Sims clients updating

[FN-GM]

When your sims.net clients are updating how long does it usually take for you?

 

Thanks

[WithoutMotive]

Depends on the size, really.

5 minutes or so? Can take longer.

[Oops_my_bad]

About 5 mins, but our SIMS server is only on a 100meg connection at the moment, and I would say the workstations are nothing special (only pentium 4's)

[localzuk]

Depends on the update and the speed of the client, but between 2 and 20 minutes (2 being a brand new machine, 20 being one of the old 1.6Ghz P4's with 256Mb ram).

[FN-GM]

Ok thanks for the feedback.

 

Sims server: 2 x 1.6ghz Intel Xeon, 2GB ram

 

The network: Server Gigabit, fibre backbone, 100mbs clients

 

Clients: 2ghz, most 1 GB ram.

 

Why is it taking 2 - 3 hours to update?

[Jackd]

I'd try running wireshark on the server and see whats happening with the network interface on there. Just a thought

 

Jack

[FN-GM]

I don’t think it is a network issue we have had our fibre backbone replaced last week and everything else seems fine. It’s been like that well before I was there so I am not too sure how the server was setup.

 

Please note I am not a Sims expert so you might need to bare with me.

[Jackd]

I'd try running wireshark on the server and see whats happening with the network interface on there. Just a thought

 

Jack

[techyphil]

Ages over the wireless, otherwise 2-3mins via a 100mb link. We have around 50 staff on average accessing sims a day. Thats all the admin offices plus a handfull of staff laptops.

 

Sometimes users of laptops will plug in during the update thinking that will speed things up, obviously it doesnt take over and definitly won't do unless the Local Area Connection is given priority over Wireless via the Advanced Settings.

 

BTW: it does take 20-30mins on an old pc.

 

Try copying a 100mb file from the server to a couple of desktops. See how long it takes to download and then determine if its the link or not. It might just be the workstations are slow and processing what ever Sims does during an update?

 

Hope that helps

[tech_guy]

Average of 2 -3 minutes per machine I'd say.

[FN-GM]

Thanks will try that

 

I am going to try a few things:

 

1. Copy things to and from the SIMS server

 

2. Try a SIMS update on a machine that has nothing on but Windows & SIMS

 

3. Throw the server out of the window

 

The thing is its happening to everyone even my duel core 64 bit 4 GIG or ram on a gigabit network connection desktop does it. My thoughts are the server or some software on the clients interfering some how?

[techyphil]

We had a similar problem with Sophos AntiVirus.

 

On laptops it would take 2hrs to update? The network usage was next to nothing. The wireless status said that only 12-30mb had been received on average. Even when hardwired in, it would take 30mins+ as opposed to just 5-10mins after a big update.

 

That problem slowly solved itself, but we was on the verge of going elsewhere for AV support.

 

Btw anyone using the new Enterprise Console v3? I like it alot, easy and ties in with AD! w00p

[FN-GM]

I am using it but i cant comment as such because i haven't used EC 2

[apeo]

Is the SIMS client installed on the server? if it is how long does the update take on the server..

[markj_metcalfe]

Our Dell PCs only take 5mins. Some of our older machines can take up to 20mins.

[vikpaw]

Desktops take around 3-5 mins. Laptops can take an age though, mostly because they are on wireless.

 

I had to write a little vb app that splits the regular Sims.Net loading process:

It first checks to see if an update is necessary bypassing Simsload and then informs the user, giving them the option of running the update or not. It also recommends that they plug in to the wired network if they are going to allow the update to proceed. Only then will it update using Simsload, else if no update is due it just loads Sims using the Pulsar command.

 

Often with laptops users would load up Sims and then find the machine crippled for 30+ minutes. Just rebooting mid-update led to files going missing or the installation becoming corrupt.

 

The vb app does the job perfectly and users don't even notice it is there.

 

In your case, AV could well be the culprit, we had big problems when it was set to check on file read/access, we changed it to checking on file write. Also, there were whole folders and file extensions that we were told by our support team to exclude from the AV checking as well. That made a hell of a difference. (We use Sophos too by the way).

[FN-GM]

Hi

 

Thanks for your thoughts AV could be, we run Sophos anyone had any issues.

 

Would it be possible i can take a look at your script please?

 

Thanks

 

Z