Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

SilvaJr

Active member
Hi everybody, since we upgraded our Prinergy system from 2.3.1.5 to 3.1.0.6 we observed a very slow performance during the normalize process, when refining a Postscript file. +We detected the slow perfomance only with Postscript files with pictures included+. PDFs with High-Res pictures or even PS files without pictures are refined with no performance deviation.

For example, in our early version of Prinergy, it usually takes about 5 minutes to refine a 32-page with a High-Res PostScript file. Now we spend about 30 minutes to refine the same PS file.



Up to now, we tried the following suggestions and steps suggested by our Kodak local dealer personnel


1) TEMP and TMP system environment variables could be set incorrectly in our server. So we checked our variables, and changed the values according to the parameters suggested (+E:/temp+, etc.)


2) After shutting down Prinergy, we deleted all the contents inside of +E:\Temp+, and rebooted the server. After rebooting, we deleted again all the files and folders of the same location, and restarted Prinergy.


3) We uninstalled our new Prinergy license, and applied an early one, in order to test the old OEM Heildelberg JTPs, with no sucess in refine performance.


4) We changed some settings in our refine process plan in order to check the performance, deactivating some options as "Apply Acrobat Rotation", "Thicken Thin Lines", and disabling resampling Color and Gray images, according to the follow-up received. As a result we still experienced the same slow refine process now spending about 25 minutes to refine the PS file.


5) We used as input files postscript files created in different desktop publishing softwares, in order to test the integrity of our native PS file. All the PS files with pictures had the same slow refine.


6) The eCentral site (Prinergy update page) strongly recommends upgrading the RAM memory of the Primary Server to 4Gb to maintain the performance. So we upgraded the RAM memory to 4Gb to test performance, with no success.


7) We rolled back from the current version of Prinergy *3.1.0.6* to *3.1.0.5* , with no differences.


8) We upgraded again our server to Prinergy 3.1.0.6. Returning to ground zero.


Any one can give me another idea?

Thanks in advance!!

Silva Jr.
 
Re: Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

since the rollback didn't make a difference, my next guess would be there's an problem at the OS level. Have you checked the event viewer for new alerts since the update? Also, when's the last time you scanned the system for viruses or checked the fragmentation of the system disk? I'm not 100% sure with Prinergy (yet) but am familiar with Win2k servers and think virtual memory (paging file) is probably written to the system disk. If the system disk is fragmented, that would require the OS to work a little harder and take a little more time when accessing it. Just a guess but that's what I would check first though.
 
Re: Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

I am more curious of the Process plan you are using.
- Are you set up with a Pool of refiners or is it single?
- Are you downsampling all images and if so, what settings?
- Is your Thumbnail using a Pool or a single JTP?
- Are you doing any OPI with searches over the network?
- What ICC profiling are you doing to the images?
- Any advanced preflight set up to do reporting?
- Do you have Trap Trimming on (with a lot of vector data)?
- Are you flattening?

Take a look at the Refine history and copy and paste the task time summaries if you can with PDF as well as PS.

Allan Larson
 
Re: Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

whoops! (actually I'm just trying to run up my post count, heh)

Edited by: gig0 on Nov 27, 2007 6:55 PM

Edited by: gig0 on Nov 27, 2007 6:55 PM
 
Re: Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

> {quote:title=alarson wrote:}{quote}
> I am more curious of the Process plan you are using.
> - Are you set up with a Pool of refiners or is it single?
> - Are you downsampling all images and if so, what settings?
> - Is your Thumbnail using a Pool or a single JTP?
> - Are you doing any OPI with searches over the network?
> - What ICC profiling are you doing to the images?
> - Any advanced preflight set up to do reporting?
> - Do you have Trap Trimming on (with a lot of vector data)?
> - Are you flattening?
>
> Take a look at the Refine history and copy and paste the task time summaries if you can with PDF as well as PS.
>
> Allan Larson


Thanks for replying Allan!

I have a few questions myself when troubleshooting (if I ever run into it) and would like to know a few specifics on what to look for. Some of the bullet points you posted I can understand why there would be a slow down, but others I'm not too familiar with in Prinergy. +When you have time+, can you give some specifics as to why these settings would have an effect on performance? It would be very much appreciated!

- Are you set up with a Pool of refiners or is it single?

- Is your Thumbnail using a Pool or a single JTP? <-----our onsite assistance support informed us this was processor intensive. We currently have thumbnails disabled. I guess it makes sense....

- What ICC profiling are you doing to the images? <---does a profile really make that much of a difference or certain ones?

- Any advanced preflight set up to do reporting? <-----Isn't the reporting just a text file or is there more to it?
 
Re: Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

Hi Allan:

Thank you for your feedback. It was interesting because your questions helped me to do check my process plans configuration, specially my 1st Refine.

Regarding your questions:

1) I’m using pool of refiners;
2) My thumbnail engine are using a Pool;
3) I’m using this ICC: PO_SWOP_CGATS_TR001 U300K95.icm;
4) I’m not using any kind of preflight;
5) I’m not using Trap Trimming (is off)
6) I’m not flattening my pdfs
7) I’m downsampling all Color and gray images : Bicubic, Down to 300 PPI if above 600 dpi, JPEG lossy, maximum quality. I simulate to refine without downsampling, but with no any positive results, may a few seconds fast.

Seems to me that this slow performance appears only in the "normalize" step. To change the ICC, make thumbnails seems as fast as always when I check in the Diagnostics Log Viewer in my Prinergy Server.

Do you have any ideas? I can send some screenshots from my Process Plan if it is helpfull.

Thanks in advance!

SilvaJr
 
Re: Prinergy 3.1 with slow performance during the normalize process

You don't need screen captures, but look at the history and see the refine summary. I am assuming the Normalize is the slowest part of this, so check that. Looks like everything is set up properly and you have tested the alternatives. I am also assuming you don't have a secondary server offloading the JTPs in the pool, that they are all local on the primary. What model of server is it and how is the drive space looking?

Are you throwing one PS file at the queue or separate files?

Has our response centre tapped into it for a peek?
 

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