How to make the Lotus Notes 8.x Standard client run faster.

AID: 2254

Status: Published

5550 points

Byjvutechnc
TypeTips/Tricks
Posted on2010-01-11 at 11:37:41

For users on the Lotus Notes 8 Standard client, this article provides information on checking the Java Heap size and adjusting it to half of your system RAM in attempt to get the Lotus Notes 8.x Standard client to run faster. I've had to exercise this setting many times in my job and have seen noticeable improvements. The basic client version doesn't use Java; as a result, this setting won't impact client performance for users that are utilizing the Notes 8 Basic client.

You can find if you're using the Standard or Basic Notes client by opening Lotus Notes, selecting Help > About IBM Lotus Notes. You'll see the current configuration cited on the 5th line down.

Now, getting back to the Standard client Java Heap Size, here's how to check the size and make adjustments.

Navigate to the following file on the computer running Notes.

{NotesProgramDirectory}framework\rcp\eclipse\plugins\com.ibm.rcp.j2se.{Version}

Often, the directory and file will be similar to this:

C:\program files\ibm\lotus\notes\framework\rcp\eclipse\plugins\com.ibm.rcp.j2se.win32.x86_1.6.0.20080709-200808151631

In this folder, look for the file "jvm.properties". Edit this file in WordPad.

One of the first lines that aren’t commented out (preceded by #) is:

vmarg.Xmx=-Xmx256m

Change that line to roughly half of your available ram. For example, a computer with 2GB of RAM would have a setting like this:

vmarg.Xmx=-Xmx1024m

Make sure you close the Lotus Notes client before you do this, and that all the Lotus Notes client processes have stopped.
Notes: !!!You might find several \com.ibm.rcp.j2se.{version} directories under the plugins folder; I recommend just editing the jvm.properties under each directory as you may not know which directory the client is using.

Refer to this link for information about the Lotus Notes 8 Standard and Basic client.
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21264877

Asked On: 2010-01-11 at 11:37:41ID2254
Tags: lotus notes
,; notes eclipse
Topic: Lotus Notes
Views: 7375

About The Author

jvutechnc

Comments

Expert Comment

by: Bill-Hanson on 2010-06-25 at 12:22:19ID: 16137

The file location in this article is wrong. It should be...

C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\Lotus\Notes\framework\rcp\deploy\jvm.properties

There are actually 2 settings of interest in this file: The starting heap size (vmarg.Xms) and the maximum heap size (vmarg.Xmx).

We set both of these to 1024, but don't exceed your physical memory size, or the JVM will crash.

Here are the default values...
vmarg.Xmx=-Xmx256m
vmarg.Xms=-Xms48m

We change them to...
vmarg.Xmx=-Xmx1024m
vmarg.Xms=-Xms1024m

Expert Comment

by: larsberntrop on 2010-07-07 at 04:26:11ID: 16706

Several points:

You can find the correct directory by searching the framework diractory for jvm.properties

There is a maximum: For those of you blessed with even more memory, 1024 is the maximum I recommend you put in there. I've tried larger numbers, but the speed increas is minute, and in the region of 1500~1700m the client becomes unstable.

You can use this for other RCP/Expeditor/Eclipse based offerings: just find the jvm.properties file or eclipse.ini file.
In WebSphere Business Modeler, it's Eclipse.ini

Expert Comment

by: NormCox on 2010-10-12 at 11:18:59ID: 20400

We are about to push the upgrade of 8.5.1 to 8.5.2 to our users. I was looking at adjuting this setting in the install.

My concern is that we have a couple of other applications that are memory hogs. Has anyone ran across the issues where this allows Lotus to have too much memory and shuts down other apps?

Just wondering.

Thanks.

Expert Comment

by: Bill-Hanson on 2010-10-13 at 06:19:09ID: 20475

We have this setting enforced by an agent in our email template. We have over 600 users and have had no problems with other apps.

Expert Comment

by: stevecassidy on 2011-04-20 at 06:37:46ID: 25889

How do you make the agent write this value? For some annoying reason in Win7 x64 - not joined to a domain - I am told I can't use Wordpad to write to the location where the .properties file lives. I am of course, the administrator :-/

Expert Comment

by: larsberntrop on 2011-04-20 at 06:45:07ID: 25890

rightclick wordpad
select run as administrator
edit file
save file