If your .NET app is lagging, it may be because of excessive or inefficient network traffic to your database server (or in the case of web services, your web application server). Sometimes this is because of your database provider, or your chosen Formatter for your web service. The best way to target the problem is to gather detailed metrics through a network trace. Here are some pointers for gathering this data:

(1) You'll need a network monitor. Windows 2000/2003 Server has Network Monitor available under Programs/Administrative Tools, but if you're running XP you'll need to get a copy of Network Monitor yourself. Network Monitor is available in SMS, so if you can get a copy of SMS you'll find it under the SMSSETUP\NETMON\I386 directory. Just copy the contents of that directory to your test workstation.

(2) Start Netmon. The first thing you'll need to do is create a filter, so that your capture only shows you the data you need (between your client and data server). Select Capture/Filter. Click the Addresses button and then the "Edit Addresses button on the next popup. From here you want to enter addresses for the Client, and any Server(s) involved in the capture. When you're done, click Close and in the "Address Expression" dialog, select Station 1 and Station 2, where Station 1 is your client workstation and Station 2 is your server. Click OK to go back to the Capture Filter Screen, then click OK on the Capture Filter Screen.

(3) Now you're ready to capture data! Select Capture/Start to begin capturing. Then fire up your client application. You should see packets start accumulating in the bottom panel. When you are done running through your client application, select Capture/Stop.

(4) Now you can view your captured data. Select Capture/Display Captured Data.

(5) Notes on Reporting: It's a shame there aren't better export function in NetMon. But what you can do to get your data out is: Select File/Print; Be sure to check the "Print To File" Checkbox. Also make sure to select a Generic/TextOnly Printer (you can install the driver if you don't have it). Go to the Netmon tab of the Print Dialog and select the options you want. It is possible to strip the output right down so that it can be imported into Excel or another report.