Systems-Management Vendors Standardize on HP Performance Collection Software; Software Spans HP, Sun and IBM UNIX System-based Platforms

Business Wire, Nov 7, 1994

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 1994-- Hewlett-Packard Company today announced that 13 leading systems-management vendors have selected HP Performance Collection Software for distributed environments as a key data-collection tool for their systems-management products. In addition to the new partners, initial adopters include these management vendors: Legent, SAS Institute and Merrill Consultants. A comprehensive list of these vendors is attached.

"Managing our mainframe environment has been relatively easy, thanks to the availability of established applications, but managing distributed systems created a new challenge," said Rick Sironi, senior capacity/performance analyst at Miller Brewing Company. "HP Performance Collection Software gives us a way to gather and integrate performance data from our IBM RS/6000s. We bring the data directly into our SAS and Legent applications, allowing us to manage the distributed systems using familiar mainframe tools."

According to the 13 partners, HP's software is a proven technology with the flexibility to collect comprehensive performance data required for diverse applications. The data collected by HP Performance Collection Software makes it the preferred choice for performance data collection on multiple platforms.

Customers now can use the software as the sole collection agent for a variety of systems-management functions, including capacity planning, statistical analysis, performance analysis and workload scheduling. Also, Performance Collection Software data is accessible to management applications residing on mainframes, PCs and UNIX(R) system-based computers.

By integrating this software into their applications, the partners can remain focused on their areas of expertise while using HP's expertise and investment in data collection for distributed systems.

"The increasing presence of multiplatform environments creates a greater need for uniform performance data in systems-management applications," said Dr. R. Paul Mason, manager of system level software research at International Data Corporation. "HP Performance Collection Software helps systems-management ISVs by creating a stable, yet robust, foundation for collecting performance metrics."

Most distributed environments can't spare the system resources needed to support inefficient data collectors. HP Performance Collection Software allows continuous data collection and uses a technology that filters and reduces data before it is logged. The only data logged is that which customers define as relevant to their environment. This process ensures that minimal system resources are used for data collection and storage.

HP PERFORMANCE COLLECTION SOFTWARE

This collection software provides hundreds of data metrics on UNIX system-based-computer performance that are essential in helping information technology professionals manage distributed systems. Most UNIX system-based operating systems provide some performance data, however, the data is designed only to help system developers tune the system kernel and does not aid in broader systems management.

The partners noted that Performance Collection Software is the only tool that offers comprehensive and accurate performance measurements and a common access method across HP-UX(1), Sun SPARC, IBM RS/6000 and Bull (AIX) UNIX system-based platforms.

HP Performance Collection Software collects data at three levels: global (overall system), individual applications and individual processes. At each level, information is available on individual-resources use, such as CPU, memory, disk and networks. It also is available on service levels, such as response times and transaction rates.

In addition to collecting system-performance data, data-source-integration technology, which is built into HP Performance Collection Software, can collect information from other elements in a distributed UNIX system-based environment, such as databases, networks and applications.

Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP) is an international manufacturer of measurement and computation products and systems recognized for excellence in quality and support. The company's products and services are used in industry, business, engineering, science, medicine and education in approximately 110 countries. HP has 97,900 employees and had revenue of $20.3 billion in its 1993 fiscal year. -0-

HP PERFORMANCE COLLECTION SOFTWARE PARTNERS

ISV                                AREA OF EXPERTISE

Advanced System Technologies         Capacity Planning
Joe Lenski
(303) 790-4242
12200 E. Briarwood Ave., Suite 260
Englewood, CO 80112

Compumetrics, Inc.                   Performance Analysis
Sidney Finehursh
(212) 346-7560
67 Wall Street, Suite 2411
New York, NY 10005

Datametrics Systems Corp.            Performance Analysis
Susan G. White
(703) 385-7700 or (800) 869-3282
12150 East Monument Drive, Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22033

4th Dimension Software, Inc.         Workload Scheduling
Catherine S. Edwards
1 Park Plaza, 11th Floor
Irvine, CA  92714
(408) 295-9919, San Jose location

Information Systems Manager (ISM)    Performance Analysis
Donald Goodman
(215) 865-0300
301 Broadway
Bethlehem, PA 18015

Legent Corporation                   Performance Analysis
Laura Stentz
(412) 494-1147
575 Herndon Parkway
Herndon, VA 22070

Merrill Consultants                  Statistical Analysis
Barry Merrill
(214) 351-1966
10717 Cromwell Dr.
Dallas, TX 75229

Metron                               Capacity Planning
Adam Grummitt
44-823-259-231
50 North Street
Taunton, UK TA1 1LX

P & M Inc./Zitel Corp.                Capacity Planning
Michael Salsburg
(215) 692-5386 or (800) 342-9606
1033 South New Street
West Chester, PA 19382

SAS Institute                        Statistical Analysis
Barbara Pendergrass
(919) 677-8000, Ext.7221
SAS Campus Drive
Cary, NC 27513

Scientific and Engineering           Capacity Planning
Software, Inc.                       Performance Analysis
Clifton Moss
(512) 328-5544
4301 Westbank Drive, Bldg. A
Austin, TX 78746

Systar                               Performance Analysis
G. Kuster
19-33-1-46-02-40-52
171 Bureaux de la Colline
92213 St. Cloud Cedex
France

Unison Software                      Workload Scheduling
Julia Lockwood
(408) 245-3000
675 Almanor Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086