IIS Performance Is Slower on Multiprocessor Computers

• Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you run Internet Information Server 4.0 on multiprocessor computers, performance may be slower than expected.

CAUSE

A global lock that all multi-byte string functions use when they run is being used by the Internet Information Server threads so that only one thread can perform a multi-byte string operation at a time. If a large pool of threads tries to use these functions, only one thread at a time can access the function, and a lot of time is spent waiting for the lock to become available. This is most evident on multiprocessor computers where the synchronization overhead and number of threads is much higher.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Information Server version 4.0. Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix
Version : WINNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug