We have an Alpha 5v5 dBase database being used on the network. This is a shared directory on the old server.
We recently purchased a new server and loaded it up with Windows Server 2003 Enterprise SP1, then installed SP2, with all Microsoft Updates. We copied over the database, shared the directory, and remapped all users to the new location via login scripts. We found out the next morning that the new server was unbearably slower than the old server. After many hours running network diagnostics, hardware diagnostics, and software diagnostics, the conclusion was there's nothing wrong.
We restored the data from the nights backup to a test server (less powerful than the new one) and ran our tests again. We found that this test server was incredibly faster than the new server.
Through process of elimination the conclusion was software (OS). So, my plans were too slick the drives, and reinstall windows. This was done. The server has the OS loaded on 2 mirrored drives (76GB) on one RAID channel and has the data on four drives (300GB) RAID 5 on a second channel. This server is a Dell PowerEdge 2950.
After loading the OS, formatting the data partition as one large NTFS partition with a 8192 cluster size, copying the data over, and sharing out, we started our tests again.
The test was successful and the database was two to three times faster than the old server. As I started loading updates, first was SP2, I rebooted after installation and tested. The performance was back to a drag. Actual file transfers from the server, but large chucks of data (3 - 3GB files) and large amounts of smaller files (100,000 24KB files), and the network speed is fine. Its almost as if the server doesnt want to serve the database.
There is NO software installed on the server. This is a fresh Windows Server 2003 R2 SP1 Enterprise Edition, with only SP2 loaded. There is only one folder shared as ALPHA, and this has full control permissions (NTFS and SHARING) for EVERYONE.
Im about to open a Microsoft case, but I thought Id ask to see if anyone has heard of this, or knows of a solution to fix this, aside from NOT loading SP2 on the server&.
A recommendation was to disable opportunistic locking on both server and workstations, which was done with no effect on performance, both before SP2 and after SP2.
More info:
Hardware Configuration
Old server
Windows Server 2003 Standard SP2 32bit
Current with all critical Microsoft updates
RAID 1 & 5 Array, data on 100GB RAID5
4 GB RAM
1 Gb NIC
Set to Maximize data throughput for file sharing
Disabled power management.
Connected to 1Gb/1Gb port
2.6Ghz P4 Processor
Boot.ini file with /3GB switch
Alpha 5 version 5
Alpha 5 version 7 web server
Network Services
DNS & WINS
DHCP
Domain Controller
Global Catalog Server
McAfee AntiVirus 8.5 with Alpha directory excluded
Alpha data shared with full control for EVERYONE on share and NTFS permissions
New Server
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise SP2 32bit
Current with all critical Microsoft Updates
RAID 1 & 5 Array, data on 900 GB RAID5
8 GB RAM
1 GB NIC
Set to Maximize data throughput for file sharing
Disabled power management.
Connected to 1Gb/1Gb port
Dual Xeon 5120 @ 2GHz Processors
Boot.ini file with /3GB switch
Alpha 5 version 7 web server
Network Services
Only Member Server
McAfee AntiVirus 8.5 with Alpha directory excluded
Alpha data shared with full control for EVERYONE on share and NTFS permissions
Average Workstation
Windows XP Professional SP2 32bit
Current with all critical Microsoft Updates
80-250GB
1GB RAM
1 Gbps NIC
Connected to 100Mbps/100Mbps port
Disabled power management.
3.0 GHz P4 Processor
Alpha 5 version 5 runtime, shadowed
Mapping to Alpha data by login script
McAfee AntiVirus 8.5 with shadow directory excluded, and disabled network drive scanning
Network Configuration
There are 2 HP ProCurve 4108GL core switch in place. The switches have the following cards installed:
Switch 1
1 - 6 port Gb with 1 Gb backplane
1 20 port 100/1000 with 100 Mbps backplane
4 20 port 10/100 with 100 Mbps backplane
1 10 Gbps fiber cards connecting two switches
Switch 2
9 10 port 10/100 with 100 Mbps backplane
1 10 Gbps fiber cards connecting two switches
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