AusLug2012 - A performance boost for your notes client

AusLUG2012
A Performance Boost
for your IBM Lotus Notes Client

Florian Vogler | CEO & CTO | panagenda
Meet.Share.Learn www.panagenda.com

The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.

29th & 30th March, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

AusLUG2012

Agenda
Coming up next …

Who am I? … and about panagenda

Basics
• A summary of what a Notes 8 client comes with

Under the Hood
• What makes a Notes client START slow
(and what makes it faster)

• What makes a Notes client PERFORM slow (and again faster)

• Deep Diving

• A peek under the hood of Client / Server interaction

Meet.Share.Learn 29th & 30th March, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

AusLUG2012

About Florian Vogler
CEO & CTO – (hopefully) representative for the great work of my colleagues at panagenda

Born in Hamburg (DE), lived in London (UK),
Vienna (AT), Frankfurt (DE), Alicante (ES);
currently back in Frankfurt (DE)

Lotus Notes / Domino since 1992

Started to work with Notes at Raiffeisen Austria
• Administration and Development
• 35,000 user worldwide (today > 100,000)

Since 2002 core competency Client Management,
Notes / Domino infrastructure analysis and optimization

I enjoy working with many great companies in many different
countries (I travel *a lot*)


AusLUG2012

About panagenda
We network symbiotic relationships with our customers and partners for ongoing joint win-win
HQ: Vienna/AT, offices in Heppenheim near Frankfurt/DE, Boston/USA; 40+ BPs WW

Development of standard products

> 4 million licenses in over 70 countries

IBM Lotus Notes
Client Management

MarvelClient :: „99%“ manageability

(not „just“ IBM Lotus Domino)
Server Analytics, Monitoring & Reporting

GreenLight :: realtime, longterm, smart

Analyze Groups, Certifiers and ACLs

GroupExplorer :: better transparency, security & automation

plus: NameChanger (Name changes), DatabaseExplorer (Design Analysis), Notes2Web (Web transformation)


AusLUG2012

Before we start ...

I Love Notes.


AusLUG2012

What the (or rather a used) Notes 8 STANDARD Client typically comes with

• > 20,000 files (Notes 6/7 used to have ~550) = +3,700%
• 17,000 files in Notes Programframework in 1,800 subdirectories
 7,500 (largely undocumented) .properties files
 1,500 jar files
 1,200 HTML files
• 3,000 files in Notes Dataworkspace – in 2,400 subdirectories, out of which 1,850 are empty
 900 (largely undocumented) XML files
 100+ (largely undocumented) properties files

• That is ...
 20,000 files in 4,600 subdirectories
 8,500+ largely undocumented files
 Many (many many) subdirectories are plain empty, especially in Dataworkspace

 ... and around 100 NSFs/NTFs (=0.5 %)
 ... and the good old notes.ini file ...


AusLUG2012

+ over 80 Preferences Dialog Boxes!

• Each dialog has ~15 settings at average
 1,200+ settings
sprayed across addressbook (very few),
notes.ini (few),
and XML files (lots)

Plus: any plugins, widgets,
addons, etc. „you“ or the user may have
added to the Notes client install.


AusLUG2012

+ what we should all be familiar with:

Physical nsfs 1, 2, 3, … n
(nsf)

Desktop


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What makes the Notes Client start slow (and how to make it faster)

• If you‘re not on 8.5.2 yet. 8.5.2 is a significant improvement. (EOM 7: April 30, 2011!)
• Note: preloading may be recommended – many users start Notes only once per day (=cold starts only!)

• Boot-Storm (up to 10 x longer start times)
• OS Indexing (up to 2-3 x longer start times)
• Antivirus Software
• Disable Antivirus scanning for at least *.n(s)* in Notes Data Directory. Period.
 almost 50% of the data volume in the entire Data directory change on a daily basis in most setups (replication, fti, checking for
background agents, ...), 8.5% in Dataworkspace

• Disc encryption (up to -50%)
• Database encryption (up to -50%)
• Port/Network-Encryption (-20%)


AusLUG2012

What makes the Notes Client start slow (and how to make it faster)

• Prehistoric Hardware
• At least 1 GB – 2 GB recommended if users use more than „just“ Notes (otherwise: Swapping drama)

• Old fixed disks

 Fragmentation
 Tons of startup programs/scripts – if the disk is busy-busy-busy, it‘s not Notes‘ fault.

• Grown Data directories

 Virtually 100% of all NTFs (Laptops: 90%) can be removed by
 Cleaning up old Notes 4+5+6 templates
 using ini:SharedDataDirectory= (also with Single User install!)

 Up to 70% of all NSFs still have an old ODS (see next slide) ...

AusLUG2012

ODS? What‘s that?

• ODS = On Disk Structure
• ODS 16 = Notes 2
• ODS 20 = Notes 4 (or templates)
• ODS 43 = Notes 6 & 7
• ODS 51 = Notes 8.5

• The difference between ODS 43 and 51 = up to 80% LESS FILE I/O; average 50% less.
Also helps with slow local fixed disks, not just SAN/NAS! – Think servers, too!

• Unfortunately the ODS is not automatically updated when upgrading clients
• Except for names.nsf, bookmark.nsf, and desktop*.dsk/ndk (provided you upgraded „properly“ ... uh-oh)
• Upgrade to ODS 48 requires Notes >= 8 and CREATE_R8_DATABASES=1 in notes.ini
• Upgrade to ODS 51 requires Notes >= 8.5 and CREATE_R85_DATABASES=1 in notes.ini


AusLUG2012

ODS continued

• Fortunately, in Notes 8.5 you can use
• NSF_UpdateODS=1
• This will do a one-time upgrade of all local databases in the background

• USE WITH EXTREME CARE IF YOUR DATA DIRECTORIES ARE ON A NETWORK DRIVE!
 Loadbalance!

• Note that end users cannot access databases during compact (mailfile replicas!)
• Note that names.nsf and bookmark.nsf are upgraded at next client startup ( Splash screen)

• Impact examples
 Startup time of a Notes 8.5.2 client with three ODS 20 databases in Notes data: 10 seconds
After ODS upgrade: 2 seconds
 After upgrade of all NSFs from previously mostly ODS 41 to 51 = 60% less File I/O on SAN/NAS!
 Removing 70% of all old files in Data directories on SAN/NAS = 45% less managed storage (backup)

• Unfortunately, you have little to no clue on „what is out there“ = which databases where and with which ODS
(we can help with that – after this session ;-))


AusLUG2012

What makes a Notes Client PERFORM slow (or badly/wrong)
It doesn‘t get any easier ...

ODS of databases (again)
Hardware (again)
Install types (Basic vs. Standard, Data directory on Network vs. fixed disk)
• Desktop, Laptop, Citrix, local, network, „XP User/Roaming Profile“
Notes.ini and Network (more later)
• Port-Settings (e.g. compression) – not turned on in many companies, or worse: turned off on server, on on client …
• EXTMGR_ADDINS = (not just) Local Virus Scanners
Disable Notes „plugins“ like Norton or McAfee – they increase Network traffic by 200 – 250%!
Connection documents
Locations
• Mail-/Homeserver, path to mailfile (Alarming!)
• Catalogserver (otherwise Homeserver)
 Catalog.nsf on Home- or Catalogserver …


AusLUG2012

The catalog.nsf problem …
... or „the Asian connection“

User in Cairns

Sends Doc|DB-Link to user in Melbourne

Unfortunately, the user in Melbourne does
not open the database from onsite server
but from the one in Cairns

... er even Albany *ouch*


AusLUG2012

More of what makes a Notes Client PERFORM slow (or badly/wrong)
The 95+5% problem ...
or why Managers often don‘t like IBM Lotus Notes as much as they could / should

90-95% work „somehow“
• Training, Helpdesk, IT skilled end users, ...
• Still huge Potential for cost savings (e.g. 80% less helpdesk calls)

The remaining 5-10%, however, require 75+% of all subsequent efforts (manual / individual)
• E.g. sending a Notes 8 upgrade package to all clients 
fixing all „problem“-clients requires 75% of the entire project time & efforts

NOTE: Virtually 100% of all VIPs are part of the „5-10%“
 High frustration on Management-Level
 High willingness to Migrate
(away from Notes; not originally to another product!)


AusLUG2012

Agenda
Coming up next …

Who am I? … and about panagenda

Basics
• A summary of what a Notes 8 client comes with

Under the Hood
• What makes a Notes client START slow (and what makes it faster)

• What makes a Notes client PERFORM slow (and again faster)

• Deep Diving

• A peek under the hood of Client / Server interaction


AusLUG2012

Widly unknown²
How to speed up your Notes client for daily working – for Admins/Developers only!

• Search for the file jvm.properties underneath [LotusNotesProgramDir]frameworkrcp
 Open it in a text editor
• First line to look for is: vmarg.Xmx=-Xmx256m
• Change it to e.g. vmarg.Xmx=-Xmx1024m (Maximum is ½ of physical memory; do NOT change it to more than
1024m irregardless of how much memory you have)

• Change vmarg.Xms=-Xms48m to ¼ of what you changed Xmx to;
e.g. is you changed vmarg.Xmx to -Xmx1024m then use
vmarg.Xms=-Xms256m

• NOT recommended for production / normal end users; for admins & developers only!


AusLUG2012

Deep Diving: Client Clocking

CLIENT_CLOCK=1
CONSOLE_LOG_ENABLED=1
Debug_Outfile=c:debug.txt

Debug_Console=1

;DEBUG_TCP_ALL=1 (use only if needed)

Fileserver/local disk Performance Debugging is a pain / not possible, really;
(try DEBUGGINGWCTENABLED=16386 in Notes >= 8.5)


AusLUG2012

Client Clock=1 leads to a debug file of the following format:

NOTE: Take a look at Notes RPC Parser on OpenNTF
Also, see http://www.domiclipse.com/domiclipse/web.nsf/d6plinks/FRUX-7L5ULC

AusLUG2012

What happens when you delete cache.ndk (for just 1 database!)

After deleting Cache.ndk Keeping / NOT deleting Cache.ndk

100 users =
150 MB vs. 3.7 MB
(2,5%; -97,5%; +4000%)

1000 users =
1.5 GB vs. 37 MB

Excluding Fileservers!

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Adding to Client Clocking ...

Network Latency has major impact
on perceived client performance
for users that (try to) work
on serverside databases!


AusLUG2012

Latency times and their meaning for end users
Response times turn into painful delivery times:

• „# RPC Calls *
(Latency Up +
Latency Down)

• 30 Calls *
(60 + 60) =
3.600 ms!


AusLUG2012

Summary

• Configurability and connectivity are both a
– if not the – major strength and weakness of LN/D

• Weaknesses can be cured with Knowledge and Tools

• The < the knowledge, the more important the tool(s)
•  don‘t just reinstall
•  don‘t give up
•  if you fight for the Notes client,
it will pay you back with much more than just email (*hint*)
• Every symptom has a root cause – cure the root cause, not just symptoms!


AusLUG2012

Timeout

Spending 60 minutes
on Performance Improvements
can be compared to
a walk on the tip of the iceberg –
we have worked on
a MANY more business cases
and solved a MANY more problems
than those mentioned just now.

If your problem was not mentioned in this session –
be it a Client, Server, Design, Admin
or other challenge:
we would love to hear from you.


AusLUG2012

Sponsor Break – Sneak Peek during Social Evening
http://panagenda.com/giftoftransparency

• Efficient Client-Analysis is impossible without additional tooling

• FREE 4 weeks license of panagenda GreenLight – our server
monitoring and reporting solution – includes Database Analyzer for 1
year for one of your servers

• FREE one year license of panagenda MarvelClient Analyze
• The results speak for themselves on „just“ the clientside
• The results can also be used together with GreenLight

• For groups and databases, wie also have GroupExplorer and
DatabaseExplorer
• Whether we may help you is up to you


AusLUG2012

Thank you for listening – Questions? Answers!

Q&A
Client, Server and Application monitoring and optimization done right!
includes „Meet the 30 most important Domino server statistics“
Friday 8:30-9:30 am, Room „Console“


AusLUG2012

Contact me – I look forward to hearing from you!

panagenda GmbH

Doblhoffgasse 7 / 6a :: 1010 Vienna :: Austria
Web: http://www.panagenda.com
Email: office@panagenda.com
Fax: +43 1 89 012 89 – 15


AusLug2012 - A performance boost for your notes client

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