Optimizing Database Maintenance

If you run only one POA for the post office, you can adjust the number of database maintenance threads. If database maintenance needs are extremely heavy for a post office, you can set up a dedicated database maintenance POA to meet those needs.


Adjusting the Number of POA Threads for Database Maintenance

The POA by default performs a certain amount of database maintenance. In addition, you can create your own customized maintenance events as described in Scheduling Database Maintenance and Scheduling Disk Space Management.

By default, the POA starts one thread to handle all POA scheduled events and also all usage of the Mailbox/Library Maintenance feature in ConsoleOne.

To adjust the number of POA database maintenance handler threads:

  1. In ConsoleOne, browse to and right-click the POA object, then click Properties.

  2. Click GroupWise > Maintenance to display the Maintenance page.


    Maintenance property page
  3. Increase the number in the Maintenance Handler Threads field.

  4. Click OK to save the new thread setting.

    ConsoleOne then notifies the POA to restart so the new setting can be put into effect.

Corresponding Startup Switches
You could also use the /gwchkthreads switch in the POA startup file to increase the number of POA threads started for database maintenance activities.

POA Web Console
The Status page helps you assess whether the POA is currently meeting the database maintenance needs of the post office. Under the Thread Status heading, click GWCheck Worker Threads to display the workload and status of the database maintenance handler threads.

You can change the number of database maintenance handler threads on the Configuration page. Under Performance Settings, click Maximum GWCheck Processing Threads.


Configuring a Dedicated Database Maintenance POA

If a large amount of database maintenance needs to be performed for a post office, you can set up a dedicated database maintenance POA so that the database maintenance activities do not impact other POA activities, such as responding to GroupWise client users.

  1. Create a new POA object for the post office as described in Creating a POA Object in eDirectory.

  2. Right-click the new POA object, then click Properties.

  3. Click GroupWise > Maintenance to display the Maintenance page.


    Maintenance property page
  4. Make sure Enable Automatic Database Recovery is selected.

  5. Set Maintenance Handler Threads as needed.

    The maximum number of threads you can start for database maintenance is 8.

  6. Deselect Perform User Upkeep and deselect Generate Address Book for Remote. Make sure another POA handles these tasks.

  7. Set Disk Check Interval and Disk Check Delay as appropriate for the database maintenance events you plan to schedule.

  8. Click Apply to save the updated information on the Maintenance page.

  9. Click GroupWise > Scheduled Events, then create database maintenance events as needed, as described in Scheduling Database Maintenance and Scheduling Disk Space Management.

  10. Click GroupWise > Agent Settings.

  11. Set Message File Processing to Off. Make sure another POA handles message file processing.

  12. Deselect Enable TCP/IP (for Client/Server) and set TCP Handler Threads to 0. Make sure another POA handles client/server processing.

  13. Click Apply to save the updated information on the Agent Settings page.

  14. Click GroupWise > QuickFinder.

  15. Deselect Enable QuickFinder Indexing. Make sure another POA handles indexing.

  16. Click OK to save the new settings for dedicated database maintenance processing.

  17. Install the POA software on a different server from where the original POA for the post office is already running. See "Installing GroupWise Agents" in the GroupWise 6.5 Installation Guide.

  18. Add the /name switch to the POA startup file and specify the name designated when you created the new POA object. Also add the /name switch to the startup file for the original POA.

  19. Start the dedicated database maintenance POA. See Starting the POA.

Corresponding Startup Switches
You could also use the /nomf, /notcpip, /noqf, /nonuu, and /nordab switches in the POA startup file to disable unwanted processing, then use the /gwchkthreads switch to increase the number of database maintenance handler threads.