IIS Performance Is Slower on Multiprocessor Computers (196303)

We strongly recommend that all users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. IIS 6.0 significantly increases Web infrastructure security. For more information about IIS security-related topics, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/prodtech/IIS.mspx

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, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

152734 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 that this is 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.