Hosted Files Opens Slowly...

[nanigimusic]

Hello All-

I have a client that is using FileMaker 9 Pro and FMS 9 hosting a total of 8 related files. FMS is on a Server 2003 machine and 10 clients are accessing it via XP machines.

The problem is this, when launching the Main files that stores the Login script that subsequently opens up the 7 other related files, the login process takes about a minute and a half. Under NORMAL condition this takes about 10 secs. The difference in login times is making our clients a lil mad.

Things that I have notice that is somewhat different from most server-client relationship are:

1. Client is on a different subnet that server

2. Client Profile is stored on a Network Drive using Novell to manage profiles.

I really do not understand the effects of the above mention differences, it was simply an observation. All the port forwarding seems to be intact and amazingly enough once the files are open FileMaker functionality and speed resumes to normal.

Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope my explanation of the problem was concise enough. Thanks in advance for any insight or possible solution to the problem

Byron

[Wim Decorte]

when you say "normal conditions": is that the speed you were once able to achieve at the client's site?

If so: what has changed? New network equipment like routers or switches?

One thing to try is to put a laptop on one of the normal client network cables and test the speed.

Then take that same laptop and move it to a location on the same subnet as the FMS machine and test the speed. If the speed is significantly different then you'll know it something on the network path that is slow.

[Wim Decorte]

also run performance monitoring on the server to see what it is doing while the clients connect (processor, disk, network card).

Make sure no OS indexing or virus scanning is happening on the live files!

[bruceR]

Client profile? What's that? FileMaker files should NEVER be stored on a network drive.

[IdealData]

Have you looked at the file references? What you describe is a classic symptom of file references looking for machine(s) in another network.

Each file reference is attempted in the sequence they are stored, but they must time out before attempting the next. The only real reference(s) you need are:

file:filename

[Wim Decorte]

client profile typically means everything that is specific to the user like his "documents and settings". You can set those up say as roaming profiles so that it does not matter on what machine the user logs into, they will always have their folders and files.

[bcooney]

Wim, have you seen roaming profiles cause any speed problems on startup?

We have a system that is very slow to start, and they do have roaming profiles setup. However, we're thinking the slow startup might be the loading of plugins: FTPeek, 360Email and ScriptMaster (iText jar).

Another question regarding roaming profiles: what does Get (DesktopPath) return?

Edited February 5, 2010 by Guest

[mr_vodka]

Some plugins do make the start up extremely long.

[Wim Decorte]

The roaming profiles wouldn't account for the slow start-up, I would look at the plugins for the cause of that.

Unless there are lot of plugins loaded by AutoUpdate which would be in the user's profile and the connection to that stored profile location is really slow. But then users would experience slowness on just about everything in every app.

The documents path with a roaming profile will return the UNC path to where the profiles are stored:

someServersomeShare

The syntax may vary a bit after the username but that's generally it.

[Wim Decorte]

apologies, I missed that you were asking for the desktop and not the documents path.

The desktop path usually will be the same as for a regular user: in the documents and settings folder for that user on the C drive. But in a lot of cases it will be locked down because when you're using roaming profiles you don't want to store personal stuff on the computer you're working with.

The desktop may or may not be part of the user's profile. If it is it will in the same shared folder.

[bcooney]

Thanks, Wim. There is a script that export containers to the Desktop, and it's running into problems at the client. Just heard that they have roaming profiles, and so it seems that Desktop might be locked down. I'll confirm with their tech guys. Thanks.

PS: I think the slow "get to the Main Menu" must be the 360 plugins.