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httpd.exe causing NIC 98% network utilization

I have a server (Server 2003 Web Edition) that hosts a VNC remote support site using Apache that has been working well for years. All of a sudden, it started what amounted to a denial of service to the other computers on my network. I stopped a lot of services and things were normal. I assumed I had hit on the right thing but not sure what that was. Worked fine for months. Now, after running the latest Microsoft Updates (stupid!) over the weekend, the problem is back again. I have figured out that when the httpd.exe process starts to use CPU, then the NIC shoots up to 98% network utilization and I lose Internet on my network for a couple of minutes. If I manually kill httpd.exe, then immediately things go back to normal. Problem is, I need the Apache running for the VNC site to work so I can't kill it completely. Help!

Manjunath Sullad

Hi,

Can you let me know which antivirus you are using ?

Please go through below link where it says you need to modify httpd.conf file,

http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?861373-Apache-using-100-resources

http://www.symantec.com/connect/forums/httpdexe-using-100-cpu-after-upgrading-sep-12-ru2-mp1-sep-12-ru3

http://www.symantec.com/connect/forums/httpd-running-100

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ASKER

No anti-virus on this particular Server. It is used only for the role of hosting the VNC. I'll try the link, thanks. I looked there, and he describes a similar problem, but I cannot relate that fix to my situation.

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ASKER

Also, I am not seeing an inordinate use of the CPU, just the NIC

Manjunath Sullad

Install Windows System Resource Manager and monitor, It will monitor processor and memory resources to applications, users, Remote Desktop Services sessions, and Internet Information Services (IIS) application pools.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755056.aspx

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ASKER

That only manages processor and memory, neither of which are a problem, only the NIC popping intermittently at 96-100% of network utilization is a problem. the httpd.exe that is running never gets high on CPU or memory usage. And, it goes away after just a couple of minutes then returns.

bbao

also run TCP View to check how many and what kind of TCP connections that the process is working on. are the connections normal?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx

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bbao

are the two NICs staying on the same subnet?

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ASKER

None of the things suggested by the experts got at the real problem, which was the Network Card.