Improving Console Performance with Fast Disks & User Roles

Session Objectives

Maximizing Performance – Why is the disk subsystem crucial to console performance and what’s the best disk configuration.

Extending Performance – How to further improve console performance by implementing User Roles.

Performance

Native Performance (NP)Sequential IO

Interactive Performance (IP)Random IO

Track to Track Seek Time

Resources - The Big Four

Memory – QuantityProcessor – SpeedNetwork* – Quantity & SpeedBandwidth & Latency

Disk - Multiple VariablesRedundancyQuantity (Capacity)I/OSpeed

Disk Subsystems

Disk subsystems performance influenced by multiple variables:

Storage tuning very complex due to many variables.

Disk Subsystems

Transaction Times< 20ms

I/O Ratesn+1000

RAID Level

10

Capacity36, 72, 144,

300+

RAID 10

Minimum Disks: 4Advantages: Combines read performance of RAID 0 w/ the fault-tolerance of RAID 1

Fault-Tolerance: ExcellentApplication: High performance applications requiring data protection and maximum read performance

The ChallengeCapacity vs. PerformanceSAN Optimized for Capacity.High Capacity Disks Reduces Spindle Count – Impedes I/O.

Excess Capacity Shared Out.Cost per GB

Scenairo

5000 Agents / 7 Day RetentionPrimary Database = 170GBSingle Disk:

15,000K RPM, SCSI/Fiber Channel125-225 IO at 80%Greater than 100% - IO Requests Queued Thus Increasing Latency – Over Size

IO RequirementsAvg. Disk Sec/Read < 20ms / No Spikes*Max. Disk Reads/Sec = 6000 (Size for this, not the average)

Building the Disk Subsystem

6000 IO = 26 Disks (6000 IO / 225 IO)

RAID 10 :36 GB Disk = 936GB Raw / 468 Usable (36%)72 GB Disk = 1872GB Raw / 936 Usable (18%)144 GB Disk = 3744 Raw / 1872 Usable (9%)300 GB Disk = 7800 Raw / 3900 Usable (04%)

Extra space makes for a terrific parking lot, just minimize traffic.

Best PracticesWhat the customer needs to know: Required Database SizeAvg. disk sec/read < 20 ms – maximum valueProvide IO – Average & Maximum (n+1000)

Information above necessary to design an appropriate disk subsystem.

Let the SAN and Disk folks figure it out!

Observed vs. Theoretical Capacity

Extending PerformanceThe Operations ConsoleOperations Console introduces load on OperationsManager database. Resource Intensive

RMS influences performance too. All operations consoles connect to RMS.

Unusually High ActivityDisk Persistence QueueLarge Number of MonitorsConfig Files – Large & Frequently Modified

Solution: 64-Bit, Fast Disk & Physical Memory

Extending Performancewith User RolesTypical add more and more resources to get performance. Maximize what you have by reducing the overhead:•Implement User Roles to control views.•Why update objects not needed? Overhead.•Considerably improves user experience in console.•Deploy Web Console •Limit Desktop Consoles

Challenge – Requires Planning and Maintenance

Resources

RAID Calculator: http://www.dnfdefense.com/resources.asp/section/Reading~Room/category/Technical~Information/options/RAID~Calculator

OpsManJam Web Site: http://www.opsmanjam.com