Running W2K Pro box as server: set to optimize applications or background services?

[MichaelD]

Hi all,

I'm running a FTP/Webserver/fileserver box on W2K pro. It's on a a skinny little 16kb/s upload DSL line. It's also hooked to my LAN via a router.

When you go into My Computer/Properties, you get the different "performance" tabs. One let's you choose between "Optimize for Applications" and "Optimize for Background Services."

Which one should I choose for this application and why? I'm thinking "Background Services." Am I right? Thanks much.

 

[Woodie]

Probably won't matter much...it depends on how concurrent connections you have to the server processes.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Woodie
Probably won't matter much...it depends on how concurrent connections you have to the server processes.

OK, that is way above my head. The server is just another box on my network...it fileserves me on another workstation on the same network and maybe 6 users via FTP.

I'm guessing I should just leave it at default settings, huh?

 

[BreakApart]

Background Services are just about anything your not currently displaying on the desktop.

Example: If i had an FTP server running on my machine, and i was playing a game Unreal/Q3/etc.


With "Optimize performance for Background Services" selected, when an FTP request was made to my machine the machine would tell the game to hold on a sec, while i finish this FTP request. It won't pause the game but it may cause the game to slow down as the game has to wait it's turn as the FTP service would have priority for each cpu cycle. The more people using that FTP service the more your game would slow down.

Wth "Optimize performance for Applications" selected using the same above example,the game would tell the FTP service to wait your turn, so here the FTP service would get placed into a wait for spare cycles mode-it may even cause the FTP connection to time out, if the FTP load gets too high the game would continue to steal power from ALL the FTP requests. If this were to happen to a "Server" often enough FTP/email/backup/any number of services could time out, which would not be a good thing.


"Optimize performance for Background Services" would be your best bet, chances are you won't even notice it.

 

[MichaelD]

Thank you, BreakApart, for that detailed explanation. It was so clear, that even a dummy like me understood it! :; I got it now. Thanks a lot.

Currently the box is just FTP/Fileserver/Web but in the future will be used as a UT server for LAN gaming, but w/o having someone actually "gaming" on the server. So, I"d still set it for Background apps, correct?

 

[BreakApart]

Yes