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From: GEustace@massey.ac.nz (Glen Eustace)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs
Subject: Response from rpc.pcnfsd - tuning timeouts
Message-ID: <599@massey.ac.nz>
Date: 5 Mar 90 02:42:02 GMT
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Lines: 35
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2.1

We are experiencing a problem with our PCs and their communication with
the rpc.pcnfsd process on our server.

We have turned on the debugging to try and get some idea what is
happenning.  It would appear that we get a kind of meltdown situation.

PC A is trying to do its NET NAME command.
- It gets no reply to the RPC, probably a timeout I think.
- It tries again.  Upto about 4 times at the moment and finally gives up.

PC B is trying to do a NET USE LPT1: etc
- same story only PRI_INIT rather than AUTH_PROC is repeated.

PC C is trying to do a print.
- same story only multiple PRI_STARTs.

It would appear that with the current load on our server and network, the
rpc packets are being executed but the successful reply is being lost by
the PCs so they try again.  As more and more PCs hit this situation
things just get progressively worse.

Is there some way of increasing the rpc timeout used by the NET Command.
I have tried the /t switch on PCNFS.SYS but it does not seem to have any
effect.  We are currently trying to improve the performance of rpc.pcnfsd
by removing the getpwnam( nobody ) and 'nice'ing the process.  But we are
not having a lot of success.

Any help would be appreciated.

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Glen Eustace, Software Manager, Computer Centre, Massey University,
   Palmerston North, New Zealand. Phone: +64 63 69099 x7440 GMT+12
             E-Mail via Internet: G.Eustace@massey.ac.nz
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