We too, have seen the framework service pin the cpu on an NT 4.0 server. (The server is also running Goupshield 4.5 for MS Exchange 5.5)
I just recently upgraded this machine to VSE 7.1 from Netshield 4.5.
In doing so, I also installed Alert Manager 4.7.
Groupshield still runs and works great, but I'm a little shy about upgrading to 5.0 after seeing this CPU utilization issue rear its ugly head.
Whenever the CPU gets pinned, I can't even stop the framework service from the task manager or the services control panel. The only cure is to re-boot the server, which always makes me an extremely unpopular person.
We killed EPO (2.5) a year ago in our plant after nothing but repeated problems forced endless hours of babysitting we just couldn't afford.
Is the framework service wholly EPO related? NAI support has already had me remove all EPO traces from this machine, so I just don't get this one.
Would an uninstall and re-install of VSE 7.1 be the ticket? Or should I just try deleting the sitemaplist.xml file, then stop and start the framework service?
Any guidance here appreciated....
Phil