[Tfug] Need help on a server performance issue...

[Harry McGregor]

 On 9/26/10 5:01 PM, Jim March wrote:
> I support exactly one server in the field, for a small office network
> at the office of a lawyer friend.
>
> It's nothing at all special, a basic P4 with 2gigs running Ubuntu and
> a 320gig IDE drive serving five users.  I did a checkout on it last
> night and upgraded it to Lucid, and checked the backup system
> (external 500gig USB drive).  The box also has a 160gig HD inside that
> I'm not using.  Uptime when I took it down yesterday was 145 days so
> things aren't sucking too bad.  Memory usage is minimal...the box
> isn't exactly a powerhouse but doesn't seem overstressed.
>
> Disk to disk throughput copying inside the server one disk to the
> other in Nautilus was around 18mb/s, about what I'd expect.  Ran the
> disk testers in Lucid, the internal disks are 100%.  (Backup drive
> needs replacing!)
>
Quick and dirty test is hdparm, what is cached reads vs buffered reads
showing?
> BUT, trying to copy any amount from the server to one of the
> workstations wouldn't even break 1mb/s...truly sucked.  The users were
> complaining about performance...I think this is why!

What does ifconfig -a show?

Do you have a large number of ethernet frame errors?

iptraf, what is the interface pushing when idle?
> The Ethernet ports in the servers and workstations are 100mb grade.
> The router is a good one, definitely 100 or better (small Sonicwall).
> Ditto one hub (lots of printers and other junk around).
>
> So...I'm thinking I need to see if the Ethernet port in the server is
> going south, OR check for something on the local net dumping excess
> packets.  Been years since I've had to wrassle with something like
> this.  Do I use Wireshark or the like to check for something screwy?

tcpdump and analysis in wireshark can help


                        Harry

> Thoughts welcome.
>
> Jim
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tucson Free Unix Group - tfug at tfug.org
> Subscription Options:
> http://www.tfug.org/mailman/listinfo/tfug_tfug.org