Source

RETAIN tip: H193717

Symptom

When running Microsoft Windows 2008, with a heavy network load, system performance degradation may be experienced.

The symptoms may include slow keyboard/mouse/video response and network applications may fail to create new socket connections.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM Servers:

• System x3850 M2, type 7141, any model
• System x3850 M2, type 7144, any model
• System x3850 M2, type 7233, any model
• System x3850 M2, type 7234, any model
• System x3950 M2, type 7141, any model
• System x3950 M2, type 7233, any model
• System x3950 M2, type 7234, any model

This tip is not option specific.

The system is configured with at least one of the following:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter 32-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter 64-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise 32-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise 64-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard 32-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard 64-bit, any service pack

Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software.

Please see the compatibility page for more information:

http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/

Solution

This issue is still under investigation.

The checkpoint target date in fourth quarter 2008.

Workaround

1. From a Microsoft Windows Command Line, disable Autotuning asfollows from the Windows Command Line:

   netsh int TCP set global autotuning=disabled

   
   
2. From a Microsoft Windows Command Line disable Receive SideScaling (RSS) as follows:

   netsh int TCP set global rss=disabled

   
   
3. From a Microsoft Windows Command Line disable TCP ChimneyOffload as follows:

   netsh int TCP set global chimney=disabled

   
   
4. Disable IPv6 for any network adapters connected to an IPv4only network. To disable IPv6 perform the following steps:
   
   
   1. Click start -> settings -> network connections.
   2. Right click the network connection and choose Properties.
   3. Uncheck the box next to "Internet Protocol Version 6(IPv6)" and click OK.

All of these options are enabled by default in Microsoft Windows Server 2008.

Note: Ensure TOE is disabled on the on-board 5709 NIC ports.

This is the default setting.