I have an ASP frontend that loads data from a Filemaker database using XSL to perform simple queries. The problem is that the first page load takes 20 seconds +/- 200ms, then the next few page refreshes within a minute of the first request take <200ms, then the cycle starts over again.

Each page load makes only 2 XSL queries, and they execute fast after the first page load, so what is causing the delay on the first page load? I have caching turned up with a 100% hit rate, and number of connections at 100. I've tried with XSL database sessions on and off, and session time anywhere from 1 to 60 minutes without any changes.

The XSL loads from ASP use a GET request and add a Basic Authorization header to authenticate each time.

During fast page requests, the fmserver.exe and fmswpc.exe processes don't even flinch, but during a 20 second holdup I see fmserver jump to 30% CPU and a 3mb I/O read a few seconds into the request, and occasionally fmswpc jump to 60% CPU.