BGilhooley
asked on
File server network share slow
Hi Experts. I have a scenario here that is quite a puzzle and I'm offering 500 points straight up as anyone with the solution will definitely earn all 500.
Situation: I have an almost new HP Proliant ML370 running as a file server at location A. It was installed about 2 months ago and all has been well until last week.
I have a remote office (location B) about 300 metres away that is linked to location A by a 20Mb alvarion wireless link.
Last week the issue started. Users in location B accessing the file server at location A are experiencing alot of latency (there is another server at location B where most of their stuff is but they do access some shared files at location A also). For example copying a 20 Mb file from my HP Proliant to a machine in location B can take 4-5 mins. Copying the same 20 Mb file to a PC at location A from HP server only takes 5 seconds.
Location A has about 60 users, location B about 30 users.
What I've said to far all indicates 'oh you've got a problem with your wireless link' between locations. This however isnt the case as the guys who installed the link have come in, tested it and all is fine (throughput testing shows all 20Mbs available). Also, to prove this more if I copy a 20Mb file from an old file server (currently functioning as a DC) located at location A - to a machine located at location B it copies in about 30 seconds, what I'd expect over the link.
Also, if I plug a laptop straight into wireless link and both locations I get perfect speeds between the 2 so I cant see the wireless link being the bottleneck. That then points to the new server as the bottleneck...
...However users on the 100Mbs LAN at location A get perfect speeds when connecting to the Proliant server (the server incidently has 2 X Gb ethernet ports and is operating at 1Gbs). My PC for example is at location A and I've just copied a 120 Mb file to my machine from the server in 15 seconds, again, what I'd expect.
I've troubleshooted this over and over, rebooted every switch, every machine, every server, virus defs on machines are upto date. I've replaced the switch at the remote location B.
Ideas please!
Situation: I have an almost new HP Proliant ML370 running as a file server at location A. It was installed about 2 months ago and all has been well until last week.
I have a remote office (location B) about 300 metres away that is linked to location A by a 20Mb alvarion wireless link.
Last week the issue started. Users in location B accessing the file server at location A are experiencing alot of latency (there is another server at location B where most of their stuff is but they do access some shared files at location A also). For example copying a 20 Mb file from my HP Proliant to a machine in location B can take 4-5 mins. Copying the same 20 Mb file to a PC at location A from HP server only takes 5 seconds.
Location A has about 60 users, location B about 30 users.
What I've said to far all indicates 'oh you've got a problem with your wireless link' between locations. This however isnt the case as the guys who installed the link have come in, tested it and all is fine (throughput testing shows all 20Mbs available). Also, to prove this more if I copy a 20Mb file from an old file server (currently functioning as a DC) located at location A - to a machine located at location B it copies in about 30 seconds, what I'd expect over the link.
Also, if I plug a laptop straight into wireless link and both locations I get perfect speeds between the 2 so I cant see the wireless link being the bottleneck. That then points to the new server as the bottleneck...
...However users on the 100Mbs LAN at location A get perfect speeds when connecting to the Proliant server (the server incidently has 2 X Gb ethernet ports and is operating at 1Gbs). My PC for example is at location A and I've just copied a 120 Mb file to my machine from the server in 15 seconds, again, what I'd expect.
I've troubleshooted this over and over, rebooted every switch, every machine, every server, virus defs on machines are upto date. I've replaced the switch at the remote location B.
Ideas please!
Try to map the share of the workstaion in location B from the server itself and see. but location A should be faster than location B since 100mb vs. 20mb.
Another test is to make a share on location A -another machine not in the server- and test it from location B. this will let you know if it is the server or the netwrok.
Another test is to make a share on location A -another machine not in the server- and test it from location B. this will let you know if it is the server or the netwrok.
ASKER
- Mapping a share to a workstation in location B from the new server itself (in location A) results in a very slooow copy.
- Mapping a share to the same workstation in location B from a workstation in location A results in a good speed copy of the same file.
- Making a share on another machine in location A, testing it from location B, results in a good copy speed.
Basically everything is normal except when copying files to/from new server in location A to any machine in location B. However, when copying files from/to new server to any machine in location A the speed is excellent (eg. 120mb file copied in 5 seconds).
Anyone any experience of anything similar?
- Mapping a share to the same workstation in location B from a workstation in location A results in a good speed copy of the same file.
- Making a share on another machine in location A, testing it from location B, results in a good copy speed.
Basically everything is normal except when copying files to/from new server in location A to any machine in location B. However, when copying files from/to new server to any machine in location A the speed is excellent (eg. 120mb file copied in 5 seconds).
Anyone any experience of anything similar?
How is the teaming set up on the dual NICs? Get that wrong and you get some wierd effects - check with the green NIC icon in system tray. If not in system tray then it's in control panel or you haven't installed the proliant suppport pack.
ASKER
Teaming isnt setup on the NIC's. I've tried both NIC's aswell obviously with no difference.
ASKER
This is a real grasping at straws bit but anyway. in the event viewer of the problem server the following error is reoccuring:
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: DnsApi
Event Category: None
Event ID: 11197
Date: 20/11/2007
Time: 09:56:29
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER
Description:
The system failed to update and remove host (A) resource records (RRs) for network adapter
with settings:
Adapter Name : {AC894743-9293-4B52-BAE2-2
Host Name : server
Primary Domain Suffix : mydomain.com
DNS server list :
192.168.1.2, 192.168.1.253 (THESE ARE MY DNS SERVERS)
Sent update to server : <?>
IP Address(es) :
192.168.1.252 (IP ADDRESS OF PROBLEM SERVER)
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: DnsApi
Event Category: None
Event ID: 11197
Date: 20/11/2007
Time: 09:56:29
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER
Description:
The system failed to update and remove host (A) resource records (RRs) for network adapter
with settings:
Adapter Name : {AC894743-9293-4B52-BAE2-2
Host Name : server
Primary Domain Suffix : mydomain.com
DNS server list :
192.168.1.2, 192.168.1.253 (THESE ARE MY DNS SERVERS)
Sent update to server : <?>
IP Address(es) :
192.168.1.252 (IP ADDRESS OF PROBLEM SERVER)
Please try these:
first: unistall all NICs then reinstall them back again with latest drivers from the manufacture company (not from microsoft update)
- scond: remove the server A record and any other records from the DNS. Also from wins server if you have it and then recreate it again with apropraite ip.
- finally: restart your server:
Another question for you: do you have object auding on? if it is on what are the options selected?
first: unistall all NICs then reinstall them back again with latest drivers from the manufacture company (not from microsoft update)
- scond: remove the server A record and any other records from the DNS. Also from wins server if you have it and then recreate it again with apropraite ip.
- finally: restart your server:
Another question for you: do you have object auding on? if it is on what are the options selected?
I had a similar issue with a snap server. If you can, set your file server / switches both to 100MB full rather than autosense
ASKER
I tried a different network card and it worked so theres something mad going on with the cards in the machine. They're onboard HP 1gb cards so perhaps its a system board issue. Just downloaded the latest card drivers so I'll be updating them tonight, see if that makes any difference...
If you still have warranty on the system call HP. They should replace it for you right away. it is a hardware issue.
hope this helps!
hope this helps!
ASKER
I updated the drivers, however when updating them the first time by doing:
Run - Install drivers - Install. The machine blue screened, mentioned the problem as ndis.sys. I've checked about that and it generally indicates a NIC or other hardware issue such as system board.
After the blue screen I tried the dirvers again this time by extracting them first and then updating driver in device manager and it worked that way.
so, it definitely looks like I have a hardware related NIC or system board problem. I've been onto my HP reseller and they are contacting HP this morning. will post more later...
Run - Install drivers - Install. The machine blue screened, mentioned the problem as ndis.sys. I've checked about that and it generally indicates a NIC or other hardware issue such as system board.
After the blue screen I tried the dirvers again this time by extracting them first and then updating driver in device manager and it worked that way.
so, it definitely looks like I have a hardware related NIC or system board problem. I've been onto my HP reseller and they are contacting HP this morning. will post more later...
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ASKER
HP got me to install a HP (its actaually Broadcom manufactured) 1Gb NIC which i did and the speed is fine. my problem is they say they've never seen an issue like this before and are unconvinced its the system board. I've told them by now its a black and white issue for me as when i plug into one of the onborad NICs i get the issue, wehn i try any other NIC its fine. The call has been escalated but so far i havnt got them to agree to replace the board which is what I want!
ASKER
Just to close off here and let people know what happened here it is. HP are (at last) relenting and are sending an engineer today to replace the system board. Took alot of persuasion as they were adament it was an environmental issue but i was able to prove otherwise in the end. I'll award points later on when board is replaced and I can confirm 100% this as the issue...
I use Dell product and the don't question when it is a hardware problem, which is the good thing about them, they replaced my server motherboard that cost around $2000 in less than 4 hours.
Don't give up on them though and Don't use HP products again if you can -only printers as they still good with printers-.
good luck
Don't give up on them though and Don't use HP products again if you can -only printers as they still good with printers-.
good luck
ASKER
Board was replaced last night and the new board works fine. this was a really really weird problem, I showed the engineer here what was happening and he was as perplexed as I've been!
ASKER
If I sit at my PC in location A, copy 20 Mb file from my mapped drive on new Proliant server at location A.
Paste the file to a mapped drive on file server B in location B it works fine, 15 odd seconds it takes.
However if I log onto any machine in location B and browse to the same share on the new proliant in location A, copy the file and paste it to the C drive it takes 4-5 minutes. Why I dont understand.
Incidentally, the servers are windows 2003. All PC's are Win XP. The network at both locations is 100mb ethernet. No VLAN's, one router.