Nintex Connect

Environment:
Server1: HP ProLiant DL380 G5, 2x Xeon E5345, 20GB Ram
Server2: HP ProLiant DL380 G5, 2x Xeon E5345, 20GB Ram (Front End)

Hello,

we are working with Nintex 2010 workflows since a few months and since this week we have an official standard license.
Currently we are trying to transfer our Sharepoint Designer Code into a Nintex workflow.
But sometimes we are realize some performance problems on our Sharepoint website if you open some simple document sets or something else.

Question 1:
Is there a problem when multiple Nintex workflows are running at the same time?
How many workflows are supported that can run at the same time? (average)

Example:
We have some simple approval workflows and some workflows for scanning documents, rename, read barcode and so on.
If somebody is scanning something then it is possible that maybe 200-300 Workflows are running... (one for each document site)

Could this be a problem?

Question 2:
Is there a possibility to have an overview over all currently running Nintex workflows?

Hi Simon,

Once you have published a Nintex Workflow the running workflows (instances) are managed by the SharePoint Workflow Foundation (the same as SharePoint Designer Workflows).

As far as I am aware there is no hard limit to the number of workflows, there is however a limit of 15 workflows that can be using processing power at the same time, any additional workflows beyond the 15 will join a queue and start automatically when one of more of the 15 original workflows finish processing.

A workflow is using processing power while it is actually doing work for example while it is sending an email or creating  a workflow task, when a workflow gets to a stage where it stops and waits such as when waiting for a user to respong to a FlexiTask then it is not counted as one of the 15 workflows.

Microsoft have a few white papers on the number of workflows that can run and how to edit the settings to allow more or less workflows, but generally the default settings are perfect.

Regarding question 2, with the Enterprise version of Nintex Workflow (I see you have a standard license) you would have seen an in progress workflow report in Central Admin.

With the standard edition I think you will see the same reports but per site at the site level if you visit Site Actions, Site Settings,  Reports (in the Nintex Workflow heading).  

Hi Rob,

thanks for your reply.
Can you maybe also say something about the performance connected with our environment? Is our environment to weak for 200-300 Workflows?What you think will cost more power. A Sharepoint Designer Workflow or a Nintex Workflow? Or is there no difference?

I looked under Site Actions but there is also no option for Nintex-Reports.

Hi Simon, Are they 200 - 300 workflow running at the same time ? or 200 - 300 different published workflows ?

I think your servers will be quite fine. I've had hundreds of Nintex workflows running at the same time on server well below that spec.

One thing you haven't mentioned is your Database server.. The quite pig in the room. Most times where I've seen performance take a hit it has been here, and not so much the SharePoint servers. SQL can slow the process down in a number of areas, not enough RAM ( Remember, it will use as much as you give :) ) The CPU is max'ing out, or your Disk I/O is off the chart. In the most of my cases it was Disk IO where I was having performance issues, but this was SharePoint wide, not just with workflow.

SO having said all of that. What you have I believe will be fine, IF NOT, the workflows will not bring your system to halt they may just Poll a little longer. And at this time, you will be able to see your bottlenecks and diagnose accordingly

I hope all of that made sense :)

There is a good document in the downloads section on workflow performace

http://connect.nintex.com/files/folders/white_papers/entry23043.aspx

Hi DanS,

thank you for your reply.

In the most cases they will not run all exactly in the same time. Its for scanning documents. And for each document site that will be scanned a workflow will start. But it takes a little bit time to scan the document so I think there is a minimum from 2-3 sec break between each document and each workflow that will be started...

And there are only 3-4 departments they are using this system. So there is a maximum from 4 documents (workflows) that could be started in the same time.

We also already checked our SQL-Server but our SQL Administrator told me that we have enough resources on this server.
But maybe we will check this again. Thanks for your suggestions.

EDIT:
Oh and I forgot: The most important answer for me was that 200-300 workflows should be fine with our environment and that there is no difference between a sharepoint designer workflow and a Nintex workflow...

Do you think that you can reduce the performance-load a lot if you are using a 'event receiver' ?