network settings ?

[Kevin Batter]

We have a number of L class servers running hpux 11 and when we ftp between them we get very lousy throughput (like a 35 M file from a laptop running NT to a server takes 7.75 seconds but from server to server the same file takes 20 mins)
Any ideas ?? - are there params that need looking at
Any help much appreciated

[Kofi ARTHIABAH]

Kevin:

I would start by verifying the network connection characteristics with:

# lanscan
Hardware Station Crd Hdw Net-Interface NM MAC HP-DLPI DLPI
Path Address In# State NamePPA ID Type Support Mjr#
56.1 0x08000948ABF8 0 UP lan0 snap0 1 ETHER Yes 119

note the PPA for your lan0 (or whatever your primary interface is)
# lanadmin -x 0
Current Speed = 100 Full-Duplex Auto-Negotiation-OFF

verify that the result is correct. If not, you may have to edit the /etc/rc.config.d corresponding to the card of your servers to make it FULL-duplex Auto-Neg-Off...

I have found that sometimes if auto neg is turned on, performance is sub-par.

[Kevin Batter]

thanks for the info Kofi

output from the lanadmin command is
100 1/2 duplex and autoneg on

so I need it to be 100 full off - ok what file in rc.config.d do I change ??

[Kofi ARTHIABAH]

The file you edit depends on the lan card you have - let's say that your lan card is lan0 do a:

# grep "=lan0" /etc/rc.config.d/hp*conf | awk -F: '{ print $1 }'

to tell you which file you need to edit.

now edit the file (there are lots of comments to guide you)

After you have made the changes, you would have to reboot for the changes to take effect. ( or reset the lancard with the following steps:

1. determine the rc script that initialises the card:

# grep `grep "=lan0" /etc/rc.config.d/hp*conf | awk -F: '{ print $1 }'` /sbin/init.d/* | awk -F: '{ print $1 }'

This will list the script name eg. hpgsc100 then you can reset the card with:

# /sbin/init.d/hpgsc100 stop ; /sbin/init.d/hpgsc100 start

then issue the commands from my previous post to confirm... if all fails reboot after making the changes (sometimes, switches do not behave well when cards get reset this way)

[rick jones]

before you start hard-coding interface duplex settings, don't forget that you will also have to hard-code the switch ports, ANDyou will have to remeber all that should you or anyone else move cables around on your switch.

you might want to make sure that there is a mismatch first - look at not just the NIC with lanadmin, but also the switch port stats.

you might also look at the TCP stats to make sure there are lost segments - if there is a duplex mismatch there will be a non-trivial number of TCP retransmissions.

once you have determined the mis-match, you can change the speed and duplex settings without rebooting by using lanadmin -X (iirc). as noted elsewhere, to have it happen again on the next boot, you need to edit the config file in /etc/rc.config.d/

[Kevin Batter]

Thanks for the info

Have checked with our network guys and the switch is set to 100 full neg off

So will amend the settings using lanadmin to start with to see if response has improved

[Kevin Batter]

Kofi
I have checked through all the hp*conf files and find no settings for any lans.In all the headers it states that to set the speed & duplex to use the lanadmin command which I have already done.Does this mean that lanadmin updates some config file ??

[Kofi ARTHIABAH · Accepted solution]

No Kevin, the changes with lanadmin are temporary - when/if the server reboots, it would go back to what is listed in the hp*conf files.

[Antonio Valle_1]

Well... I have reading this thread and I don't agree on changing the lan card config for the HP9000 server: if the problem is the autoneg or even the lancard speed, then why the file transfer to the PC is performing well?

I think it is more related to the unix ftp client than to the network card.
I will try to check this, because I have an L box with the same card...

Antonio

[Kevin Batter]

Kofi

Thanks for your help - have made changes using the lanadmin command and all is now working ok.
Have read the notes on the pci 10/100 cards and found that I need to amend the hpbtlanconf file which I will now go off and do

[Kevin Batter]

Antonio
It was not just ftp causing the problem but moving data across the network to a backup server was also very slow (which is the ultimate aim of what I am trying to do).Having done the changes to the lan config to match the switch the time to transfer the file has gone from 20 mins to 3.5 secs !!!.
Feel free to give me anymore assistance when you have had a chance to play on your server