Performance over WAN

[Saubs]

Hello, all--

I'm about to rebuild our relational databases in FMP 8.5, finally upgrading from FMP6 (and FM Server 5.5).

For those of you who have done this already, can I expect to see an improvement in performance over the WAN? Even over T1, my remote users in Chicago are telling me how extremely S - L - O - W our FMP6 databases are to work with. Slow to launch, slow to search (especially data in portals), slow to scroll/redraw, etc.

I'm also wondering if performance might improve if I move FM Server out from behind NAT and put it in the DMZ instead.

Any comments/suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

[Ender]

Yes, performance is definitely improved since FM7. Especially Finds, opening files, and complex layouts. I don't think NAT has any significant effect on performance. If you really want to improve performance, upgrade to FM8/8.5 and if it's still too slow, upgrade your WAN connection speeds (fortunately broadband is getting faster and cheaper).

[Søren Dyhr]

I think that Ender might be dipping you in river Styx here, the arrow in the heel might be a few migration issues ignored! Slow rendering in networked solutions do often stem from cluttered file references, and not fully embracing that scripts using globals cause a lot of chatter in the connection, since they're stored on the clients work station, while server deals with the rest.

My guess is that your portals sorting in dire need for a refurbishment, where the following templates direction is way to go:

http://www.filemakerpros.com/LessSort.zip

--sd

[Ender]

True, it's difficult to diagnose a slow solution from a few sentences. Which is why I didn't go grasping at straws as you seem to be doing. But what I AM sure of is that the improved server-side processing and client-side caching DOES improve speeds of those things in FM7 and later. But if you want to go (skinny?) dipping out in the sticks, that's fine with me.

[Saubs]

Thanks for your replies, folks. I think the solution to my issue might be a combination of factors: Moving up to FileMaker 7/8, both of which supposedly feature improved WAN performance. And, rebuilding my database... Forgive this naive question, but instead of doing finds on data inside portals (over the WAN), wouldn't a more effective approach be to show related records instead, using things like keys and multikeys?

Thanks again--

Cheers

[Fenton]

Yes, relationships are faster than doing Finds in a portal. But they are not as flexible as a Find. They are really 2 different methods, for different needs. If users have a fixed criteria for related records, portals based on those criteria as keys are good (duh). You can use multi-keys, and switch values in the originating key, to get a few different sets of data out of 1 portal. In 8 you can also have multiple Tabs with a different portal in each.

The WAN performance of 7/8 will make a big difference. I'd say many times faster. Still not fast enough however :/-]

[Søren Dyhr]

  Quote

But if you want to go (skinny?) dipping out in the sticks, that's fine with me.

Nice twisting with assonance - Allthough I was refering to the presumed immortality gained by upgrading! Not bading in the buff:

http://www.wordexplorations.info/Achilles-heel-story.html

BTW is Lake Wobegon particular metropolic??

--sd

[Søren Dyhr]

  Quote

might be a combination of factors: Moving up to FileMaker 7/8, both of which supposedly feature improved WAN performance

One thing that stikes me, that a 3rd person in eagerness could have turned on OS level filesharing on the folder where the solution reside, since it's common sense to Access to have it on, since Office solutions usually are file based.

--sd

[Saubs]

I understand your point, Soren. In this case, however, the solution resides on a headless computer (with FM Server running) that no one can tamper with.