Utilise Gigabit Lan Connection Speed?

[Danbabe]

I have two servers running Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition connected to each other via GB Lan cards through a Gigabit switch. One of the servers is a backup server. When I copy huge files (lets say 100Gb) from one server to other, the Networking performance says I am using upto 36% of the lan speed.

How can I tune the performance to make sure it utilises as much of the Gbs connection speed as possible and therefore copy the large files faster?

I have TCP/IP, NWLink/IPX/SPX NetBIOS and NWLink/NetBIOS protocals installed on both servers. They are connected through a gigabit switch on the same subnet and domain (both domain controllers). I do have a 100Mbs firewall but thats just to the outside world and therfore should not be effecting the speed within the LAN.

Has anyone come across this before where the LAN speed is not utilising it's maximum speed efficiently?

Any help and ideas much appreciated chaps.

Dan

[Zxian]

The maximum speed of Gigabit networks is approximately 120MB/s. I'm guessing that your network connection is not the limiting factor here, but rather the rest of your system (hard drives possibly?) The computer that's being written to needs to be able to write the data to disk at the same speed that it's coming in.

[cluberti]

Not to mention the fact that you'll never utilize 100% of any network connection when TCP/IP is used, due to it's inherent overhead. Gotta agree though, either drivers or other hardware on one (or both) of the servers isn't keeping up with the demaind for data on the wire.

[Danbabe]

Thanks guys. Some very good points there.

Does anyone recommend specific gigabit NICS? I will try replacing them first I think before I look at the switch.

I am currently using D-Link DFE530TX with th correct drivers installed from the D-Link CD for Win2K3.

Any suggestions welcomed...

Dan