File opened via AFP Xsan re-share causes XSAN restart/lockup

Posted this on Xsanity a while ago but didn't really get any bites. Hoping someone here might have some insights...

Wondering if anyone has seen this before or has any ideas on this…

Having an issue when a Microsoft PowerPoint or Word document (version 2011 for Mac) is opened on a client that is accessing the Xsan through an AFP re-share. I know, I know - these kinds of files should not be stored on the SAN… but scrips and things tend to get put with the rest of the project media files. Anyway when the Microsoft document is opened it causes the computer to freeze (spinning beach ball) and then the Xsan volume disconnects from all the other clients (both AFP and Fibre connected). From what I can tell the Xsan volume tries to failover over to the Backup MDC, but the Backup MDC also freezes which locks up all network accounts.

This has happened multiple times now - each time it is triggered by opening a Microsoft document. The only way I have been able to get things going agin is to shut down/hard power both servers and bring them up again… testing the failover between both Primary MDC and Backup MDC. Wondering if this is some issue with the AFP re-share that is causing larger issues overall. I wouldn't think that a simple Power Point document could cause something so major but I can't seem to find any other explanation.


Here is the setup:

• 2 Xserve's running 10.6.8
- Primary Xsan MDC, plus the following services:
- Open Directory Replica
- Secondary DNS
- Backup Xsan MDC, plus the following services:
- Open Directory Master
- DHCP
- Primary DNS
- AFP
- SMB
- Groupware (iCal, iChat…)
• Xsan 2.2.2
• Separate ethernet networks for Public & Metadata
• Qlogic SanBox 5600 & 5602 Fibre switch's with stacking ports
• Promise Vtrak E/J-Class Storage Units - about 25TB storage
• 9 Fibre clients - all 10.6.8
• 5 AFP clients - all 10.6.8