Networking or SQL problem?

[kranich]

Here is the situation. I have a customer that runs an application that generates a certain type of report from a database. Basically it pulls information from the database, and then prompts you to add additional information (using a wizard type format). Then it also inserts selected JPEG files. The JPEGs and database are on the server. When the customer selects “Generate Report” it then converts the entire document to PDF format, saves it to a directory on the server and then prints out and/or faxes copies. We have two clients in a remote location (meaning across the street in another building approximately ¼ mile away from the main clients and server). On these stations occasionally (about two or three times a month) when they go to generate the report the stations freeze up, and only half of the report is generated (converted to PDF). This problem started after an SQL upgrade about six months ago. Now there is a he said/she said thing working. They insist that the upgrade is causing the problem but it seems obvious to me that there is something within their network causing it to burp during this conversion. The question: is there a good way to diagnose the network to determine what may be causing the issue? The problem is so sporadic. Thanks in advance for any insight. The remote stations run Win 98 but so do the majority of clients on the other side of the street. The server is Win 2K. I would like to bring to them some quantitative data to show where the problem lies.