IBM FileNet P8, Version 5.2.1            

Improving content uploads and downloads

The performance tuning topics in this section have information that can improve the performance of content uploads.

Improving the performance of large content uploads

The Inline Content Retrieval Limit parameter is a FileNet® P8 domain parameter for the content subsystem that is set by using the Content Platform Engine administration console. The FileNet.Content.GetBlockSizeKB parameter is a client parameter (such as IBM® Content Navigator or other client) that is set in the FileNet.properties file. These two parameters work together to define the maximum amount of data that can be retrieved from a file store, database, or fixed content device in a single RPC.

The default setting for the Inline Content Retrieval Limit parameter is 1 MB with a maximum value of 10 MB. The FileNet.Content.GetBlockSizeKB setting cannot exceed the amount defined for the Inline Content Retrieval Limit parameter. For example, if the Inline Content Retrieval Limit parameter value is 5 MB, the GetBlockSizeKB parameter value cannot be greater than 5 MB. If it is, the maximum amount of data received in each RPC will still be only 5 MB.

The FileNet.Content.PutBlockSizeKB parameter is also kept in the FileNet.properties file. It defines how much data can be sent to Content Platform Engine in a single RPC. It has a preset maximum value of 10 MB.

Increasing the values of these two FileNet.properties parameters from their default setting (1024 KB) makes large content uploads and retrievals faster, but it also increases the memory footprint on the Content Platform Engine server and the associated client application. Too many concurrent large creations and retrievals might cause memory contention.

Decreasing the values of these twoFileNet.properties parameters lowers the memory footprint but also causes extra round trips to the server and reduces performance. For example, if you set these values to 512 KB and you retrieve 1024 KB of content, the server makes two round trips instead of one.

Adjust these values according to your use case and workload.

Important:
The FileNet.Content.GetBlockSizeKB parameter and the FileNet.Content.PutBlockSizeKB parameter settings apply only to EJB transport. The Content Engine Web Service (CEWS) transport for Java™ and the Content Engine .NET API client are not affected by these parameter settings.

For information about the Content Engine .NET API, see Getting started.

Adjusting the Put/Get Block Size parameters when an application server hosts the client application
Place the following lines in the FileNet.properties file:
FileNet.Content.PutBlockSizeKB=1024
FileNet.Content.GetBlockSizeKB=1024
Save the file to the following location:
WebSphere – C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles\ your_profile 
WebLogic – C:\bea\user_projects\domains\your_domain
Remember: This location corresponds with the directory in which you start the application server.
Remember: The FileNet.properties file provides a way to edit certain preset configuration parameters. Because the configuration parameters are preset, the FileNet.properties file does not exist until a preset configuration value that is managed by this file requires an adjustment. If the FileNet.properties file has already been created, it will be located in one of the following locations. If it has not been created, place it in one of the following locations:
  • The current directory (Java system property user.dir)
  • The user's home directory (Java system property user.home)
  • The Java JVM home directory (Java system property java.home)
Adjusting the Put/Get Block Size parameters when the client application is a stand-alone Java application
For stand-alone Java client applications, apply a switch to the application executable. For example:
java.exe –DFileNet.Content.PutBlockSizeKB=1024

Achieving better throughput during uploads

When content is stored in file stores and fixed stores, the content is uploaded into an inbound folder located in the same location as the local file directory, as specified for the file store. Each file store has only one inbound folder; and if a large volume of content uploads is expected, the inbound folder can become congested.

Better throughput can be achieved by providing multiple file stores, which enables content to be uploaded into multiple inbound folders. Multiple inbound folder effectively distributes the demands on the operating system administration of the file directory information and, if located on separate physical drives, the disk I/O. Multiple file storage areas can be made transparent by using the Storage Policy feature. This feature provides load-balancing capabilities for content storage by transparently spreading the content across multiple storage areas.

When content is stored in database storage, content is uploaded to the folder that is designated for temporary file storage. By default, this location is the same as the installation location of the Content Platform Engine server. To lessen contention with other system processes and increase throughput, you can direct uploaded content to a dedicated portion of the file system. This modification can be done by using the Temporary Directory property on the Content Configuration tab in the object store properties.



Last updated: October 2015
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