Question : Changing number of NSPI connections on Windows 2008 Global Catalogs

Hi

We are looking to change the maximum number of NSPI connections on Windows 2008 Global Catalog servers from 50 (default) to about 10,000 based on the article below:

http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/viewContent.do?externalId=KB17325&sliceId=1

"As of Windows Server 2008, Microsoft has changed the default behavior of the Domain Controller with regards to Named Service Provider Interface (NSPI) connections. NSPI is the interface that allows Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) to interact with the global catalog server to use the Microsoft® Exchange address book and to perform name resolution tasks requiring the information stored in the global catalog. Prior to Windows Server 2008, any individual MAPI client could make virtually unlimited numbers of NSPI connections to a global catalog without consequence. In order to more appropriately manage these connections from MAPI clients, Windows Server 2008 introduced a limit of 50 NSPI connections per user. For more details, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 2019948 at the Microsoft Support web site.

This limit has little to no impact on a single user MAPI client; however, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server has to monitor the mailbox for each BlackBerry smartphone user that is added and requires more NSPI connections than a client, such as Microsoft® Outlook® would.

The number of NSPI connections required by a BlackBerry Enterprise Server can vary based on the number of BlackBerry smartphone users and the frequency of calendaring activity. It is recommended to configure a value based on the maximum possible concurrent connections a BlackBerry Enterprise Server could possibly make, rather than the typical average.

It is suggested to account for 1000 NSPI Connections per 1000 BlackBerry smartphone users on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, rounded up to the nearest thousand. For example, a BlackBerry Enterprise Server with 0-1000 BlackBerry smartphone users could use 1000 NSPI connections. A BlackBerry Enterprise Server with 1001-2000 users could use 2000 NSPI Connections.

It is important to note that the above method of determining the number of required NSPI connections is on a per server basis. The limit on NSPI connections is on a per user basis. If there are multiple BlackBerry Enterprise Servers in the environment running with the same service account, the number of NSPI connections all the BlackBerry Enterprise Servers require must be added together.

For example, in an environment with five BlackBerry Enterprise Servers averaging 1500 BlackBerry smartphone users each where all BlackBerry Enterprise Servers run under the same service account, the maximum number of concurrent NSPI Connections required would be 10000. In an environment with the same five BlackBerry Enterprise Servers where each server runs under a different service account, the maximum number of concurrent connections required would only be 2000."

Can anyone see any potential problems with changing this value on all our GC servers? I mean, I'm sure MS changed it for a reason?

Regards

Answer : Changing number of NSPI connections on Windows 2008 Global Catalogs

Well, it used to be essentially unlimited; there was no mechanism to limit NSPI connections. All they did was add the ability to set a limit. It should not hurt anything.

So you fit this scenario; 5 BES each running under the same service account and each server supporting 1500 BBs? If not, you probably don't need it as high as 10,000.