Lots of blocking from SQLNS

Hi, everyone. I'm embarassed to admit that I set up a SQLNS app some
time ago, and it's been so long since I worked with it that I'm at a
loss for where to start troubleshooting.

A SQLNS server that I work with is experiencing an inordinately high
volume of blocking. In particular, the procedure
NSAssignNextWorkItemToDistributor seems to be blocking itself quite a
bit, presumably meaning that it's being launched more frequently than
it completes.

Can some kind soul give me a couple of tips:

- Could this procedure be bogging down due to a poor maintenance scheme
in the NS config? If so, what should I look for?

- Alternatively, could I have misconfigured it to run too frequrntly?
Again, what should I be looking for?

Thanks much
-Brooks

Hi Brooks -

It's good to have apps that run without problem for so long without
problems that you almost forget about them.

I'm assuming you're using SQLNS 2.0 SP1. Are you running Standard
Edition or Enterprise?

What's the QuantumDurantion for the Generator?

What about for the Distributor? (When the Distributor component is
idle, you can control how often it checks for work items to process by
adjusting the <QuantumDuration> element in the <Distributor> node of
the ADF. This *only* effects the Distributor when it's idle. As long
as it's processing work items, it'll keep checking before going into
an idle state.)

How many Delivery Channels do you have defined for the protocols
supported by the Notification Class? The more Delivery Channels, the
more possible work items that will be created. Each is considered
independent and will be processed in parallel.

How many Distributors do you have defined? And what's the
ThreadPoolSize?

Have you adjusted the Notification Batch Size (assuming Enterprise
version)?

Other general performance considerations: Scheduled the vacuumer to
run periodically during non-peak times to clean up old data and
curtail distributor logging.


HTH...

--
Joe Webb
SQL Server MVP


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On 4 May 2005 15:43:45 -0700, brooks.DeleteThis@frnk.com wrote:

 >Hi, everyone. I'm embarassed to admit that I set up a SQLNS app some
 >time ago, and it's been so long since I worked with it that I'm at a
 >loss for where to start troubleshooting.
 >
 >A SQLNS server that I work with is experiencing an inordinately high
 >volume of blocking. In particular, the procedure
 >NSAssignNextWorkItemToDistributor seems to be blocking itself quite a
 >bit, presumably meaning that it's being launched more frequently than
 >it completes.
 >
 >Can some kind soul give me a couple of tips:
 >
 >- Could this procedure be bogging down due to a poor maintenance scheme
 >in the NS config? If so, what should I look for?
 >
 >- Alternatively, could I have misconfigured it to run too frequrntly?
 >Again, what should I be looking for?
 >
 >Thanks much
 >-Brooks