My Windows 2K3 Server Looses Connectivity but no services or errors occur.

This article might be of value to you:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908370/en-us

Let us know.

Checking out the methods to remedy right now.

The article suggests the internal NIC so check to make sure your external NIC isn't at the top of the binding order and being effected as descibed in the article.

Methods....
#1 DFS is running
#2 no ICF & RRAS
#3 the IP NAT drive is STOPPED
#4 RRAS is NOT running
#5.....the solution wants Windows Firewall to be running...yikes!

I don't think this is it, yet the title is perfect.

"The article suggests the internal NIC so check to make sure your external NIC isn't at the top of the binding order and being effected as descibed in the article."

Hmm...in NT, and I think 2k, there was a drop down list to view the NICs.. but where is it in 2k3?

Open Network Connections.
On the menu bar, select Advanced then Advance Settings.

In the top pane is the binding order.

my external NIC is first.

I'm seeing a pattern...the server went down again....and from looking at Directory Services....
NTDS Replication is failing..

I'm not familiar with this.

EVENT 2089 (annonymous logon)
This directory partition has not been backed up since at least the following number of days.
 
Directory partition:
DC=TAPI3Directory,DC=isle-cc,DC=com
 
'Backup latency interval' (days):
90
 
It is recommended that you take a backup as often as possible to recover from accidental loss of data. However if you haven't taken a backup since at least the 'backup latency interval' number of days, this message will be logged every day until a backup is taken. You can take a backup of any replica that holds this partition.
 
By default the 'Backup latency interval' is set to half the 'Tombstone Lifetime Interval'. If you want to change the default 'Backup latency interval', you could do so by adding the following registry key.
 
'Backup latency interval' (days) registry key:
System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters\Backup Latency Threshold (days)

Here is your error:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;914034

Doesn't appear to be all that troubling.

Do a System State backup once a week during the normal backup and it should stop nagging you.

rebooting...
no problem about the nag
as for backup, I have a daily of just certain folders (my most critical).  Normal is not needed, though I'll figure out a deployment plan.

I'll post back when the server is up.

ok.. server is back online

if it goes 24 hours without losing the connection you win...Clock starts at 4pm Hawaii time

:-(  same problem.... I just rebooted the server and will look at the logs...

any other ideas in the meantime?

Ok.. now here is something...at each time the system bombed out.

W32 Time Event ID 12
Time Provider NtpClient: This machine is configured to use the domain hierarchy to determine its time source, but it is the PDC emulator for the domain at the root of the forest, so there is no machine above it in the domain hierarchy to use as a time source.  It is recommended that you either configure a reliable time service in the root domain, or manually configure the PDC to synchronize with an external time source.  Otherwise, this machine will  function as the authoritative time source in the domain hierarchy.  If an external  time source is not configured or used for this computer, you may choose to disable  the NtpClient.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
These items below, appeared 1x

DNS log

DNS Event ID 3000
The DNS server has encountered numerous run-time events. To determine the initial cause of these run-time events, examine the DNS server event log entries that precede this event. To prevent the DNS server from filling the event log too quickly, subsequent events with Event IDs higher than 3000 will be suppressed until events are no longer being generated at a high rate.

DNS Event ID 4004
The DNS server was unable to complete directory service enumeration of zone ohanaroad.net.  This DNS server is configured to use information obtained from Active Directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it.  Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and repeat enumeration of the zone. The extended error debug information (which may be empty) is "". The event data contains the error.

Don't over look a simple malware scan: spybot, adaware, ewido, ms defender, webroot spysweeper.  - gsgi

The first error just indicates you aren't using an external timesource to sync with.  Normally, this isn't a real issue, but you can certainly set it up to.

Check all the servers to ensure that their time is not off by more than 5 minutes.  Also make sure the daylight saving time and time zone are correct.

As for the DNS errors, you'll see things like that occasionally when other issues are at play.  I wouldn't dwell on them just yet.   Let's fix the first problem and hopefully the rest will fall into place.

@gsgi...this is a Windows 2k3 server and only server apps exists on this system.  The only interaction on the web via browser is to Microsoft of auto-updates to the server software.  All other services such as IIS & FTP run independently.

@Netman66...I thought I set the time to time.windows.com  ..... I'll go find a military time server to use instead.  Hawaii = NO daylight savings, and there are no other servers in the isle-cc domain.

well, regarding my previous comment, which was over 13 hours ago...the server has been running without having to reboot.  Now one of the things that I did different was have an actual connection to the machine (Outlook sending/receiving mail, and constant connection with Remote Desktop).  The situation is that I'm at home and it connects to this server astroboy.isle-cc.com at my office.  Since I've done this, it's been OK.  What I've noticed is that if I shutdown my home computer and take 15-30 minutes to head on over to my office, in between that period, the server reports no connection.

I've read this here:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297684

Thinking it may apply.  I haven't executed the resolution..thought I run that by you.  We've got 11 hours left in hour 24 hour test.

That's the autodisconnect feature.  It doesn't prevent access like the issue you are seeing.

All this does is disconnect an idle session to save connections - as in a mapped drive.  If you select the drive again in Explorer it will reconnect without intervention.

Do NOT use the net config server command as it breaks the autotuning features within Windows.

ok.. won't touch it.. so now.. 4 hours later. the server is still up and running.

oh, i am sure you checked this, but make sure the nic isn't set to automatically power down to save juice ...  - gsgi

@gsgi...power settings for the server are always on and is not and option for the NIC.

it's been over 24 hours that the machine remained connected...

Maybe not a 100% sigh of relief...but surely WAY better than it was in the previous 48 hours before applying your comment Netman66

Thank you!

Aloha from Hawaii,

Irwin