VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

QNAP NAS solution for server virtualization and clustering/HA/FT
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deathandtaxes
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VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

QNAP Model TS-453Be
I a have been trying to work with support but so far no luck. I am hoping someone may have seen this or have an idea
Here is what I have so far:

I have setup a windows 10 VM on the qnap per instructions from QNAP (they sent a youtube video).

The problem I am having is that the VM randomly (as far as I can tell) drops it's network connection and then reestablishes it around 15-20 seconds later. This happens many times a day. This can/does obviously cause problems with files/programs that are connected when the connection drops as this is a business environment.

I have done some trouble shooting and this is what I have so far.

Running three constant pings on the VM ip, the physical adapter 1, and the physical adapter 2 this is what I saw.

With the VM initially setup to use Virtual Switch 2 and Adapter 2, when the VM drops, the IP for the Adapter 2 also drops, then both reestablish. Physical Adapter 1 stayed stable. So I tried swapping ports that the two physical adapters use on the network switch, no change. I then tried swapping cables, no change. So determined the issue was from the qnap.

Next I changed the Windows VM to use Virtual Switch 1 that in turn uses the Physical Adapter 1. I was convinced that this would fix it as I thought the issue might be Virtual Switch 2 or the physical adapter 2, but NO, it still happens. So now when the VM IP drops, at the same time, Adapter 1 now drops. But Adapter 2 now stays stable.

Support for QNAP thought it might be something with the VM. They suggested I install a new windows VM, copying the iso to a new location and going from there.
I did this, and put a couple files on it and monitored for a few days. No drops.
last night I copied all the office files to the new VM (380 gig). This morning I updated it to use the fixed ip, and machine name as the old VM and restarted all workstations. All mappings (network drives) and application that use this windows VM for files are working on work stations.
All seemed well. Old VM is still off (I had already changed it's fixed IP and machine name before modifying the new one).

Then about an hour so in, the first drop occurred. Again just the IP for the VM and Adapter 2 drop, then reconnect.

FYI, I am doing all this because this is an accounting office that uses Intuit products that do not support NAS devices. Turns out they do not perform well on the QNAP, hence the windows VM.

Thank you for any thoughts/ideas!
Last edited by deathandtaxes on Wed Jan 20, 2021 12:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dolbyman
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by dolbyman »

what qnap model?
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

Sorry, Model TS-453Be
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dolbyman
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by dolbyman »

That is a little guy, not fast enough for a Win10 with GUI. What is the CPU usage of the VM when it loses connection?

Some things to do to maybe speed it up a bit, SSD volume for the VM image, more RAM.

Otherwise get a little NUC, for 600 bucks you get a tiny 6Core/12Thread with 12x+ the power of your NAS
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

CPU usage is pretty low. It is just serving up files. looking at resource monitor, now using about 10% cpu. I have 8 gig of memory, with 4 assigned to the VM. 4.75 gb currently being used per monitor.
4 core 1.50GHz with 2 core assigned to VM.
Not enough for this task?
It functions very quickly when accessing files from workstations (small office of 4 workstations). Like I mentioned, it is only serving up the files.
You think that would cause network drops with no other issues?
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

FYI, the QNAP was suggested to me from outside IT firm to replace old desktop I had been using (benefit of raid other nice qnap backup services).
I love the NUC idea, but just don't want to change ships as tax season has begun (accounting practice).
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dolbyman
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by dolbyman »

for it's core functionality (file serving), the processor is just fine, but virtualization is not really it's specialty.

What is the CPU usage while running the VM ? (you said the issues come up for the VM , while it's running)
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

VM is currently running and CPU usage per resource monitor is 10-17%
It's hard to know if there is a spike when the drop happens as it is random so can't watch it. Maybe there is a log in qnap I can look at, I don't know. Sorry, not that skilled.
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dolbyman
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by dolbyman »

Not using the VM station that often myself, as all my QNAPs don't have the power to run it well. (Celeron 951X and 853BU units)

Have you approached QNAP with that issue ?
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

Yes. They were the ones who asked to create a new VM and thought that might resolve it.
Still waiting to hear back from them after I updated them with the latest network drop with the new VM.
and thank you btw. I appreciate the thoughts/ideas!
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

For anyone who stumbles upon this. I may have found the issue (although do not understand the root cause).
I had my mapped drive to the VM setup as a system map (bat file at startup on my computer). Everyone else in the office used the typical mapping via windows file manager.
The reason for this type of map is that I use crashplan on my workstation to back up the data on the VM (it requires this work around as crashplan works at the system level and will not see traditionally mapped drives)
for some reason that is beyond me, this type of mapped drive, at the system level, when used with quickbooks (quickbooks files served up on the VM) was causing the VM to drop it's network connection (and shortly reconnect) when I would use quickbooks (a lot). So this one workstation was causing the VM issue.
So I changed my bat file and created a new system mapped drive to a different letter, pointed crashplan at that new drive, and then setup a traditionally mapped drive to the VM for purposes of my normal work (including quickbooks access).
one day in, all is stable so far. Fingers crossed.
deathandtaxes
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Re: VM and Virtual Switch - Network drop and reconnect randomly!?!

Post by deathandtaxes »

scratch that.....still having drops :(
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