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"nfs: server not responding" because gateway is not sending ARP responses to ONTAP

  1. Last updated
    May 5, 2025
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Category:
ontap-9
Specialty:
nas
Last Updated:
5/5/2025, 12:29:29 PM

Applies to

  • ONTAP 9
  • NFS
  • ARP
  • Cisco ACI Fabric

Issue

  • Intermittently, NFS client host(s) logs nfs: server svm1 not responding, still trying while mounting a LIF(s) hosted on a specific ONTAP node(s)
  • Packet trace captured on ONTAP shows that
    • The gateway broadcasts ARP requests
    • The gateway stops broadcasting ARP requests
    • 20 minutes later,  ONTAP starts broadcasting ARP requests for the gateway
    • The gateway sends neither ARP responses, nor ARP requests
    • The NFS client sends a TCP SYN
    • ONTAP does not reply with a TCP SYN-ACK
    • The NFS client repeatedly retransmits the TCP SYN
      • The time stamps of these retransmissions coincide with when the client logs  nfs: server svm1 not responding, still trying
    • ONTAP does not reply with a TCP SYN-ACK
    • The gateway starts broadcasting ARP requests
    • ONTAP stops broadcasting ARP requests
    • The NFS client sends a TCP SYN
    • ONTAP does replies with a TCP SYN-ACK

 

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