HP PCM brings my network to a crawl

[howartp]

Hi,

 

I first tried installing HP ProCurve Manager one evening about three years ago, then went on a course across the country the next day, and my network completely fell over - ping times virtually non-existent. The network was thus down all day until I got back and realised the problem. (ie Procurve Manager services were running and causing it)

 

I tried to install it again this lunchtime as we've got a big wireless project coming up this summer so I wanted to have it working. Half an hour later the internet dropped off, then ping times dropped from normal to slow to non-existent.

 

I immediately stopped the services (didn't help), unplugged my network cable (didn't help) then restarted HP Core switch (solved problem).

 

What am I doing wrong??? :'(

 

I don't know what settings I used last time, but I can quite believe I played with settings to get it to discover quickly blah blah blah.

 

This time, I installed it on my PC (dual-core 3Ghz, 32-bit, 4gb RAM (3GB usable)) and watched all the settings - I didn't change anything other than passwords to use.

 

Rebooted PC, logged into PCM Client, looked at device list and maps then poof - all fell down, ring-a-ring-a-roses style. (Whether it was 'poof', or a slow degredation, I don't know - I had ping -t running unaffected before I rebooted PC but I hadn't reopened it after I logged back in)

 

Anyone know what's happening?

 

HP Core is 5406zl, switches are all 2500x and a couple of 2600x.

 

Peter