XADM: Exchange Server 5.5 Performance Optimizer Verbose Mode

Exchange Server 5.5 Performance Optimizer can be run in Verbose mode which presents the user with additional screens that contain specific options and settings that aren't normally displayed. Each of these options and settings are discussed in the "More Information" section of this article.

To run Performance Optimizer in Verbose mode, type the following command at a command prompt in the Exchsrvr\Bin folder: To view the current settings without stopping the services, run the Performance Optimizer with the -r option by typing the following command at a command prompt in the Exchsrvr\Bin folder:

Options and Settings Unique to Verbose Mode

Disk Analysis

The Performance Optimizer allows you to choose whether or not you want to analyze specific disk drives. For those disk drives that you select, it analyzes each to determine the best locations for Microsoft Exchange Server files. This test analyzes disks simultaneously to determine which drives provide the best performance for different Microsoft Exchange Server service data files. The analysis uses a test file in available space on the drive to test the speed of: The Performance Optimizer takes the average access times, writing and reading large amounts of data, so the test may take some time. This test does not affect your hard drive contents. The access times for each selected disk drive are displayed for the user after the tests have been completed.

Editable Performance Optimizer Settings

You can edit the values of the following are options:

WARNING: Changing the values for the options listed below can and may adversely affect your Exchange Server computer's performance and functionality. You are strongly cautioned against changing any of these values without first consulting with Microsoft Product Support Services.

• Number of information store buffers - The maximum number of 4-KB buffers allocated to the information store database.
• Number of directory buffers - The maximum number of 4-KB buffers allocated to the directory store database.
• Minimum number of information store threads - The minimum number of threads that the information store will use to service Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) clients, such as Microsoft Outlook.
• Maximum number of information store threads - The maximum number of threads that the information store will use to service MAPI clients, such as Microsoft Outlook.
• Number of directory threads - The maximum number of threads used by the directory.
• Maximum number of concurrent read threads - The maximum number of directory threads available to service replication requests.
• Number of background threads - The number of threads available for background tasks and for the Gateway In/Out and Send and Delivery thread pool.
• Number of heaps - The number of areas of memory used for dynamic memory allocation.
• Number of private information store send threads - The number of threads that process messages submitted by MAPI clients, such as Microsoft Outlook.
• Number of private information store delivery threads - The number of threads that the private information store can use to deliver messages to mailboxes.
• Number of public information store send threads - The number of threads that process public folder replication messages and messages generated by public folder rules.
• Number of public information store delivery threads - The number of threads that the public information store can use to deliver messages to public folders.
• Number of information store gateway in threads - The number of information store threads that deliver mail from the message transfer agent (MTA) to the information store for routing elsewhere. For optimal performance, the number of threads should be increased only if the server has multiple processors.
• Number of information store gateway out threads - The number of information store threads delivering mail from the information store to local mailboxes, or to the MTA. For optimal performance, the number of threads should be increased only if the server has multiple processors.
• Buffer threshold low percent - The percentage of available buffers remaining before buffers are flushed to disk. Lower values limit the number of writes to disk; however, low values can degrade performance.
• Buffer threshold high percent - The percentage of available buffers that must be reached before the flushing of buffers to disk stops. For optimal performance, set the percentage value equal to, or slightly greater than, the buffer threshold low percent.
• Maximum number of pool threads - The maximum number of threads servicing Internet connections such as Internet Message Access Protocol, Version 4rev1 (IMAP4), Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), and Network News Transfer Protocol ( NNTP) into the information store. This value is per processor.
• Number of information store users - The number of users for which this server will route mail.
• Number of concurrent connections to LAN-MTAs - The number of concurrent network associations to MTAs.
• Number of concurrent connections to RAS LAN-MTAs - The minimum number of concurrent network associations to Remote Access Service (RAS) MTAs.
• Number of LAN-MTAs - The minimum number of network MTAs supported by the MTA.
• Number of X.400 gateways - The maximum number of remote MTAs connecting through X.400 using X.25, Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), or Transport Class 4 (TP4).
• ds_read cache latency (secs) - The number of seconds before the directory service read cache expires. Performance improves when items are loaded in the cache by limiting the number of directory service reads.
• Number of dispatcher threads - The total number of threads used to route messages.
• Number of transfer threads - The total number of threads used to transfer messages.
• Number of kernel threads - The total number of threads allocated to process the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol stack.
• Number of submit/deliver threads - The total number of MTA submit and deliver threads.
• Number of RAS LAN-MTAs - The maximum supported number of concurrent network associations to other RAS MTAs.
• Number of database data buffers per object - The number of 4-KB buffers configured for each cached MTA database file. The MTA saves a copy of each message until the message has been accepted by the information store, or another MTA.
• Number of RTS threads - The total number of threads available to the Reliable Transfer Service (RTS) level of the OSI protocol stack.
• Number of concurrent MDB/delivery queue clients - The maximum number of information store and XAPI MA delivery queue clients supported. Each client can have more than one session. For optimal performance, the value should be at least two, to support both the public and private databases.
• Number of concurrent XAPI sessions - The maximum number of sessions to information store and X.400 application programming interface (XAPI) MA delivery queue clients, XAPI MA retrieval queue clients, and XAPI MT gateway clients.
• Max Number of RPC calls outstanding - The maximum number of concurrent remote procedure call (RPC) threads. This limits the maximum number of RPCs that will be processed at one time.
• Min Number of RPC threads - The minimum number of concurrent RPC threads. This sets the minimum number of RPCs that will be processed at one time.
• Number of MT gateway clients - The maximum number of XAPI MT gateway clients supported, which is the maximum number of gateways the MTA can support.
• Number of retrieval queue clients - The maximum number of XAPI MA retrieval queue clients supported.
• Number of TCP/IP control blocks - The maximum number of TCP/IP connections supported.
• Number of TCP/IP threads - The maximum number of MTA DMOD threads processing TCP/IP connections.
• Number of TP4 control blocks - Maximum number of supported concurrent TP4 connections.
• Number of TP4 threads - Maximum number of MTA DMOD threads processingTP4 connections, including multiple thread connections.

If the Internet Mail Service is already installed, the following options will also appear:

• Number of inbound threads - The number of threads available to perform content conversion and move inbound mail from the Internet Mail Service to the information store.
• Number of outbound threads - The number of threads available to perform content conversion and move outbound mail to the Internet Mail Service and from the information store.
• Number of InOut threads - The number of threads available to perform content conversion and move both inbound and outbound mail between the Internet Mail Service and the information store.
• Number of threads per processor - The number of threads available for traffic between the Internet Mail Service and the Internet.

Performance Optimizer Log

The Performance Optimizer log file, located in the Winnt\System32 folder, includes information that can be used to track changes made to your server and to report problems. Each time you run the Performance Optimizer, log entries are appended to this file.