CIFS Client Problems - NFS failures?

[Alzhy]

We're running CIFS A.01.09 where we are mounting filesystems to another UNIX Machinerunning SAMBA (CIFS A.02.01.02) and during heavy read and write use the mount would just hang with the following Syslog/dmesg errors:

NFS setattr failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS write failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS write failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS read failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out
NFS lookup failed for server smbsrv1.xyz.com: RPC: Timed out

Those that heavily use CIFS CLient under 11.11 - did you encounter the same issues as we are having? And what was the fix? What tunables did you tweak?

We've a fat GigE network btw.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

AHA!

Upgrade the CIFS client to 2.x

Make sure NFS is properly patched on both client and server.

I only use the 2.x versions now and do not encounter these errors in a pretty heavily used environment.

SEP

[Alzhy]

SEP.. that's what I essentially eneded up doing (as a natural course).. Both SAMBA (CIFS Server) and CIFS Client are the the latest and greatest along with the latest patch bundles and later patches for ONC/NFS,etc.

And we are still getting the same issues...

[Sameer_Nirmal]

Hi Nelson,

The issue seems to be at NFS level. To drill down the issue, network trace using nettl would be required.

Did you check dmesg/syslog at server end?

You can try using -vers=2 mount option for mounting the NFS from client.

[Alzhy]

Yeah but what does NFS got to do with CIFS? I know this has been brought out in the past. I still am puzzled -- CIFS is based on SMB/LanManager protocol right?

No unsual syslog messages at all on the CIFS Server..

I know that CIFS Client is not really an HP IPR/Product -- it comes (OEM'd) froma company called Sharity, Inc. About to raise issue with HP though... Meanwhile, the true NFS solution is working well and good.. using NFS v3 and UDP..

[Eric Raeburn · Accepted solution]

Hello, Nelson,

Eric from the HP CIFS Client lab here.

Are you still using version A.01.09 of the CIFS Client? We implemented a fix in A.01.09.01 for a problem that sounds like what you are seeing: a mount hangs under heavy load.

If you have not upgraded to the latest CIFS Client (A.02.01), we encourage you to do so. If the problem persists, please place a support call to HP; this problem may be too complex to work on online. We will want to see your logfiles and understand your environment (the type and amount of load) so we can reproduce the problem.

Regarding your question about the relationship of CIFS and NFS: the Sharity client, on which the HP CIFS Client is based, uses NFS as a frontend. That is its inherent design. When a user initiates some action on a CIFS mount, the request goes to the kernel (in this case, to the NFS client), then to the CIFS Client, which performs a protocol translation (NFS-RPC to SMB) and finally sends the SMB request to the CIFS server. The reverse process occurs for replies.

So for example, in the first line you show from syslog, NFS (in response to some user activity against a CIFS mount) sent a "set attribute" request but did not receive a reply from the CIFS Client until after its timeout expired. To pursue that further, if upgrading your CIFS Client doesn't fix it, we should go through the formal support call procedure.

Good luck!

-Eric

[Alzhy]

Eric, thanks for the info.

I am pretty sure one of our test machines are already on A.02.01 but will re-check. Out CIFS Server I think is already based on Samba 3.0.

My client is right now happy with the NFS solution though (NFS v3 over UDP).

But generally, for UNIX to UNIX filesystems sharing (very r/w intensive) - which ones would you prefer? CIFS or NFS?

I know that the tendency and the majority would favour CIFS Client IF the other end is a True Windows or SAMBA Server.. but what does HP usually recommend?