ftp transfer with rules execution very slow

[thk]

Hello,

We use Alfresco 2.1 on Linux
we use the Alfresco ftpServer to transfer files into Alfresco via ftp. The files are moved in Alfrresco from the input directory to a target directory using Rules.
Unfortunately the ftp transfer for e.g.  40 small files (each 0,1kb) takes very long time (about a minute). If the rules in Alfresco (only a sequence of move-rules to the next subdirectory respectively) are disabled the execution is much faster. So the problem seems not to be the transfer but the application of the rules. The main problem is that our application who starts the ftptransfer is blocked until the ftp script isnt returned.
So how can we get a satisfying performance?

Thanks for Help

[derek]

Hi,
Have you compared the performance against 3.2?  Are you able to fire the rules asynchronously?
Regards

[thk]

Hi,

yes if also tried to set the tag in the rules to run them in the background. But execution remained slow (it get stuck partly for seconds at each file to be transfered) only if I disable the rules the ftp goes fast again.

[derek]

We've done some work in this area: https://issues.alfresco.com/jira/browse/ETHREEOH-2161

[thk]

Hi Derek,

ok but what can I do to get a better performance? Is it better to use another ftp-server instead of the Alfresco built-in ftpserver?
Or is there a possibility just to decouple ftp-transfer and rules-execution? For us it is enough if the ftp-transfer is executed fast, so the application who triggers the ftp-transfer can continue with its workflow. If the rules execution takes a bit time it is no problem. I tried to run the rules in the background using the run-asychronously-tag but I didn't see much effect.

Reg
Thomas

[derek]

The problem with the performance was the evaluation of the rules to run rather than the execution of the rules.  That has been improved for 3.2E, but really rules need to be made into first-class database objects for best results.
You could modify the ftp code to disable rules execution - that's about all I can think of on 2.1.