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Application performance

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Application performance

Windows Server 2003 family operating systems are 32-bit environments, whereas Microsoft Windows 3.11 is a 16-bit environment. The Windows Server 2003 family operating systems run 16-bit programs through a process called Windows on Windows (WOW), translating 16-bit programs in enhanced mode. This process causes 16-bit programs to consume additional system resources. Running 16-bit programs on a terminal server can reduce the number of users a processor can support by 40 percent and increase the memory required for each user by 50 percent. For this reason, use 32-bit versions of programs whenever possible.

Here are additional considerations for installing programs on a terminal server:

  • Some video active applications can decrease performance. Turn off the video effects of an application for better performance.

  • MS-DOS applications are not recommended because they can consume all of the available CPU.

  • Application features that are always on and run in the background, such as automatic spelling and grammar checking in Microsoft Word, require more system resources.

For more information about 16-bit and 32-bit programs, see Comparing 16-bit and 32-bit programs. For more information about installing programs on a terminal server, see Installing Programs.