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Q150350: NetLogon Maximum Value of Pulse Should Exceed 3600

Article: Q150350
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:3.51
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Your ISDN TCP/IP router telecommunication connection costs appear to be very
high.

- Your network spans two or more sites.

- You use ISDN TCP/IP routers.

- You use an ISDN service that charges you based on connection time.

RESOLUTION
==========


1. Install Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack 5.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide
problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft
cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can
be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

2. Go to the following key in the Registry:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM
      \CurrentControlSet
        \Services
           \Netlogon
              \Parameters
                          \Pulse

You can now set the pulse to a maximum of 172800 (2A300h).

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. This
problem was corrected in the latest Windows NT 3.51 U.S. Service Pack. For
information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  S E R V P A C K


MORE INFORMATION
================

The following example outlines a common scenario involving ISDN routers.

One primary domain controller (PDC), with a significant number of backup domain
controllers (BDCs), connects to one PDC via ISDN. Each time a network frame is
exchanged between a BDC and the PDC, it costs one ISDN connection.

PDC parameters:

- Pulse = 3600 seconds = 1 hour
- PulseConcurrency = 1 - 10

In this case, the PDC may handle many user account transactions so that SAM
changes are common and occur often. Each time the PDC detects a SAM change, it
contacts all the BDCs. Having purchased ISDN routers, the you may not
necessarily desire to have the BDC's SAMs updated every hour. Because of the
cost of activation, you may want to update the BDCs as little as once every 48
hours.

Currently, if the Pulse parameter is set to its maximum, the cost for transaction
updates is the number of BDC connections every hour. If there are 50 BDCs, there
are 50 connections per hour. For 120 BDCs, the cost is 120 connections per
hour.

Looking at this on a monthly basis, the cost of connections becomes even more
apparent: 120 connections x 24 hours a day x 30 days a month = 86,400
connections.

NOTE: For additional information on reducing domain browsing and WINS replication
traffic over slow links, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

Q134985Browsing & Other Traffic Incur High Costs over ISDN Routers

Additional query words: prodnt traffic WAN RAS

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : winnt:3.51

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