Windows Server 2003 File Server - Very Slow Performance

[markdavies1978]

Hi All,

I have had this problem for a few weeks now & it isn't going away.

I have come across many many threads on the this subject but not been able to find a solution.

I have a Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition Service Pack 2 File Server which performs so slow it is ridiculous.

All my hardware is bang up to date as I have raised the issue with HP, this includes latest network drivers, raid (we are using RAID5) updates etc.

My symptoms are quite simply that when users are browsing any files on the server windows explorer will simply lock up & if they are in a word doc for example they will lose the cursor & cannot type.

When no one is on the server or only a few users it is fine.

Network activity is fine as we have a 4 port GB card connected to 1 of our 3Com GB Switches.

When looking at task manger etc the CPU spikes at regular intervals at around 80%.

Network utilization is well under 10%

Please help!

 

[ADB100]

Network activity is fine as we have a 4 port GB card connected to 1 of our 3Com GB Switches.

Does this mean the server is connected using all four NIC's? Are they configured as one logical NIC? If they are what extra configuration did you do on the adapters and the switch? Link Aggregation requires configuration on both ends of the link.

HTH

Andy

 

[baddos]

I aggree with ADB100... What is the configuration on the 3com switch? I assume you are using an Intel card or cards with 4 ports configured as a team.

First step I would do is connect to the 3com's management web page and check the counters on the ports that connect to that server to check for errors. If no errors, then I would check to see how they are configured. I beleive 3com calls them "Port Trunks".

 

[markdavies1978]

I'm using a HP 4 port GB card which is teamed.

2 ports are connected to 1 switch & the other 2 are connected to 2 other switches.

I have tried the following recently with no improvement.

1. Removed the team & used 1 port
2. Used the onboard NIC.
3. Used different switched.
4. Used different cables.

From server switch to client we are set to auto negotiate.

 

[cpjust]

Are you using hardware or software RAID?
Have you verified that your RAID isn't running in degraded mode?

 

[markdavies1978]

H/W raid.

All seams ok but how do you check for "degraded mode"?

 

[cpjust]

I don't know, you'd have to check your RAID manual.
If it comes with a program that lets you monitor your RAID in Windows, you can check that. It should also tell you some info about your RAID health when you boot up, or when you go into the RAID BIOS configuration.
The Windows Event Log might also have messages about running in Degraded mode.

The same kind of thing was happening on a server here a couple times. Once, the drive just fell out of the RAID for some reason, so I just re-initialized it in the GUI. The other time the drive actually died, so I had to swap it.

 

[markdavies1978]

Ok, was being slow.

Checked RAID diagnostics & all is fine so certainly not that.

 

[baddos]

2 ports are connected to 1 switch & the other 2 are connected to 2 other switches.

I'm thinking this could be part of the problem. I'm unsure about the HP nics having never used one, but with the Intel drivers I don't think this is possible without having 2 separate "teams".

 

[markdavies1978]

Believe me I've tried many variations including all 4 ports into 1 switch which made no difference.

 

[MasterRacker]

Try to team all 4 ports on the NIC then go into your switch and team all 4 receiving ports there as well.

_____
Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]

 

[markdavies1978]

Can you team ports on a 3com GB Switch? If so how?

 

[baddos]

Yes in it's management web interface. They call them "Trunks" or "Trunk Groups".

 

[markdavies1978]

I don't appear to have that option anywhere.

 

[baddos]

What model is the switch you are using?

 

[markdavies1978]

3Com

 

[Cstorms]

Have you tried disabling the teaming altogether? Have you tried turning of SNP (or got the latest windows updates as I think they pushed this out with the last batch). When you said your disk queue length was 100 did you mean 100% as that particular reading is never correct when it gives you percentages, check the actual results if you are over 2ms for extended periods of time that is cause for concern depending on HOW much higher for HOW much longer. Good luck.

Cory

 

[NortonES2]

What model 3com switch have you got?

-------------------------------

If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[markdavies1978]

Raised a call with Microsoft in the end & they think our E: Drive partion (this is where all our data is) has a lower than normal idle time of 5%.

Even they are not sure!

 

[JoeMc5]

Im telling you topgunner....go back up to my comments on top. This issue is software related.What is happening is Mcafee is scanning your outlook archives when the user opens Outlook on their end. See if you can put the archive on the users local machine. Either that or split the archive into multiple smaller ones. Another thing is if the user is not accessing the old archive data you can setup Outlook to not look for the archive when the users first opens Outlook.

Im willing to bet that it is a specific user that has the complaints but everyone is noticing the slow down. Move the file and bounce the server....Then Mcafee should be good. Outlook I promise you this is it. and also it is not going to do much to the processor. I think its just flooding the nic and maybe the memory. which is why Microsoft has no clue why your utilization is down. BECAUSE nothing is happening but the scan over LAN.

 

[JoeMc5]

O and for the record I just noticed for some reason next to my name it says technical user??....that made me angry...Im an IT manager and have been in the field for 12 years.....that in itself is not a big deal but...well... what if someone called you a user..how would you like it!! LOL... Good luck gunner..