RPC Server Unavailable error when running the connect-nacontroller cmdlet

[ryanf123]

About 50% of the time, when I use the connect-nacontroller cmdlet I get the following error:

Connect-NaController : RPC Error - The RPC server is unavailable.

At line :1 char:21

+ Connect-NaController <<<<   (filername)

     + CategoryInfo               : NotSpecified: (:)  [Connect-NaController], EAPITRANSMISSION

     + FullyQualifiedErrorID : Netapp.Ontapi.Filer.ErrnoException+EAPITRANSMISSION,DataONTAP.PowerShell.SDK.ConnectNaController

Is this a problem with the cmdlet, or do I have issues with my filers? Neither is a comforting thought.

[fjohn]

EAPITRANSMISSION  appears to be a connectivity issue between the host running the Data ONTAP PowerShell Tookit and the Filer.

J

[ryanf123]

The problem is that both the host and the filer are plugged into the same switch, and filerview and ssh connectivity are never disrupted.

[fjohn]

I can think of quite a few things; windows firewall issues, RPC timeout issues, etc.  There's not a lot to go on here other than the error that says the packet never made it.  I'd start by getting the Microsoft RPC ping utility and quantifying RPC connectivity.

J

[ryanf123]

Turns out it was a time synchronization issue. Thx for the help though!

[fjohn]

No problem,

The maximum time skew allowed for Kerberos in Windows is 5 minutes.  Absolutely makes sense,

J

[cknight · Accepted solution]

You might try running through "cifs setup" at the filer CLI.  I have resolved RPC issues that way on rare occasions, even if nothing else appeared to have changed.

[fjohn]

Once upon a time, I had a situation where I mistakedly had SnapMirror traffic going over the E0M interface.  It caused all sorts of unexpected RPC timeouts.  The Microsoft RPC Ping utility should help sort it out.

J