Re: Files take long to open in Frame 6

[Dov Isaacs <isaacs@xxxxxxxxx>]

At 1/29/2004 02:16 AM, Brad wrote:
>Framers,
>
>        On Frame 6.0 on Windows XPP or 2000, we have all of the files on
>a server. When opening the book via the 10/100 network takes 45-50
>seconds, when opening the same book from the workstation hard drive it
>takes 2 seconds. Opening from another computer from the network it takes
>15 seconds. I am running a domain server. 
>
>        Does anyone what the protocol is for running FrameMaker over the
>network is? 
>
>        Are there any do's and don'ts of this? The computer that we are
>opening this on is a 2.66 Dell P4 with Hyper-threading on. Can Frame
>support dual-proc and/or hyper-threading? 
>
>Brad
>bradh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Brad,

FrameMaker treats files "on the network" no differently than files
stored locally. This is true for all Adobe applications and virtually all
applications from other software vendors as well.

As such, if you are storing documents and linked content from same on
a server, you are basically putting yourself at the mercy of the
performance of your server and your network.

There is not very much you can do on your desktop system to alleviate
these problems. No, FrameMaker does not explicitly do anything to take
advantage of multiple processors or hyper-threading on recent Pentium 4
processors. FrameMaker on your desktop's CPU load is not your bottleneck
here.

What can you do to alleviate the pain? Some ideas ...

(1) Server -- multiple processors and gigabytes of high-speed memory
would allow caching of recently and frequently accessed files.

(2) Server -- High speed disk drives -- performance from 10,000 or
15,000 RPM Ultra 320 SCSI drives is dramatically better than 7,200 RPM
SCSI or any type of IDE/ATA/SATA disk drives.

(3) Server -- Make sure that the servers' OS (I assume Windows 2000 Server
or 2003 Server) is tuned for use as a "server" and not as a desktop computer
(don't assume that it is set correctly).

(4) Server -- Consider multiple Ethernet cards and possibly Gigabit Ethernet
from the server to your Ethernet switch.

(5) Server -- Reconfigure your servers to no longer use IPX/SPX (Netware)
or AppleTalk. Novell NetWare traffic and Macintosh file services and printing
can be more efficiently routed over TCP/IP and make more effective use of
your network bandwidth.

(6) Network Topology -- Make sure that you don't simply have Ethernet "hubs"
but rather "switches" and that all desktop systems are using at least 100BaseT
if not Gigabit Ethernet. Consider Gigabit Ethernet for the servers' Ethernet
cards and for critical desktop systems.

(7) Desktop Systems -- Upgrade any desktop 10 megabit Ethernet to 100BaseT.
Consider Gigabit Ethernet in conjunction with Gigabit Ethernet-capable network
switches and server for critical desktop systems.

(8) Desktop Systems -- Reconfigure your desktop PCs and Macintoshes to no 
longer use IPX/SPX (Netware) or AppleTalk. Novell NetWare traffic and Macintosh
file services and printing can be more efficiently routed over TCP/IP and make
more effective use of your network bandwidth.

OK. Start with these and let us know how you do ...

        - Dov


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