Windows 2000 Server performance issues can be a big headache for administrators. After all, Windows 2000 is a complex system, and when things aren’t running quite the way they should, finding and resolving the performance problem can be difficult.

ISA Server is not exception to the rule – after all, from handing Web caching to firewall rules and client requests, ISA Server can become a network bottleneck in and of itself. Your first and foremost defense is to ensure that:

1. Your server’s hardware meets the recommended requirements. In fact, if it can be much greater than the recommended requirements, you are likely to see better results.
2. Load-balance user arrays. You should configure the necessary number of ISA Server arrays to support the clients in your environment. Sure, you can cut some corners here, but the performance cost is likely to be more than you want to pay.

Aside from following these two general rules, you can also make use of ISA Server’s Performance counters that can give you some clues as to what is causing the problem.
If you click Start | Programs | Microsoft ISA Server | ISA Server Performance Monitor, you see the standard Performance interface provided by Windows 2000, shown in Figure 1. In truth, the difference here is that the ISA Server objects and counters are available for your use.

Curt Simmons is the Author of 'Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000 Study Guide : Exam 70-227 ( Certification Study Guides)'

Amazon.com (June 2001)

CHAPTER 10 of this book available on ISAserver.org! CLICK HERE!!!!

Curt Simmons is also the Author of 'Microsoft ISA Configuration and Administration '

To setup a new chart / log, click the New Counter Set button on the toolbar, and then click the Add button on the toolbar. This takes you to the Add Counters window, shown in Figure 2. From this window, you can browse the available performance objects, and then view the available counters for that objects. For example, the ISA Server Firewall Service has a number of available counters, including accepting TCP connections, active sessions, active TCP connections, Bytes Read/sec, Bytes Written/sec, and a number of others.

After selecting the desired object and counter, click the Add button and repeat the process until you have added all of the items that you want to monitor. At this point, you return to the counter where you can view real-time information in a chart, histogram, or report format. Wisely using the available ISA Server objects and counters can help you discover potential and existing performance problems with ISA Server.

Curt Simmons, MCSE, MCT, CTT, is a technology author and trainer from Dallas. Visit Curt on the Internet at http://curtsimmons.hypermart.net.