Question : Problem: Slow RAID

I have a file and print server that services about 20 PC's and 14 Macintosh. It's a fairly powerful server (see below) but if anyone copies a lot of files to the server the disks seems to slow down so much that no one can do any work until the copying is finished. It's not really noticeable with the PC's but the Macintoshes almost freeze. I have a feeling that it's something to do with the protocols because when a PC copies lots of files to the server the Macs seem to freeze but if a Mac copies loads of files to the server the other Macs still slow down but not as noticeably. That would seem the problem then, but I've had had Performance Monitor running for a while and I can see the server is continually Paging, I'm getting high 'Disk Queue Lengths' and 'Processor Queue Lengths' when the copying.

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This is what's causing it to slow down because disks are struggling to cope. But they shouldn't be and I need to know why. I have two RAID systems but I'm really only getting paging problems with the larger external RAID connected to slot 2 (see below). It might be because the disks are two logical drives now part of an Extended set.
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Anyway all the information is below, all I need to know is how to stop the slow downs.

I thinking about getting a second network card and binding the AppleTalk to one and IP to the other but I don't think this is going to solve the disk problems
 
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Windows NT4 Server
Compaq Proliant ML370
Dual PIII 800Mhz
1024Mb Ram
Intel PRO/1000 T Gigabyte NIC
Two RAID storage solutions connected by two separate Compaq Smart Array Controller 3200 in Slot 1 and Slot 2. Slot 1 is the internal RAID and Slot 2 is the external RAID.
 
Slot 1
*******
6 x 18Gb disks 10,000rpm
One logical drive
Capacity 86Gb
 
Slot 2
*******
10 x 36Gb 10,000rpm
2 logical drives
Capacity 261Gb and 52Gb (305 Extended set)

Cheers
Nick
 
 

 
 
 
 

Answer : Problem: Slow RAID

I'm not saying that this is the entire problem, but it's a variable to eliminate.

How about copying from C: to E:, or F: to E:?

"Copying from the server to a work station there was no noticeable slowdown on the network/server."

From what drive were you copying?

What I'm trying to do is determin if reading, and writing is OK on the server as long as we are not writing to the F: drive.

Check your swap file settings to see if you have one set up on the F: drive.  If so, remove it.