title: System.IO.FileSystemWatcher to monitor a network-server folder - Performance considerations
body: <p>I want to watch a folder tree on a network server for changes. The files all have a specific extension. There are about 200 folders in the tree and about 1200 files with the extension I am watching.</p>
  
  <p>I can't write a service to run on the server (off-limits!) so the solution has to be local to the client. Timeliness is not particularly important. I can live with a minute or more delay in notifications. I am watching for Create, Delete, Rename and Changes.</p>
  
  <p>Would using the .NET System.IO.fileSystemWatcher create much of a load on the server? </p>
  
  <p>How about 10 separate watchers to cut down the number of folders/files being watched? (down to 200 from 700 folders, 1200 from 5500 files in total) More network traffic instead of less? My thoughts are a reshuffle on the server to put the watched files under 1 tree. I may not always have this option hence the team of watchers.</p>
  
  <p>I suppose the other solution is a periodic check if the FSW creates an undue load on the server, or if it doesn't work for a whole bunch of SysAdmin type reasons.</p>
  
  <p>Is there a better way to do this?</p>