Database servers

The ARS_NUM_DBSRVR parameter in the ARS.CFG file determines the number of processes that Content Manager OnDemand can start on the server to handle database requests. You can use the ARS_NUM_DBSRVR parameter to balance performance, by distributing the database workload over several processes, and use of system resources.

Each access to the database requires a database agent. Content Manager OnDemand can start a database agent for each access.

However, this consumes a lot of system resources because a new job is started each time a database agent is started. You can use the ARS_NUM_DBSRVR parameter to optimize the way that Content Manager OnDemand handles the database load. For example, you can define ARS_NUM_DBSRVR so that Content Manager OnDemand starts a fixed number of database agents, regardless of the number of concurrent database requests. While this might appear restrictive, database requests typically process very quickly.

We recommend that you set the ARS_NUM_DBSRVR parameter to support the peak number of concurrent database accesses that you expect the server to handle. A low value limits access to the database during periods of high database activity. A high value requires more system resources during periods of high database activity. The value that you choose also depends on the characteristics of the queries. For example, general queries typically use a database agent longer than a more specific query.