Samba server is slow!

biscaynesix · 10-10-2008, 12:19 PM

Help me figure out why access to this samba server from a Windows XP machine is so slow! Windows XP machines are set up to access the share through a UNC path with the IP address like \\192.168.1.13\files so name resolution shouldn't be a problem, right?

I have two samba servers on two separate machines.

The old server is running CentOS 4.
The old server is FAST. GET through smbclient at ~3,000K/sec
The old server is running smbd version 3.0.28-0.el4.9
Linux 2.6.9-34.EL
Chipset nVidia MCP51
Onboard NIC: MCP51 Ethernet Controller (rev a1)

The new server is running Debian Stable.
Most of the smb.conf came from old server config.
Access to samba from XP is SLOW. GET through smbclient at ~30 - 60K/sec
The new server is running smbd version 3.0.24
Linux 2.6.18-6-686
Chipset is Intel Corporation 82801G / "Intel DG31PR"
Onboard NIC: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 01)
The hard disk and all other parts in the computer are brand new.
The hard disk is a Western Digital 10EACS (1 TB)
The /home partition, which is where the share sits, is about 900GB.

Benchmarks with iperf show network throughput between a workstation and either server to be about the same.

Here is the smb.conf on the new/slow server

Code:

[global]

   workgroup = workgroup
   netbios name = Files2
   
   level2 oplocks = no
   oplocks = no
   
   server string = Files2
   
   hosts allow = 192.168.1. 127.
   
   load printers = no
   printing = bsd
   
   guest account = aip
   
   log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
   log level = 2
   max log size = 50
   
   security = share
   
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
   
   wins server = 192.168.1.12
   dns proxy = no
   
   idmap uid = 16777216-33554431
   idmap gid = 16777216-33554431
   template shell = /bin/false
   username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
   password server = None
   encrypt passwords = no
   winbind use default domain = no


#======================= Share Definitions =======================

[files]
	path = /home/files/files
	writable = yes
	writeable = yes
	public = yes
	read only = no

[backup]
	path = /home/backup
	writable = no
	public = yes

[daily]
	path = /home/daily
	writable = no
	public = yes

Here is the smb.conf from the old/fast server

Code:

[global]
workgroup = workgroup
netbios name = Files1

level2 oplocks = no
oplocks = no

server string = Files1 

hosts allow = 192.168.1. 127.

load printers = no

printing = bsd

guest account = aip

log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
max log size = 50

security = share

socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192

wins server = 192.168.1.12

dns proxy = no

#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
	idmap uid = 16777216-33554431
	idmap gid = 16777216-33554431
	template shell = /bin/false
	username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
	password server = None
	encrypt passwords = no
	winbind use default domain = no
[homes]
	comment = Home Directories
	browseable = no
	writeable = yes

[files]
	path = /mnt/files/files
	writeable = yes
	only guest = yes
	public = yes
	force group = aip

[backup]
	path = /mnt/backup
	writeable = no
	only guest = yes
	public = yes
	force group = aip


[daily]
	path = /mnt/daily
	writeable = no
	only guest = yes
	public = yes
	force group = aip

On the new/slow server, I changed these values in an attempt to solve the problem:

8388608 > /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_max
8388608 > /proc/sys/net/core/wmem_max
65536 > /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_default
65536 > /proc/sys/net/core/wmem_default

edit: I added this to smb.conf under [global] on the new/slow server in an attempt to solve the problem

Code:

domain master = Yes
local master = Yes
preferred master = Yes
os level = 64

edit: I changed these values

Code:

level2 oplocks = yes
oplocks = yes

I also removed these lines

Code:

	idmap uid = 16777216-33554431
	idmap gid = 16777216-33554431
	template shell = /bin/false
	username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
        winbind use default domain = no

No apparent speed changes.

wernerz · 10-11-2008, 11:36 AM

Make sure the windows XP firewall on all clients is OFF. It always interferes with networking with samba.

biscaynesix · 10-14-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wernerz

Make sure the windows XP firewall on all clients is OFF. It always interferes with networking with samba.

Windows XP firewall being off or on does not seem to make a difference.

mostlyharmless · 10-14-2008, 04:05 PM

Just a troubleshooting idea: is the new server slow if the old fast server isn't serving?

thetakan · 10-15-2008, 12:17 AM

try after adding following line in your global option.

os level = 65

This is default value and reply us to check further.

Thanks

biscaynesix · 10-16-2008, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetakan

try after adding following line in your global option.

os level = 65

Changing this value does not appear to affect performance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mostlyharmless

Just a troubleshooting idea: is the new server slow if the old fast server isn't serving?

This is a good idea and I might try this later. I will have to wait until an odd hour when the server is not being accessed.

Edit: I tried removing SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192 from socket options which had no apparent effect.

Edit: Removed the hosts allow line. No apparent change.

Here is the configuration of the new server as it is now

Code:

[global]

   workgroup = workgroup
   netbios name = Files2
   
   #level2 oplocks = yes
   level2 oplocks = no
   #oplocks = yes
   oplocks = no
   
   domain master = Yes
   local master = Yes
   preferred master = Yes
   os level = 65
   
   server string = Files2
   
   hosts allow = 192.168.1. 127.
   
   load printers = no
   #printing = bsd
   
   guest account = aip
   
   log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
   log level = 1
   max log size = 50
   
   security = share
   
   #socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY
   
   #wins server = 192.168.1.12
   dns proxy = no
   
   password server = None
   encrypt passwords = no
   #winbind use default domain = no


#======================= Share Definitions =======================

[files]
	path = /home/files/files
	writable = yes
	writeable = yes
	public = yes
	read only = no

[backup]
	path = /home/backup
	writable = no
	public = yes

[daily]
	path = /home/daily
	writable = no
	public = yes

biscaynesix · 10-17-2008, 11:35 AM

I did a disk access benchmark on the slow server with bonnie++

Code:

Version  1.03       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
aip3             4G 42356  91 72992  19 28910   7 46975  91 75833  10 184.3   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16 +++++ +++ +++++ +++ +++++ +++ +++++ +++ +++++ +++ +++++ +++
aip3,4G,42356,91,72992,19,28910,7,46975,91,75833,10,184.3,0,16,+++++,+++,+++++,+++,+++++,+++,+++++,+++,+++++,+++,+++++,+++

I changed some things around in the config experimentally. Most notable are the socket options and the four lines below it.

Code:

[global]

   workgroup = workgroup
   netbios name = Files2
   
   level2 oplocks = no
   oplocks = no
   
   domain master = Yes
   local master = Yes
   preferred master = Yes
   os level = 65
   
   server string = Files2
   
   hosts allow = 192.168.1. 127.
   
   load printers = no
   
   guest account = aip
   
   log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
   log level = 1
   max log size = 50
   
   security = share
   
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY SO_KEEPALIVE SO_SNDBUF=16384 SO_RCVBUF=16384
   max xmit = 65535
   dead time = 15
   getwd cache = yes
   lpq cache = 30

   dns proxy = no
   
   password server = None
   encrypt passwords = no


#======================= Share Definitions =======================

[files]
	path = /home/files/files
	writable = yes
	writeable = yes
	public = yes
	read only = no

[backup]
	path = /home/backup
	writable = no
	public = yes

[daily]
	path = /home/daily
	writable = no
	public = yes

No apparent change in performance.

toastytheog · 10-17-2008, 01:38 PM

deleted b/c of ignorance

biscaynesix · 10-23-2008, 11:19 AM

The problem was solved by switching from samba version 3.0.24 to 3.2.3

theYinYeti · 10-23-2008, 11:37 AM

I see you solved your problem. I'd like to know something because I think I have a similar problem but I can't update for now.

At my work, I setup a Samba server (PIII-800 128MB ram, Mandriva 2008.0) and it is SLOW when accessed by my coworkers (they use XP): they can wait up to 20 seconds before the "My computer" window shows the drives, and then another 20 seconds (at most) when opening a Samba drive from this server for the first time (or after inactivity).
BUT, I use Linux (Mandriva 2009.0) on my desktop, and accessing the same "drives" (configured as autofs mount points) is FAST: Accessing a "drive" is instantaneous!

So my question is simple: did you have the opportunity to check the Samba performance from a Linux client to your SLOW server? Was it slow too, or fast?

Yves.

Edit: samba-server-3.0.25b-4.5mdv2008.0

biscaynesix · 10-24-2008, 01:40 PM

theYinYeti, file transfer via smbclient was slow between two Linux machines just as it was between Windows XP and Linux.