As mentioned earlier in this chapter, the default eDirectory database block size is 4KB. For performance reasons, you might need to change the block size (either larger or smaller) in order to match the physical disk block size. You cannot change the database block size after the DIB files are created, but you can override the default value during eDirectory installation so a different block size is used. You do this by placing a blocksize command in the _NDSDB.INI file:
blocksize= bytes
You need to manually create the _NDSDB.INI file and place it in the directory where eDirectory expects it:
Platform
Location
NetWare
SYS:_NETWARE\_NDSDB.INI
Windows
drive :\Novell\NDS\DIBFiles\_ndsdb.ini
Unix
/var/nds/dib/_ndsdb.ini
For example, suppose you are installing eDirectory on a Windows 2000 server and want to set the database block size to 10KB. First, you create the _ndsdb.ini file with the line blocksize=10240 in it and put the file in C:\Novell\NDS\DIBFiles before you start the eDirectory installation. After eDirectory has been installed, you can verify the database block size by using iMonitor, as shown in Figure 16.9.
Figure 16.9. A Windows eDirectory server whose database block size is 10KB.
Keep in mind that for best performance, the file system block size should match the size of the database block size or be in multiples thereof.