16-User Network

[Jay Ashworth]

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ryan Powers" <ryanx at indy.rr.com>

> That leads to another question. When using a mapped drive, at what
> point is data being dragged across the network? As things are, huge
> indexes can be scanned in about 10 seconds. I think it could be
> faster.

To recap, and expand on, my earlier reply on this (basically, on why
running databases over a shared drive appearance is pessimal):

*Every time filePro touches any data at all*, it goes over your LAN.
Opening the screen layout, the processing table, the key files, the 
indexes... *everything*.  The *only* thing that *might* not is the actual 
binaries, depending on your license and the design of your installation.

If you do a non-indexed report, you're going to move *every byte of your
keyfile* over the LAN to that client workstation.

If you do an indexed report (one actually run against an index), you're
going to move *every byte of the index* across the LAN, still a not 
inconsequential amount of data.  (Unless you do the "lookup - and exit"
trick in -v processing.)

"Continuous scan" mode in dclerk may move so slow you can watch it.  :-)

In a Windows workstation network setup, you move all this data across your
LAN.  In a Terminal Services environment, or on *nix, you move it across *a
disk controller channel*, which is probably at least a couple orders of
magnitude faster, and could be 5 or 6.

There really is no justification at all of any type that I can think of
for running any database (not just filePro) over a networked drive setup,
except intertia; there's certainly no reason to do it in a new install.

You will invest (read: waste) much more money optimizing the LAN to the point where it runs well -- especially for large user counts and data file sizes --
than you'll spend switching over to TS or Linux -- and from an administrability
*and training* standpoint, you're better on Linux, in my commercial,
professional opinion... unless your install is large enough to have 
*more than one* on-site IT staffer.

Really: *lots* of people get confused by Terminal Services; the idea of having
two desktops just skeeves them out.

</rant>  :-)

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                  Baylink                       jra at baylink.com
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