Re: iSeries configuration -- MIDRANGE-L

"Will the data that I collect on the 170s be of any use for sizing the new
system?"

Absolutely. It's the answer you need as a matter of fact. Run performance
collection on them. If the usage pattern is the same then you don't need it
on every system; just a good representative sample. Give the performance
data to your BP or stuff it in the workload estimator and have them scale it
up. Performance data will include not only CPW needs but can be used to
determine the disk & memory requirements as well.

Wild shot in the dark: I'll suggest that a 3-core Power7 750 with 32GB RAM
and 6 SSDs + 20 or so regular disk arms will more than meet your needs.
Unless your deployed 170s were all the biggest ones and they were running
close to 100% utilization .. in which case you may need a 4th core (they
clock in at over 6,000 CPW/core). :)

Suggestions when you do the sizing: For disk, try to come in at 60% or less
full to allow for growth & temp space. If, for instance, 14 arms is enough
to satisfy performance but loading the data would put it at 80% full, add a
few arms to drop it to under 60% full. And for RAM, buy as much as you can
afford, but I'll still guess 32GB will be plenty.

On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 1:12 PM, Albert York <alfromme@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Thank you for your response.

The application currently runs on distributed 170s which were rolled
out in 1999. There are about 40 users per system.

The rollout will be gradual with 2000 being the max.

All of the users are pretty much casual users. There is no heads down
data entry.

Will the data that I collect on the 170s be of any use for sizing the
new system?

Albert

On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 9:47 AM, John Jones <chianime@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Just telling us they're 5250 users doesn't say much. For instance,
traditional JDE can support hundreds of green screen users with virtually

no

CPU usage whatsoever. Back when we ran a 730 I'd have 250 or so

concurrent

users online & interactive CPW was around 100. Heads down data entry
generally isn't demanding. However, eventually they start running the

batch

report jobs they need to actually get data back out of the system and for
that you never have enough CPU. Each app will be different so YMMV.

Other info that needs to be considered:
1. Named v. concurrent users. 2000 named users isn't so bad if only 400

are

on at any given time.
2. What constitutes an acceptable response time?
3. What percent are power users v. casual users? A power user will

usually

count the same as 3-5 casual users.
4. Approx size of the database (so RAM & DASD - both capacity & arms -

can

be estimated).
5. Back up window / off-hours batch needs / 24x7 availability

requirement

6. What else will be running? 3rd party apps, HA, web/FTP servers,

queries

run against the db from Crystal or other non-i sources, etc.
7. Phased implementation or big-bang? It matters as a phased

implementation

allows you to start small and turn on capacity as needed. It also gives
wiggle room if the actual workload requirements aren't specific enough

and

it allows you to see if adding users creates a linear or geometric need

for

added resources. Along with that it implies there's budget for adding
capacity as needed.
8. Along those lines, is 2000 a starting? Will it be 3000 in 2 years?

As Dan said, you need to work with a BP and your vendors to get some
estimations from them. Apply that to what you know of the organization.
Don't start with a maxed out machine; always leave room for
growth/expansion.

On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Albert York <alfromme@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

We were planning on putting the users on the corporate network. We
need to do this for other reasons than accessing the iseries. I just
need to know a range of configurations that will support 2000 green
screen users.

Albert

On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 7:29 AM, Mark Murphy/STAR BASE Consulting Inc.
<mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I suspect this has not been answered because it is so simple. Just

put

the iSeries on the corporate network. As long as your remote users have
access to the network they can get top the iSeries using iSeries Access.
This is a network issue, not an iSeries configuration issue. In the

case

that the remote users are individuals with laptops, set up VPN access to
your network. I would use a hardware solution like one from Cisco, or

if

the remote is a branch office, just use a couple routers to connect the
branch office to your main network.

Mark Murphy
STAR BASE Consulting, Inc.
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: -----

To: Midrange technical discussions <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Albert York <alfromme@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: 07/01/2010 02:07PM
Subject: iSeries configuration

I have a client who has requested a suggestion for an iseries
configuration that will support about 2000 remote users running a
green screen application. At this point I am just trying to get an
idea of some approximate costs to see if this will be a reasonable
solution. The users might be on one lpar or they may be split between
3 lpars, depending on the cost difference.

Does anyone have any reccomendations?

Thanks,

Albert
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