Topic: Slow file transfer wks->sme

[dave]

All,

I've searched here for similar issues and though I found some problems, none looked to apply to my issue.

I have a small network set up at home, 5 (or so) workstations, 1 Win2K server and 1SME server.  I'm prepping to swap the Win2K OS out and move it to SME and in doing so, I was copying some of the data files from the Win2K Server to the SME box.  I noticed that the copy would continue well for a period, then stall, then resume, then stall (repeat).  No errors were generated, and eventually it did complete the copy set.  Then to compare overall performance, I grabbed one ISO file from one of the workstations and copied it to the Win2K server, it went extremely quick (I don't recall the rate).  I copied the same ISO to the SME server and it had the same characteristics as copying from the Win2K server.  It would copy for a while, then pause, then resume copying, etc.  Overall transfer time was about 5 times what it was going to the Win2K server.  I tried copying the same file from the SME box back to both the workstation and the Win2K server and the same issues occurred.  Any large file copied to or from the SME box has performance issues.

System specs:
SME server: 5.5 latest update, dual PII-333, 512MEG RAM, old Proliant 2/P RAID card, 3 20GIG drives in RAID5 array, Intel PRO/100 NIC.

Win2K server: SP4, dual PII XEON 450, 1GIG RAM, (another) old Proliant 2/DH RAID card, 3 47GIG drives in RAID5 array, Intel PRO/100 NIC.

Workstation: Win2K Pro, SP4, single Athalon 1.1Ghz, 1GIG RAM, Adaptec UDMA RAID card with 2 10GIG Maxtor IDE drives RAID0, Intel PRO/100 NIC.

Network is CAT5, 100Mb switch, full duplex.  All machines involved in the file copy are in the same physical location, network cables are no longer than 10' in length.

Any insights on why there's a 'pause' in large file copies to the SME box?

Dave

[carsten]

Hi Dave,

a few weeks ago I had the same situation and found out, that the RAID-Controller got wrong Cache-Settings. Did You check the Cache-Setting on both Controllers ?
Enabling the Write-back-Cache had speeded up my HP-Dual-P II 233 with only 256MB Ram to 11,5 MBit on the same Network like Yours.

Hope, i could give a tip.

Greetz from Germany,

Carsten

[roger]

Check to make sure you're using drive letter (map a drive letter to the folder/share on your SME server) - don't use UNC path.

This may not solve your particular problem but it is something you should always do for best performance anyhow

roger.

[dave]

Thanks for the responses, I did reconfigure the cache on the slow server but I haven't done any file tests yet.  My biggest concern was migrating the other server to SME and having the same problems.  We don't really use the gateway server for anything other than web services/email and the like, not file serving.  The other box is the primary logon server for the network.