Small network with 3 Win2k Servers

This may or may not be the appropriate group for this but if someone
knows a more fitting one please let me know...

The problem is this I run a small network (about 30-45 machines) and
it is between 2 buildings separated by about 100 feet or so. There
is about 10 machines in one building and the remaining ones in the
other. Every so often (very odd it seems to happen around peak
times) I will start to experience packet loss between the two
buildings usually betweek 4-8% as determined by a ping. This of
course drives our POS systems totally wonky and usually I have to
reset a switch either in our building or the main building. This
always corrects the issue sometimes for months other times for
days.I have replaced switches on both sides. Put a UPS on each one
to no avail. The wire running between the buildings is the next
thing I'd like to tackle but being underneath 3" of pavement and an
entire parking lot I don't relish the thought. I was thinking of
getting 2 managed switches and building a link that would have
redundancy. I know a managed switch is capable of this but I've
never tried it. Any ideas or trouble shooting would be helpful!

Thanks!



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This sounds like a 'broadcast storm' but that's hard to believe, since
you are referring to switches rather than hubs.

If I am reading your story correctly, it sounds to me that every so
often you are getting a -lot- of traffic between the sites. I'm getting
this from your reference to packet loss of 4-8%. That means the link is
still there, it's just being saturated.

If that's the case, redundancy, although helpful, will not solve the
issue; as the same traffic will just take another route.

The fact that disconnecting either one of the switches resolves the
issue was why I initially mention a broadcast storm, but I don't see how
that could be the case here, although the symptom's are alike.

You need to figure out who is excessively talking to who on either side
of your network during these outages, have you noticed led-activity on
one of the ports during one of these outbursts? (that may lead you to
the system causing the traffic).

It's a pity the switch isn't managed, as that might have made it
possible for you to track the traffic.

In situations such as these I other use a tool such as NetIO (freeware)
to monitor the link status between the sites, and then unplug
potential/suspect systems one at a time to see when the line performance
goes up again. In your case I would start at the end with 10 systems,
and unplug the one at a time. If that doesn't fix things, try the other end.

Another solution would be to replace a switch that has 10 systems by a
hub (if you can get your hands on one) for a while, and use Netmon or
Wireshark to monitor the traffic.


/ ) Regards,
/ /_________
_|__|__) Paul Weterings
/ (O_)
__/ (O_)
____(O_)

PheonixRising wrote:
> This may or may not be the appropriate group for this but if someone
> knows a more fitting one please let me know...
>
> The problem is this I run a small network (about 30-45 machines) and
> it is between 2 buildings separated by about 100 feet or so. There
> is about 10 machines in one building and the remaining ones in the
> other. Every so often (very odd it seems to happen around peak
> times) I will start to experience packet loss between the two
> buildings usually betweek 4-8% as determined by a ping. This of
> course drives our POS systems totally wonky and usually I have to
> reset a switch either in our building or the main building. This
> always corrects the issue sometimes for months other times for
> days.I have replaced switches on both sides. Put a UPS on each one
> to no avail. The wire running between the buildings is the next
> thing I'd like to tackle but being underneath 3" of pavement and an
> entire parking lot I don't relish the thought. I was thinking of
> getting 2 managed switches and building a link that would have
> redundancy. I know a managed switch is capable of this but I've
> never tried it. Any ideas or trouble shooting would be helpful!
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>

In news:47e52f8e$0$5164$(E-Mail Removed) g.com,
PheonixRising <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> This may or may not be the appropriate group for this but if someone
> knows a more fitting one please let me know...
>
> The problem is this I run a small network (about 30-45 machines) and
> it is between 2 buildings separated by about 100 feet or so. There
> is about 10 machines in one building and the remaining ones in the
> other. Every so often (very odd it seems to happen around peak
> times) I will start to experience packet loss between the two
> buildings usually betweek 4-8% as determined by a ping. This of
> course drives our POS systems totally wonky and usually I have to
> reset a switch either in our building or the main building. This
> always corrects the issue sometimes for months other times for
> days.I have replaced switches on both sides. Put a UPS on each one
> to no avail. The wire running between the buildings is the next
> thing I'd like to tackle but being underneath 3" of pavement and an
> entire parking lot I don't relish the thought. I was thinking of
> getting 2 managed switches and building a link that would have
> redundancy. I know a managed switch is capable of this but I've
> never tried it. Any ideas or trouble shooting would be helpful!
>
> Thanks!

I'm not a WAN pro, but there are some things I look at when deciding whether
to put in place a WAN solution or merely use an "extension cord" between
buildings, as what you imply you have in place. Is it only 100' or so, or is
it longer? 10*BaseT has a 100 meter (328') limit, but if there is any type
of RF interference, it will drastically lessen the limit. Heat can also
cause inductance issues in the wiring. Also between the weight of the
pavement and the heat, it can damage the wire. What type of current switches
are in place?
--
Regards,
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT,
MVP Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
Microsoft Certified Trainer

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