SMB session issues
Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 17:48
Hi,
We have been using Firestreamer for close to a year now. For much of that time I have encountered backup failures, with the system indicating "The specified network name is no longer available" in the Windows event log. We were using two D-Link DNS-323 NAS devices with 2x2TB Western Digital Caviar Green drives each. We decided that there was a problem with the NASes and switched to a Drobo FS NAS with 2x2TB Western Digital RE4 enterprise drives. The backup failures began occurring again after several weeks. After extensive troubleshooting with Drobo Support, we were unable to identify any faults with the Drobo. Even after receiving a brand new Drobo FS, the problem still occurred.
Recently I opened a case with Microsoft Support to get assistance with this issue. Their engineers determined from a network trace that SMB sessions were being kept open indefinitely and eventually the NAS was unable to accept any more SMB connections.
I was provided this KB for reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937082
I have been able to have successful backups by reducing the amount of disk space consumed on the NAS (by lowering tape retention and deleting tapes), but this workaround is not a permanent solution because it drastically cuts the space we can use for backups. Note that at no time did any NAS become full.
Given that:
a) the problem still occurs after replacing the NAS, twice,
b) the problem still occurs with different hard drives,
c) Drobo support found no fault with the Drobo, and
d) Microsoft found no fault with the server,
Microsoft has pointed to Firestreamer as the possible cause of this. They believe that it may be erroneously keeping SMB sessions open and causing the connection to the NAS to be dropped.
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
We have been using Firestreamer for close to a year now. For much of that time I have encountered backup failures, with the system indicating "The specified network name is no longer available" in the Windows event log. We were using two D-Link DNS-323 NAS devices with 2x2TB Western Digital Caviar Green drives each. We decided that there was a problem with the NASes and switched to a Drobo FS NAS with 2x2TB Western Digital RE4 enterprise drives. The backup failures began occurring again after several weeks. After extensive troubleshooting with Drobo Support, we were unable to identify any faults with the Drobo. Even after receiving a brand new Drobo FS, the problem still occurred.
Recently I opened a case with Microsoft Support to get assistance with this issue. Their engineers determined from a network trace that SMB sessions were being kept open indefinitely and eventually the NAS was unable to accept any more SMB connections.
I was provided this KB for reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937082
I have been able to have successful backups by reducing the amount of disk space consumed on the NAS (by lowering tape retention and deleting tapes), but this workaround is not a permanent solution because it drastically cuts the space we can use for backups. Note that at no time did any NAS become full.
Given that:
a) the problem still occurs after replacing the NAS, twice,
b) the problem still occurs with different hard drives,
c) Drobo support found no fault with the Drobo, and
d) Microsoft found no fault with the server,
Microsoft has pointed to Firestreamer as the possible cause of this. They believe that it may be erroneously keeping SMB sessions open and causing the connection to the NAS to be dropped.
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.