Cache limits and eSignal slowdown over time

[waynecd]

Hi,

I only run charts on ES #F, $ADD, & $TRIN. I am using eSignal ver. 10.2.1391.1120.

It is evident that eSignal slows down as time goes by, as I understand it, the cache fills up slowing down data flow.

This occurs even when a computer has been on for a few hours, i.e., turned on at 9 am and by 11 am there is a lag to the point where even opening a charts Edit menu is impossible. It just won't open.

1. So, apart from rebooting eSignal every hour and loosing all the bid/ask data, is there any way to increase the cache size, memory, page size, etc that would improve how eSignal handles data. Maybe a way to clean out or recycle the cache without having to reload eSignal?

2. Does a larger CPU cache, more memory improve how long eSignal can run before it starts to lag?

3. Is there any other way to accomplish the above?



Thanks,

Wayne

[Dave180]

Wayne, sure it's not your physical memory, lack of, that is the problem? If the increasing memory needs of eSig are forcing Windows to flush memory to/from the harddisk you will certainly see a slow down.

[waynecd]

Hi Dave,

It's slowing down, time lag in drawing candles, not being able to open the chart edit menu or do other operations after eSignal runs for a few hours.

Folks at eSignal don't recommend running eSignal continuously. They recommend shutting down and reloading eSignal in the morining if it was running all night. They explain (as I understood it) that this is because over time, eSignal fills up the cache slowing down the program.

There may not be a solution to this but I posted in case someone has a workaround since my system slows down noticeably after about 3 -4 hours of runtime.

I have 2 GB RAM installed on a AMD Athlon 64 X2 3.0 GHz Dual Core CPU.

I am considering getting a 64 bit OS with 12 GB RAM and the latest Intel CPU (Ci7 e.2 GHz) but wanted to see if I can extend the life of my current system for a while.

So far it seems I should just get the new system.

Wayne

[Loki]

New Computer?

Before getting a new computer it may help to check with eSignal Technical Support.

My computer is also bogging down with the eSignal ever increasing data rates. I spoke with eSignal Tech Support today and was told that a Quad Core CPU may not be as good as a Dual Core. As I understood it the Quad Core is a 64 bit architecture and the Dual Core is 32 bit. eSignal 10.3 can't take advantage of the 64 bit architecture. A release for that may come later this year.

It would be terrific to hear from anybody who has experience with a Quad Core it would be good to hear about it.

[Loki]

Computer Update

I see the latest issue of the Exchange has suggestions on new computers by Larry Jacobs, Editor of Traders World Magazine. I don't know how that relates to what eSignal recommends.

The article said in part, "Today, one should now upgrade to the Intel i7 computer for trading. This computer has a quad core CPU with hyper threading. It has 8 processors to handle today’s volume plus DDR3 memory, which is twice as fast as the old DDR2 memory. "

[gspiker]

Intel and AMD quad cores seem to run well, at least on the ones I have used: AMD Barcelona Operton, Intel Core 2 and Xeon.

I haven't tried Nehalem (i7 or any other) yet, but my guess is the performance would be much better.

Someone is playing a bit of a game with the term "processors", but it can handle 8 streams of execution. However, the bigger improvement (for eSignal) is likely to be in the memory I/O which is much improved over Intel's old front side bus architecture.

I don't think i7's are commonly available yet, but could be wrong.

Regarding cache issues someone brought up before...first I have never heard this (but I'm not saying it isn't true, just that I haven't heard of any cache issue) and secondly I would guess that the cache that would cause this issue isn't the processor cache but cache that the application is keeping.

Garth

[Loki]

Computer Needs

Thank you Garth.

I was about to buy a new Intel Core2 Quad Q8200 with 4M L2 and 1333FSB. I checked with eSignal Tech Support and was told my current computer should not be doing that bad and I might not get a huge boost with a Quad. I'm now casting about a bit.

My current computer an Intel 630 P-4 HT 3.0 GHZ with 2 BG RAM is sluggish and ****ey with just the E-mini S&P 500 tick stream and no other symbold anyware. It can also become bogged down with a larger collection of stock symbols particularly if some are very high volume issues or index ETFs. eSignal 10.2 sometimes just freezes for a fraction of a second to a few seconds. This seems to be a function of the tick data flow. It happens more just after the pit opening, before the close and when there is high market activity.

I keep the machine tuned up scrub the malware so it is apparently time for more computer. I don't mind changing computers, but want to pick right.

[gspiker]

Are you running XP? If so 2GB of RAM should be plenty.

I would check to see what resource you are running out of, or that is being limited.

A short time ago, I was having some issues with eSignal also. It ended up that my cable modem was so old that comcast was no longer supporting it. For whatever reason, that was causing a major slowdown in my internet connection. I got a new cable modem and everything got a lot better.

I'm not saying it is the network in your case, but it is an example how my performance went down hill even though I made no changes - and if I hadn't debugged the issue I might have gone down the wrong pah to fix it.

[Loki]

Gspiker thanks for the post.

I am running Win XP Pro. I have monitored RAM usage and have not seen it be more than 70% used even with multiple applications and browsers open.

Interned speed was a good suggestion to check. My Comcast modem was replaced within the last two years. Broadband speed tests are consistently good with download speeds above 5,000 kbsps, and often above 10,000 kbps.

I am currently cleaning up the computer by removing unused applications, looking at service and programs loaded, cleaning out cookies and temp files, checking and defraging the HDD and refining the settings.

....Loki