File server Mac issue causes network interruption
File server Mac issue causes network interruption
I have a 2012 Mac Mini running as a file server in our office. Before deciding to upgrade to a PC, it remains on Mac because of how MacOS handles file names and the need to keep about a decade’s worth of data. We have roughly 16 users—mix of Mac and PC—that could access it at any time. The setup includes an external RAID 5 storage unit (four 4TB drives) connected via USB 3.0 to the Mini. Occasionally, at random times throughout the day, multiple users lose access to the drive. However, when you connect directly to the Mini, everything functions properly. The only sign of trouble on the Mini is during restarts; it won’t restart automatically and requires a full shutdown via the power button. It’s worth noting this issue also occurred with another external drive configuration, so it isn’t related to the RAID 5 unit. Additionally, when the server isn’t reachable from any networked computer, it can still connect to other devices and the internet—meaning connectivity loss is not happening, but access is being blocked. Lastly, for ease, the same username is used across all connection points. I understand this might be risky, but it was the only solution available at the time. Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
The system indicates what is occurring during this process and provides details about CPU, disk, and network activity. This information can aid in identifying the issue. From the description, it seems a process is being blocked for an extended time. The CPU usage patterns, disk operations, and network behavior may offer clues. It appears there might be a problem with resource allocation or protocol compatibility. If most devices are Apple products using Apple's SMB implementation, you could also face similar challenges.
Consider exploring the various methods available for file sharing. MacOS offers options like AFP or SMB to connect drives. Both recent MacOS and Windows versions support SMB version 3. You can enable both SMB and AFP on MacOS. I suggest using SMB for permanent file sharing, as I've encountered problems when both protocols were active simultaneously.
I've checked the activity monitor previously, nothing out of the ordinary is showing. Memory usage, CPU activity, network traffic... all normal, no massive spikes or anything unusual. Even the "server app", doesn't log an error when this happens. We are currently set with both SMB and AFP, but the problem was evident before when just on SMB. I'm literally trying to eliminate possibilities one by one. Here's a bit of back story: The external drive we were using previous to the RAID 5, were all connected to an old Apple Xserve. While connected to that machine, we never had this problem. Then when we suffered a major power outage last month, the Xserver wouldn't boot, gave me kernel panics. The plan was to replace it anyhow due to the obsolete architecture. I replaced it with the Mac Mini and instantly these problems surfaced. I have a nagging suspicion that there's just something wrong with the Mini itself, but I want to rule out all other possibilities before I go and purchase another to replace it. What I have tried so far: Swapping network cables removing all drives but the RAID 5 Swapping RAM Adding AFP to file sharing The last steps I'm looking at are: swapping the network switch the server is connected to Swapping the Mini for another Mac around the office
I thought it might be useful to share what happened here in case it helped anyone... I attempted to swap the switch, but it didn’t work. Tried using a different Mac, yet nothing changed. Moved the old Mac to another spot just in case there was a wiring issue, but that didn’t resolve anything. It turns out the problem lies with the Samba protocol. Apple updated it after OS Mavericks (10.9) from Samba 2 to Samba 3. Since then, users have reported issues with sharing external drives over networks using Samba. I couldn’t find any solid solutions online, so I downgraded the Mini to version 10.9.5 and the problem has been resolved.