Intermittent Network Issues with Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise

Question

Hello everyone,

I hope you're doing well. I'm currently facing an issue with my Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise deployment that I'm seeking assistance with.

The server is hosted on an ESXi host as a virtualized instance. Approximately every 6-7 days, I encounter a problem where the server experiences intermittent network disruptions. During these instances, I am unable to access any ports on other servers, making it impossible to exchange data with them.

Interestingly, despite the network issues, I can still access the affected server itself, and its resource usage appears to be normal during these times.

A simple solution to this problem has been to reboot the server, which restores normal network functionality. However, after about 6-7 days, the issue reoccurs.

I've been troubleshooting this for a while but haven't been able to pinpoint the root cause. Any insights or suggestions you could provide to help me resolve this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Answer 1

Hello

Intermittent network disruptions on an ESXi host can be caused by a variety of issues. According to a VMware Knowledge Base article, some common causes of intermittent or no network connectivity on an ESXi host include unsupported network adapter or server hardware, incorrect VLAN IDs on the portgroup, inconsistent speed and duplex settings on the network links, and incorrect configuration of NIC teaming or port security on the physical switch ports.

To troubleshoot the issue, you may want to verify that your network adapter and server hardware are supported, check that the network link is up, and ensure that the physical network adapter has the latest driver/firmware. You may also want to verify that the proper VLAN IDs exist on the portgroup, check the configuration of NIC teaming and port security on the physical switch ports, and ensure that the speed and duplex settings on the network links are consistent.

If you are still experiencing issues after checking these settings, you may want to consult with your network team or contact VMware support for further assistance.

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1004109