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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Small and medium business | Business Central, N... / Need Guidance: Perform...
Small and medium business | Business Central, N...
Answered

Need Guidance: Performance Testing Tools for NAV 2018 On-Premises Application

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Posted on by CU01081034-4 15
Hello Community,

We are working on a Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 on-premises application and are currently focusing on performance testing and fine-tuning. However, we are finding it difficult to identify the right tools or best practices specifically suited for this NAVision version.

Our objectives include:
  • Measuring system performance under load
  • Identifying performance bottlenecks (DB, service tier, or client)
  • Monitoring SQL Server performance and resource utilization
  • Recommendations for fine-tuning NAV or SQL setup for better response time
  • We’ve explored general tools like SQL Profiler, Performance Monitor, and even tried Quest/Foglight, but we’re not confident about their effectiveness or integration with NAV-specific workflows.

Can anyone suggest:
  • Recommended performance testing tools or scripts that work well with NAV 2018 on-prem
  • Any Microsoft-supported tools or methods
  • Real-world examples or case studies of performance optimization in similar NAV environments
  • Any input or direction will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 
Categories:
Microsoft Dynamics NAV
I have the same question (0)
  • Verified answer
    Sumit Singh Profile Picture
    Sumit Singh 11,757 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at
    1. Performance Testing Tools & Scripts for NAV 2018
    🔹 StresStimulus for NAV
    • A specialized tool that supports recording and replaying NAV scenarios without scripting.
    • Allows you to simulate real user behavior and measure response times.
    • Supports load testing and bottleneck identification across tiers.
    • Learn more and watch demo
    🔹 GitHub NAVPERF Toolkit
    • Microsoft’s internal team shared a performance testing framework for NAV using C# and client services.
    • Simulates user sessions and interactions (e.g., creating sales orders, querying data).
    • Supports multi-tenant and single-tenant testing.
    • GitHub repo: NAVPERF (mentioned in TeleNoc whitepaper [2])
    2. Microsoft-Supported Methods
    While Microsoft does not provide dedicated tools for NAV 2018 on-prem, they recommend:
    • SQL Server Profiler and Extended Events for query-level analysis.
    • Performance Monitor (PerfMon) for tracking CPU, memory, and disk I/O.
    • SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for:
      • Index tuning
      • Query execution plans
      • Auto-statistics (should be disabled for NAV)
    Microsoft’s own guidance emphasizes scenario-based testing and baseline benchmarking using custom scripts.
     3. Best Practices for Fine-Tuning NAV & SQL
     NAV-Specific Tuning
    • FlowFields: Audit and optimize them; they often cause slow list pages [3].
    • Batch Posting Queues: Offload posting to background tasks to reduce UI latency [4].
    • Remove unused WSDL fields in web services to reduce payload.
    • Purge old data (e.g., EDI orders, change logs) regularly.
    • Avoid uncompiled objects in production environments.
     SQL Server Optimization
    • Use Solid State Drives (SSD) for NAV databases.
    • Disable Auto Create/Update Statistics.
    • Ensure TempDB is optimized (multiple files, correct sizing).
    • Monitor blocking and deadlocks using Extended Events.
     4. Real-World Optimization Examples
    📌 From The 365 People[4]
    • Identified FlowFields as a major cause of slow list pages.
    • Used batch posting queues to decouple user experience from heavy posting logic.
    • Offloaded reporting to a dedicated reporting server to reduce load on the main SQL instance.
    📌 From ArcherPoint [3]
    • Created a tool to analyze all FlowFields and generate a performance impact report.
    • Recommended separating NAS instances for users, job queues, and web services.
    • Emphasized I/O testing using NAV-specific patterns (not just generic disk benchmarks).

    References
    [1] Microsoft Dynamics NAV Performance Testing Made Easy
    [2] Performance Testing Microsoft Dynamics - TeleNoc
    [3] Performance Tuning for Dynamics NAV or Business Central - ArcherPoint
    [4] 3 Ways to Improve Your Dynamics NAV Performance - The 365 People

    Note: This response was created in collaboration with Microsoft Copilot to ensure clarity and completeness. I hope it helps to some extent.
    Mark the Answer as Verified if this is Helpful.
     
  • Suggested answer
    DAnny3211 Profile Picture
    DAnny3211 11,417 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

    Hello,

    Thank you for your detailed inquiry regarding performance testing and optimization for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 on-premises.

    Given your objectives—measuring system performance under load, identifying bottlenecks, and optimizing SQL Server and NAV configurations—here are some recommended tools and practices:

    Recommended Tools:

    1. Microsoft Dynamics NAV Performance Toolkit
      While not officially maintained for NAV 2018, earlier versions of the NAV Performance Toolkit (based on Visual Studio Test tools) can still be adapted for load testing scenarios. It simulates user sessions and can help identify service tier and database bottlenecks.

    2. SQL Server Tools

      • SQL Server Profiler and Extended Events: Useful for tracing long-running queries and deadlocks.
      • SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS): Use Query Store, Activity Monitor, and Execution Plans to analyze query performance.
      • Dynamic Management Views (DMVs): Provide insights into memory usage, indexing, and wait statistics.

    3. Windows Performance Monitor (PerfMon)
      Monitor key counters such as:

      • SQL Server: Buffer Manager, Memory Grants, Batch Requests/sec
      • NAV Service Tier: CPU, memory, and session metrics
      • Disk I/O and network throughput

    4. JetBrains dotTrace or Redgate ANTS Performance Profiler
      These tools can help profile .NET-based NAV service tiers to identify code-level performance issues.

    5. Azure Monitor / Log Analytics (if hybrid)
      If your environment is partially cloud-connected, consider using Azure Monitor for centralized performance tracking and alerting.

    Best Practices:

    • Optimize SQL Indexing: Regularly review and maintain indexes, and avoid missing or unused indexes.
    • Service Tier Configuration: Tune settings such as Max Concurrent Sessions, Max Threads, and Keep Alive Interval.
    • Batch Job Scheduling: Distribute heavy jobs during off-peak hours to reduce contention.
    • Code Review: Analyze customizations for inefficient loops, nested queries, or unnecessary data reads.
    • Database Maintenance: Implement regular index rebuilds, statistics updates, and integrity checks.

    Additional Resources:

    • Microsoft Docs: Performance Tuning NAV
    • PartnerSource / CustomerSource: May contain archived whitepapers and case studies specific to NAV 2018.
    • Community Blogs: Many NAV MVPs have published real-world performance tuning examples.

    Please verify if this response was helpful.
    Best regards.

  • Suggested answer
    Sohail Ahmed Profile Picture
    Sohail Ahmed 11,169 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at
    For NAV 2018 on-prem, use SQL Profiler, Performance Monitor, and Extended Events to track performance. To find bottlenecks, monitor SQL queries, service tier load, and memory/CPU usage. Use the C/SIDE debugger to analyze slow C/AL code. For SQL, check for missing indexes and large tables without filters. These tools work well even without full NAV integration.
     
    ✅ Mark this as the verified answer if helpful.
     
     

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