Performance Management & Capacity Planning Part 1 - Foundations

Objectives
On successful completion of this course, attendees will be able to:

• describe the critical interrelationships/interdependencies between Business IT objectives , lifecycle process managers and Performance Management/Capacity Planning (PM/CP)
• list the core capabilities and enablers' (a surprisingly large number) that should be established within any IT Infrastructure for success with both PM/CP and overall success with Applications lifecycle Service Management
• identify the practical meaning and constraints relating to aspects such as Availability , Response times , Service targets and their monitoring
• describe what is typical in the full range of activities undertaken by PM/CP staff
• list the sorts of tools and techniques for success
• list the range of data sources available to help key groups such as Service Management and Application Support in pursuit of their duties
• identify what is required to manage the performance of single and multi-tier transaction based systems
• explain what Performance Management and Capacity Planning actually 'look like' in practice
• identify what to look for and demand in terms of 'capabilities' to ensure the successful performance of business IT solutions.

Who Should Attend
This course is suitable for all technical, project/application related and business and management personnel.
Prerequisites
None.
Duration
4 days

Course Code
PMCP1
Contents
Core basics
What are computing systems really about and what do we mean by Performance Management and Capacity Planning - experience shows that all too often some 'core' aspects are neglected here - we set this right from the start!


Key disciplines - definitions
Encompasses the following - looking at their definition , roles/responsibilities and also their necessary 'overlap': Performance Management Capacity Planning Service Management Performance Architecture Systems Specification and Design.


Enablers for success
There are a surprisingly large number of features/capabilities that simply must be correctly designed and put in place in order, not only that Performance Management / Capacity Planning may work but that the entire IT enterprise / ITIL can succeed. We examine these, amongst which are : Workload specifications - a comprehensive list of requirements (specs, Demand factors, Volumetrics and much more) Service Targets - a meaningful , practical examination of aspects such as availability, response times, service targets and their monitoring - MORE complex than might appear! Control regimes. Metering / Monitoring Regimes - capabilities , hierarchies, navigational techniques, composing a single point of control/monitoring across multi-server distributed environments. An understanding of the nature of 'Failures'. Lots more...


Performance Management (PM)
The typical range of Activities encountered; Necessary enablers; Monitoring approaches - detailed consideration of tools, techniques, supportive architectures and hints applicable to: Server based study Application based study Multi-Server based study. Each item is usefully expanded to identify a raft of features , requirements and approaches.


Performance Management in Practice
Building on the above, there is a close examination of 'Real , Live' performance/tuning studies, showing the various tools/ tuning techniques and lessons learnt. z/OS WorkLoad Manager provides a vehicle for a deal of this but the techniques are completely general and are fully discussed . We also closely examine a Multi-Server, distributed situation and a lot more. Throughout, a range of sample Performance Reports are examined, many others discussed and valuable lessons learned as to the types of Performance Management analysis/reporting capabilities one should be looking for and how to assemble them.


Capacity Planning
Difference between Sizing and Capacity Planning; Typical range of activities and objectives of each; Necessary enablers; Technical Primers look at valuable additional aspects, e.g.: System v Machine 'Powers' - big differences; Capture Ratios; Queuing theory (brief but necessary); Disc sub-system 'powers' and factors.


Sizing and Capacity Planning in practice
Real, live studies are closely examined, in which the 'Primers' above and other tools/techniques are visibly employed - with solid lessons being learnt. Impact analysis, Modelling etc are investigated. Response v Loading correlations on a UNIX platform, plus a raft of other techniques are examined. The use of daily, Trend and 'Ad-hoc' analysis techniques examined. Lots more...


Performance Architecture
Possibly the greatest 'Enabler' of all, encompassing all the others and calling for sound consideration Right up front of any new Business Systems Design. Effectively, this all means designing for service (and more) from the very start - we look at this in detail, reflecting on the practical lessons and other things we have learnt. Fail to do this and you are heading for Failure!