any help with sybase odbc performance tuning?

[dmurdock]

I know there are a lot of techies here, just wondering if anybody has any performance tips in configuring an odbc connection on a web server. .



here's the details



web app is almost pure asp, 600+pages



3 web servers, all nt svc pack 6, 2x p3 750,2gig ram, raid 5



db server is same as web server



running sybase 12. 0. 2



already have connection pooling on, cursor select, cache is set to 5... .



any tips/mistakes(above?)



main problem is that this system runs on a 16b token ring network (yes, they still exist )

 

[Power Wagon]

The cynical answer:

The problem with your setup is that it is



1. based on Windows

2. Run on a slow network

3. Using ASP

4. Using IIS



The non-cynical answer:

It looks like the network may be a bit slow. Any way of upgrading that part of the network to 100 mb ethernet and putting in a gateway to the token ring network? This would tremendously unload the token ring since there's a whale of a lot of requests and data transfers between the DB's and the servers, yet only the inbound and outbound html requests and responses need be carried on the token ring.



It appears that funding is not an issue (if it was, what the heck are you doing with micro$loth servers and technology???), so that would appear to be at least somewhat of an answer, no?



BTW, my opinions are my own, and not shared by Micro$oft or for that matter, probably anyone else, either.



Alternative:



Create a private network, using additional nics and switches or hubs between the database and server machines, routing all database traffic through the private, 100 mb network, and only the public IP traffic through the token ring to your web server(s).

 

[dmurdock]

xfiles

No, funding isn't really an issue, just where funding can be applied. The servers above are test ones, the production servers will be 2x 1. ? ghz, 2+gig ram, dual channel scsi raid arrays (2banks of 7 cheetahs). Hardware/software is under our control (as long as it's compaq and microsoft. . hehe) network isn't. .



I work for a large govt agency which unfortunately has not seen the need to upgrade the network (or for whatever reason, just hasn't done it... there are high 7 digits worth of equipment invested in this old technology). I was thinking of installing extra ethernet nics in the servers so they would still be visible to the overlords via token ring, but could use ethernet to talk to each other (not sticking to the prescribed processes is a big no-no... kinda like trying to bomb your truck without dc finding out!). All of this would of course have to be done without "big brother" knowing about it. Don't get me started on asp, everytime I hear a new graduate talk about how great asp and other web languages are (you know the one's "java is the only answer, all others are dead!) i just wanna punch'em in the mouth. I realize the problem is trying to push all this data through a tiny straw, i'm just looking for any other tweaks out there i don't know about.



ps. . still don't feel sorry for me?? We are a 95% microsoft shop running on a novell network. Still didn't do it... i just finished converting a db3 database to sybase sql... still not sorry for me? you must be heartless!



your prayers are appreciated.

 

[Power Wagon]

Re: xfiles

Originally posted by dmurdock

Mark, alas, none of this is in my control. I work for a LARGE state agency which unfortunately has not seen the need to upgrade the network. I was thinking of installing extra ethernet nics in the servers so they would still be visible to the overlords via token ring, but could use ethernet to talk to each other. All of this would of course have to be done without "big brother" knowing about it. Don't get me started on asp, everytime I hear a new graduate talk about how great asp and other web languages are (you know the one's "java is the only answer, all others are dead!) i just wanna punch'em in the mouth. I realize the problem is trying to push all this data through a tiny straw, i'm just looking for any other tweaks out there i don't know about.



ps. . still don't feel sorry for me?? We are a 95% microsoft shop running on a novell network.



your prayers are appreciated.

Why should I feel sorry for you... you have a JOB!!!



Something I coudln't seem to get. . Oh, well.



Well, I think the alternative, then, is your answer. Add ethernet nics and a hub, and tie the database to the servers outside the token ring. I suspect you'll get away with it just fine, as most of the big cheeses will never even figure out what it was you did in the first place. If the databases have to be queried and / or updated from the token ring network, then I'd suggest you still do it, but shadow your token ring network with the ethernet, and have the web servers query the database via the private network...



Funny... they hire "experts" to do the job, then totally hobble them by specifying certain critical components.



Best of luck.

 

[dmurdock]

Re: Re: xfiles

Originally posted by Power Wagon





Why should I feel sorry for you... you have a JOB!!!

touche

 

[John_Barks]

I think that PW is on to something. I worked on a network once that was 16mb chokin ring with Netware and it was the slowest thing I have ever seen. The problem as I see it is converting token ring packets to ethernet and visa-versa. Here is a link to a good discussion on inter switch link protocol



http://www.nwfusion.com/news/tech/0809tech.html



gotta get that inter server traffic off the ring and make it fast as heck to try to compensate for the "ring".