Article Title:
 Resolve SMB2 Problems in AXIS Distributed Processing
Article Type:
 General System  
Article ID #:
 1173
GGY Contact :
 GGY Client Support (416 250 6777 or axis@ggy.com)
Last Modified:
 27 May 10

Article Summary:

Server Message Block (SMB) Version 2 is a network file system protocol implemented in Windows Server 2008, Windows HPC Server and other operating systems. When it is in use, the local caching on the client side may become out-of-sync with the file system and this may cause AXIS Distributed Processing to fail. The problem can be avoided by changing some registry settings.

Article Detail:

Server Message Block (SMB) Version 2 is a network file system protocol that has been implemented in Windows Server 2008, Windows HPC Server and other operating systems.

When SMB2 is in use, depending on the registry settings, the local caching on the client side may become out-of-sync with the file system and this may cause AXIS Distributed Processing to fail. A typical example is the master fails to merge Block results that are sent from helpers on a GridLink farm, another example is a helper may report an error while unzipping a local copy of a dataset file.

These settings are in:

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkStation\Parameters

1. FileNotFound

Value type: REG_DWORD
Value name: FileNotFoundCacheLifeTime

2. Directory

Value type: REG_DWORD
Value name: DirectoryCacheLifetime

3. FileInfoCacheLifetime

Value type: REG_DWORD
Value name: FileInfoCacheLifetime

To avoid this problem, you can change the 3 registry settings to 0 on all servers in the farm to disable the local cache.

Starting from GridLink 4.30, we have provided a feature in GridLink Utility to change the registry remotely on all servers on a GridLink farm. If your GridLink version is older than 4.30, you will need to do it manually on each server.

This change doesn't require a server reboot.

If you cannot make the registry change, a workaround is to put the dataset on the master's local drive. This can avoid most of the problems.

We have been working with Microsoft on the SMB2 issue. Microsoft has recently published a TechNet article describing this behaviour and recommendations for the adjustements.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff686200(WS.10).aspx

For more information regarding SMB2, please refer to the link below:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc246482(PROT.13).aspx