Users unable to access network share via vpn

Recently files/folders moved to W2003 server (from NT4 server). First couple
of days users were able to access the network drives on the server, then
users started only seeing files/folders which had been recently used and
synchronised (offline files is enabled). However, last few days they started
getting an error message saying either "(servername) is not available" or
"the network drive/resource is unavailable". I can ping the server ip address
& its netbios name from their computers (W2000 & WXP) and at times can see
the shares on the server and rarely I can access their drive too. With
continuous ping I can see that the connection times out as soon as I access
their folders; the connection is fine otherwise. We have quite a few servers
(NT4, W2000 & W2003) in a domain and a few sites connecting via VPN. There is
no problem accessing the server at the central office.
Boss is on away, probably sunbathing, and I am baffled.

Is it possible that the site-to-site links were not being used as heavily as
they are now, when users at the remote sites were able to view all folders
on the file servers?

Looks like off-line files is having a job synchronising and/or is detecting
a slow link. When the link is busy you will just see your 'off-line'
version. It will then try and sync-up when it detects sufficient bandwidth.

Try turning off off-line files for one client to see if they can then see
all folders and copy then open files across the link, don;t open files
directly across the link.

Long term, think about the synchronisation traffic and bandwidth
requirements.


Rob

--
----------
Robert Arnold
BSc(Hons), MBCS CITP

w: www.seventyfive.co.uk

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Microsoft Windows NT4
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Microsoft Windows Server 2003




"Adanali" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4924AFF7-012D-4638-A57D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Recently files/folders moved to W2003 server (from NT4 server). First
> couple
> of days users were able to access the network drives on the server, then
> users started only seeing files/folders which had been recently used and
> synchronised (offline files is enabled). However, last few days they
> started
> getting an error message saying either "(servername) is not available" or
> "the network drive/resource is unavailable". I can ping the server ip
> address
> & its netbios name from their computers (W2000 & WXP) and at times can see
> the shares on the server and rarely I can access their drive too. With
> continuous ping I can see that the connection times out as soon as I
> access
> their folders; the connection is fine otherwise. We have quite a few
> servers
> (NT4, W2000 & W2003) in a domain and a few sites connecting via VPN. There
> is
> no problem accessing the server at the central office.
> Boss is on away, probably sunbathing, and I am baffled.

Many thanks for this Robert. The amount of traffic hasn't changed but shifted
onto a different server. I also tried disabling off-line files earlier on a
client PC on one folder only but it didn't make much difference. The problem
has just got worse and I suspected that W2003 SP1 pack is the cause. I
applied the hotfix Microsoft has issued - see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/898060/ - but it takes apparently upto 24
hours for it to work. Now I am waiting to see the result.

"Robert Arnold" wrote:

> Is it possible that the site-to-site links were not being used as heavily as
> they are now, when users at the remote sites were able to view all folders
> on the file servers?
>
> Looks like off-line files is having a job synchronising and/or is detecting
> a slow link. When the link is busy you will just see your 'off-line'
> version. It will then try and sync-up when it detects sufficient bandwidth.
>
> Try turning off off-line files for one client to see if they can then see
> all folders and copy then open files across the link, don;t open files
> directly across the link.
>
> Long term, think about the synchronisation traffic and bandwidth
> requirements.
>
>
> Rob
>
> --
> ----------
> Robert Arnold
> BSc(Hons), MBCS CITP
>
> w: www.seventyfive.co.uk
>
> Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Microsoft Windows NT4
> Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Microsoft Windows 2000
> Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Microsoft Windows Server 2003
>
>
>
>
> "Adanali" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:4924AFF7-012D-4638-A57D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Recently files/folders moved to W2003 server (from NT4 server). First
> > couple
> > of days users were able to access the network drives on the server, then
> > users started only seeing files/folders which had been recently used and
> > synchronised (offline files is enabled). However, last few days they
> > started
> > getting an error message saying either "(servername) is not available" or
> > "the network drive/resource is unavailable". I can ping the server ip
> > address
> > & its netbios name from their computers (W2000 & WXP) and at times can see
> > the shares on the server and rarely I can access their drive too. With
> > continuous ping I can see that the connection times out as soon as I
> > access
> > their folders; the connection is fine otherwise. We have quite a few
> > servers
> > (NT4, W2000 & W2003) in a domain and a few sites connecting via VPN. There
> > is
> > no problem accessing the server at the central office.
> > Boss is on away, probably sunbathing, and I am baffled.
>
>
>

If this problem appears together with VPN-connections then it might have
something to do with the setup of your VPN.

I had this problem with xp-clients accessing the headoffice via VPN. The
connection slowed down within short but different times. Because MS has
changed some algorithm within the GRE-protocol you have to change some
settings on your VPN-Router/Server:

Try to switch off the GRE-Window-Adaption and set the max size of the
initial GRE-Send-Window to 256.

Hope this will help!
--
Uwe Stanislawski
CASKAN EDV




"Adanali" schrieb:

> Recently files/folders moved to W2003 server (from NT4 server). First couple
> of days users were able to access the network drives on the server, then
> users started only seeing files/folders which had been recently used and
> synchronised (offline files is enabled). However, last few days they started
> getting an error message saying either "(servername) is not available" or
> "the network drive/resource is unavailable". I can ping the server ip address
> & its netbios name from their computers (W2000 & WXP) and at times can see
> the shares on the server and rarely I can access their drive too. With
> continuous ping I can see that the connection times out as soon as I access
> their folders; the connection is fine otherwise. We have quite a few servers
> (NT4, W2000 & W2003) in a domain and a few sites connecting via VPN. There is
> no problem accessing the server at the central office.
> Boss is on away, probably sunbathing, and I am baffled.

Many thanks for your suggestions, I will look at the VPN settings. Although
the situation has improved the same problem has been occuring every now and
then.

"Uwe Stanislawski" wrote:

> If this problem appears together with VPN-connections then it might have
> something to do with the setup of your VPN.
>
> I had this problem with xp-clients accessing the headoffice via VPN. The
> connection slowed down within short but different times. Because MS has
> changed some algorithm within the GRE-protocol you have to change some
> settings on your VPN-Router/Server:
>
> Try to switch off the GRE-Window-Adaption and set the max size of the
> initial GRE-Send-Window to 256.
>
> Hope this will help!
> --
> Uwe Stanislawski
> CASKAN EDV
>
>
>
>
> "Adanali" schrieb:
>
> > Recently files/folders moved to W2003 server (from NT4 server). First couple
> > of days users were able to access the network drives on the server, then
> > users started only seeing files/folders which had been recently used and
> > synchronised (offline files is enabled). However, last few days they started
> > getting an error message saying either "(servername) is not available" or
> > "the network drive/resource is unavailable". I can ping the server ip address
> > & its netbios name from their computers (W2000 & WXP) and at times can see
> > the shares on the server and rarely I can access their drive too. With
> > continuous ping I can see that the connection times out as soon as I access
> > their folders; the connection is fine otherwise. We have quite a few servers
> > (NT4, W2000 & W2003) in a domain and a few sites connecting via VPN. There is
> > no problem accessing the server at the central office.
> > Boss is on away, probably sunbathing, and I am baffled.