The information in this article applies to:
The Network Test is provided with Tabs3 and PracticeMaster as a built-in diagnostic utility that will test for basic network reliability (i.e., reading and writing across the network), as well as provide a basic idea of read/write speed.
This article provides the following information regarding the Network Test:
The Network Test serves four key purposes:
It is recommended that the Network Test be run if the firm experiences network-related issues to help determine whether a hardware issue exists. Network-related issues may consist of intermittent connection loss issues, such as those described in KB Article R11289, "Troubleshooting Error Code 64: Network Name No Longer Available," or hardware failures, such as faulty network cards, cables, etc.
For the Network Test to be successfully run, at minimum two workstations must start the test. However, a more complete view of the network reliability will be represented when additional workstations are included in the test. Be aware that the Network Test creates heavy network load that may affect the performance of other programs while the test is running. We recommend running the Network Test outside of working hours, or during non-peak network use hours.
The Network Test is not designed to be a comprehensive diagnostic test, but rather, the purpose of the test is to pass as much information as possible over the network and to compare the data read from the file server to what was written to the file server, and determine if there are any read or write errors. It is possible that the test may need to be repeated with different settings and additional workstations over a longer time frame. Please keep in mind that if the Network Test does not display an issue, that does not mean that there is not a problem! Additional network troubleshooting suggestions are provided in KB Article R10184, "Network Troubleshooting Guide."
Network Test can be started at any time from within any of the six main Tabs3 and PracticeMaster programs (i.e., System Configuration, Tabs3, PracticeMaster, General Ledger, Accounts Payable, or Trust Accounting). There are two ways to start the Network Test: from the menu option or via a startup option.
C:\Program Files\Tabs3\STICONFG.EXE MARTIN /NWTEST /T 11:30p
There are differences between running the test via the Help menu and running the test via the startup option. When running from the Help menu, you may need to go to each workstation and begin the test manually outside of working hours. Whereas, if you use a startup option to start the software at a specific time, each user can launch the program before they leave in order to start the test at the specified time. When running the test via the startup option, there are a couple of notes to be aware of:
Before running the Network Test, confirm that two or more workstations will be taking part in the test.
Note: To run the test in a single user system, each user must run the program from a different Tabs3 and PracticeMaster application. For example, one user can run the test in Tabs3 and a second user can run the test in System Configuration.
When running the test via the Help menu, a window will be displayed warning that "Starting the Network Test will generate a significant amount of network traffic; therefore, we do not recommend running this test during peak working hours of the day." This warning is displayed because the Network Test creates heavy network load that may affect the performance of other programs while the test is running. If you have concluded that this is the right time to start a network test, click Yes to continue. (Note: The warning will not be displayed when running the Network Test via the startup option.)
After selecting the parameters via the Network Test window, click Start to initialize the network test. You will need a second workstation to click Start before the test will begin.
Two parameters can be specified regarding how to run the Network Test: Number of Records and Record Size. Parameters can only be set by the first participant and cannot be changed after the test is started. Although the Parameters can be customized, we recommend leaving the Parameters at the default setting to get a good idea of how your network is performing. Then, if you want to compare the base performance to unique tests focused on read/write speeds or locking efforts, you can adjust the parameters and run additional tests based on those needs.
The Number of Records field determines how many slots of data the Network Test will write to and read from. A smaller value will increase the lock contention (i.e., if this field is "1," all participating workstations will be testing the same record the entire time). A larger value will decrease lock contention, allowing a test that primarily focuses on read/write speed.
The Record Size field determines how large the slot of data is. A larger number will primarily test the read/write speed of the network. A smaller number will decrease the read/write efforts, allowing more focus to be placed on locking, searching, and other overhead functions.
The File Size field, which is displayed to the right of the Record Size field, reports the approximate size of the data files that will be created for use by the test. The size is determined by multiplying the Number of Records value by the Record Size value.
The Network Test works by "cycling" through records. A "cycle" is performed when the test randomly selects a record from a set of test-created records, and then performs a set of operations on the record. The cycles for each workstation are determined by the first user to start the Network Test. All workstations joining the test will read the test parameters (i.e., Number of Records and Record Size) from a shared file so that the same parameters are used for each workstation.
A single cycle is made up of the following actions:
As each participant stops the Network Test, the workstation results will be logged to the STNWTEST.LOG. Two participants are required to run the Network Test so that caching is not in use during the test. Therefore, when the second-to-last participant leaves the test, both that workstation and the remaining participant's workstation will stop testing and log their results to STNWTEST.LOG.
The Status area at the top of the window is reserved for information regarding the number of participants and whether the network test is ready, waiting, or running. The following statuses are available in the Network Test window:
The Network Test creates one log file named STNWTEST.LOG that contains test parameters, setup information, and results for each participating workstation. Detailed information regarding the Network Test Log is provided in the KB article R11310, "Network Test Log Technical Information."
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