Folks --

I'm noticing some strange NFS behavior between a couple of machines.  The 
NFS server is an hp300 (source tree) and the client is an i486.  They are 
both running 1.0 kernels, and the hp300 is also running 1.0 user-land.  
I'm trying to get the i486 up to 1.0, but it's running a really late 
1.0_BETA...

Anyway - Every once in a while, the NFS connection will just hang.  I 
don't seem to have this problem with any other machine that mounts the 
hp300...but, they are all hp300s, sparcs, hp700s, etc.  This particular 
machine I'm having problems with is the only little-endian machine we 
have here, except for the Sequents...but they've never mounted helix (the 
hp300).

Anyway, I've noticed that using tcp NFS gives a weensy bit more 
reliability...but this troubles me a bit, since they're both on the same 
subnet, separated only by an EtherSwitch.  Other hp300s on other legs of 
the switched ethernet do not share the problem.  However, there is still 
a noticible speed problem - it took ~10 minutes to install in 
/usr/src/include - neither machine was busy - which is *way* too slow - 
mounting an old Sequent Balance B8 (a *slow* ns32k-based machine with 
SMD drives) over a router using udp as faster.

NFS is the only thing that seems to suffer from the problem.  Xapps on 
the i486 displaying on the same hp300 run just fine, telnet's are ok, 
pings go through, etc.  Even udp benchmark programs (like ttcp and 
netperf) are ok.  It seems really isolated to NFS.

Anyway - I thought I'd mention this - something just doesn't feel right 
and I think it may be a bug - but I hesitate to file a pr, due to my lack 
of specific information about it right now...

The i486 is using the if_ed driver with a 3c503, BTW (in case it makes 
a difference).

When I get a chance (this weekend, probably) I'll put a packet sniffer on 
the wire and see what I can see.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason R. Thorpe               thorpej@cs.orst.edu                 758-2003
OJGSE NERO Project               CSWest Room 5                    737-5567
Shared Computing Environment Group         http://www.cs.orst.edu/~thorpej

   "Morality and law are merely conventions adopted out of mutual fear."
		-- Plato