Fragmentation Affects Network and System Performance

A smooth running computer system and network is essential for any business or corporation in order for efficient day-to-day production to take place. There are many factors that can slow or even corrupt this process. Fragmentation is certainly one of these aspects, if not the most prominent. If it is not handled fragmentation can cause the computer and network to slow down dramatically and can sometimes even cause them to freeze completely which is why defragmentation software is so essential.

Fragmentation happens every time a system is used and has a dramatic effect on system performance as a whole.

Fragmentation can be broken down into the following two categories:
1. Whole files that are broken into numerous pieces and scattered across hard drives.

2. Free space on hard drives that is broken into various sections across the drives.
When a new file is downloaded, regardless of origin, the operating system has to quickly locate a section of free space for the file to reside. However, if the designated free space is smaller in size than the file in question, the excess part of the file spills into the next available piece of free space.

A good example of how fragmentation occurs can be seen when downloading from and using the Internet. When a file is downloaded from the Internet it is initially copied to a temporary location on the computer before being transferred to the intended location once the file download process completes. Therefore, depending on the level of fragmentation it can dramatically affect the time necessary to actually download and copy the file to the appropriate location. This also relates to any file transfers that are done over a local network. If one takes into account how many of these happen on a daily basis, fragmentation can have a staggering affect.

Defrag software, such as Diskeeper® by Diskeeper Corporation (www.diskeepereurope.com) is a key tool in combating fragmentation. Diskeeper defragments by searching and collecting every scattered piece of free space and consolidates them into one continuous area. It also gathers files that are scattered throughout the disk and collects and reorganises them so that they become contiguous. This enables any large downloads or file transfers to be saved into one location, preventing fragmentation.
There is plenty of software that is available to increase performance and faster connections such as broadband to increase production. However, fragmentation can affect all these from carrying out their intended purposes and without defrag software a business can end up with stalled and limited production.

(For more information on the importance of disk defragmentation click the link below: Is Real-Time Defragmentation Needed in Today's Environment?)

Computer Software Company

Diskeeper Corporation Europe
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This release was published on openPR.