Network computers "hang up"

[wfn217]

In our network the computers tend to "hang up" sporadically betwen 1:00 and 2:00. This problem started about a month ago. What could be causing this?

 

[SomptingGuy]

Lunchtime

http://WWW surfers

perhaps?

- Steve

 

[richs]

If the IT department has automatic backup on the network where individual clients have their new files "backed up" to servers, then maybe the date/time of the servers has been switched from am to pm? If they did that, there could be quite a bit of additional traffic on the network and could be the issue at hand. Usually, 1am to 4am is "prime time" for backups. Some of the machines that I have been aware of do an automatic wakeup during that time. My son got an old computer from work when they upgraded his machine. It scared him quite a bit to have the machine power up in the middle of the night!

A network "sniffer" would certianly help finger the offending source of the slowdown.

One that I have used for years on linux/unix boxes is

http://www.ethereal.com/

I think that they have a version for windows. This is all free software.

Cheers,

Rich S.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Oh, 1 & 2 as in the night time? Most of our serious crontabs run about that sort of time, doing backups and other off-line stuff.

- Steve

 

[wfn217]

Thanks richs. I downloaded a sniffer. I meant 1:00 - 2:00 in the afternoon. By the way, I read that the Windows shadow copy can cause this problem.

 

[mikek10]

Another possibility is anti-virus scans

Basically it sounds like some process is running at that time, possibly initiated remotely.

Its just a matter of identifying what that process is.

Windows task manager, simple as it is, might help

 

[IRstuff]

Could just be someone targeting your network with a DoS, Smurf, or FINSCAN.

TTFN

FAQ731-376