NT 4.0 Pagefile size question

[arfjay]

I read that the pagefile size could be increased to at least twice that of the installed RAM in order to boost overall performance.

We have 340 mb pagefile and 256 RAM on NT 4.0 SP6 IBM server. We have 12 -15 users at a time and have been told we have a lot of Network traffic with Pervasive and Maximizer and AccPac and Exchange Server running constantly. The same machine is the file and print server.

I wanted to ask the question before trying it as I am not really conversant with the consequences if the article I read is not right.

Thank you in advance for any input.

Ron

 

[Zelandakh]

To boost performance, buy more RAM. To maintain decent performance disk speed is more important.

Page file works anywhere from RAM+12 to 2 * RAM.

 

[Yardyy]

You could also try moving the pagefile to another physical disc as that woudl also increase performance, if they are scsi that is better, and also having the minimum and maximum size of the pagefile the same can also increase performance as the CPU does not get worked. Regards

Yardyy

 

[Guest_imported]

Yes your page file should be at least the amount of ram you have if not more. Better to be on the more side. The reason this is is not for perfomance, its is to allow the entire memory to dump to disk in the event of the dredded blue sreen of death. Yes your system will use this space for other functions during normal use, but the real reason the page file is to be twice the memory is to be safe.

The page file access is really slow compare to the memory so in the real world, the rule is you get what you pay for. Want better performace get a faster processor and more memory. A good thing to do is use perfmon to monitor the memory over a normal day and see if you are actually using it all. I dont like to go over 50% of usage before I go and get more. that way when Im poinding the server im confident that the server will not run into any situations where is is running low.
good luck~

 

[devastator]

Here is a good link about paging files...

http://www.pureperformance.com/NT/hd/hd03.htm

 

[polymath5]

Add RAM, if you are running Exchange, etc all on the one box 256 is too little. Sorry if I'm missing something. But you should be at 512 or 1GB for all that.

There are a lot of good links out there about page file size. The best way to determine size is to watch perfmon and see what you max requirements have been and give yourself a margin above that. Quick rule is 1.5x ram or ram +12. On a whole, the more RAM you have, the less critical the page file becomes.

 

[HerbRoach52]

Wow that server is chugging...

1st you might want to consider putting the printing services on a seperate box, nothing too beefy but it will allow the server to allocate more resources to exchange.

But, to answer the ques...i would buy another 256 of RAM totalling physical RAM to 512 and make the page file 768. Now i trust the hard drives are SCSI with an RPM of atleast 7,200. If not, an increased page file won't help. Also, you might want to get a defrag untility and make sure the page file isn't fragmented.

SIDE NOTE: the correct way to make an exchange server is to have mirrored system drives and a RAID 5 database array. Make a C: and D: drive on those sys drives. Install the O/S and Exchange on the C: drive. Turn the D: drive into dedicated swap drive/file (install alot of RAM) and then the array gets to hold the meat of exchange's files...and always invest in backup software that offers bricklevel backups!

...the higher the fewer

 

[tpulley]

Here is M/S rule of thumb, add more RAM (always their answer).
In reality you are constricting the response time by having multiple functions on the same server. If you can live with it and most small companies like yours do, so be it. To optimize your server, M/S stated (cannot remember the exact source) to get the best performance of your Pagefile. Add RAM, + 100 MB for Exchange 5.x and below, + any Apps that may be running on your server + 1/2 a Mb per user + 1/2 Mb per group.

It is alot easier to just say... I think you need 500 Min, 655 Max.....

I would bet you would be fine with that.