Re: Networked Application Slow with SBS2003

From: Chad A. Gross [SBS Community Member] (chad.gross_at_laytonflower.nospam.com)
Date: 10/06/04 

Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 20:57:15 -0500

Make sure that you have the latest bios / firmware / drivers - especially
for the on-board nics. If you aren't careful, SBS setup will use the
MS-supplied drivers for those - but you'll get much better performance by
using the Intel drivers . . .

Not sure if it's related, but I've been fighting a similar problem with a
Windows-based network application on an SBS2k3 Premium with that exact same
motherboard. My problem box is using Intel RAID, and the next step in our
troubleshooting process is to replace with Adaptec RAID (which is going to
happen this coming weekend). I spent considerable time with Intel support,
and they insist their hardware is working fine. However, we took a similar
server (SuperMicro mobo & Adaptec RAID - otherwise identical - same hard
drives, same RAM, even same case - also running SBS2k3 Premium will the same
applications, same setup and even same partition sizes (I installed both
boxes)) on a similar network, and loaded the problem app up - and it
absolutely screamed on the LAN with the SuperMicro / Adaptec configuration,
and was terrible on the Intel box. How terrible? A custom job cost report
on the SuperMicro / Adaptec box was generated in about 10 seconds. Same
report with the same parameters on the Intel box took over 20 MINUTES . . .
I haven't proven beyond a doubt that the problem is hardware yet - but I'm
getting pretty close . . . Now, I have friends who are system builders who
only use Intel boards and haven't seen this (and one has clients using this
same app) - but they only use Adaptec RAID, which is why I'm going that
route next (as all other avenues have been exhausted) . . . 

-- 
Chad A. Gross - SBS MVP
SBS ROCKS!
www.msmvps.com/cgross
www.gosbs.org
Robert Wagner wrote:
> One of our clients recently changed (i.e. new install) from SBS 4.5
> to SBS 2003. Since them they have been having intermittent trouble
> with one of their applications. This particular application is DOS
> based and is run directly off the server using file sharing. The
> program does utilize a file based database. Occasionally one of the
> clients access to the program slows down significantly, it may take
> up to 10 seconds to change a screen, where it usually is not at all
> noticeable. There is no pattern as to when and which workstation
> exhibits the problem.
>
> Workstations have not been changed, and still run NT4SP6. The only
> change is the new server.
>
> We have disabled all non-essential services including:
> - Antivirus (Uninstalled)
> - UPS Monitoring (Uninstalled)
> - RAID and Intel MB Monitoring
> - WMI control
> - SBS 2003 Logging
> - Sharepoint
>
> Old Server:
> Small Business Server 4.5 (Exchange, SQL, ISA installed)
> P-II 400Mhz
> 256mb RAM
> 2 x 9.1GB SCSI Drives is Software RAID 1
>
> New Server:
> Small Business Server 2003 (Exchange, SQL, ISA installed)
> Xeon 2.66Ghz
> Intel Server Board SE7501BR2
> 2 GB RAM
> 2 x 36GB Seagate SCSI Drives in Hardware (Adaptec 2120S) RAID 1
>
> Does anyone has any ideas what could be happening?
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Robert Wagner
> BInfTech(Data Comm/Software Eng)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Application Development and Systems Engineer
> CROSSLINK PTY LTD

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