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Power Tools 1993 November - Disc 2
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Power Tools Plus (Disc 2 of 2)(November 1993)(HP).iso
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rxux_ovr.txt
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HP LaserRX/UX Product Overview
Product Description
HP LaserRX/UX is performance management software for HP 9000 Series 800
and Series 300 systems. The software provides comprehensive system
activity information to help system managers and administrators get the
most out of their HP systems. Combined with Product Implementation
Assistance consulting and the new "Introduction to System Performance
using HP LaserRX/UX" customer education course, customers are now able
to manage their HP-UX systems for optimal performance.
By establishing thresholds for various data elements, the user
configures data collection to meet system management requirements. The
data is reduced and then stored in log files on the host system. From
a single Vectra workstation, a user can monitor the use of multiple HP-
UX systems. Data appears in color graphics format for quick problem
analysis and in tabular format for detailed study.
Initial Successes
HP LaserRX/UX, introduced at the 1989 Interex Conference in San
Francisco, was shipped to customers during mid-July 1990.
Current orders
Through November 1990, HP tallied more than 50 orders for the product
worldwide. These include such customers as Boeing (Georgia and
Seattle, USA), BASF (Belgium, Europe), General Foods (NY, USA),
Marchands Unis Inc (Canada, Intercon), and County Natwest Ltd (U.K.,
Europe).
SaskOil
Our most visible systems success to date involves SaskOil in the
Intercon region. A major Canadian oil concern, SaskOil was looking to
purchase a Unix solution. From a series of vendors, their choice was
narrowed to DEC and HP. HP pitched a S/850 versus the DEC 5820. For
SaskOil, performance was a key issue. The combination of price
performance and our unique performance management differentiator gave
us the deal. According to the team, "the customer did not want to
guess about performance."
Technical Overview
For the past several years the Performance Technology Center has been
busy developing a new methodology for performance management tools on
HP 9000 Series 800/300 platforms running HP-UX. Our goal was to
produce a performance measurement tool which would promote and
facilitate proactive system performance management. To accomplish this
goal we set out to meet the following objectives:
* provide a robust set of validated performance metrics from the
HP-UX kernel to serve as the building block for tool
development;
* provide continuous data collection of a robust set of system
performance metrics (CPU, DISK, MEMORY, etc.) without inducing
significant system overhead (CPU and disk space); and
* provide a user interface that facilitates a centralized, top-
down approach to performance management.
- Performance Collection Software:
The performance collector is a continuous measurement facility that
resides on the HP 9000 Series 800 or Series 300 system, collecting,
classifying, and logging performance data to disk. The collector runs
as a user process and gathers performance metrics from counters and
traces that are maintained by instrumentation embedded in the HP-UX
kernel (measurement interface). Collected data is then classified into
Global, Application, and Process levels and logged to three
corresponding disk logfiles; logglob, logappl, and logproc. The size
of each logfiles is predetermined by the system manager and controlled
via a circular logfile scheme. On an average, the performance
collector uses between 1-5% of the CPU resource and less than 1
megabyte of disk space daily.
- Performance Analysis Software:
The performance analysis software runs on a centralized performance
workstation (PC) and provides graphical and tabular summaries of the
collected data using the ease and efficiency of Microsoft Windows. The
performance analyzer also uses powerful Compact Disc (CD-ROM)
technology. The 600 megabyte capacity provided by CD-ROM technology
allows for; efficient software distribution, the ability to ship sample
log files for comparative purposes as part of the product, and a
mechanism to support Computer Based Training (CBT) for future releases.
- Data Communications
Integral data communication software joins the performance workstation
and HP 9000 system and allows you to easily connect to host systems for
remote analysis. Both serial and Local Area Network (LAN) connections
are supported. You also have the flexibility to download remote
logfiles from your HP 9000 to the performance workstation for local
analysis. A binary file transfer program of your choice (not supplied
with HP LaserRX/UX) is required to download logfiles between the HP
9000 and performance workstation.
Target Customers
Commercial HP-UX
The primary audience for the HP LaserRX/UX software is customers with
medium to high end HP-UX S/800 systems running commercial/OLTP-type
applications.
Examples of such applications include the following:
* order processing,
* customer tracking systems
* manufacturing systems,
* distribution management systems, and
* inventory management.
The industries appropriate for the tool are varied. Our test customers
included systems used for hospital patient monitoring and tracking, a
postal service, accounting and parts tracking, and real estate
listings.
The secondary audience for the software is HP-UX S/800 and S/300
systems being used as network servers or as central database
repositories. Since these systems are usually in high demand, the
benefits of the software are still quite solid. But given the lower
cost of the systems involved, investment in the software may need to be
weighed against less costly consulting engagements.
Technical Workstations
Although designed for a multi-user environment, HP LaserRX/UX can have
significant benefits for the networked workstation environment.
Specific objections from these customers (e.g. Vectra platform) are
handled below. Focusing on the activity of the servers on a network can
provide the system administrator with a functional picture of resource
demands. Remember that HP LaserRX/UX is not designed to be the only
tool needed by users. The real-time monitoring function will be
provided by HP GlancePlus/UX; position HP LaserRX/UX as one part of a
performance management solution.
Customers can gain significant benefits from HP LaserRX/UX by focusing
on the critical systems within their network of workstations. For
example, rather than monitoring all of the replicated seats within an
installation, the most value can be gained from monitoring
representative systems. Suggest that the customer purchase collection
for all servers on their network. Then, choose a few high use stations
and a few low use station to characterize the environment as a whole.
This should provide significant value with a lower investment.
Objections
Cost
Especially in the price-sensitive Unix market, some customers may
object to a perceived high cost of the HP LaserRX/UX software. For
example, a customer might say the following: "we can't afford
performance tools. We run our operation very lean and spend our money
on the systems that do our work." Possible responses to this objection
include:
* Look at the "per system" costs of the software. The list price
for HP LaserRX/UX on a 980/200 is $7,400 U.S. plus any hardware.
As a customer monitors more systems, the cost of the analysis
component is amortized over each system.
* HP LaserRX/UX can potentially postpone expensive upgrades. If
managing the various applications and demands on a given system
regains enough resource capacity, investments in systems
hardware may be able to be pushed out. The interest savings
alone can easily pay for the investment in performance
management.
* HP LaserRX/UX can minimize costly crises. The software is
designed to give a system manager or administrator the
information needed to spot potential crises before they happen.
Compare that scenario for your customer with one that involves
both system downtime and expensive HP consulting to alleviate a
crunch.
* Amortize the hardware costs over time. Rather than presenting
the Vectra and CD-ROM drive as an equipment purchase, ask the
customer to treat it as an operating expense.
Time
Many installations view performance as necessary but not as high a
priority as keeping their operations running. Such a customer might
state the following: "We don't have the time to think about
performance
management. We can barely keep ourselves afloat." Besides selling the
benefits to be gained, some potential responses include:
* HP LaserRX/UX is extremely easy to use. The graphical analysis
provides an almost intuitive understanding of system activity.
Moreover, the information collected by the software is organized
in a hierarchy to ensure that problem isolation is
straightforward and quick.
* Product Implementation Assistance ensures that the customer
starts high on the learning curve. HP's performance consultants
are poised to help customers both install the software and set
up procedures, making the software valuable from day one.
* HP LaserRX/UX provides a safety net for system managers. Using
just the collection software and perhaps relying upon HP to
provide the analysis, a customer will always have the
information necessary to solve resource loading problems and
find system bottlenecks.
* We are committed to further reducing the time needed to
integrate HP LaserRX/UX into customer environments. We intend
to support HP NewWave fully and in our next release will provide
a "macro" capability to automate repetitive tasks.
These time saving arguments may prove especially critical in the
Unix environment. Our experience is that there tends to be less
dedicated system management than among our MPE customers,
especially with lower- end systems and those sold through the
VAR channel.
Ability (training)
For those customers concerned about their lack of experience with
performance management, we have invested in a new three-day customer
training course, "Introduction to System Performance Using HP
LaserRX/UX." This course is not intended to focus on product training;
it focuses on performance as a general discipline and uses the LaserRX
tool to illuminate specific situations.
Hardware platform
For some customers, the benefits of HP LaserRX/UX are evident, but
there is a bias against the Vectra platform required for the software.
There are two reasons for this choice at first release. First, we
chose to leverage our work on the HP LaserRX/MPE product as much as
possible. This ensured much quicker time-to-market and a consistent
system management interface between the two flavors of software.
Second, we actively investigated the multiuser HP-UX marketplace and
discovered that the Vectra platform was quite acceptable in a majority
of cases. Although the market has moved during the interim, we believe
the Vectra to be a viable platform. Ways to counter this objection
include:
* Position the Vectra as part of the solution, not as another
platform to be supported. For some customers, purchasing has
specific rules about which machines are acceptable. If a
customer can package the tool as a solution, the internal sale
may be easier. Remember also that even strictly workstation-
oriented customers (e.g. US West, G.E.) are likely to have many
PC's in the accounting and finance sides of the house.
* Sell HP Performance Consulting instead. For those customers
deadset against the Vectra, sell performance evaluations
delivered by our performance consultants. In many cases, the
benefits of the consulting will be just as potent. The customer
will be able evaluate the product while generating consulting
revenue for HP.