FAQ:

FAQ: My networked computers are very slow. Optimizing Network Performance for TPS2000

When TPS 2000 is used on a network, it constantly pulls information from the network and saves whatever changes are made. A slow network will result in poor response time, even though the program would run very fast with the same data on a local computer.

1. Diagnosing if you have a slow network:
Go to a Workstation on the network and click on Tools, System Technical Benchmark.

The system will do some performance analysis on the network and come up with a screen like this:

In this example, the transfer speed is

2767 KBytes per second.

Network Benchmark Performance figures and their meaning less than 400KBytes/sec Your network uses the old 10Mbps (also called Ethernet) hardware and is very poorly configured. There may be a conflict of hardware, wiring etc. TPS 2000 is going to be VERY slow.

400-600 Kbytes/sec

You are using the 10Mbps networking, but the server is not optimally configured. TPS2000 is going to be slow. Optimize your network server and/or upgrade your entire network to the faster 100Mbps (also called Fast Ethernet) network hardware.

600-800 Kbytes/sec

Your system is properly configured with 10Mbps network hardware. If you want a faster performance, you will need to upgrade to a faster Network hardware, such as 100 Mbps (fast Ethernet).

2000-3000KBytes/sec

You have the fast 100 Mbps networking installed, and it is properly configured. With some optimization or a more powerful server, you may be able to achieve >3000 network throughput on this test.

3000-4000KBytes/sec

You have the fast 100 Mbps network installed and it is well configured, with powerful workstations and a powerful server. This is about as fast as it goes on Ethernet networks.

greater than 4000Kbytes/sec

You must be running this Benchmark test on a computer that has the TPS2000 data stored directly or directly on the network server.

2. If your network server is a Windows 98 or Windows95 peer-to-peer server:
Go to the server, right-click on "My Computer" and click on Properties. Then click on Performance. Ensure that is says "Your system is configured for optimal performance, such as here:

If it does not say "configured for optimal performance", ask your hardware technician to make the changes necessary so that it is.

Then click on File System under advanced Settings. Ensure that it says "Network Server", such as here:

This is all the tuning that can be easily done on a Windows98 or Windows95 peer-to-peer server. If the network is still slow, ask your technical support person for help. You may have to go to faster networking hardware, such as 100Mbps.

If your network server is a Windows NT Server or a Windows 2000 Server:
The tuning of Windows NT Servers is a more difficult subject, because of the wide range of configuration options etc. Ask your hardware technician to assist you with this matter.

IBM just published the 2nd edition of their Windows NT and W2K Performance book. This is an excellent reference book, which can be applied to all Windows NT Servers, not only the ones manufactures by IBM. A complete 6.8MB PDF of the entire 600-page book is freely downloadable from the IBM Web site (URL below). You can also buy it online as a regular book, (list $49.99) via Amazon or other booksellers.

It's been updated to include the latest info on tuning Windows 2000, tuning IBM Netfinity hardware and tuning some of the major NT/2000 server applications.

This is an excellent reference book from IBM, and this is worth giving your address info and email address to them. (You have to register to get access to it). Check out: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com and register there to get a password. Then get this file:
Tuning Netfinity Servers for Performance - Getting the most out of Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 , SG24-5287-01

ISBN: 0-13-040612-0

2767 KBytes per second.	Network Benchmark Performance figures and their meaning less than 400KBytes/sec Your network uses the old 10Mbps (also called Ethernet) hardware and is very poorly configured. There may be a conflict of hardware, wiring etc. TPS 2000 is going to be VERY slow.
400-600 Kbytes/sec	You are using the 10Mbps networking, but the server is not optimally configured. TPS2000 is going to be slow. Optimize your network server and/or upgrade your entire network to the faster 100Mbps (also called Fast Ethernet) network hardware.
600-800 Kbytes/sec	Your system is properly configured with 10Mbps network hardware. If you want a faster performance, you will need to upgrade to a faster Network hardware, such as 100 Mbps (fast Ethernet).
2000-3000KBytes/sec	You have the fast 100 Mbps networking installed, and it is properly configured. With some optimization or a more powerful server, you may be able to achieve >3000 network throughput on this test.
3000-4000KBytes/sec	You have the fast 100 Mbps network installed and it is well configured, with powerful workstations and a powerful server. This is about as fast as it goes on Ethernet networks.
greater than 4000Kbytes/sec	You must be running this Benchmark test on a computer that has the TPS2000 data stored directly or directly on the network server.