Note that Sharing an ACT! database is only supported over a Windows or Novell NetWare 3.12 (or later) Local Area Network (LAN). Sharing an ACT! database is not supported over a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Wide Area Network (WAN).
There are a multitude of issues that can degrade ACT! performance. Please review the following documents for some common causes of slow ACT! Performance on a Local Area Network.
Title : Slow Performance in ACT! when Using a Database on a Windows XP, 2000, or NT Server
View This Document
Title : Slow Performance when Multiple Users Access a Networked Database
View This Document
Title : Slow ACT! Network Performance on NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6 or 6a
View This Document
Title : Slow Performance Accessing a Database Through Novell NetWare
View This Document
Title : ACT! Runs Slowly When Viewing Notes or Attachments
View This Document
Other suggestions to increase ACT! performance on a network:
- The more RAM the better. 64 MB or more memory for Windows 95, 98, 98SE or Me. 128 MB or more for Windows NT 4.0, 2000 or XP. Add more memory for servers and/or larger databases.
- Use 100 Megabit Network Cards and Switches, not 10 Megabit
- Use Switches instead of Hubs on the network. (especially if you have more than 5 concurrent users)
- Make sure your file server has more that 150 MB of Swap File space. (the default in NT 4.0 was smaller)
- Turn off Opportunistic Record Locking on the file server and workstations using the following document:
Title : Important Issues Concerning Sharing an ACT! Database Over a Network
View This Document
- Make sure you are not running large applications like Exchange or MS-SQL on the same server as your ACT! database.
- Be sure your anti-virus software AutoProtect feature scans for program files and not All Files. (especially on the server)
ACT! Database Performance can also be affected by a lack of Maintenance, please refer to the document below for more information on stabilizing your ACT! Database.
Title : Tips on Making Your ACT! Database More Stable
View This Document
Here are some other documents with suggestions regarding ACT! performance:
Title : Scrolling Between Contacts in the Contact List Is Slow
View This Document
Title : ACT! Runs Slowly when Viewing Notes or Attachments
View This Document
Title : Slow Performance when Viewing Groups
View This Document
Title : Slow Performance when Viewing the Notes/History Tab of the Groups Window
View This Document
If you have done extensive customizing of your ACT! Database, we also recommend the following:
- Limit the number of custom fields in your ACT! Database. We recommend a Maximum of 250 fields because database performance begins to degrade after that point.
- Reduce the size attribute of fields to just what you need (for example, do not give 200 characters to a field which only stores a yes/no answer)
- Do not index more fields than necessary and always have a secondary field in an index.
|
