H-P crafting Unix support: Roseville PTC lab dedicated to Unix performance management - system management applications - Performance Technology Center in Roseville, CA

Software Magazine, June 15, 1990 by John Desmond

PRC is a user of LaserRX/UX, which has proved very useful in helping to get the most from the firm's Series 850 machine. "We discovered we were using 50% to 70% of the memory. That information was not available to us prior to running the tool," said Hite.

In response, PRC rebuilt the Unix kernel to increase buffer cache size and improve I/O throughput.

Though not now available, Hite would like to see a realtime Unix performance monitor, a la Candle Corp.'s Omegamon, in the MVS world. It takes time to trace a performance bottleneck with LaserRX/UX, he said. "By the time you do that, the problem might be gone."

A network performance tool would also be very useful. "We are now reaching the point where our network is becoming a bottleneck," Hite said. PRC runs 16 HP 9000s in its center.

The company, which is among the nation's 10 largest publishers, produces the Multiple Listing Services books used by real estate agents nationwide.

The MPE side at HP has also recently announced performance management tools. Ten new products address systems management for HP's high-end MPE Risc machines.

"We are combining systems and network management in one single architecture," said Wim Roelandts, VP and general manager of HP's computer systems group.

The products are aimed at helping HP users reduce operating costs. "They want to operate more systems with fewer people, and provide better service to their end users," Roelandts said. For example, HP OpenView System Manager is aimed at allowing HP 3000 system operators to monitor and control networked HP 3000 systems and applications from a single, PC-based console.

"This will help users manage systems from a central site, so remote systems do not need operators," he said. The product is part of the HP Open View family of network management products.