gp - install
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
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Ch 7
Why must you set up a temp directory when installing GP? - If you don't do this then errors will occur when printing reports.
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Ch 8
Name the 9 GP Solution Series? -
1) Foundation
2) Financial
3) Purchasing
4) Payroll
5) Sales
6) Human Resources
7) Inventory
8) Tools
9) Distribution -
Ch 8
Foundation Series? -
Report Writer
System Manager -
Ch 8
Financial Series? -
General Ledger
Advanced Financial Analysis
Bank Reconciliation -
Ch 8
Payroll Series? - Payroll and other modules used to keep payroll related employee records, pay employees and track payroll taxes
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Ch 8
Purchasing Series? -
Payables Management
Purchase Order Processing -
Ch 8
Sales Series? -
Receivables Management
Invoicing
Sales Order Processing -
Ch 8
Human Resources Series? - Human Resources module to track employee and applicant information
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Ch 8
Inventory Series? - Inventory Control to manage items and pricing
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Ch 8
Tools? -
GP Modifier with VBA and tools for GP developers -
Dexterity and Integration Manager -
Ch 8
Distribution Series? -
hybrid series including:
Purchase Order Processing
Inventory
Sales Order Processing -
Ch 8
3 benefits of integrated accounting? -
1) faster data entry
2) fewer opportunities for errors
3) more powerful reporting -
Ch 8
Describe the posting process within each series? -
Within each series, all modules post to the core module.
THEN the core module posts to GENERAL LEDGER -
Ch 8
What is GENERAL LEDGER for? -
It acts as the central collection point for all your accounting information.
Provides comprehensive reporting of all your business's financial activity. -
Ch 8
System setup flow? (6 steps) -
1) Create user classes
2) Set up users
3) Use the user access window to determine the companies a user can access
4) Setup user preferences for each user using the USER PREFERENCES WINDOW
5) Enter registration information if you've not already done so
6) Print the set up reports and save for future use. -
Ch 8
SYSTEM PASSWORD? -
Allows users to open:
1) System Inquiry
2) System Reports
3) System Setup
4) System Utilities -
Ch 8
How do you remove a password - Leave the new password field blank.
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Ch 8
What 3 components grant or deny access to various parts of GP? -
1) User Security
2) Advanced Security
3) User Classes -
Ch 8
User classes are REQUIRED! - False. They're just a convenient method for establishing security privileges
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Ch 8
What is the default access right for a user? - By default any user created in GP can have unlimited access to information in your account system
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Ch 8
User class access granularity (4 things)? -
Can control access to:
Windows
Reports
Tasks
Files -
Ch 8
User class access inheritance? - Changes to user class access roll down and overwrite individual security for all users in the class
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Ch 8
User classes and multiple companies? - User class access for a given class is the same across all companies in your system.
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Ch 8
How do you definie security for your users on a company by company basis? - Use the Advanced Security or Standard Security window
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Ch 8
Access to what?
-enter transactions - All general ledger transaction windows
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Ch 8
Access to what?
-conduct master posting and print financial statements -
-Master posting windows
-general ledger financial windows -
Ch 8
Access to what?
-Print financial statements and enter transactions -
-Master posting windows
-general ledger financial statement windows
-General ledger transaction windows -
Ch 8
What's good about ADVANCED SECURITY? -
provides a multi-user, multi-company explorer style interface for the existing security system.
You can roll down security settings of classes w/o affecting other changes made to resources at the user level -
Ch 8
What type of tables does Advanced Security? - Uses Accelerator tables.
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Ch 8
What does the "Use Accelerator to Obtain Best Functionality Option" get you? - It lets you view and modify security from parent objects.
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Ch 8
What are the 2 options if you do choose to "Use Accelerator to obtain best functionality" - You can select background or foreground processing to read initial values into the accelerator table
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Ch 8
Describe the Advanced Security Options window? -
-Allows to select or modify preferences and security accelerator options.
-You can VIEW PENDING or RESET ACCELERATOR (clear settings) -
Ch 8
6 ways that Advanced Security is divided? -
Document
Dictionary
Menu
Posting
Tools
SmartList -
Ch 8
What is a difference between Advanced Security and System Security? - With ADVANCED SECURITY you can ROLL UP settings from user to class.
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Ch 8
ADVANCED SECURITY and rolling down settings? - If you have multiple users, you can roll down class settings to all users via Advanced Security
- What 3 entities can you copy from in Advanced security?
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User
Company
Class - Import security settings via Advanced Security? (requirement)
- The new machine must have all of the same additional products installed as the source machine.
- 5 tasks of advanced security?
-
-Roll up
-Roll down
-Copy
-Import/Export
-Print - When you try to run system and advanced security?
- You get a warning since you can only open 1.
- User Preferences? (6 things)
-
1) General Options
2) Mapping
3) Reminders
4) Display
5) Password
6) AutoComplete -
Ch 8
System Setup-User Preferences-General Options -
Modifies how you get info into and out of GP
-Scroll bars
-Printing preferences -
Ch 8
System Setup-User Preferences-Display - Allows you to modify colors and styles.
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Ch 8
System Setup-User Preferences-Registration - Best time to register modules is during installation.
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Ch 8
Verify registration information? - Help->About MBS GP
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Ch 8
3 System Reports -
Company Access
User Security
User Classes - 9 steps to setting up a company?
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1) Create company in Utilities
2) general company information
3) internet information
4) Specify fiscal periods
5) Account number
6) Credit Card Setup
7) Shipping method setup
8) Payment terms (for customers and vendors)
9) Print the set up reports -
Ch 8
Max size and changability for company id? -
5 characters
can't be changed -
Ch 8
Why default chart of accounts? 3 reasons -
1) Reflect sound accounting practices
2) extensive research done to determine common account types for various industries
3) Even if changes need to be made later, data entry time is reduced by using a default chart of accounts -
Ch 8
When setting up a company address, phone, and tax information where do these changes take effect? - Throughout the entire accounting system.
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Ch 8
In the company setup window, the SECURITY CHECKBOX? - Allows you to turn off or on user classes. Uncheck to allow unbridled access to everything for all users.
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Ch 8
Company reports? (3 types to setup) -
1) Company Setup Checklist
2) Fiscal Periods
3) Credit Cards -
Ch 9
.CNK files? - Merged with corresponding dictionary file and deleted.
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Ch 9
4 files associated with GP Business Logic installation? -
1) SQL.CNK
2) DYNAMICS.DIC
3) SLASH.BMP
4) DEXVBA.HLP -
Ch 9
All fields, tables, windows, text, and reports stored here? - Application Dictionary - Dynamics.Dic
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Ch 9
Some application files for the install? -
1) DEX.DIC
2) DEX.INI
3) DEX.TLB
4) DEXFIELD.TLB
5) DEXRFLD.TLB
6) DEXVBA.TLB
7) DYNAMICS.SET
8) DYNAMICS.EXE -
Ch 9
dynamics.exe? - The GP Engine - also known as the runtime. Runs both GP and GP Utilities
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Ch 9
What may be included on NT/200/XP clients? - The Process Server and the Distributed Process Manager
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Ch 9
Process server exe and Distributed Process Manager exe? -
1) DPS.EXE
2) DPM.EXE -
Ch 9
Distributed Process Manager? - Used with load balancing to determine which process server in a group a process should be performed on.
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Ch 9
CONTAIN.EXE - OLE container application. Allows you to attache OLE objects to GP notes.
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Ch 9
DEX.DIC -
Dexterity dictionary.
Contains resources such used by the Dexteritiy dev system.
1) fields
2) tables
3) windows
4) text
5) reports -
Ch 9
DYNAMICS.SET -
locations of:
1) Application dictionary
2) forms dictionary
also locations of each integrating application dictionary -
Ch 9
Launch files? - Located only on client computers or on data servers being used as clients.
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Ch 9
Reports.dic - Created when you access Report Writer for the first time at the location specified in Dynamics.set
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Ch 9
For an add on component, where would you find it's reports dictionary? - It would have its own reports dictionary with a .dic extension.
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Ch 9
Where to store reports.dic? 3 places - On client, process server, or on windows server
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Ch 9
Forms.dic? - Created when you access Modifier for the first time.
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Ch 9
storing dictionaries on a network volume? - 1) Must be mounted correctly using appropriate network software
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Ch 9
optimal performance and storage of application dictionaries. - optimal performance occurs when storing on the local hard drive
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Ch 9
3 files for GP Utilities? -
1) DYNUTILS.DIC
2) DEX.INI
3) DYNUTILS.SET -
Ch 9
DYNUTILS.DIC - Contains windows and other resources used to perform utilities such as defining your account framework and updating data from one version of GP to another
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Ch 9
DYNUTILS.SET - used to start GP Utilities and access resources in the Utilities application directory
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CH 9
DEX.INI -
the GP default file.
-Contains setup and operating info about GP
-where files are located and
-whether certain functions such as displaying print dialogues should be performed -
CH 9
DEX.INI where stored? - on each computer where the app files are installed. Info in the file affects only the computer where the file is located.
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Ch 9
Order that GP checks for defaults file? -
1) GP Directors
2) Windows or WINNT folder -
Ch 9
Protocol for the defaults file? - If 2 files exist, the one in the GP folder wins. If NO file exists GP creates on in the windows folder.
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Ch 9
defaults file - SQLDeadlockRetries? -
defines number of times that GP retries a sanScript statement when a deadlocked condition occurs.
If setting not uised, the default is ZERO -
Ch 9
defaults file -
SQLLogSQLStmt - TRUE indicates the SQL statements generated are written to the DEXSQL.LOG. If file already exists, entries are appended!
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Ch 9
Defaults file -
SQLLogODBSMessages - TRUE indicates whether ODBC messages generated while a Dexterity application is running will be written to a log file named DEXSQL.LOG.
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Ch 9
SQLLogALLODBCMessages - If true captures all ODBC messages and puts them in DEXSQL.LOG. More information than SQLLogODBCMessages.
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Ch 9
defaults file - SQLLoginTimeout
default? - Specify a timeout period for SQL Login. Default is 15 seconds!
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Ch 9
SQLProcsTimeout -
Integer value
amount of time in seconds for stored procedures to execute -
Ch 9
SQLRprtsTimeout -
Integer value
amount of time in seconds for a report to print -
Ch 9
9 SQL files for Company -
Alerts.sql
defaults.cmp
indexes.cmp
proces.cmp
rules.cmp
stubs.cmp
tables.cmp
triggers.cmp
views.cmp -
Ch 9
4 files for HR? -
in the HR folder
COM_TRIG.SQL
COMPPROC.SQL
SYS_TRIG.SQL
SYSPROCS.SQL -
Ch 9
SYSTEM files - DATA folder containing all files for GP system data tables with a .OUT extension
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Ch 9
Upgrade folder? - folder with scripts used to update data from previous versions of GP
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Ch 9
6 folders with sql setup files? -
1) Company
2) Util
3) Lesson
4) Upgrade
5) System
6) HR -
Ch 10
SQL Options? (what does it do, who can use the window?) -
Let's you automatically create SQL logins on the server and db users on all GP databases. If this is checked then you don't have to create SQL and GP logins separately.
Must be logged in as SA -
Ch 10
What happens if SQL options are not checked? - The password is NOT encrypted
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Ch 10
Transaction logging and rollback procedures? what 4 modules? -
incorporated into batch processing procedure for:
-GL
-Payables Management
-Receivables Management
-Sales Order Processing -
Ch 10
Transactions and rolling back during the posting of a batch? - When a batch is processed, each transaction is performed then either committed or rolled back.
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Ch 10
a batch is left with unprocessed transactions? - Need to restore batch to a postable state.
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Ch 10
3 steps to posting a batch -
1) Posting
2) Reporting
3) Clean-up -
Ch 10
Posting? - Inserting and updating records in appropriate tables
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Ch 10
Reporting - printing audit reports
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Ch 10
clean-up - during posting process, remove transactions from single use batches and updating the dates of recurring batches
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Ch 10
What if one of the 3 posting sections has completed successfully? - Then it should not be run again.
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Ch 10
What's the first step in the recovery process? - To identify when a batch was not able to finish posting.
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Ch 10
How do you determine if a batch was not able to finish posting? 2 ways -
Check the SY_Batch_Activity_MSTR table to see if there is a user id and company = true for the user that was posting the batch.
2) Also, the user that had their posting interrupted will see a message that there was a batch that failed when they try to login -
Ch 10
What to do if user gets that "batch failed" error message when logging in. - Clear their record from the activity table
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Ch 10
What happens if you boot a user from the activity table that's using GP - You risk corrupting your accounting data.
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Ch 10
How do you look at batches and failed batches? - Go to the batch recovery window. (tooles->routines->batch recovery)
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Ch 10
How do you continue processing a failed batch? - Go to the batch recovery window
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Ch 10
What are the 5 statii of a failed batch? (and what actions do you take) -
1) Posting Interrupted (select batch, click CONTINUE)
2) Journal Printing Interrupted (select batch, click CONTINUE)
3) Table Updates Interrupted (select batch, click CONTINUE)
4) Recurring batch error, Edit Required (select batch, EDIT required, click CONTINUE, status changes to AVAILABLE, go edit)
5) Transaction Error, Edit Required (select batch, EDIT required, click CONTINUE, status changes to AVAILABLE, go edit) -
Ch 10
Identity values. -
Uses DEX_ROW_ID
due to the use of DEX ROW ID GP does not support SQLServer replication -
Ch 10
Advantage of stored procedures? -
Reduced number of queries sent betweent the client and server
-Greater Performance
-Database level enforcement of transaction logging and rollback -
Ch 10
Dexterity and stored procedures? -
-Atomic stored procedures
-Achieve strong performance whilst relieving development load associated w/maintaining both client and server code bases for same logic -
Ch 10
GP and atomic sprocs? - With atomic sprocs GP delivers performance that is consisten throughout the entire application.
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Ch 10
How many sprocs per table? - avg 10, and generated automatically depending on the keys
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Ch 10
recreate sprocs that are corrupted? -
You use the files:
procs.sys and procs.cmp to in the GP SQL Objects folder to recreate the sprocs -
Ch 10
5 prefixes for sprocs and their meanings? -
1) ZDP_xxx - auto generated proces for all low level sql table ops
2) Smxxx - system manager proces in system db
3) Glxxx, glpxxx, and glpmc - General ledger, general posting and gl multicurrency in company db
4) Duxxx - GP utilities procs
5) Frl - FRX procs -
Ch 10
12 GP series -
1) Financial
2) Distribution
3) HR and Payroll
4) Field Service
5) Business Forms
6) CRM
7) Manufacturing Series
8) E-Business Series
9) Customization and Integration Series
10) Project Series
11) GP Hosting Series
12) Purchasing Series -
Ch 11
3 types of RESTRICT ACCESS? -
1) DBO use only
2) Single User
3) Read Only (meaning users can retrieve data, but not modify it) -
Ch 11
3 Recovery Models? -
1) Simple
2) Bulk-Logged
3) Full -
Ch 11
Simple recovery model? -
1) The transaction log is truncated every time the CHECKPOINT process occurs (about 1 time every minute)
2) Limites recoverability of system
3) Never have to worry about transaction log size -
Ch 11
Bulk-Logged recovery model? -
1) Only the result of transactions are maintained, not the transaction details
2) Keeping of a transaction log is not allowed since it would be useless -
Ch 11
Full recovery model? -
1) Allows db to be restored to any point of failure
2) Backing up the log is the only mechanism to empty the log so you must do regular back ups of the transaction log -
Ch 11
ANSI NULL Default -
Specifies whether db columns are defined as NULL or NOT NULL by default.
Leave it unchecked since ANSI settings can cause password problems for GP. -
Ch 11
Recursive triggers - Leave it clear. GP does not use recursive triggers
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Ch 11
Torn page detection - When on SQL looks for faulty or torn data pages and attempts to make repairs
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Ch 11
Auto close - Leave it clear. This will close the db when all users log out and all processes in it end. However, there is overhead associated with this.
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Ch 11
Auto shrink - Leave this option clear. Specifies db files are candidates for peridoic shrinking. However, it causes performance degredation during shrinking
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Ch 11
Auto create statistics? -
Recommend YES to check!
when checked, statistics used for any column in a predicate are automatically created. It improves query performance. -
Ch 11
Auto update statistics? -
MBS recommends TRUE
allows existing statistics to be updated when they get out of date. -
Ch 11
Use quoted identifiers -
Leave this unchecked.
Specifies SQL server enforce ANSI rules regarding quotation marks. Double quotes can be used only for identifiers. Quoted identifiers can cause data transfer problems in GP -
Ch 11
DB compatibility level -
Level 80 = SQL2000
Level 70 = SQL 7.0
Use this to retain earlier behaviors if existing apps depend on those behaviors -
Ch 11
Describe a good backup plan: -
1) Full Database Backup
2) Differential Backup - all changes since the last backup are backedup. This presupposes there is a FULL BACKUP. Advantage is that it lets you restore 1 backup that would take SEVERAL transaction log backups to restore.
3) Transaction log backup. All information in the log with a committed status. -
Ch 11
inactive portion of a transaction log during backups? - it is deleted (all information that is before the oldest uncommitted transaction is truncated)
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Ch 11
What determines frequency and type of backups? -
1) The acceptable amount of work that can be lost due to media or other failure.
2) The volume of transactions that occur on the SQL Server -
Ch 11
How long should you keep backups? - At least until the end of month activity is completed.
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Ch 11
How long to keep log backups? - At least 2 weeks
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Ch 11
What GP resources need to be backed up? -
FORMS.DIC
REPORTS.DIC
DYNAMICS database
Each of the company databases -
Ch 11
When should you back up? (5 times) -
1) Creating a database (afterwards)
2) Performing a non-logged operation
3) SQL DB Maintenance Procedures (damage due to power fluctuation or hardware failure)
4) Check Links and Reconcile - Before and After
5) Upgrade - before and after -
Ch 11
Scheduling Recompile and Update Statistics procedures? - If they are already a scheduled to run in SQLServer, then it's not necessary to set them up to run in Great Plains.
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Ch 11
Recompile?
3 times it occurs -
When new indices are added, this will recompile query plans to re-optimize them.
1) Happens automatically first time an sproc is run after SQL is restarted
2) Happens if an underlying table is modified
3) If a new index is added, it does not happen until SQL is restarted -
Ch 11
Update Statistics -
SQL keeps stats on the dist of key values in each index and uses these stats in decisions about which index to use in query processing. If a sig change occurs in key values in an index, rerun UPDATE STATISTICS.
Run automatically when you create or recreate an index on a table that already has data -
Ch 11
Drop/Create Table - Convenient way to drop and recreate tables that may have become damaged
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Ch 11
Drop/Create Auto Procedure - Convenient way to drop and recreate sprocs
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Ch 11
Using SQL Scheduled Jobs - Use SQL Scheduled Jobs to execute sprocs
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Ch 11
How often to run SQLServer maintenance? - Every week for optimal performance.
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Ch 11
DBCC CHECKDB - checks all tables in a database to ensure INDEXES and DATA PAGES are correctly linked.
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Ch 11
What database is not specified when running CHECKDB - It checks the current database!
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Ch 11
DBCC CHECKDB in repair mode? - Running it in repair mode puts the database in single-user mode. Only run this when noone is in the database.
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Ch 11
DBCC CHECKCATALOG -
1) Checks for consistency in and between system tables.
Checks to make sure that every type in syscolumns has a matching entry is systypes
2) Reports on any segments that have been defined -
Ch 11
DBCC REINDEX -
rebuilds an index for a table or all indexes defined for a table.
Useful for pages that become full and then split.
Rebuilds each page size to its optimal fullness -
Ch 11
In DBMW what is "Reogranize data and index pages" - THe equivalent of DBCC DBREINDEX
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Ch 11
Ch 11
In DBMW what is "Update Statistics Used by Query Analyzer" - The equivalent of running Update Statistics
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Ch 11
What is "Remove Unused Space from Database Files" in the DBMW? - The same as DBCC SHRINKDATABASE
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Ch 11
In DBMW, what is Check Database Integrity equal to?
what about with the EXCLUDE option? and what is the recommendation? -
It's the same as DBCC CHECKDB
with EXCLUDE options it's the same as DBCC CHECKDB NOINDEX. It's recommended to include indexes. -
Ch 11
How do you maintain a history of the Maintenance plan? - select WRITE HISTORY to the msdb.dbo.sysdbmaintplan check box. You can limit it to a set number of rows.
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Ch 11
Check Links and Reconcile -
Use relationships between tables to repair, reconstruct, or replace data in tables.
Check links can recreate missing data.
Reconcile typically used when data consistency between tables needs to be reconciled -
Ch 11
Check Links -
Some info in table groups is stored in 2 or more tables that compose them.
If info in 1 table is damaged or missing, then CHECK LINKS goes to the other tables to get the same data to fix it -
Ch 11
How do you find the name of a table that's been damaged? - Find the table group by using the ONLINE FIELD DESCRIPTIONS
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Ch 11
What happens if a damaged table is in the system or company series? - It may not be available to be checked. In this case skip check links and go on to Reconciling.
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Ch 11
Check links...how often to run? - Only if data damage is suspected. Does not need to be run as a regular part of maintenance.
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Ch 11
Reconciling? -
1) Compares corresponding data in diff table groups and removes orphan records
2) Checks to make sure that corressponding data in different tables is the same, and if not changes the data in the table being reconciled to match the data in the table with which it's being compared. -
Ch 11
When to run reconcile - Only when damage is suspected. Does not need to be a part of regular maintenance
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Ch 11
File format for backups done from the GP GUI? -
includes the data
TWO_Apr20-2004.back -
Ch 11
What 3 files are associated with the restore process? -
1) restore.bat - ised to run the OSQL restore statement for MSDE
2) restore.sql - T-SQL used to restore the database
3) restorerr.txt - error log -
Ch 11
What do you do before running check links? - Do a database back up
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Ch 12
What is the optimal OS configuration? 6 things -
1) Use Microsoft TCP/IP
2) Ensure Background Services is checked (it's the default)
3) Store Pagefile on disks that are separate from SQLServer disks
4) In Win2k Resource Management, make sure that Maximize Throughout for Network Applications is checked
5) Turn off any unused Win2k Services
6) USE Hardware level RAID! SW level RAID is not supported -
Ch 12
How to find bottle necks? -
1) put a repeatable load on the server
2) Measure how system resources perform
3) Analyze those measurements
4) Modify server hardware and software to eliminate bottlenecks
5) start the process over until until you have reached the ultimate performance bottleneck -
Ch 12
3 things to test load? -
1) Actual load (bad)
2) Capacity planning tools
3) Benchmark that simulates load on server -
Ch 12
Why is an actual load a bad way to test a bottleneck? -
1) May not be repeatable
2) May upset users -
Ch 12
ordering of looking for bottlenecks? 4 things -
1) Memory bottlenecks
2) Disk bottlenecks
3) Network bottlenecks
4) CPU bottlenecks -
Ch 12
3 tips for server testing and tuning -
1) 1 change at a time
2) Repeat monitoring after every change
3) Review event logs -
Ch 12
4 types of counters that are key to optimizing Win2k -
1) Memory Counters
2) Disk
3) Network
4) CPU -
Ch 12
What are the 2 critical memory counters? -
1) Memory\available bytes
2) Memory\pages/sec -
Ch 12
What are the 2 critical disk counters? -
1) Physical disk\%disk time
2) Physical disk\Current Disk Queue Length -
Ch 12
What are the 3 critical network counters? -
1) Network Interface\Bytes Received/sec
2) Network Interface\Bytes send/sec
3) Network Interface\Bytes Total/sec -
Ch 12
4 critical CPU counters? -
1) Processor\%Processor Time
(80-90% indicates need for CPU upgrade)
2) Processor\Interrupts/Sec (dramatic increase w/o increase in system activity indicates hw problem)
3) Server Work Queues\Queue Length (above 4 is a problem)
4) System processor\queue length (above 10 is a problem) -
Ch 12
SQLServer and tuning -
Let SQLServer do most of the tuning automatically
RAM is a limited resource
Pick good indexes
Evaluate disk i/o subsystem (must prevent disk queuing)
Tune apps and queries (must understand architecture basics, and index tuning to minimize I/O)
Use SQL Profiler to monitor SQL workload
Use Performance Monitor
Use Graphical Showplanand SQL Query Analyzer -
Ch 12
SQLServer and RAM - RAM is a limited resource. The focus of performance tuning is to reduce I/O so the buffer cache can best be utilized
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Ch 12
STATISTICS IO? - used to tune queries
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Ch 12
Minimum memory setting per MBS? - 5% of total RAM
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Ch 12
How to test minimum memory setting? - SQLServer Process: Working Set counter
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Ch 12
MBS max memory guideline? - 5-15% less than the total RAM available
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Ch 12
Dynamic vs fixed memory settings for SQL? - Dynamic gives best performance over time.
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Ch 12
Processor and tuning? and recommendation -
use processor control box to increase performance on SMP systems.
Can specify which processors use SQL
Exclude certain CPUs from SQL activity
Recommend that ALL processors be marked with processor control box -
Ch 12
Boost SQL Server Priority on Windows NT? -
specifies if SQL should run at a higher priority in NT Scheduler than other processes on the same computer
Should only be used on dedicated SQL computer
Monitor performance before and after selecting option -
Ch 12
Boost priority and priority bases? -
Changes NT priority base to 15 on single processor and 24 on multi-processor
defaults are 7 on single and 15 on SMP -
Ch 12
benefits of RAID? 3 things -
1) more consistent performance
2) higher fault tolerance
3) easier fault-recovery
(read/write performance is boosting by spreading data across multiple servers)
fault tolerance through mirroring and parity -
Ch 12
RAID 0 - WRites data to multiple disks with no fault tolerance
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Ch 12
RAID 1 - Complete mirror image of all data written
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Ch 12
RAID 5 and 5 things about it -
Write to multiple disks, fault tolerant, parity stripe
1) minimum 3 hard disks
2) lower cost per MB
3) moderate write performance
4) excellent read performance
5) up to 32 Hard disks -
Ch 12
RAID 10 - combines mirroring and parity striping
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Ch 12
MBS recommendation for RAID? -
1) Log files on RAID 1 mirror set due to need for better write performance
2) data files on RAID 5 stripe set with parity -
Ch 12
What determines the usefulness of an index? - The selectivity of the data for a query
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Ch 12
What to use to determine if indexing is a bottleneck? - SQL Profiler
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Ch 12
6 tools to use to evaluate performance? -
1) SQL Profiler Log
2) SQL Server Error Log
3) DEXSQL.LOG (by adding switched to DEX.INI
4) Current Activity Window in Enterprise Manager
5) Win2k Event Log
6) Win2k System Monitor -
Ch 12
SQLServer:Cache Manager:Cache Hit Ratio less than 80% -
memory is the bottleneck
monitors percent of instances where sprocs and triggers are accessed in cache memory.
Resolution:
allocate more SQL memory or increase system memory -
Ch 12
SQLServer:Buffer Manager: Buffer Cache Hit Ratio -
If consistently low, then memory is bottleneck.
What? Monitors percent of instances where data pages are accessed in cache memory
Resolution:
Increase memory allocated to SQL. 90% or higher is desirable indicating 90% of all requests satisfied from cache -
Ch 12
Memory:Page Faults/sec -
if high, then not enough system memory.
What? Measures how often data is not immediately available in a working set
Resolution: Increase system memory. Also eliminate non-critical processes -
Ch 12
Process: Working Set - if below amount of memory SQL is configured to use, the SQL is configured for more memory than it needs
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Ch 12
SQLServer:Buffer Manager: Lazy Writes/sec -
if active for extended intervals, then disk subsystem may not be adequate to the current I/O demands
Resolution:
Observe LogicalDisk: Avg Disk Queue Length or Physial Disk: Avg Disk Queue Length to reveal disk congestion. A value over 2 indicates disk congestion. Increase number of drives or obtain faster drives. -
Ch 12
5 points for HD performance? -
1) db and log files on separate physical disks
2) RAID 1 for logs and RAID 5 for data
3) Log and Data device should be NTFS
4) GP app code, Win2k system files, and Win2k page files on separate phys disk
5) use Fast SCSI, Fast Wide SCSI, Ultra Wide SCSI -
Ch 12
4 points for Memory? -
1) at least 512 MB
2) allow SQL to manage memory
3) Reduce maximum memory by 5-15%
4) increase minimum memory by 5% -
Ch 12
7 points for Server config? -
1) No SQL on domain controller or exchange server
2) Uninstall unnecessary services
3) server should be dedicated
4) use multiple processors
5) use at least 32 bit NICs
6) set server service to maximize throughput for apps
7) optimize performance to background services -
Ch 12
3 network tips? -
1) limit network to 1 protocol
2) Prefer TCP/IP
3) For Win2k Server and professional, first protocol should be same as Net Library used in SQL Client Config -
Ch 12
3 DBA tips? -
1) Select AUTO CREATE STATISTICS option
2) Select AUTO UPDATE STATISTICS option
3) Setup DB maintenance wizard to perform integrity checks and optimize statistics on a weekly basis -
Ch 13
Process Server? 3 things -
Distributed processing
ease workload on client
improve performance of GP -
Ch 13
Why Process server important? -
1) Allows you to send lengthy tasks to a Process Server.
2) Client is immediately available for data entry.
3) Can initiate from client, but direct work to server -
Ch 13
Examples of what can be run remotely? 4 things -
1) Large reports
2) financial reports
3) check printing
4) posting processes -
Ch 13
3 components of Process Server environment? -
1) Distributed Process Manager
2) Distributed Process Server
3) GP Client Workstations -
Ch 13
DPM? 2 things -
1) The traffic manager of the PS environment.
2) Responsible for tracking all process servers, client machines, and remote processes in the network. -
Ch 13
DPS? 2 things -
1) The workhorse of the PS environment.
2) processes tasks sent to it by clients, and sends updated info to the data server -
Ch 13
Process Server system requirements? 4 supported DPS and DPM platforms -
NT Server,
Win2k Server
Win2k Pro
XP Pro -
Ch 13
DNS and PS system? - each workstation must have DNS or a host file configured
-
Ch 13
ip addresses in the process server environment - ip addresses are NOT used in this environment. names only!
-
Ch 13
DSN on GP clients in PS environment? - DSN for all GP clients must be the same!!!
-
Ch 13
symptom of incorrect DSN setup? - a login window appearing on the client machine or on the DPS when a task is sent to the DPS
-
Ch 13
services (in a DP environment) -
1) collection of Process Servers that are grouped together in PS setup
2) -
Ch 13
how many process servers can you have in a service? what's best? restrictions? -
1) NO LIMIT!
2) 3 process servers is best.
3) must have same number of process services across multiple services
4) can also function as standalone process servers -
Ch 13
Load Balancing
3 things -
1) balancing the workload between process servers in a service
2) DPM figures out which process server in a service should receive the job.
3) DPM does not balance load between stand alone process servers -
Ch 13
DPM passivity? -
1) a passive component that simply informs clients of DPS status. Client then chooses DPS
2) Important because if DPM is unavailable, PS system continues to function.
3) If DPM offline, load balancing cannot be achieved, but jobs continue to process on the process servers -
Ch 13
How many DPM per network? - ONLY 1!
-
Ch 13
How DPM chooses DPS? 2 things -
1) number of jobs in DPS queue
2) CPU speed of the DPS -
Ch 13
What if more than 1 DPS is available? - CPU speed is tie breaker!
-
Ch 13
What if DPS is offline? -
the job is sent to the first DPS in list of Process Servers
DPM tracks whether DPS are online. -
Ch 13
DPS environment? where to install? 2 things -
1) Can be installed on any workstation, even those used for client entry.
2) MBS recommends the use of a dedicated Processor Server machine though. -
Ch 13
When to use data entry machine as DPS? - only when it is not being used to full capacity
-
Ch 13
Installing DPS on the data server? - saves on network traffic, but increases load on server itself
-
Ch 13
How many clients and process servers? - As many as the network allows
-
Ch 13
Process Server and multiprocessor machines? - These can actually run multiple process servers
-
Ch 13
Requirements for Process Server? -
1) NT 4 SP 6a
2) Win2k SP 3
Win2k Pro SP3
Win XP - SQL Versions
-
For SQL 8.0 (SQL2000)
8.00.194 = Base release
8.00.384 = sp1
8.00.534 = sp2
8.00.636 = hot fix worm fix
8.00.760 = sp3 -
Ch 13
criteria for off-loaded tasks? (2 things) -
1) can only send global scripts to the DPS (it would be a waste of time to send a task to a process server, then have the process server go back to the workstation for data)
2) only tasks that do not require interaction can be offloaded -
Ch 13
Financial tasks that can be offloaded? -
1) Bank Reconciliation: Reconcile
2) Financial Statements
3) General Ledger: Posting
4) General Ledger: Trial Balance
5) Multicurrency: GL Account History
6) Multicurrency: Reevaluation -
Ch 13
Sales tasks to offload? -
1) Invoicing: Alignment Form
2) Invoicing: Documents
3) Invoicing: Posting
4) Receivables: Accounts Due Report
5) Receivables: Aged Trial Balance Report
6) Receivables: Alignment Form Statements
7) Receivables: Historical Aged Trial Balance Report
8) Receivables: Posting
9) Receivables: Quick Aged Trial Balance Report
10) Receivables: Statements
11) Sales Order Proc: Documents
12) Sales Order Proc: Posting
13) Sales Order Proc: Sales Document Analysis Report -
Ch 13
Pitfalls to DPS? -
1) Errors or warnings are not displayed on the client (the person at the workstation will not be notified)
5) Any printer output is directed to the DPS default printer w/o any destination dialogue for the end user -
Ch 13
3 Ways to mitigate lack of error messages in DPS processing? -
1) A log on the DPS can keep a log by selecting an option during SETUP
2) DPS provides a Process Monitor for personnel to monitor their tasks
3)_ Use UNC pathing to have the process server send the output back to the client machine -
Ch 13
What to specify when setting up DPS? -
1) Processes
2) DPM
3) DPS
4) Services
5) Target DPS or service for each process -
Ch 13
"Track Start and End Times" in the process server setup window? - This is the log!
-
Ch 13
How many services can a process server be in? - 1 service per process server
-
Ch 13
How many servers in all of your services? - number of servers should be consistent across all services
-
Ch 13
4 Fundamental steps to setting up a remote process? -
1) Service
2) Servers in Service
3) Process assignment
4) Setting user preferences -
Ch 13
What if a user chooses to define local processing of distributed processes? - Their local setting overrides and remote processing services.
-
Ch 13
How can admin defeat user override? -
Run this script in query analyzer?
Use dynamics
update sy01400 set distproc=1 -
Ch 13
How touse UNC to notify about Process Server errors? -
-Use UNC path.
-Setup file share on client
-Define report destination to client's file share. -
Ch 13
How to monitor processes? - use PROCESS MONITOR WINDOW
-
Ch 13
Process Monitor Window? client vs server -
on client - view any processes running on local machine, processes to process server, and process running on any process server in system
on server - viewing processes running on local process server only -
Ch 13
3 process states? -
1) Active
2) Ready
3) Error (error occured processing cancelled) -
Ch 13
Process Server Inquiry Window? - 1) Renders information when the TRACK START AND END TIMES checkbox is checked for a remote process
-
Ch 13
What if TRACK START AND END TIMES not checked? What about PS Inquiry Window? - It still shows errors. Just not start and end times.
-
Ch 13
Why ENABLE LOAD BALANCING when setting up a process server? - to use the DPM to balance the load.
-
Ch 14
FRx? - High powered financial reporting
-
Ch 14
What can do with FRx? 10 things -
1) DrillDown Viewer
2) see finaincial summary reports to see underlying account and transaction details
3) email to remote users
4) export and import to excel, xml, or csv
5) IF THEN statement
6) Drag and Drop units in your reporting tree to see effect of restructuring
7) Create rollup structures that do not exist in chart of accounts
8) Customize fonts, colors, borders
9) Report on posted and unposted activity
10) Compare revenue and expense figures for different departments -
Ch 14
Thing client vs Thick client configs? and recommendation -
1) THIN - FRx files on a network directory
2) THICK - install program files for each user, low maintenance, heavy network
Recommendation is for a THICK client, higher maintenance, easier on network -
Ch 14
Problem with thin client? - Troubleshooting in FAT client environment is easier.