Summary

In this chapter, we addressed ways of optimizing ISA Server's performance and customizing the product to better fit the needs of your network. We discussed how ISA Server interoperates with other Windows services and applications and how to integrate a stand-alone ISA server into a Windows domain. We also provided information on how to back up and restore the configuration of an ISA stand-alone server, an array, or the enterprise.

You learned some basic performance concepts, including how to establish and use a baseline in managing and tuning performance. We showed you how to define threshold values, and you learned that ISA Server can perform a specified action—such as logging an event, sending a network message, starting a performance data log, or running a specified program—when a threshold value is reached.

We demonstrated the use of the ISA Server Performance Monitor, which includes two components: the System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts. You learned to customize the view of the System Monitor and how to use the performance counters for various performance objects to determine how efficiently your ISA server is operating. You also learned to configure logs so that performance data can be saved and viewed at a later time and how to set performance alerts.

Next, we addressed some specific, common performance issues. You learned to set Performance properties based on user capacity as well as how to determine effective network bandwidth and set effective bandwidth limits for dial-up devices and network cards. We discussed load-balancing issues, and you learned how to configure the load factor in an ISA server using CARP. The interaction of ISA Server—particularly when CARP is enabled—with Windows 2000's Network Load Balancing (NLB) was discussed, and you learned that CARP should not be used for incoming Web requests when NLB is being used on the network. You then learned how to improve performance by configuring RAM caching and that you can speed up access by enabling and configuring active caching of frequently accessed files. We also discussed cache drive configuration and its impact on performance.

You discovered that some performance settings can be made only by editing the Windows Registry, and we showed you a few specific Registry keys that can be configured to fine-tune performance.