API architecture in retrieving a large quantity of files and the effects on the database?

[Peter_Scaramuzz]

We are trying to right size our database needs as we implement the API and had a question from a db performance perspective.  We could have users who want to download 20k documents potentially. I am assuming from a db perspective that is for all intents and purposes is not a heavy lift. As I am gathering it passes the list of UNC's to the app pool and the API then does the heavy lifting work of grabbing the files. If that is a long operation could it possibly have an impact on the db from a performance perspective? Assume once the list is retrieved and given to the API, the db is out of the picture at that point?

[AdamShaneHyland · Accepted solution]

Hi @Peter Scaramuzzo ,

Yes, you are correct.  The DB will only be queried for the documents given the constraints you use for the document query (keywords, etc).  Once you have the list of the documents, it will be the AppServer which is used to retrieve the files associated with the documents.

Take care.