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- 07/08/94
- REDUCING APPLICATION LOADING TIME ON A NETWORK
-
- Carefully structured directories and Armboot files can make a big
- difference to how long it takes for a class full of machines to start
- up and load applications.
-
- But loading a large application to fifteen or so stations can still
- take two minutes or more, even on AUN Ethernet. This can be frustrating,
- but there are solutions available. One of these is AppFS, a very fast
- and lightweight server which reduces loading time by around a factor of
- four.
-
- This read-only network filing system works over Econet, as well as AUN
- Ethernet, and dramatically boosts network performance by reducing the
- number of small network transactions that take place when applications
- are started. It also reads the data across the network in larger chunks,
- which suits Ethernet very well. It can co-exist on the same machine as a
- Level4 fileserver, but needs a separate disc or partition that is read-only.
-
- * AppFS is available from AngelSoft (0554 776845)
-
- WHEN DID YOU LAST..... ?
-
- Following on from last month's reminder about the batteries in some
- Archimedes models, here are some further periodic things worth making time
- for now for benefit in the future. So, when did you last...
-
- * Have the fan filter checked/changed ?
-
- A blocked filter will reduce airflow through the computer, leading to an
- increase in temperature inside the case and (in extreme cases) a greater
- chance of failure at some point in the future.
-
- * Backup your important data ?
-
- The importance of keeping backups cannot ever be overemphasized - hours of
- work can be lost if an error develops on a floppy, or a hard disc fails.
- The older the hard disc, the more important this becomes - hard discs will
- eventually wear out!
-
- * Check your system is free of viruses ?
-
- A virus loose on a system can result in anything from impaired performance
- to spurious errors and data loss/destruction. There are now over 40 families
- of virus.
-
- * Check how much free space is left on a hard disc ?
-
- Running out of space can be very frustrating (and can even result in the
- loss of the file you were trying to save if the program saving it cannot
- cope). Ask yourself whether the things on the hard disc are there because
- they are in sufficiently regular use to preclude having them on a floppy, or
- whether they could be moved to a floppy without affecting the usefulness of
- the system. Of course, another solution to the problem is to add another
- hard disc! However there are limits on how many extra hard discs can be added
- to various interfaces (ADFS - IDE or ST506; one extra hard disc, SCSI; three
- extra hard discs).
-