[ILUG] Delay between link up and forwarding frames?

[Gavin McCullagh]

Hi,

On Fri, 09 Jan 2009, Kenn Humborg wrote:

> I've got machines (Dell PE2950) running CentOS 5.2 
> connected to a Dell 5448 GigE switch.
> 
> It seems that after bringing up an Ethernet interface
> on the server, it is 30 seconds before I can ping anything.
> That doesn't seem normal to me...
> 
> This breaks some things that require access to automounted
> directories during boot.

It sounds a bit like spanning tree is turned on on the switch.  You could
try either of:

1. Turn off spanning tree on the switch.
2. Change the spanning tree settings for that port to "portfast" or
   whatever the equivalent name is on your Dell switch.

It might be something else, but that's what comes to mind in my experience. 

Gavin