Dynamics 5.01 (SQL) open database too slow

We have Dynamics 5.01 and an SQL database, and use Windows Logins. Recently we have added about 140 new Windows Users to the database, with on average 5 roles each. The Windows Login table now has 470 entries, and the Windows Access Control table 2400. The new users belong to a new domain, which is over a VPN (new users are in the US, and the database is in the UK).

We have found that the time taken to open the Dynamics database has gone from an acceptible 5 to 10 seconds, to around 1 minute.

Does anyone know the reason for this?

Thanks, Andy

Andy,

If you are familiar with SQL management tools - you may trace the login sequence in SQL Profiler, this will show time consumed.
Table sizes you mentioned, however, are next to nothing for SQL server, more looks like network (VPN) lags…

BTW what do you mean by open the Dynamics database? When you start the Navision client, actually its “ready for work” long before hourglass cursor disappears, this behaviour is present from first version working with SQL DB.

Modris,

I’m not familiar with SQL Profiler, but I too suspect it may be to do with VPN lags. But why should opening a database want to jump across the VPN?

By Open a Database, I mean in the Navision Client, click File - Database - Open. It’s the time taken after you have done this, and before you get a chance to open the company, which is too long.

Andy

Well - you mean that lags now affect ALL users - your local UK ones, too, simply after you added those from US?

Then it’s seemingly not Navision/SQL problem, but Win security mechanisms like AD, Domain(s) security and so on - ask you sysadmin(s) for help. But it’s a real “swamp”, where one can seek for lag reasons for ages…

I myself had a problem in such environment, spread all over the world - after 3 months research our security admin found that Win (not Navision, but overall Windows) login lags in Europe in cases when Mexico City MS Exchange server is down - there was a complicated schema of trusted domains. It wanted to check something in Mexico, waited for timeout, as didn’t get the answer, and happily logged us in afterwards… At least I had time to go & prepare the morning pot of coffee [:D]

Modris,

Thanks for your opinions and ideas, we will look at the problem from the Windows network angle, and hopefully find out what causes the delay.

Andy

Do I understand correctly that Nav users in the US are logging into Navision server in the UK via the VPN?

If so this is wrong and you need to go to a TS or Citrix solution.

David,

The users are using Citrix to get to the Navision server - thanks for the thought.

Andy,

Maybe your Citrix server is overloaded? In this case, however, lags should vary in time, depending of concurrent active user count…

We use Citrix for reporting to HQ (not Navision, another system), corporate standards set MON 10am as deadline, and the hour before is thus VERY busy. Situation is as yours - very long logging in, even up to 5mins (!), but, as one gets connected, further work is going on at acceptable speed. Nobody managed to solve this up to now, server HW is really a “monster”, comm lines are high bandwidth, all in vain…

Modris,

We have got our support company to investigate this with Microsoft, and the current suggestion is that we change the Security Model of the database from Enhanced to Standard. From reading this post:

http://dynamicsuser.net/forums/t/19622.aspx

I think the Enhanced model can cause problems, and gives minimal advantages over the Standard one. I’ll let you know the results.

Andy

If your Citrix servers are overloaded and / or you are running on VMs then you can have serious slowness.

We had Citrix servers designed for 20 users that were supporting 30 - 35. And on VMs that were constantly migrating between servers to “improve performance”. Needless to say, adding extra servers to support the VMs and extra servers for Citrix sped things up significantly.

I switch off all Enhanced security for my customers, pain in the behind if you ask me.

My personal prefrence is for TS over Citrix, I have had issues with Critirx and NAV before.

Can you try getting a user to use TS instead and see if the improves the login time?

t