?
Date: 19 Nov 2008
Product: SQL Backup
If SQL Backup is backing up or restoring from a network share then incidental network traffic or server processes can restrict the bandwidth and stop the Backup mid-process.

Since backup operations to a network share rely on the NETBIOS protocol, adjusting the session timeout from the default may minimize the number of or prevent failures caused by NETBIOS session timeouts.

The timeout value can be adjusted by editing the SQL Server computer's registry.

Using RegEdit.exe, create this key to change the NETBIOS timeout setting from 45 seconds (default) to 900 seconds:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters]
"SessTimeout"=dword:00000384 (hex)