"Thrashing" costing businesses £millions
As companies look to progress and become more efficient by installing the latest operating software within their IT infrastructures, business continuity can come under threat due to a problem known as "Thrashing". According to Icomm Technology’s Ian Callens, unless SMEs can identify where of Thrashing occurs, operations may be exposed to risk.
Thrashing can be aligned to a number of issues within the IT infrastructure of a business. According to Callens:
"More often than not, Thrashing occurs when a computer spends an over-proportionate amount of time shuffling information between physical RAM and Virtual RAM stored on the Hard Disks. This causes the applications or computer to respond more slowly. Programs may think they have a large amount of RAM memory to play with but in reality this is virtual memory stored on a significantly slower mechanical disk drive. The bottom line is, computers become significantly slower".
It may not seem a high profile problem but slow response rate slows business down and costs money.
Thrashing as a problem has become increasingly highlighted within client bases such as Icomm’s since the release of new operating software from Microsoft ((Service Pack 3 for Windows XP and Service Pack 1 for Vista). Coupled with the newest security applications, slowed-down computer activity has been widely reported. These types of applications are regularly used by SMEs but their true benefits will not be unlocked unless thrashing is addressed.
New server packages contain significant security enhancements, in addition to stability and performance improvements. As companies update their operating systems, they should also consider updating the PCs that will run them.
According to Callens, SMEs need to bear in mind the capability of their current IT infrastructure set-up before upgrading applications:
"As operating programs move forward so should the infrastructure. The best thing Midlands SMEs can do to combat the problem of Thrashing is to install more physical RAM memory banks on the computer. This may sound a tedious and small job but in reality this is what will keep business running smoothly. Your anti-virus, defence and operating systems will be up to speed without any detectable level of disruption to business continuity." Many businesses have saved thousands of pounds by not replacing slow machines but simply adding the required RAM upgrades. To quote one such business "I was about to buy a new laptop but since the memory upgrade its like I have a new machine again".
Callens suggests that SMEs should look to install between 1GB – 4GB of real memory per PC depending on whether they operate Windows 2000, XP or Vista:
"It is of utmost importance that levels of working activity are maintained for an SME to continue operating at a profitable level. To allow progress to slow can hold repercussions that do not bring favourable outcomes."
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2008.10.10 (LM)
