# Too many open files (more than 1048576)

**URL:** <https://forums.percona.com/t/too-many-open-files-more-than-1048576/5260>\
**Category:** Percona XtraBackup\
**Created:** [December 6, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://forums.percona.com/t/too-many-open-files-more-than-1048576/5260 "2016-12-06T04:32:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![svdr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@svdr](https://forums.percona.com/u/svdr)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://forums.percona.com/t/too-many-open-files-more-than-1048576/5260/1 "2016-12-06T04:32:32Z")

</div>

I get this error when backing up a database with lots of tables (really lots). I know about ulimit and have set the maximum number of open files at 1048576 (kernel hard coded maximum), but last night we exceeded this number.

Does anybody know:

- If we can configure xtrabackup in a way that will open less tables (or less concurrently)?
- How we can increase the kernel limit of 1048576?

Thanks!