Multiple Network card / IP slow performance

  • I have a problem with a customers SQL server.

    here is the problem - connection running across the network (TCP/IP) are taking massive amounts of time (for example sp_monitor is taking apporx 50 seconds)

    the server(compac ML530) has 2 network cards, one of these is 100Mb and a second card (1Gbit) to act as a storage retreival from a NAS.

    the cards are not teamed, and SQL server in startup is reporting that it is listening on both IP addresses.

    how can i stop SQL from listening on the 1Gb card to test the problem.

    is this the problem? the NAS is located on a different sub net in another server room and contains all of the .ldf and .mdf files.

    Help

    MVDBA

  • Using a NAS isn't the best idea to start with.



    Shamless self promotion - read my blog http://sirsql.net

  • Have both netwokd cards been assigned separate ip address. If they are, Try to create server alias with client network utility to connect SQL Server with specific ip address to see any improvement.

  • If I'm not mistaken, NAS isn't supported with SQL 2000 in any way shape or form. In any case try Allen's suggestion.

     

    Wes

  • unfortunatley it wasn't my choice to run from a NAS (they call it a SAN but it's not) - we inherited support of an existin server.

    NAS is supported for very large scale databases - see http://www.microsoft.com/sql and look at scalability

    MVDBA

  • with client network you can create an alias for TCP/IP, but only for a port number - you can't specify the IP it listens on....

    both cards have different addresses.

    MVDBA

  • The above is great, but you should also check the settings on the NIC. The SPEED and DUPLEX should be set to the desired settings and not set to AUTO.

  • Mike Vessey,

    "with client network you can create an alias for TCP/IP, but only for a port number - you can't specify the IP it listens on....

    both cards have different addresses."

    Instead typing server name, enter IP address when you create the alias.

     

  • I can't find where you can tell windows or SQL to use a specific network path for SQL server. Also, the server doesn't know to look for the UNC shares down a specific NIC and I don't think you can make it do so without local host files and hard routing IP's to the NAS trying to make the windows server a dual homed box, which I doubt would work ether. I would disable the 10/100 nic and just use the GigE or add a second GigE if you need a second NIC. I would also make sure that the first hop the server makes is to the switch the NAS is attached to and try to minimize netowrk latency issues.

    Eric Rowe, You have to leave the NIC in auto mode for GigE to work properly. You cannot force 1000T that I'm aware of on any NIC.

    On using NAS what it boils down to is it is supported on a very select set of hardware but still not recommended.

    http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304261

    I've never talked to anyone at Microsoft who works with Sql Server including the GM and PM over Sql Server who would recommend a NAS in any situation to hold your mdfs and ldfs. I/O pressure, stress on the CPU, reliabilty on writes, and throughput are always sighted. Hell SQL won't let you install to a NAS without jumping through hoops. The only time I have implemented a NAS solution was for read-only archive data.

    There is another thread here:

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/forums/shwmessage.aspx?forumid=54&messageid=121234#bm121335

    Cheers,

    Wes

  • well some idiot specified this system to the police force. and now we're left picking up the peices. - they've spent so much on the system (because some network techie thought this would be a good idea!!) that they won't drop it.

    i'm going to try and do some route tracing and net stats to confirm where the hell this data is going, but i get the feeling it's getting lost on the return journey.

    is this problem going to go away if i use a different protocol ?

    MVDBA

  • multiple IP's and routing can be an issue. Thats why I recommended killing one of the NICs and maybe adding an entry into your host file on the windows machine to try and control it alittle better.

    Wes

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