General Failure Reading device network

[subra]

I have been getting this error on my Netware 4.11 Novell network. I have about 50 nodes connected to the server through 3Com Switches. I have Groupwise 5 running on the server. I also have a Vsat connected to this network and groupwise uses this to send messages automatically. The network has been working properly for nearly two years. Sometime back (3 months ago), the switches showed severe congestion and our engineers siggested that some traffic from the vsat was perhaps affecting our network. The vsat was then hooked up to a separate switch and a separate network interface card on the server was connected to this switch thus isolating this traffic to a separate segment. This apparently worked. (the vsat is on tcp/ip and the resto of the network runs on ipx).

Now the above error has been comming up frequently and the nodes loose communication with the server and this leads to crashes of our database. I suspected that the earth was not proper and watered our earth pits. this seems to have helped and we have not had the problem for a few days.

Another observation is the unusual cpu utilisation (98%) at some times. Files getting locked and remaining locked (perhaps due to the break in communications/slowdown in communications). I will be happy to give further clarification if required.

Please help,

Subra if you find this useful let me know at vksubra@icenet.net

 

[yvfwc]

It's possible that there is a conflict with the 2 NIC cards. Since this started after installing the 2nd nic, you might look for problems there first. In Monitor goto LAN/WAN Information, you should see both cards (with each protocol), highlight and check statistics on each and look for unusual stats. You also might switch out the new card with another. Also check the nic drivers for new ones. Lastly replace the patch cables to the switch (for good measure).

Good luck,

Mark ;-)

 

[subra]

Thanks Mark,

Yes i have also tried out those things. anything which could affect the connectivity. cables on the server side as well as the patch panel/switch side. checked the io units, replaced the NIC with another one. I have added some additional RAM.

Subra if you find this useful let me know at vksubra@icenet.net

 

[yizhar]

HI!

I don't know much about VSAT, but I can suggest some things to try:

* The main suspect as you suggested is the VSAT device,
so you can try some things to troubleshoot:
1) Disconnect the VSAT for few hours if you can. What happens?
2) Monitor on the SWITCH the port connected to the VSAT .
Look for broadcast traffic related to other ports.
3) Install a layer3 (or higher) device between the NW server and VSAT.
It is recommended to put a firewall or if it is used only for mail then a mail relay computer. This will give best isolation for the troubleshooting and maybe as a solution.
If not applicable then try to put a router (even an old pentium with NT4 server and 2 NICs).

It could be a general and not related problem on the server:
* Have you installed SP9 on your server?
* Have you installed an anti virus or other program on the server lately?
I found that NAVCE on NW4.11 can make some troubles.

* Could some one be hacking or DOSing your network from the Internet using TCPIP?

Bye

Yizhar Hurwitz

http://come.to/yizhar

http://teachers.sivan.co.il/yizhar

 

[yizhar]

Hi.

One more note -
I have expreinced a high CPU utilization on NW4.11 (no SP, IPX only),
which was cause by a bad client.
The client was a WIN2K server with GSNW (from MS), and the high utilization (and very slow network performance with it) happend when using that client to copy files from NW to the WIN2K server.

I am not saying that GSNW isn't OK, since we used GSNW on a differnt machine, but I mean that if something is wrong with the client software, it can also cause abnormal high server utilization.

Bye
Yizhar Hurwitz

http://come.to/yizhar

http://teachers.sivan.co.il/yizhar