Weird network behaviour - can anyone explain it?
We have a machine whose network configuration is in some way wrong, but
I don't know how.
When it boots, the network is configured correctly, according to
ifconfig, but it takes forever for things (a deliberately vague word) to
be processed. Then it seems to handle a number of requests all at once
and goes back to sleep for a while. The effect is illustrated by this
ping across the local ethernet (other machines on the same net have no
problems):
# ping braydb
PING braydb.somedomain.com (192.168.1.18): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=33 ttl=64 time=0.6 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=34 ttl=64 time=0.8 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=35 ttl=64 time=1.4 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=18 ttl=64 time=17002.5 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=19 ttl=64 time=16003.6 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=20 ttl=64 time=15004.2 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=21 ttl=64 time=14004.8 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=22 ttl=64 time=13005.4 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=23 ttl=64 time=12005.9 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=24 ttl=64 time=11006.5 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=25 ttl=64 time=10007.0 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=26 ttl=64 time=9007.6 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=27 ttl=64 time=8008.1 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=28 ttl=64 time=7008.6 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=29 ttl=64 time=6009.1 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=30 ttl=64 time=5009.7 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=31 ttl=64 time=4010.3 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.18: icmp_seq=32 ttl=64 time=3010.9 ms
--- braydb.somedomain.com ping statistics ---
49 packets transmitted, 18 packets received, 63% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 0.6/8339.2/17002.5 ms
After some considerable time, this effect stops and normal response
times resume. (I hope that this will also be the case on this occasion;
the machine has been running for 5 hours so far.)
Kernel is 2.4.20 SMP, built for this machine.
I can't identify the network card until the machine starts to respond
correctly (I am not on site).
The problem began a couple of months back; I do not know of any relevant
software change. Since then, the machine has not been rebooted again
until today.
--
Oliver Elphick Oliver.Elphick@lfix.co.uk
Isle of Wight, UK http://www.lfix.co.uk/oliver
GPG: 1024D/3E1D0C1C: CA12 09E0 E8D5 8870 5839 932A 614D 4C34 3E1D 0C1C
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"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the
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