[sims] Database errors and slow performance

[minimoo]

In terms of the call regarding intouch/my messages widget causing sims to crash - i've just had the following in a case update, so at least that fix will be in the spring release:

 

We have been able to identify the cause of the win32 handles issue, the issue seems to be down to the my messages widget within InTouch. The fix will be included within the Spring 2016 Release due for release next month. I apologise for any inconvenience caused. A work around for the solution would also be to Decrease the refresh rate of the my messages widget and for those effected get those members of staff restart SIMS throughout the day.

[andyheth]

@minimoo - thanks for the update - sounds promising - my staff will be very happy if this cures the issue.....

[Sean]

Sorry to bump with slightly old thread but we are just in the process of rolling out the Spring 2016 release right now

Does anyone know if all the fixes for all the memory leak and performance issues mentioned in this thread made it into V7.168? We're particularly interested in the memory leak on the student details page

Thanks

Sean

[jinnantonnixx]

Sorry to bump with slightly old thread but we are just in the process of rolling out the Spring 2016 release right now

Does anyone know if all the fixes for all the memory leak and performance issues mentioned in this thread made it into V7.168? We're particularly interested in the memory leak on the student details page

Thanks

Sean

 

I don't think so. My call is still unresolved, so it's unlikely that it's been addressed, tested and released.

 

I'll try another test when I get time.

[Esteban_Child_of_the_Sun]

The Student details memory leak isn't fixed yet, I had an update today to my case about this issue saying escalation are still working on it.

[Sean]

I don't know if there's anything interesting to glean from this but I recently reported our issues to Capita (case number 1604-3477791) and the support rep has replied with an internal Knowledge Base article about the issue that isn't generally available to the public:

"1075-9663-0700 - Error creating window handle. System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception

KBA-07657-G6W1P8

Notes

Various areas of SIMS inc. but not restricted to:

Personnel

Student Details

Focus | School | Arrange Cover

Routines | Statutory Returns | School Workforce Census

 

Fault code: 1075 9663 0700

Error creating window handle. System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception

SIMS .net crashes

Win32exception

Workaround

The error is caused by lack of resources on the system. It is usually an intermittent problem, happening on different workstations at different times. There is an internal investigation on going to establish if this is an application fault. See internal notes for details.

 

Customer can be advised as below to minimise frequency of the crashes.

 

To prevent the problem from occurring:

Ensure that the person who uses SIMS has a high spec workstation

Reboot the workstation daily as this will free up all previously allocated handles, or prior to performing tasks that involve heavy data input, restart SIMS.

 

 

If affecting Cover: Use Tools | Cover | Global Settings and change the 'Cover Diary Rows' to a lower figure, so that the Cover Diary does not load and save so much data in one operation. Please set this to 10, then test by incrementing by 5 each time to find the optimum level.

Check solution KB109255 for advice on performance issues."

 

Sounds like they're still investigating whether it really IS a SIMS fault from that! I didn't get the 'attached notes' unfortunately

[minimoo]

"There is an internal investigation on going to establish if this is an application fault" -> I'd argue that 100% of a time that an application crashes it would tend to be the fault of the application. Putting on a end user hat, i'd expect an application to never crash.

 

How easy it is to fix is another matter. I suspect there is a lot of school office staff in schools across the country that would appreciate sims not crashing on them half way through ending student data and costing them time though.

[kennysarmy]

Just to add this is still a massive problem!!!

 

From our Data Manager to me:

 

Hi,

 

SIMS keeps crashing on me while I am trying to follow the school census return guidelines. I am only checking attendance data for missing marks, yet it cannot cope with it. I have tried 3 times (so re-stared SIMS every time) and it still crashes. The error I get is:

 

Fault Code: 1002-2133-2200 Exception of type 'System.OutOfMemoryException' was thrown: System.OutOfMemoryException

The details are:

 

at System.Collections.Hashtable.rehash(Int32 newsize, Boolean forceNewHashCode)

at System.Collections.Hashtable.expand()

at System.Collections.Hashtable.Insert(Object key, Object nvalue, Boolean add)

at System.Collections.Hashtable.set_Item(Object key, Object value)

at SIMS.Entities.AttributesCollection..ctor(Object obj)

at SIMS.Entities.MarkBase.ConfigureAttributes()

at SIMS.Entities.ATWLessonMark..ctor(DataRow row, InformationDomainEnum informationDomain)

at SIMS.Entities.MissingMarks.PopulateLessonMissingMarks(DataTable data, InformationDomainEnum informationDomain)

at SIMS.Processes.MissingMarkLessonsProcess.PopulateMissingLessonMarks(DateRangeAndScope _dras)

at SIMS.UserInterfaces.MissingMarksDetail.populate(DateRangeAndScope dras, ViewTypeEnum viewTypeenum)

at SIMS.UserInterfaces.MissingMarksContainer.unexplainedAbsenceBrowser_EventOpenDetail(DateRangeAndScope dras)

at SIMS.UserInterfaces.DateRangeAndScopeBrowser.OpenDetail()

at SIMS.UserInterfaces.DateRangeAndScopeBrowser.toolBarButtonOpen_Click()

at SIMS.UserInterfaces.BasicBrowserControl.toolBarLeft_ButtonClick(Object sender, ToolBarButtonClickEventArgs args)

at System.Windows.Forms.ToolBarButtonClickEventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, ToolBarButtonClickEventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.OnButtonClick(ToolBarButtonClickEventArgs e)

at SIMS.UserInterfaces.ToolBar.item_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

at NETXP.Controls.Bars.CommandBarItem.RaiseClick()

at NETXP.Controls.Bars.CommandBar.ProcessMouseUp(Point e)

at NETXP.Controls.Bars.CommandBar.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

 

It's getting beyond annoying now as anything that requires a little bit more processing (rather than just looking up a student) results in it crashing - from 2-5 times a day. I would try the helpline myself but I know they will tell me the fault is our end so I don't know what else to do?

[ITGURU]

How much RAM is on your server and workstations? If you are using FULL SQL you need to check that the memory settings are configured correctly. You may have a server with 12 GB of ram but sql only set to use SOME of it. I've seen this before where it's been set to 2.5gb

 

Our entire SQL DB is working from RAM all the time for quick access. (10GB)

[JHLEHS]

Right, have a look at SIMS on the Data Managers PC. I have seen this error before and this occurs because SIMS .net is using to much system memory so it crashes. You could try changing the GDI objects of the applicaiton.

 

I have resolved a similar issue on one of our client PC's have a go at this:

 

Windows 7 Error -12 Out of Memory When Creating Extensive User Interface - National Instruments

 

Be careful though as if you configure this incorrectly it can cause BSOD etc.. Let me know how you get on

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

How much RAM is on your server and workstations? If you are using FULL SQL you need to check that the memory settings are configured correctly. You may have a server with 12 GB of ram but sql only set to use SOME of it. I've seen this before where it's been set to 2.5gb

 

Our entire SQL DB is working from RAM all the time for quick access. (10GB)

 

2nd this aswell, deffo worth a go

[Esteban_Child_of_the_Sun]

I had a case logged about this and I proved it by providing replication steps that did exactly the same thing on their hosted environment as well as both their training databases on our environment and the Capita analyst's environment. They investigated for a few months and eventually closed the call with this resolution "The Escalation team have advised that this issue is something which will be resolved in future releases of SIMS. I have been advised that this is a large piece of work to resolve completely, therefore it is not something we can confirm exactly which future release this will be included in - this is also something that cannot be patched to resolve."

[jinnantonnixx]

Folks,

Just so that we don't cover old ground, the memory leak fault is quite well defined - it's a failure to release memory on the client side (probably a mistake in the C# destructor) and tweaking the database or server won't help.

 

Unfortunately, the original topic of this thread has morphed into to a discussion about a memory leak - quite a different fault. An accidental hijack. Oh well.

 

@Esteban_Child_of_the_Sun - that's interesting. My call is still open, and I look forward to its birthday.

Edited October 21, 2016 by jinnantonnixx

[kennysarmy]

How much RAM is on your server and workstations? If you are using FULL SQL you need to check that the memory settings are configured correctly. You may have a server with 12 GB of ram but sql only set to use SOME of it. I've seen this before where it's been set to 2.5gb

 

Our entire SQL DB is working from RAM all the time for quick access. (10GB)

 

Thanks - and the instructions for checking the memory settings are configured correctly are?....bear in mind the server was setup by our LEA - I'd like to hope it is setup correctly!

[jinnantonnixx]

Thanks - and the instructions for checking the memory settings are configured correctly are?....bear in mind the server was setup by our LEA - I'd like to hope it is setup correctly!

 

The rule of thumb (which is reasonable in most cases) is to allow the OS 2 or 3 GB of ram for itself. So if you had X GB of server memory, you'd set SQL max memory to X-3 GB.

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/sqlchicken/2012/02/28/monday-morning-mistakes-not-setting-memory-limits/

 

Some rules of thumb, it's a bit out of date but as far as I can tell the principle is still sound.

https://sqlserverperformance.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/suggested-max-memory-settings-for-sql-server-20052008/

Edited October 21, 2016 by jinnantonnixx

[kennysarmy]

How much RAM is on your server and workstations? If you are using FULL SQL you need to check that the memory settings are configured correctly. You may have a server with 12 GB of ram but sql only set to use SOME of it. I've seen this before where it's been set to 2.5gb

 

Our entire SQL DB is working from RAM all the time for quick access. (10GB)

 

Sorry - Server has 24 GB / Client has 12 Gb.

[kennysarmy]

When I try to run SQL Server 2012 management studio I get the following error:

 

 

Cannot find one or more components. Please reinstall the application.

[kennysarmy]

When I try to run SQL Server 2012 management studio I get the following error:

 

 

Cannot find one or more components. Please reinstall the application.

 

A repair fixed it!

[kennysarmy]

The rule of thumb (which is reasonable in most cases) is to allow the OS 2 or 3 GB of ram for itself. So if you had X GB of server memory, you'd set SQL max memory to X-3 GB.

Monday Morning Mistakes: Not Setting Memory Limits - SQLServerCentral

 

Some rules of thumb, it's a bit out of date but as far as I can tell the principle is still sound.

https://sqlserverperformance.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/suggested-max-memory-settings-for-sql-server-20052008/

 

Well it was set as the default of 2147483647!!!

 

So I've changed this to 80% of installed RAM, being 80% of 24 x 1024 = 19661