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).