Performance Tuning

Abstract

Capable 21C has many configurable options.  Some of these have a significant impact on system performance.  This knowledgebase article discusses some of the more advanced configuration settings that can be tuned to improve system performance.

Underlying challenge

There are a number of simple steps that can be performed to improve general system performance.

The main areas to consider to improve system performance are:

Resolution

The Waiting Room Refresh setting is often the most significant factor affecting system performance.  This value determines how frequently each PC communicates with the server to update its configuration and information about patient activity.  When using a Microsoft Access database (the default configuration of Capable 21C), this update is heavily affected by the overall size of the Capable 21C database.  For small databases (eg less than 50Mb), a Microsoft Access database is typically the fastest option for the update.  On larger databases, a SQL Server database generally performs faster.

Using the default configuration of Capable 21C, every PC in the network will update itself according to the Waiting Room Refresh.  For example, if the Waiting Room Refresh is set to 5000, each PC will update itself every 5 seconds.  If there are only two PCs in the network, this will result in an average of one update every 2.5 seconds.  The network performance impact will be small.  If the office has 5 PCs, there will be an average of one update every second.  This will have a much greater impact on network performance.

Setting the Waiting Room Refresh to a small value (eg anything below 5000) will result in a faster response when patients are moved between treatment areas, but a slower overall performance of Capable 21C (the network will be so busy updating the PCs, it will have little capacity left for general operation).

Setting the Waiting Room Refresh to a larger value (eg anything greater than 8000) will result in a slower response when patients are moved between treatment areas, but a better overall performance.

Detailed Information

It is possiblDetailed Information

CAUTION: Setting the Waiting Room Refresh to an inappropriate value can cause Capable 21C to crash, or become non-responsive.  The value should be set no smaller than 1000, and no greater than 32000.

On Capable 21C v1.5.659 and above, it is possible to specify a different Waiting Room Refresh for each PC in the network.  This can be helpful if some of the PCs do not need to be updated very frequently, but others do (for example a fingerprint/swipe card check-in PC does not need to update frequently at all; neither does a PC in an examination/x-ray room).  To do this requires some knowledge of the Windows registry and how to use the Windows Registry Editor. 

CAUTION: Misuse of the Windows Registry Editor can result in damage to the Windows Installation or the Capable 21C Installation.

  1. Close Capable 21C.ows Registry editor (this can be done by clicking Start|Run and keying Regedit).
  2. Navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program Settings\Capable\Waiting Room key.
  3. Create a new Registry String Value named 'Waiting Room Refresh Overload'.
  4. Set its value accordingly (eg smaller than the usual Waiting Room Refresh for faster response, or larger than the usual Waiting Room Refresh to free up network resources).
  5. Close the Registry Editor, and restart Capable 21C.

 

This knowledge resource is designed for use on a Windows (tm) XP system operating at a screen resolution of 1024x768 or better. Windows Media Player must be installed for this training resource to operate correctly.

Copyright 2008 Capable Software Pty Ltd

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