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

[John Hubbard]

You can give iperf a try. It allows you to test network throughput. It isn't installed by default but it is in the standard repos. It is good for testing what you can actually pass through the network. 

-john (from a mobile device)

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim March <1.jim.march at gmail.com>
Sender: tfug-bounces at tfug.org
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:01:34 
To: Tucson Free Unix Group<tfug at tfug.org>
Reply-To: Tucson Free Unix Group <tfug at tfug.org>
Subject: [Tfug] Need help on a server performance issue...

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!)

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!

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?

Thoughts welcome.

Jim

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