g127404
asked on
Network Seizes up for short periods of time
We have a small business of about 30 computers. Almost all workstations are Windows XP. 3 Servers. (Windows 2000, Windows SBS, Windows 2003). 6 Dell Powerconnect 2624 switches. 1 Sonicwall Pro 2040.
Pretty standard setup I do believe.
Leading up to the problem:
We had a tripplite UPS go haywire and dropped all the servers and switches. It came back on after about 20 seconds but the damage had been done. The servers gave errors about not completing "writing to disk". Finally after moving all the servers off the tripplite and multiple reboots the servers were back online. On the same weekend a new SonicWall was put in place upgrading from a Pro to a 2040.
>>>>>>> The problem: <<<<<<<<<
The network now seizes up randomly. Here is a ping done from my machine to a server:
C:\>ping -t 192.168.0.22
Pinging 192.168.0.22 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time=1263ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time=1499ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time=506ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Ping statistics for 192.168.0.22:
Packets: Sent = 23, Received = 15, Lost = 8 (34% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1499ms, Average = 217ms
I know this isn't an easy one to troubleshoot because there are many factors but I'd like some advice on tracking this down. It's the middle of the week and I don't have much time to do "after hours" type of experimentation such as taking all machines offline and adding back one at time. Eventually it'll come to that but for now what would you do to solve this problem?
Pretty standard setup I do believe.
Leading up to the problem:
We had a tripplite UPS go haywire and dropped all the servers and switches. It came back on after about 20 seconds but the damage had been done. The servers gave errors about not completing "writing to disk". Finally after moving all the servers off the tripplite and multiple reboots the servers were back online. On the same weekend a new SonicWall was put in place upgrading from a Pro to a 2040.
>>>>>>> The problem: <<<<<<<<<
The network now seizes up randomly. Here is a ping done from my machine to a server:
C:\>ping -t 192.168.0.22
Pinging 192.168.0.22 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time=1263ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time=1499ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time=506ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.0.22: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Ping statistics for 192.168.0.22:
Packets: Sent = 23, Received = 15, Lost = 8 (34% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1499ms, Average = 217ms
I know this isn't an easy one to troubleshoot because there are many factors but I'd like some advice on tracking this down. It's the middle of the week and I don't have much time to do "after hours" type of experimentation such as taking all machines offline and adding back one at time. Eventually it'll come to that but for now what would you do to solve this problem?
This happens when you ping only the server or it will happen if you ping any computer on your network?
ASKER
Good question... any computer on the network. Even going out to the internet.
Using multiple windows and doing simultaneous pings gives different results for each. Going to one computer on the network won't necessarily time out the same time as another one will... but eventually if given enough time it will experience a problem like any other.
Using multiple windows and doing simultaneous pings gives different results for each. Going to one computer on the network won't necessarily time out the same time as another one will... but eventually if given enough time it will experience a problem like any other.
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Well, it got to the point where we had to do just that...
take down the switches and add them back one at a time. (even though I didn't want to take down the network in the middle of a work day)
Narrowing it down to one switch we found 2 ports were in a constant state of chatter.
Following one of them it looped around and plugged back into the one right next it. It was a LOOPBACK!
Yuck. but, yes solved. The network is now happy that it doesn't get stuck in a loop.
Thanks both for your suggestions.
take down the switches and add them back one at a time. (even though I didn't want to take down the network in the middle of a work day)
Narrowing it down to one switch we found 2 ports were in a constant state of chatter.
Following one of them it looped around and plugged back into the one right next it. It was a LOOPBACK!
Yuck. but, yes solved. The network is now happy that it doesn't get stuck in a loop.
Thanks both for your suggestions.
Excellent, thanks :)