File number in solution vs performance

[GregFM]

FM server has a limit of 50 files. I understand that there is a relationship between the number of files in a solution and the number of users on the network and that this relationship limits the speed or accessability of the solution over a network. Can anyone expain this relationship (if it is real) so I don't create too many files in the solution to hamper usability in a 5 or 10 or 20 user network? Suggestions for further reading would be helpful too. Thanks.

[LiveOak]

This is more of an issue with non-Server FM hosting. In the non-Server case you can have 9 files and 20 users, but if you go to 18 files, you will have to decrease the number of users.

FM Server 5 allows 125 files and 250 users. 50 files and 20 users should not be an issue.

-bd

[DykstrL]

FM Server has a file host limit of 125. and a guest limit of 250 concurrent users.

The MAIN issues that will affect server performance are:

1. RAM - Stuff as much memory into your server as possible!! I can't stress this enough! You want to keep cache hits at 99% to 100% as much as possible.

2. Disk space is number 2 - make sure you have at least 25% to 50% extra hard disk space as what your files are using. When disk space gets below about 15% to 25%, FM Server has to start hunting for space to do the cache flushes which will slow everything until the cache is saved.

The other things that will slow down server access are complicated sorts, sorting a hugh number of records, sorting on calculated fields, AND the worst thing is to sort a calculated field in a related file - this will just bring the server to a crawl. You can set up some presort routines that run - say at night - to do presorting to the most used sort order.

Doing complicated Finds on a large number of records can also take some time.

We have 9 FileMaker Servers running and try to keep a balance of about 80 to 100 files hosted on each machine if possible. But the number of files hosted does not seem to affect performance or at least it isn't noticeable.

Concurrent users on some of our servers run up to 200 with little or no performance degradation - UNLESS a user is doing some of those complicated finds and sorts mentioned above.

Users and hosted files, at least in my experience, aren't the main issue with FM Server speed: network speed; number of records; Server RAM; and disk space will affect performance and speed more than anything else. 'nuff said.

[Anatoli]

Dykstrl

FM server in not sorting or calculating, that is done on Client.

But transferring data to Client from server is holding back server a bit.

[DykstrL]

True, Anatoli, but doing a complicated sort or a sort based on a calculation fields when the file is opened does require the sending of the entire database to the client instead of just the data required on the current screen, which slows down the server. Especially if there are a lot of users opening the same file concurrently. It still looks like a slow server to the user.

[ March 31, 2001: Message edited by: dykstrl ]

[Anatoli]

quote:

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Originally posted by dykstrl:

True, Anatoli, but doing a complicated sort or a sort based on a calculation fields when the file is opened does require the sending of the entire database to the client instead ...

[ March 31, 2001: Message edited by: dykstrl ]

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Not the entire database, just the fields to be sorted and/or calculated.

[Anatoli]

Another point dykstrl,

if you think about that "sending". What is the difference between:

1. sorting 10 000 records on server and sending the field NAME sorted to the Client

or

2. sending unsorted field NAME with 10 000 records to Client, Client will sort the field NAME and will display the sorted field

The traffic will be practically the same.