VM Linux session not responding

["Jack Cobb" <jcobb@skylinecorp.com>]

We are experiencing connectivity problems with some of our 390 Debian
Linux machines.  We currently have six machines running.  Five of these
machines have one dasd device attached and the sixth one has two dasd
devices attached.  At random times we will lose connection with a random
machine such that you cannot ping the device either from VM or from
another pc on the network.  This all started after setting up the sixth
machine with the two dasd devices.

When the machine drops off the VM session has not stopped but is running
in a disconnected state.  If you login via a 3270 session to this VM
session it is in a running state and not until you hit enter several
times do you get the debian login prompt.  After doing so this machine
can be connected to.  Also, when this problem happens we have shut down
the machine with two dasd devices and the problem goes away as well and
does not return until we start that machine again.

The items these machines all have in common are:

  hipersockets (version built into the woody r0 kernel)
  debian woody r0
  share same secondary console

The version of VM we are running is 4.2 on a Multiprise 3000.

Is anyone aware of any issues with having two or more dasd devices
connected to a machine or having more than five machines running at the
same time.  Or are there any known issues with hipersockets that would
cause this?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Jack Cobb
MIS Department
Skyline Corporation
jcobb@skylinecorp.com
(574) 294-6521 x.362
(574) 295-6532 fax