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Primavera 5 / 6 Speed

16 replies [Last post]
Sat, 2008-04-19 23:21
shiv rao
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Gentlemen,

I would like to know if some one working with P 5/6 has more then 10000 activities in a particular schedule. How much time do you take in accessing data [ scheduling , deleting WBS elements, Deleting acivities, importing , exporting] .
I am presently working on a Major Shutdown Schedule for LNG TRain. The Schedule consists of projects ranging from 10000 to 40000 activities . And facing problem in doing the above activities [ time taken is more like deleting WBS - 5/10 minutes, importing - several hrs 4/5 hrs]
Do you know can we improve the speed of accessing the database for the functions reqd.

Regards
Shiv Rao
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Replies

Thu, 2013-06-06 11:44
#1
Leo Nicholson
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Exactly how do I  execute these queries in Microsoft SQL Server:

1st Query

update statistics project with fullscan ,all
update statistics task with fullscan, all

2nd Query
exec sp_updatestats

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Wed, 2009-02-25 06:03
#2
António Faria
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Hello Dieter.

Thanks a lot for your effort to put Primavera on wheels.
I tried a solution from Primavera Knowledge Database where it was stated a solution for this kind of problem: opening Projects is slow.
It worked. The solution was just to execute two queries in Microsoft SQL Server:

1st Query

update statistics project with fullscan ,all
update statistics task with fullscan, all

2nd Query
exec sp_updatestats

Now, I’m trying to check why Microsoft Server Express doesn’t do it automatically. What setting is disable or what is needed to set MSE (script, …)?

Thanks again,
António
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Fri, 2009-02-20 20:24
#3
Dieter Wambach
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António

I compared with my installation. There is just one difference: SQLServer (SQLExpress). You have two installed SQL-servers. Does system’s behaviour change if you stop this service?
Huge time to start P6: What happens if you’ll create a user with only rights for that project? Significantly faster? What is the size of the total database? (Be careful, number of activities for closed projects is only correct after summarize!)
As for the other thread you mentioned: Up to now I relied on the automatted functions to create/update the index files plus a back-up/restore from time to time. For me this was ok.

Regards
Dieter
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Fri, 2009-02-20 08:31
#4
António Faria
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Sorry for the late reply, but I was traveling.

My Primavera version is 6.2.

1. Thanks for the tip. :) My main project has approx. 6000 activities.

2. Ok

3. That is not so easy, because as you know, this means a new laptop. And for sure is more expensive than, for example, a Citrix license to work in the server.

4. Related to MS SQL, in the Administrative Tools\Services I saw the following:

SQL Server (Primavera) - Started - Automatic - Network Service,
SQLServer (SQLExpress) - Started - Automatic - Network Service,
SQL Server Active Directory Helper - .............. - Disable - Network Service,
SQL Server Browser - Started - Automatic - Network Service,
SQL Server FullText Search (Primavera) - Started - Automatic - Network Service,
SQL Server VSS Writer - Started - Automatic - Local System.

I didn’t found out any other version than MSQL Express.

I checked the Tested Configurations on my documentation CD:
Primavera P6 v6.2\Documentation\Documentation\English\Tested Configurations

and the difference is in the SP of the SQL Server Express. There is mentioned SP2 and I have SP3. But I had the same problem with SP2. I just update it because our IT force us to have the last SP available installed for security reasons.

5. The only problems that I have are with the Primavera.

What I didn’t say was that this huge time that Primavera takes is only when I start Primavera (PM) or when I delete some project. Scheduling time seams acceptable.

Maybe the problem is the same that is in the following thread:

http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=1&Cat=8&Top=56135

Thanks for the help/tips,
AF
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Fri, 2009-02-06 14:56
#5
Dieter Wambach
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António
Sounds strange. Which version of Primavera?
1. Number of activities: View "Projects" --> cursor into table area --> right mouse button --> columns --> customize --> add the column "Total Activities" under "Number of activities". According to the speed you mentioned it should be about 1Mio.
2. Due to higher performance of a database server, the performance should be better with a server db
3. Your pc should be sufficient for a local installation. One item to be improved: A good graphic card with own memory.
4. Problem may be (I assume) due to the active services. (Control panel--> Services) There seems to be a conflict between MS SQL-Server and another Software. Do you have another version of SQL-Server on your machine. Check version and SP with "Tested configurations" on your installation cd Documentation.
5. Another reason may be a defect hardware. How does your pc work with other software?
6. Did your IT guys check your pc already? Windows settings....

The speed is absolutely not ok. But it’s not Primavera. You are very patient.

Good luck!
Dieter
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Fri, 2009-02-06 13:34
#6
António Faria
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Hi

Just one question.

I’m not seeing how can I count the total activities of my project(s), but I suffer the same problems described.

My situation:
I have configured Primavera to work with a local database and with a server database.

I was thinking that working with a server database will be more time consumption (network speed) than locally. So I start to use DB locally for daily work and use the server DB as a backup.

Problem:
If I change something into the main project, it takes 1 hour to see the changes. If I change something into the subprojects, it’s quick (some seconds).

Nevertheless, to load database locally it takes 1h30m and if I need to delete a project, it takes 1h to have again access to Primavera (jammed).

My question is: it will be quicker to work on the server with Cytrix or changing laptop (other processor with more memory, …), or simply adding a graphic card?

My laptop:
Processor: Core 2 Duo T8100@2.1GHz
Memory: 2x2GB
Graphic Card: Shared

Thanks,

BR,
AF
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Sun, 2008-04-27 03:46
#7
Dieter Wambach
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Hi Shiv, hi Douglas
I know some companies working effectively with a co-operation Citrix - Primavera Enterprise (P5/P6). But usage of Citrix is part of IT-strategy which we have to accept.
Slow operation of your PC for my experience is related to the PC:
- Hardware: Min. 1GB, sufficient disk space, dual core: not really supported - I found some, little usage already,
- installed, but not used hardware may slow down due to polling.
- Windows: Installed services, the most effective brakes for any system
- Windows doesn’t become better being used. New set-up is required from time to time
- Task Manager: Check all running processes.
On our team notebook we don’t face such difficulties.
Regards
Dieter
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Sat, 2008-04-26 17:03
#8
Douglas Mello
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when i wrote "working really fast throw citrix metaframe (like a remote access environment)" i meant:

high performance computer HPC - where it is installed the citrix metaframe and Primavera.

USER - regular user that have a Primavera account and a Citrix account.

USER wants to use Primavera. USERS connect on HPC with citrix account. Then USER select the Primavera software and loggin with Primavera account. Primavera opens like a regular software, but it is actually executed and processed at HPC. Only a "view" comes to USER.

So, this HPC is probably located near to the database used by Primavera and the database used by this company is oracle, that is a way faster than other for huge acesss. The company had at that time like 300 shared Primavera licenses and like 50 nominal licenses.

My friend, if you are outside of the company network or if you company network is too big and spread in several cities, this solution is perfect, because you charge the network just with "views" not with data processing and calculations and you let the heavy work to a strong computer

So, if i understood correctly, the problem with your Primavera is not the network. Can be your own computer (low memory or slow processor) or the database server (MS SQL :_()
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Tue, 2008-04-22 04:30
#9
shiv rao
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Thanks guys ,

For your views .

But let me shore that i have very less confidence on Remote sharing .
I have tried earlier in India and it failed in m yway.
can you explain more what do you mean remote control.
you mean to use the primavera server as remote from offshore.

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Mon, 2008-04-21 17:52
#10
Douglas Mello
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I saw the old P4 (P3Ec ver 4) working really fast throw citrix metaframe (like a remote access environment)... the solution given by Mr. Vu Dang suits what i mentioned... but, more than that, the database was Oracle. Better, more realiable and faster for huge access and update of DB tables...

I tried to open and fix a project with 20.000 activities at my own computer (local database, My SQL, P5)... i had to take some coffee cups while Primavera was saving changes...
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Mon, 2008-04-21 08:35
#11
DANG CORP
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totally agree Dieter,

if he got fibre optic from onshore-connecting to offshore
that will be excellent!

we wait for his reponse to make sure that he got
optic fibre all the way from his PC to his Database
(which is off-shore and onshore)

that is a far distance, and if he got optic that far,
i think it will cost his office, an arm and a leg. heheheh


i personally dont think he got fibre optic from his PC to his database.


Vu Dang



in summary
==============
cause his database is onshore that connect to this off-shore (that is optic fibre)

but then his off-shore router are bottlenecked down to 100mbps, but since i am sure, he will be sharing this 100mbps with other team members, so this will becoming like 50mbps or something...

which is "NO longer optic fibre".


so that explains why his doing the work so slow.



ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION Shiv,
========================

Ask your IT admin guy, to setup the Primavera on a remote pc, that sit right next to the DATABASE (or even on the same database)

then when u need to import things, log on that remote PC and import it,,, (it will reduce your time from 4hours, to 20 mins,)
guarantee u.


if you are not sure of what i meant by remote control.
ask your IT guy the term "remote desktop connection"
or ask IT guy about "VNC"

Kool?

Regards,
Vu Dang
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Mon, 2008-04-21 04:57
#12
Dieter Wambach
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Vu Dang
Where is the problem, if you have a backbone of fibre optic between off- and on-shore? It has many advantages and costs for hardware really isn’t the biggest issue in a network.
Regards
Dieter
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Mon, 2008-04-21 04:52
#13
DANG CORP
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fibre optic -- kool!

just make sure that the fibre optic goes all the way to the database, and not just thru your router and the rest is just a normal slow network link (if u know what i mean)

becuase if fibre optic all the way from your offshore back to the database sounds abit overkill?

cause with that much money, u might as well invested it on citrix or other means.


Vu Dang





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Sun, 2008-04-20 03:39
#14
Dieter Wambach
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Hi Shiv
In P6 they transferred some operations from the client to the database server - e.g. assign/delete codes, ... There I found a real improvement. But the quantities you indicate are absolutely no problem for P5, if the set-up of the database was properly done.
Check this together with your db-admin: Load on the server, extensions (sometimes projcode is a bottleneck, because originally too small). When was the last backup/restore? Have there been many changes to the database after the last cleaning? ...
The network is not only the cabling, it’s the parameters as well - e.g. how is the priority setting for P5?
You’ll need your IT.
Regards
Dieter
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Sun, 2008-04-20 03:27
#15
shiv rao
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Thanks Dieter ,
The Network we are using is Fibre optic cable as we are in offshore island.
We use Client server configuration with MS SQL.
My Project is having many activities codes may be around 300000 codes and 2500 resources with resources assignments.
Any how thanks but are you sure that the difference could be with P6.
Because i have not read that P6 is a beter peformer in terms of accessibility.

Regards

Shiv Rao
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Sun, 2008-04-20 00:52
#16
Dieter Wambach
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Hi Shiv
Let your IT check the installation:
- Parameters of the database --> MS-SQL or Oracle by the way?
- IT-network
- If server database, your PC should have 1GB of memory - 40.000 activities will lead to about 500MB with P5, to 4ooMB with P6 usage of memory, depending on the quantitiy of coding and UDF as well.
- If local database, you should have 2 GB, because MS SQL is very excessive in memory consumption.
In the past I often had projects of that size. Major operations shall take seconds. My record was 191.000 activities where reporting required the baseline - i.e. 382.000 activities to be loaded. Days’ end operation with some global changes, about 15 different reports, graphical outputs in Excel... required less than 2 hours.
The problems you describe lead to the database. I would check there at first. P6 has a significantly better performance for these operations .

Regards
Dieter
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