Windows Internet Name Service
Windows Internet Name Service |
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Windows 2000 WINS introduces persistent connections between WINS server replication partners. Earlier versions of WINS required servers to establish a new connection whenever they replicated databases. Because establishing and terminating each connection required a modest number of CPU cycles and the sending of network packets, network managers set their systems to accumulate a configurable number of records before establishing connections with replication partners. Waiting for records to accumulate introduces a delay to the updating of the entire database—perhaps as long as several minutes—which can cause windows of inconsistency with replication partners.
A Windows 2000 WINS server can be configured in the WINS management console to request a persistent connection with one or more replication partners; this eliminates the overhead of opening and terminating connections. Persistent connections increase the speed of replication because a server sends records to its partners immediately, without establishing temporary connections each time. This immediately updates every record across the network, making records more consistent. The bandwidth required is minimal because the connection is usually idle.
It is also possible to configure a persistent connection to replicate only when it reaches a certain update count threshold. Normally the minimum update count threshold is 20 records. However, when persistent connections are employed, that minimum is waived.