How to check if file server is available from C#?

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I want to check availability of a remote Windows 2003 file server from a C# service application.

Only file sharing test is relevant (ping and other tests do not help here - a server can respond to ping even when file sharing is disabled or firewall can allow file transfer but deny ping). I have tried several approaches but none suits my needs.

I want to check server availability without admin rights and don't want positive response when share is available offline while server is actualy unavailable.

System.IO.DirectoryInfo.Exists(\\servername\sharedfolder) returns true if sharedfolder is available offline, even when server is not available.

P/Invoke to NetShareEnum() has the same 'flaw'.
WMI functions in System.Management namespace need admin rights on remote server.

Anyone has an idea how to do proper availability check?

Posted 28-Nov-11 10:15am

nurko10

Updated 28-Nov-11 11:49am

Yvan Rodrigues

v2

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Valery Possoz · Answer 1 · 2011-11-28T12:31:00

Hello,

Another solution is to ping the server, if you get a response the server is online. :)

C#

using System.Net.NetworkInformation;

C#

PingReply pingReply;
    using (var ping = new Ping())
    {
        pingReply = ping.Send("fileservername");
    }
    if (pingReply.Status == IPStatus.Success)
    {
        Console.Write("Server is available");
    }
}

Valery.

Yvan Rodrigues · Answer 2 · 2011-11-28T11:59:00

Solution 1

Some ideas:

1. Write a 0 byte file to the share, then delete it. (requires write/delete access)

2. Disconnect then reconnect to the share[^]. (this will break any file transfers).

3. Use your method + check if the remote server is listening on tcp/445

Posted 28-Nov-11 11:59am

Yvan Rodrigues