Maximum concurrent connections to shared resources

[Guest]

My company is using a Dell server with XP Pro as a file/backup server in a
workgroup environment. All users' My Docs, Outlook/OE mailbox files, etc.
are stored on the server, and each client (XP Pro, 2000, 98) accesses the
files via an individual network share.

As I've been adding users, a problem has started to crop up. A few times
this week I've had reports of users being unable to reconnect their mapped
drive to the server...I forget the exact error message but it was to the
effect of "no more remote connections to this system are possible."

So far, we only have about 10 people configured like this. Each computer
connects to a separate share. So, even though there are 10 people connected
to the server, there is never more than one computer connected to each share.

I'm thinking this may have to do with the fact that we're using XP Pro on a
workgroup, and that may be limiting the number of total connections to the
server. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them. Thanks.

 

[Malke]

My company is using a Dell server with XP Pro as a file/backup server
in a
workgroup environment. All users' My Docs, Outlook/OE mailbox files,
etc. are stored on the server, and each client (XP Pro, 2000, 98)
accesses the files via an individual network share.

As I've been adding users, a problem has started to crop up. A few
times this week I've had reports of users being unable to reconnect
their mapped drive to the server...I forget the exact error message
but it was to the effect of "no more remote connections to this system
are possible."

So far, we only have about 10 people configured like this. Each
computer
connects to a separate share. So, even though there are 10 people
connected to the server, there is never more than one computer
connected to each share.

I'm thinking this may have to do with the fact that we're using XP Pro
on a workgroup, and that may be limiting the number of total
connections to the
server. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them.
Thanks.

It certainly sounds like you are running into the concurrent connections
limitation. Remember, the connections are not per *computer*; one
computer can make more than one connection to the "server". For that
many computers, you will be far better off to replace the XP "server"
with a real server operating system. Here is a list of the connection
limitations and a link:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882 - Inbound connections limit in
XP

concurrent connections:

10 for XP Pro/Tablet/MCE
5 for XP Home
49 for SBS 2000
74 for SBS 2003
Unlimited for full Server O/Ses

Malke

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

My company is using a Dell server with XP Pro as a file/backup server in a
workgroup environment. All users' My Docs, Outlook/OE mailbox files, etc.
are stored on the server, and each client (XP Pro, 2000, 98) accesses the
files via an individual network share.

As I've been adding users, a problem has started to crop up. A few times
this week I've had reports of users being unable to reconnect their mapped
drive to the server...I forget the exact error message but it was to the
effect of "no more remote connections to this system are possible."

So far, we only have about 10 people configured like this. Each computer
connects to a separate share. So, even though there are 10 people connected
to the server, there is never more than one computer connected to each share.

I'm thinking this may have to do with the fact that we're using XP Pro on a
workgroup, and that may be limiting the number of total connections to the
server. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them. Thanks.

Windows XP Professional is a client operating system, not a server.
By design, it only allows 10 other computers to connect to its shared
resources simultaneously. For details, see:

Inbound Connections Limit in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314882

I'd say that your company has reached the limit and that the "server"
computer needs to run a true server operating system like Windows
Server 2003.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[JS]

I'm thinking this may have to do with the fact that we're using XP Pro on a
workgroup, and that may be limiting the number of total connections to the
server. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them. Thanks.

As the other posters have stated, Microsoft has built an artifical
limitation into XP Pro in order to force users such as yourself to buy a
Windows server OS. May I suggest looking into a free Linux/Samba solution?

http://us1.samba.org/samba/what_is_samba.html

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It looks like we're going to have to
upgrade to a server OS...most likely 2003 server. I'd love to look into a
free solution like Linux, but I don't think our backup software (NTI Backup
NOW!) is compatible with Linux...I'll have to check though. And getting them
to spend money on new software around here is like wrestling an 800-pound
gorilla.

Thanks again for the help.