Question : Moving Navision 3.70 to new SQL Server installation

Hi!

We currently run Navision 3.70 on SQL Server 2000 and Windows 2003 Server 64 bit edition with 4 Gigs of RAM in VMWare ESX server 3.5.
I have moved the existing Navision installation to a new test vm with Windows Server 2003 64 Bit, 4 vCPU, 8 Gb RAM with Dynamics NAV 5.
To accomplish this I've done the following:
1) Installed + configured Windows 2003 Server 64 bit with latest MS updates.
2) Installed SQL Server 2008 Std with SP1 and updated through Windows Update.
3) Installed Navision Application Server.
4) Backud up Navision database in old installation using Navision client 3.7.
5) On new VM using the Dynamics NAV 5 client created a new database and restored the backup of Navision 3.70 to a new database.

Questions:
1) This is the first time I do installation of Navision. So, I would really appreciate any suggestions if the procedure I've followed so far is correct.
2) The database size on the old installation is somewhat 170 Gb, after restoring this db to a new server, the db size is around 70 Gb only. Why?
3) When I start a Dynamics NAV 5 client to connect to a new installation the connection time takes around 5-7 seconds vs 1-2 on the old server with client 3.7. Why?
4) When I do "synchronization of all users" from the Dynamics NAV 5 client (Tools->Security-> Synchronize All) it takes more than 1 hour... On old server 1-2 seconds.
5) What other procedures should I have done in this scenario? Both on SQL Server 2008 and within Dynamics NAV 5 client.

Thank you very much in advance!

Answer : Moving Navision 3.70 to new SQL Server installation

Good question but there are many answers depending on many things like users, use of system, network and such. In general I would do the obvious on SQL and put database files on different disks, enough RAM and keep indexes maintained. When this is not enough I would focus on some focused changes in the Navision application depending on what problem you have.
Navision is a most often used as FAT client (2009 has thin client) where network connection to server and harddisk speed on server is most important.