strange openvpn perf issue when printer goes offline

This forum is for admins who are looking to build or expand their OpenVPN setup.

Moderators: TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech

Forum rules
Please use the [oconf] BB tag for openvpn Configurations. See viewtopic.php?f=30&t=21589 for an example.
Post Reply
dmcginvt
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 01, 2017 6:24 pm

strange openvpn perf issue when printer goes offline

Post by dmcginvt » Mon May 01, 2017 6:54 pm

We develop software and we have POC hosted point of sale solution in the cloud running for one of our customers. Users RDP to a TermServer in the cloud run the application there. There is a windows openvpn server on this side. Back on the premises there is a computer running the openvpn client because servers in the cloud need to print back to IP receipt printers on the premises. All the routing is setup and working fine. In fact, everything works great. There's plenty of bandwidth and the latency is a very consistent 30ms. Here is where it gets weird.

If one of the receipt printers is turned off (on-prem), the "stations" in the cloud are "looking" for it because jobs are queueing up. Pings go to 2000-3000ms!! requests begin to timeout. EVentually openvpn although still running, essential fails, all the rdp sessions are dropped everything is totally overwhelmed. I have to restart the OPENVPN services on both sides. EVerything goes back to normal. So that's why I am pretty sure this is OVPN related.

Granted, I then have to get the on-prem people to scramble to find the printer that is offline or else it will soon degrade again to the point of total failure. In house we've been using OPENVPN for at least 12 years and never had an issue like this. This is the only customer we have in the proof of concept and I am absolutely baffled why this is crippling openvpn to the point I have to kill the service.

Has anybody ever seen anything like this?

Thanks

Post Reply