Hi Gordon,
It might be useful if you could supply information on how you are connecting to from the client to the server. For example, are you on a VPN, or have you installed the client locally and connect directly to SQL server. Are you running remote desktops to Windows server?
As you may be aware, broadband is asymmetrical - the outgoing bandwidth is much lower than the incoming. A typical 8Mbps line will have maybe 400-500Kbps going out. If the Recorder client is running locally it may well send a small amount of information to the server (e.g. a SQL query) which is well within the capabilities for the outgoing circuit. Recorder may then return a large amount of data using it's outgoing circuit which, if on ADSL, may only be 500Kbps too. Thus the bottle neck is where you don't need it.
I suspect the initial slow start up is that Recorder's front end is fetching the taxon dictionary if that window was left open - does it make any difference if you start up with all of Recorder's browsers windows closed?
If you are within range of local telephone exchanges it may be worth getting a line test for symmetrical DSL - but the charges for SDSL are quite high although you should get 8-20MBps in both directions.
Regards.
Dave Cope,
Biodiversity Technology Officer,
Biodiversity Information Service for Powys and Brecon Beacons National Park.