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From: viki@crash.cts.com (Victoria Harkey)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms,comp.sys.novell
Subject: Windows on diskless workstations
Keywords: Novell, Windows, RAM
Message-ID: <8637@crash.cts.com>
Date: 18 Apr 91 05:51:00 GMT
Organization: Crash TimeSharing, El Cajon, CA
Lines: 128

In-Reply-To: <9104172248.AA05082@javelin.sim.es.com>; from "Raptor" 
at Apr 17, 91 4:48 pm; and from Sean Malloy (malloy@nprdc.navy.mil)
From: viki@crash.cts.com (Victoria Harkey)
Status: RO
 
The following designates originator:
> > First posting by viki
>   Response by Lynn Wallace
m:  Response by Sean Malloy

This is a lengthy rebuttal, but if you are having any difficulty with Windows
in a network environment, please trudge through the information. It is
documented and thorough.
 
 
> Viki wrote this paragraph 
> >Regarding the swapfile in windows on a diskless workstation. Set up a RAM
> >drive for each workstation. Use the own cpu's RAM for swapping... very
> >fast.
> 
> Yes, I'm sure, but doesn't this sort of defeat the purpose of a swapfile?
 
m:It _does_ solve the problem of Windows trying to swap across the
m:network, but you're still going to take a performance hit.
 
It will stop the flood on the backbone of all the temp files being stored
across the wire. It will be in a local RAM drive, and have faster access
because it doesn't have to go out across the wire to find the info.
> 
> We're out of memory, so we need to swap something.  Where to put it?
> Let's see, we've got this chunk of memory over here...
>
m:The swapfile Windows uses is where Windows puts programs that can't be
m:kept in memory due to the memory requirements of other programs;
m:taking away part of the system's memory to give Windows somewhere to
m:put programs that it can't fit in memory is counterproductive, because
m:you lose the space that you use to create the ramdrive, and the
m:overhead involved in manipulating the ramdrive means that you don't
m:get it all back.
 
m:For example, if you had 8Mb of memory, and you split it into 4Mb of
m:memory for Windows and a swapfile filling a 4Mb ramdisk, you'd have to
m:swap programs out more, because there's less memory to keep them in,
m:and the available space on the ramdisk will be less than 4Mb.
 
> 
The more memory you have in your workstations, the better the performance
you will have. 6-8MB is a fairly good start. There are also a few items
that should be in the net.cfg file (used by the workstation when it connects
to the file server). They are:
   SET DOTS = ON
   FILE HANDLES = 60
In the config.sys file the files should = 60 as well.
Under the NetWare section in the system.ini you should have:
   NWShareHandles=true
 
The following is a quotation (p32 from the NetWare Application Notes, 
January 1991 issue.)

"   SET TEMP =C:\TEMP
"This would use the directory TEMP on this workstation's drive C. Using 
network drives to perform this swapping activity carries certain penalties.
Swap files that are swapped to the network disks, not only creates more work   
load for the server, it creates more traffic over the network. Additionally,
when you are placing swap files on an Advanced NetWare 2.15 server,
there will be a marked increase in Windows load time. This is especially
true when running Windows in 386 Enhanced mode.
 
"The problem is that when a swap file is created, Windows will allocate a
chunk of disk space for the swap file, prior to using it. When this is
done on a NetWare server, NetWare will allocate the requested disk space
but prior to allowing the user access to the file, NetWare will also
zero fill the allocated file space. This is a NetWare operating system
security measure and can not be turned off.
 
"The solution for problems resulting from using the network for swapfile
location is to simply move to local devices. While a local hard drive
is a good place for swap files, a local floppy disk drive should not
be considered.
 
"RAM disks are speedy places for swapfiles, however, it is recommended
that you have a minimum size RAM disk of 2MB, for any configuration. The
memory set aside for the RAM disk must always be considered against 
having the available memory to Windows applications. You also need to 
load a RAM disk device driver that will not conflict with any loaded
memory managers. If you have further questions regarding RAM disks and
Windows you can consult the *MICROSOFT WINDOWS USERS GUIDE* pages
530-535.
 
"In 386 Enhanced Mode you can specify a location for permanent swapfile
as opposed to temporary, on a local DOS device. This cannot be setup on
a network drive at all. This is also outlined in the *MICROSOFT WINDOWS
USERS GUIDE* on pages 520-530."
 
These NetWare Application Notes are available to me because I am a
Certified NetWare Engineer. I also receive the "white papers" from 
Microsoft because I am a Lan Specialist.
 
 
> Or maybe I'm missing something about Windows on networks.
 
Actually, I think you have just found some of the more difficult things to
deal with. It is not an easy setup for performance; but if you have any
further questions, please drop me a line.
 
viki@crash.cts.com
 
> -- 
>             Lynn Wallace           |           I do not represent E&S.
> Evans and Sutherland Computer Corp.|   Internet: lwallace@javelin.sim.es.com
>       Salt Lake City, UT 84108     |           Compu$erve:  70242,101
> 	      Revenge is a dish best not served at all.
> 
 
-- 
random sig #97:
 Sean Malloy                                  | 
 Navy Personnel Research & Development Center | The ultimate smart weapon would
 San Diego, CA 92152-6800                     | be too smart to blow itself up.
 malloy@nprdc.navy.mil                        | 
 
Victoria Harkey
Certified NetWare Engineer
Lan Specialist
"Techie"
-- 
Victoria Harkey
Certified NetWare Engineer