[sims] SIMS General Performance

[synaesthesia]

We've started to notice a general degradation in performance from SIMS. The sims server which is old but more than powerful enough is appearing to barely tick over - CPU, network, disk, activities are all minimal. Generally SIMS appears ok but at registration time when it's being hammered it's noticeable. When either of our SIMS/data administrators are running large reports it can sometimes be unusable for everyone else.

 

Is there a particular place we should start looking to diagnose such issues? The SIMS server isn't exactly doing much other than SIMS, just a few LDAP queries for other services (that also pull from SIMS) but SQL performance diagnosis and the works aren't my strong point. Any pointers would be much appreciated

 

Server is 2003 R2, dual Xeon E5420, 4GB RAM. As I type this, network utilisation is 0.13%. PF usage 3.34GB, CPU usage 1%.

SQL Server is consuming 1.7GB RAM. (Large secondary.)

[Rawns]

Could be worth applying the classic re-index patch against the SIMS database. Also, what size is your SIMS.ldf file? Sometimes I've seen performance issues in schools where the SIMS database has slipped into full recovery mode and an upgrade has put it into full mode and the log file has just grown and grown.

 

Also, have you thought about archiving previous attendance marks? We've done this in a few schools where there have been performance issues in Attendance and it's made a noticeable difference.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Rawns

[Jawloms]

Not helpful in your situation, but you do know that Capita aren't supporting 2003 from the Autumn release onwards don't you?

[synaesthesia]

Fully aware. It's going 2012 probably Summer.

[Jawloms]

Good.

 

What size is your LDF file? There is a patch which will stop it growing above just a few MB, this can help.

[synaesthesia]

errrr 12gb..... back soon! (It's been patched more times than Windows) Edited February 26, 2013 by synaesthesia

[Rawns]

errrr 12gb..... back soon! (It's been patched more times than Windows)

 

 

Bingo.

[synaesthesia]

Back to a meg. Will keep an eye on that until we change it over.

 

In the meantime, back to testing sims on 2012

[synaesthesia]

On a slightly separate note, does anyone have any links to the SIMS server installation guidelines/documentation on Supportnet? I know it's there, and it needs more than google-fu to navigate one's way around their search!

[Ghostgame]

On a slightly separate note, does anyone have any links to the SIMS server installation guidelines/documentation on Supportnet? I know it's there, and it needs more than google-fu to navigate one's way around their search!

 

Tell me about it.

[vikpaw]

Do you mean for the latest 2012?

There is this for install SQL 2008 : KB94307

To move db location : KB74632

Make a test server : KB25354

Migrate server : KB71383

[synaesthesia]

Legend, I'll look those up when back at base this afternoon. Incidentally, one of the better guys at Capita's helpdesk was only able to find the SQL notes. Handy, still!

[vikpaw]

It depends what you're doing, if you want teh installable release, you'll need to ask for it, but it's probably better to wait until near end of March when the new installable based on Spring 13 will be out.

[CAM]

I think the LDF file also grows if people don't log out and leave SIMS running overnight. Something about logged in users stopping proper maintenance.

[matt40k]

That be a myth, can truncate the log file with users in, only way to stop it truncating would be if was writing - even then would only not be able to truncate that write. I think we found a few options what might be happening - http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/107770-sims-reindex-patch.html

[vikpaw]

it won't truncate, or more accurately, shrink, if it hasn't been backed up as part of the maintenance first.

[matt40k]

It won't truncate\shrink as part of the maintenance task - if your left it as the default... doesn't mean your log file can't be shrunk.

 

The scenerio I was hinted at was something like this:

 

Your the network manager, you have the SIMS database recovery mode set to FULL. You do a full backup each night and a incremental backup every hour during the day. The nightly FULL backup fails, which is run as part of a maintenance task, which smartly doesn't performance anything else.

 

Now let's say you go on holiday for two weeks, during that two weeks the backup fails - lets say its because the external hdd or tape hasn't been connected\inserted. Now, the log file continues to grow and you now have a performance issue.

The data manager phones Capita - they issue the reindex patch - this sets the recovery mode to SIMPLE - which further breaks the backups - and truncates the log file. Fine, that means you've got SIMS performing ok, sort right? Well yes, but wouldn't it be better to fix the actual problem and insert the tape\connect the caddy?

 

This is Capita problem, Bedford LA doesn't use SIMS, so they can't recruit locals who have been doing the job that the customer is doing, so they don't get people who think, hey, is your network manager off? Have you checked the backups? They are stuck to scripts. Personally, Capita needs to relocate, or get Bedford LA using those free licenses

Edited February 27, 2013 by matt40k

[jayemm]

We are having random performance issues here, they have happened since we changed the domain our SIMS server is on.

We get random error 0, error 3 and general timeout messages.

 

Looking at the server it is a physical server with 2 hex core processors and 12GB ram, it is sat doing nothing most of the time.

There appears to be lots of queries going through when I look at SQL profiler.

 

Our MDF is nearly 7GB (not sure if that is an issue)?

LDF is about 26MB

 

We use full SQL

 

Any help or ideas appreciated.

 

We have contacted Capita and gone through the 'usual' re-index patch, which appears to have made it worse!

 

JayEmm

[vikpaw]

Has it moved to or from the rest of the network's domain?

It sounds like, that move is causing issues, maybe DNS or an old setting somewhere.

Edited May 11, 2013 by vikpaw