database slow via mapped drives

[apocalypse11]

Hello Everyone... here is the problem:

I have a database on a server d:\<folder>\database. it is accessed by 5 clients via mapped network drives. if only one network client pc is accessing the front end app, it runs great and quick. As soon as more then one client accesses it, it runs poor and slow.

Also, on the server - the front end app runs quick if it is accessed via the d:\<folder>\database drive. If you map a drive (f:\) to the d:\<folder>\database drive and connect the performance slows down on the app. I only did this as as test.

I know it is not the database as i've created a new/different database and the same results.

Can anyone tell me why this is happening? Server is 2003 small business server. 1 gig network and 3 gig mem. I'm confident that the server/pcs hardware have nothing to do with it.

on a completely different server running Windowns NT this issue didn't exist. Same network.

So i guess what is the difference between NT server and 2003 server when this is concerned?

Any Help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MasterRacker]

What brand of DB are you using? I assume it's a shared file system like Access or FoxPro?

I have one FoxPro system where the vendor has had a number of problems MS's network redirector although my site hasn't seen those problems.

_____
Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]

 

[apocalypse11]

looks like an access db... or whatever myob retail manager uses.

 

[MasterRacker]

There were significant changes in the network redirector between versions but I don't know if that this issue here. It does sound like a bottleneck at the server. Start by looking at your server's network connection in detail.

- Did your old server have a 1Gb NIC?
- Does the switch your new server is plugged into have a 1Gb port?
- Is the switch port hard set to 1Gb /Full?
- Is the NIC hard set to 1Gb/Full (I ask these two because auto-negotiate doesn't really work. Servers and their ports should both be manually set to the speed you want. Things are much more reliable that way.)

I know you say you're confident there's no hardware issue but I would start there anyway. In a shared file DB, ther is no code actualy running on the server. It is simply providing access to the files. IF you have a slowdown when multiple clients access it, my first suspicion is a I/O bottleneck at the server.

_____
Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]

 

[apocalypse11]

i ran up an nt4 server and shared the db. there is no issue with speed now. So, this points to the server - i might try a different nic and see if what you are saying is on the right track. I have tried setting speed hard to 1 gig full and switch.

Thanks...

 

[MasterRacker]

Certainly does sound like the server. You still have two choices though: hardware problem or network stack differences between 2003 and NT. If changing NICs doesn't do it, start researching performance tuning 2003's networking. There are a ton on changes in how 2003 interacts with domains and workgroups over NT as well as TCP/IP changes.

_____
Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]