© 1979 by British Computer Society
Tuning to service standards without monitors
Computer Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg, South Africa
A technique, based on an analytical model, a benchmark job stream and information routinely provided by an operating system, has been developed to assist computer centre management with hardware selection and system tuning. In this paper the author proposes the extension of the technique of system tuning in relation to service standards.
The technique requires neither additional equipment nor specialist personnel so that most installations can implement the method with relatively little expense. The use of information provided by the operating system means that evaluation is described in terms of the conditions which prevail during production. The results constitute a satisfactory first pass at system evaluation and highlight areas that will need further investigation with hardware or software monitors.
Results include service/cost relationships, since a component of the model is the representation of service standards. Case studies are presented which illustrate the application of the technique in investigating optimum multiprogramming level and expected throughput capacity on different configurations.
Received July 1976.
* Computer Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa