Compaq 108164-003 - ProLiant - 800 Quick reference guide

WHITEPAPER
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ECG007.0897
September 1997
Prepared by Internet
Solutions Engineering
Compaq Computer
Corporation
CONTENTS
A message from
Paul Smart, Vice
President of
Research and
Development,
Collaboration
Services.........................0
Objective........................0
GroupWise
Architecture ...................0
Functionality of GroupWise 5.2
Server.................................0
GroupWise System
Requirements................. 0
Client..................................0
Server.................................0
Performance
Management................... 0
Overview .............................0
Novell Super Laboratory ........0
Test Configuration ................0
Test Procedure.....................0
Subsystem Performance
Comparison..........................0
Performance
Tuning............................0
Bus System Tuning...............0
Hard Disk Controller Tuning...0
NetWare Operating System
Tuning.................................0
Performance
Conclusions ...................0
System Processor.................0
Memory............................... 0
Disk Subsystem.................... 0
Proof of Concept of
Sizing the
GroupWise Server .......... 0
Novell GroupWise Performance
Management on Compaq Servers
This Compaq White Paper provides the results of a performance analysis conducted by
Novell and Compaq engineers on the GroupWise Server for Novell IntranetWare. The
information here is based on technical knowledge acquired by both Novell and Compaq
engineers while testing these products in a closely controlled environment.
This paper is for system integrators and network administrators with knowledge of
Compaq Server products, Novell GroupWise, and IntranetWare. It is a supplement to the
“Compaq Hardware Reference” document and the “Novell GroupWise 5.2”
documentation. The results and conclusions of this paper provide
•an understanding of how Novell GroupWise works, including performance impact
with various hardware configurations.
•suggestions for improving your GroupWise Server for IntranetWare performance.
•recommendations for selecting the appropriate server hardware for your GroupWise
Server for IntranetWare.

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NOTICE
The information in this publication is subject to change without notice.
COMPAQ COMPUTER CORPORATION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR TECHNICAL
OR EDITORIAL ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, NOR FOR
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE
FURNISHING, PERFORMANCE, OR USE OF THIS MATERIAL.
This publication does not constitute an endorsement of the product or products that were tested.
The configuration or configurations tested or described may or may not be the only available
solution. This test is not a determination of product quality or correctness, nor does it ensure
compliance with any federal, state or local requirements. Compaq does not warrant products other
than its own strictly as stated in Compaq product warranties.
Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their
respective companies.
Compaq, ProLiant, Pentium Pro, Novell, NetWare, NetWare Directory Services, GroupWise,
GroupWare, IntranetWare are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their
respective companies.
©1997 Compaq Computer Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Novell GroupWise Performance Management on Compaq Servers
First Edition (September 1997)
ECG007.0897

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A MESSAGE FROM PAUL SMART, VICE PRESIDENT OF
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, COLLABORATION SERVICES
The tests that Compaq performed in the Novell Superlab clearly demonstrate the overall
scalability that GroupWise, IntraNetWare and Compaq servers can offer. The SuperLab is unique
in that it provides a testing environment for 1000+ machines. The testing is much more realistic
with no simulation of connected users or desktops.
The combination of IntraNetWare, GroupWise and Compaq servers deliversa level of
performance, scalability and reliablity that will help customers realize the highest Return on
Investment.
OBJECTIVE
One objective of this Compaq White Paper is to provide information to assist current customers
running Novell GroupWise R5.2 for IntranetWare on Compaq servers in optimally configuring
their server(s) to achieve the highest possible performance from their hardware and software.
Information is also provided that will assist customers in making configuration upgrade decisions
that may be based on an anticipated return in performance gains.
Another objective is to provide information to assist future customers in selecting the appropriate
server hardware configuration for their operating environment. Data provided illustrates
performance and system utilization that can be expected for various processor types, server
memory quantities, and disk subsystem choices. Customers may use this data to determine which
price-for-performance configuration would best suit their business needs.
GROUPWISE ARCHITECTURE
GroupWise offers expanded E-mail and Integration with Internet/intranet
technologies. If you can use E-mail or a browser, you can use GroupWise.
The Internet has changed the face of business communications. While E-mail is fine for sending
messages back and forth, in today’s marketplace—where survival often depends on your ability to
collaborate and share information—E-mail isn’t enough. In order to work effectively, you need
the tools to send and retrieve messages, access shared documents, store voice-mail messages and
make appointments. Just as important, you need a tool that lets you get the information you need
when and where you need it. With expanded Internet capabilities and an elegant, easy-to-use
interface, GroupWise 5.2 is that tool. The following figure depicts the GroupWise 5.2
Architecture.

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Functionality of GroupWise 5.2 Server
•Full-featured E-mail
•Document management
•Calendaring and scheduling
•Workflow
•Imaging
•Remote Access
•Conferencing
•Paging
•Forms
•Voice mail integration
•Faxing capabilities
•Intranet/Internet integration
•and more...
Figure 1. GroupWise 5.2 Architecture

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Everything You Need In One Place
The workplace is hectic enough without constantly having to search for E-mail, Web addresses,
faxes, voice-mail, documents, appointments, and to-do lists. GroupWise allows you to gather all
that information in one place, with a simple interface that’s as easy to manage as E-mail. It’s
called the Universal Mailbox, and it even lets users store Web addresses that link directly to the
referenced home page.
Get All Your Docs In Line
GroupWise Document Management lets several people work simultaneously on a single
document. And a new feature, Jefferson Project technology, provides users with a full-featured
Web publishing environment that allows them to easily collaborate on authoring, preparing and
approving Web documents. It even keeps track of multiple versions of documents and monitors
who’s working on them. Jefferson Project technology enables you to manage corporate
information on intranets and the Web, while providing the security, management and
administration features required to keep that information secure, up to date and easily accessible.
Unify Network And Communications Administration
Running GroupWise with IntranetWare or NetWare 4 doesn’t just offer incredible performance, it
streamlines administration, as well. NDS™(Novell Directory Services™) provides a global
directory and single point of administration for GroupWise, IntranetWare or NetWare. So there’s
no duplication of effort when you’re changing a user’s address or modifying a user’s rights. And
with Novell and NDS, you can manage GroupWise remotely.
Anytime, Anywhere
With GroupWise WebAccess, you’re always connected. Whether you’re at your desk or on the
road, you can download messages on any standard Web browser—allowing you to reply to
messages, set appointments, and assign tasks on the fly. And GroupWise PhoneAccess is perfect
for those times when you don’t have access to a computer. Just call your Universal Mailbox to
send and receive important E-mail messages through a pager, or check your messages and
appointments using a touch-tone telephone.
GroupWise Keeps You Connected No Matter Where You Roam
Multiple Platforms And Gateways For Wide-Open
Solutions
GroupWise runs on Windows 95*, 3.1 and NT*, as well as Macintosh* and the major versions of
UNIX*. It also supports popular Internet browsers and the latest Internet protocols including
SMTP/MIME, POP3, LDAP, IMAP and MAPI-compatible E-mail clients. GroupWise even offers
multiple E-mail gateways.
Scalability For Any Size Enterprise
A true client/server application, GroupWise uses TCP/IP to communicate between workstations
and servers—a natural solution when it comes to intranet/Internet integration.

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GroupWise Is In Good Company
With more than 7 million users, GroupWise is one of the most popular messaging solutions of its
kind. If shared messaging and collaboration are hallmarks of your company, you need the
reliable, powerful communications solution GroupWise provides.
GROUPWISE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Following are the recommended requirements for GroupWise 5.2:
Client
Windows 95 or NT 4.0
Processor: 486/33 or higher
Memory: 16MB (for Windows 95)
24MB (for NT)
Hard Disk Space: Workstation 4MB
Full install 24MB
Windows 3.1
Processor: 486/25 or higher
Memory: 8MB
Hard Disk Space: Workstation 2MB
Full install 20MB
Server
Agents (available for)
NLM: IntranetWare, NetWare 3.1x or 4.x
NT: 3.51 or higher Novell Directory Services (NDS) Aware
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Overview
Performance Management can only be successfully achieved by fully understanding the
performance impact that system resources such as the system processor, memory, and the disk
subsystems components have on the overall operation of your entire system. Changing the
configuration of these components affects performance in many ways. The goal of this section is
to help customers understand the relationship between system resources and GroupWise Server
performance. With this understanding, customers may make decisions regarding changes to an
existing server configuration as well as complete configuration of a new installation.

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This section:
•defines two perceptions of performance
•describes performance analysis
•discusses standard and customized benchmarks as a performance
measuring tool
•describes the testing methodology used during the study while focusing on
Novell NetBench as the benchmark tool used for measuring performance of
the CPU, memory, and disk subsystem.
Data gathered from Novell NetBench testing is presented and configuration recommendations are
provided based upon data analysis and the experience of Novell and Compaq engineers.
Performance Characteristics
Performance can be viewed in one of two ways. To a system administrator, performance means
effective management of system resources. A system administrator's concerns are system
throughput and utilization. To an end user, however, performance is measured by system response
time. In practice, it is necessary to balance the two perspectives; understanding that a change
made to improve response time may require more system resources.
The purpose of this section is to provide the customer with an understanding of how GroupWise
Server performed under various test configuration scenarios or benchmarks. Based on results
from these tests, information is provided that can be used as a guideline for gauging the response
time, throughput, and capacity expected of Novell GroupWise running on a Compaq server.
Performance Analysis
Performance analysis is an ongoing, interactive process necessary for determining whether or not
your server is performing as it should. Performance analysis that is required as a part of
performance management includes
•Understanding your user requirements
•Monitoring your server and network load patterns
•Making appropriate modifications to your configuration to achieve
optimal use of resources
For the performance analysis investigation, Novell and Compaq engineers used a standard
benchmark tool to examine the following GroupWise Server system resource areas:
•System Processor (CPU) Performance
•Memory
•Disk Subsystem
•Bus Architecture (PCI versus EISA)
•File Systems
•Networking

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Standard Benchmark Tool
A standard benchmark tool provides the ability to run the same test scenario under various
operating environments to allow the comparison of one environment to another. For example,
Test A executes a test script that initiates the execution of a fixed set of database or file operations
for a consistent period of time on a hardware configuration, followed by the identical Test A
running on another hardware configuration. The hardware configuration change implies that the
processor, total system memory, network card, or disk subsystem configuration has been changed.
To accurately measure the affect of configuration changes to one of these subsystems, all other
variables are held constant except for the variable under test.
Customized Benchmark Tool
A customized benchmark is simply an extension of the standard benchmark tool. The customized
benchmark provides the capability for test engineers to choose the type of workload from a
number of provided profiles that most closely matches their real-world operating environment.
Thus, one engineer’s test results with a customized set of profiles should only be compared to
other tests that used the same workloads. The output of the benchmark tools is raw data that must
be analyzed before any conclusions can be made. The benchmark used in this test was developed
by the Novell Engineering team. It has been customized to simulate the real world workload.
Novell Super Laboratory
The Novell SuperLab is an extensive testing facility available to internal Novell groups as well as
third-party testing groups. The lab is designed to enable testing groups to conduct large scale tests
resolving issues not encountered in typical lab environments. Resources include over 1700
computers, SMP resources, and telecom resources.
Test Configuration
Agent Configuration
The Post Office agent was configured using default settings, with the following exceptions:
•The TCPTHREAD count was set to 30
•The MFTHREAD count was set to 12
Hardware and Software Configuration
•Hardware System: Compaq ProLiant 5000
Compaq ProLiant 800
•CPU: 200 MHz Pentium Pro (1-4)
•Memory: 128MB – 1GB memory
•Disk: Fast SCSI-2 and 8x2.1 GB
•Network: NetFlex3 (1-4)
•Network OS: IntranetWare 4.11
•Application: GroupWise 5.2

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Figure 2. Testbed Layout
Test Procedure
Novell and Compaq GroupWare Engineers initially performed several trial runs to determine the
best test duration and confirmation of steady state. Both test duration and steady state were
determined using real-time monitor utilities from IntranetWare. During the trial runs, engineers
monitored the IntranetWare Performance Monitor and also logged the entire test process. For
example, in the Network test, the team applied the same workload against four different LAN
segments. In the first test, the team placed all 108 clients in one LAN segment and sent 20 mail
items to 3 recipients. The team then separated the 108 clients into two LAN segments, with 54
clients each. Using the control station, the automated test scripts trigger the same tests.
The test data collected includes the following files:
•The Post Office Agent Log
•The STAT NLM output file
•Response time
Subsystem Performance Comparison
This section offers guidelines for obtaining optimal value and performance from your Compaq
server. These guidelines are based on tests designed by Novell and Compaq engineers. The tests
are based on the analysis of the data gathered from NetBench testing. A description of each of the
subsystems, the data collected from testing, and recommendations for the configuration of your
Compaq server are included in this section.
GroupWise Server
LAN Segment 4
LAN Segment 3
LAN Segment 2
Control Station
LAN Segment 1
Clients (Load Generator)

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The subsystems to be discussed are:
•CPU
•Memory
•Disk
•Bus Architecture (Bridge vs. Dual PCI)
•Networking
System Processor (CPU)
In contrast to a resource-sharing (file server) environment, a faster processor for an
implementation of GroupWise on an IntranetWare Server yields faster client response times. In a
resource-sharing environment, the system processor plays a less important role in performance
tuning than the memory, disk, and network interface card. For Novell GroupWise, however, the
processor is the most important subsystem for high performance.
In the testing performed by the Novell and Compaq team, the performance of the Pentium
processors was compared to that of the Pentium Pro processors. The type of processor and its
associated architecture features have as much impact on performance as processor-rated clock
speed. For example, the Pentium Pro processor offers outstanding performance that is partially
attributed to the incorporation of the following dynamic execution features.
•A superscalar architecture gives the processor the ability to execute
multiple instructions per clock cycle.
•Internal register renaming supports the execution of concurrent
instructions.
•Speculative execution of branches is supported via the processor’s
branch target buffer, which means the processor is able to predict
the correct branch in most instances, thus increasing the number
of instructions that can be executed out of order.
•The processor fetches and decodes numerous instructions, which
are then sent to an instruction pool that schedules instructions that
have no dependencies on prior instructions to be executed even if
the instruction is out of order.
•Processor cache also has effect on performance. L1 cache(cache
memory in the CPU it self) stores the most recent data and
program instructions and provides this information to the server at
the highest possible speeds. The systems L2 cache(near the CPU)
has a 133 megahertz path to the CPU. L2 cache stores additional
data and instructions. These two caches allow the CPU to function
at higher rates of speed.
Information that is not stored in either L1 or L2 caches must come
from the main system memory at a speed of 66 megahertz, in turn
slowing down the CPU. In other words, the larger the L2 cache is,
the better performance will be.

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Memory
Memory is one of the most valuable resources in a Novell NetWare server. Memory is used for
both disk cache as well as program execution. The detail memory requirement for NetWare 4.1
server can be found in Novell Application Notes, January 1995. In that calculation, the
administrator needs to take a number of variables into consideration such as Total Disk Capacity,
Total Number of Clients, Volume Block size, and so on.
GroupWise5 Memory Requirements:
The memory requirements are upper limits for a high-usage messaging system. The memory
required on a server for GroupWise 5.2 varies depending on many factors. This document should
not be used as an absolute tool for calculating memory requirements. A GroupWise system will
run with less than the maximum amount of memory required, but performance will be increased
with additional memory. Memory amounts stated are for GroupWise and not total system
memory. Factors that may cause variances in calculations and performance are:
•Number of post offices and domains
•Number of TCP Handlers and MF worker threads
•Number of client/server connections being supported
•Number of active client connections vs. idle connections
•Message traffic between post offices and domains
•Separate processors for POA, MTA and ADA
•Dedicated Client/Server and MF worker processors
•IP or direct connections between MTAs
•High volumes of admin related traffic (user adds/deletes, NDS Sync, etc)
•High volumes of large messages (i.e. large attachments, remote updates,
etc.)
Rule of Thumb for Memory Requirements
The largest amount of memory for GroupWise 5.2 is used while running the Post Office Agent
(POA.) The Message Transport Agent (MTA) and the Administrative Agent (ADA) have smaller
requirements. For the POA, three main groupings determine the memory requirements:
•Base memory for code, data and quick finder: 8,000,000 bytes
•Number of TCP handlers & MF workers: n* 2,000,000 bytes
•For C/S, number of concurrent connections: n* 50,000 bytes
Recommendation of Memory Requirements
The table below outlines the memory requirements for post offices with 100, 250, 500 and 1000 users. The
memory requirements reflect the Post-Office Agent, Message Transport Agent and Administrative Agent.
The memory requirements reflect peak usage at a time when all users are active. This information does not
include requirements for the network operating system.

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Table 1. Memory Recommendation
Concurrent users Machine
recommended Actual Server memory used During peak time.
100 Active users and actual Post-
office;
100-250 users
Pentium 90 MHz 42MB
250 Active users and actual Post-
office;
250-500 users
Pentium 133 MHz 104MB
500 Active users and actual Post-
office;
500-1000 users
Pentium-Pro 200 MHz 116MB
1000 Active users and actual
Post-office;
1000-2500 Users
Pentium-Pro 200 MHz 137MB
Disk
The disk subsystem has an impact on performance for all applications. The amount of I/O
required by your application determines the degree of impact on the disk subsystem performance.
Since Novell GroupWise is a very I/O-oriented application, the disk subsystem is an important
contributor to overall system performance. Determining the impact of the disk subsystem involved
analyzing the following options
•Drive Spindles/Striping
•Hardware Striping versus Software Striping
•Fault tolerance: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 4, RAID 5
•Controller type
Volume Block Size
The INSTALL program will set the default volume block size based on the size of Disk Volume.
Depending on the type of files stored on the volume, or the application you used, you can increase
or decrease the volume block size to improve the performance. The Novell/Compaq test team
found that setting the volume block size to 64 KB yields the best result. The following graph
shows the performance comparison.

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0
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1000
1500
2000
2500
Response Time (Seconds)
4KB 16KB 64KB
Volume Block Size
Performance Comparison of Volume Block Size
Figure 3. Volume Block Size Performance Comparison
The test results show that there is a measurable difference in response time rates between various
volume-block sizes. The large VBS will increase the performance by 100% from 64 KB over 16
KB. The large block size will also save a lot of memory to load the volume; therefore, we strongly
recommend using the largest volume block size.
Drive Spindles/Striping
If your applications generate significant disk I/O, there will likely be a lot more concurrent use of
system services. You can improve the performance of your disk subsystem under load conditions
by having your hardware logical drive span multiple physical drives using “striping.” Striping
allows the data to be written “across” a series of physical drives that are viewed by the system as
one logical drive. This data distribution across drives makes it possible to access data concurrently
from multiple physical drives that have been defined as one logical drive array.
Performance gains are achieved when you read from or write to the drive after the series of
physical drives is united into one or more logical drive arrays. By distributing or striping the data
evenly across the drives, it is then possible to access data concurrently from multiple drives in the
series or array. The concurrent access of the data leads to higher I/O rates for the drive arrays
than the spindles, thus improving your total system performance.
Table 2. Drive Spindle Performance Comparison Mixed Load
Response Time (Seconds)
One Drive 823
8 Drives Hardware Striping (No
Fault Tolerance) 803
Fault Tolerance
The customer has several available options when configuring the GroupWise Server and making
a decision about the level of fault tolerance the system requires. Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive
Disks (RAID)-level is a term used to refer to an array technology that provides data redundancy to
increase the overall system reliability and performance. The fault tolerance method the customer
selects effects the amount of available disk storage and the performance of the drive array.

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The following levels of fault tolerance support are available:
•RAID 5 - Distributed Data Guarding
•RAID 4 - Data Guarding
•RAID 1 - Disk Mirroring
•RAID 0 - No Fault Tolerance Support
The Compaq Smart-2 Array Controller is needed to support hardware striping and all levels of
fault tolerance support. Features offered by the Compaq Smart-2 Controllers that are not found
with Fast-Wide SCSI-2 Controllers are:
•Support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 4 and RAID 5 Hardware
Striping and Fault Tolerance
•Dual Fast-Wide SCSI-2 channels on a single board support up to
14 drives (7 per channel)
•Support for multiple logical drives per drive array
•Removable Array Accelerator - battery-backed 4 MB Read/Write
cache with Error Checking and Correcting (ECC)
•Read-ahead caching
•Online Capacity Expansion and Disk Drive Upgrades
•Fault Management Features
RAID 5 - Distributed Data Guarding
RAID 5 is also referred to as distributed data guarding because it uses parity data to guard against
the loss of data. The parity data is distributed or striped across all the drives in the array. RAID 5
provides very good data protection because if a single drive fails, the parity data and the data on
the remaining drives is used to reconstruct the data on the failed drive. With Compaq Smart-2
controller technology, this reconstruction process allows the failed drive to be replaced while the
system continues to operate at a slightly reduced performance. RAID 5 also offers good
performance because spreading the parity across all the drives allows more simultaneous read
operations.
The usable disk space when using RAID 5 depends on the total number of drives in the array. If
there are three drives, 67 percent of the disk space is usable for data, with the remainder being
used to support fault tolerance. If there are fourteen drives, 93 percent of the disk would be
available. The tests that follow used seven drives.
RAID 1 - Drive Mirroring
RAID 1 is also referred to as drive mirroring. This is typically the highest performance fault
tolerance method. RAID 1 is the only option for fault tolerance if no more than two drives are
selected. Drive mirroring works as its name implies, storing two sets of duplicate data on a pair of
disk drives. Therefore, RAID 1 always requires an even number of disk drives. From a cost
standpoint, RAID 1 is the most expensive because 50 percent of the drive capacity is used for fault
tolerance.
If a drive fails, the mirror drive provides a backup copy of the data and normal system operation
is not interrupted. A system with more than two drives may be able to withstand multiple drive
failures as long as the failed drives are not mirrored to one another.

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RAID 0 - No Fault Tolerance
RAID 0 means that no fault tolerance is provided. The data is still striped across the drives in the
array, but it does not include a method to create redundant data. If one of the logical drives fails,
data on that drive will be lost. None of the logical drive capacity is used for redundant data, so
RAID 0 offers the best processing speed, as well as capacity. RAID 0 is appropriate for
applications that deal with non-critical data requiring high-speed access.
Figure 4. Fault tolerance performance comparison
Novell/Compaq test results show a measurable difference in response time rates between RAID 1,
RAID 5 and RAID 0. RAID 0 achieved the best performance, outperforming RAID 5 by 10-20%
in response. Keep in mind that while RAID 0 utilizes available disk space most efficiently, this
level offers no fault tolerance protection. Based solely on response time, the recommendation
would be to use RAID 1 over RAID 0 because of the performance gains expected, combined with
the hardware fault tolerance protection. RAID 5 would be for data that is not mission-critical, and
would offer better usage of disk capacity than RAID 1.
Smart-2 Controller’s Array Accelerator Read/Write
Ratio
The Array Accelerator has a read/write cache ratio that can be customized to fit your GroupWise
Server activity using the Compaq Array Controller Configuration Utility. The configuration
utility assigns 4 MB of cache memory to read/write operations. Ratios of 0% Read/100% Write,
25% Read/ 75% Write, 50% Read/ 50% Write, 75%Read/ 25% Write and 100% Read/ 0% Write
are possible.
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Performance (Seconds)
RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 5
Fault Tolerance
Fault Tolerance Performance Comparison

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The 75% Read / 25% Write ratio, yielding the best response time in our test, is recommended by
Novell and Compaq engineers. This improvement in performance can be explained by the
additional read-related work the test script performs.
Figure 5. Smart-2P Disk Array Controller Array Accelerator Configured with various Read/Write Ratios
The chart above shows a performance comparison with the Array Accelerator read/write cache
configured with two read/write ratios. As the chart illustrates, the 75% Read / 25% Write ratio
yields the best response time for RAID 0.
Networking Subsystem
In a test environment that is purely Novell GroupWise, the networking subsystem is less likely to
cause performance problems than the subsystem areas previously discussed. In an enterprise
network environment, however, the network subsystem becomes a performance factor due to the
replication that occurs between servers. The “Networking Subsystem” segment under
“Performance Tuning” offers guidelines for identifying performance problems that are network-
related. Also presented are network management guidelines, as well as strategies for increasing
network throughput should this subsystem become the source of performance issues.
This section deals with two performance enhancement strategies: segmenting the LAN and
increasing the LAN bandwidth.
Segmenting the LAN
A key strategy that can increase networking subsystem performance is dividing a single Ethernet
segment into multiple network segments. If you determine the networking subsystem is not
reaching optimum throughput, there are two network implementations that can improve the
overall throughput and general performance gain of a network.
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
R/W 50:50 R/W 75:25
Read Write Ratio
Performance Comparison of Controller
Configuration

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•Physical segmentation
To physically segment a network, you must first add more NICs to
the server and then balance the network load among the multiple
NICs. Segmenting a network by adding additional NICs and hubs
has the added benefit of creating separate collision domains.
Creating additional collision domains minimizes packet collisions
by decreasing the number of workstations on the same physical
network.
•Network switching technology (microsegmenting)
Switching-hubs, much like routers and bridges, also provide LAN
segmentation capabilities. LAN switches provide dedicated,
packet-switched connections between their ports. The packet-
switched connection provides simultaneous switching of packets
between the hub ports, which increases the available bandwidth.
The following is the performance comparison chart for three different LAN segments:
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Performance (Seconds)
One LAN
Segment Two LAN Segments Three LAN Segments
Test Configuration
Performance of Segmentation
Figure 6. Performance of Segmentation
Migrating to 100-Mb/s Technology
Migrating a network Ethernet implementation from 10Base-T to 100Base-TX or 100VG-
AnyLAN provides 100 Mb/s of shared bandwidth for the LAN clients. Implementing this type of
change can substantially improve network throughput and overall performance.
A gradual migration to the faster Ethernet technology does not have to be expensive and time
consuming. Partially converting your LAN is a viable alternative to converting all clients on the
LAN simultaneously.

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The advantages of upgrading a server to a 100-Mb/s NIC while accommodating existing LAN
clients with a bandwidth of 10 Mb/s are as follows.
•Cost effectiveness: upgrading is not as expensive as converting all
clients at the same time
•Better throughput: aggregate network throughput is improved
because the transmission speed is faster from the server to the hub
•Ease of upgrade: replacing your 10-Mb/s NIC with a 100-Mb/s
NIC is not a difficult process
•No complex cable requirements: you can use your existing 10-
Mb/s cable
The disadvantages of upgrading the server NIC to 100 Mb/s while leaving clients at 10 Mb/s are:
•Replacing existing 10-Mb/s NICs with the more expensive 100-
Mb/s NICs might be cost-prohibitive, depending on the number of
NICs being replaced.
•Re-routing all existing clients to a switching hub is required.
Depending on the number of clients, this can be an inconvenience
to an administrator.
Reviewing Migration Results
NOTE: The testing tool NetBench used for network subsystem analysis, is not the same as and
should not be confused with the test program mentioned previously in this paper.
To compare and evaluate 10-Mb/s Ethernet and 100-Mb/s Ethernet, parallel test environments
were set up in the integration testing labs at Compaq. The results, shown in Table 3, compare a
10-Mb/s Ethernet LAN with that of a 100-Mb/s Ethernet LAN. IntranetWare Performance
Monitor indicates the total throughput for the NetFlex-3/P controller installed in the server.
Compare the throughput of the 10-Mb/s NIC to that of the 100-Mb/s NIC. Theoretically, the
maximum data transmission rate should increase by a factor of 10 when migrating from the 10-
Mb/s NIC to the 100-Mb/s NIC. Table 3 shows the NetBench 4.0 throughput results for a
maximum of 10 clients running at 10-Mb/s and 100-Mb/s Ethernet.
Table 3. Single Segment LAN Throughput
Number of Clients Ethernet Bandwidth Total Throughput
(Mb/s)
410 Mb/s 9.3
10 10 Mb/s 9.4
4100 Mb/s 69.3
10 100 Mb/s 90.1

WHITE PAPER (cont.)
19
ECG007.0897
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Figure 7 is a graphical representation of one Ethernet segment of 10-Mb/s and 100-Mb/s clients
(IPX protocol). The results are from a NetBench 4.0 monitoring session where Total Throughput
was captured for a ProLiant 1500 server equipped with a NetFlex-3/P Controller (100-Mb/s TX
Module). The graph illustrates that the Total Throughput increased as the number of clients
increased, then leveled off at 8clients.
Figure 7.Result of total throughput
In general, if total throughput stays around 50 percent or better on a consistent basis, your LAN is
approaching network saturation or may be bottlenecked. In both of our test cases, the LAN
saturated at 8clients. Reaching saturation level with such a low number of clients indicates a
need for segmenting the LAN to distribute the work load.
As noted, these testing results indicate wire saturation for a very low number of users because
NetBench creates a test environment that simulates network demand placed on a file server; every
client reads the same data from a data file. The use of a synthetic network measuring program
(NetBench) and the even distribution of work caused the low saturation point. Thus, this testing
does not represent a typical LAN environment of several hundreds or thousands of users
arbitrarily broadcasting over the entire LAN via router(s), bridge(s), and gateways. In a real-
world environment, network clients should not reach wire saturation for so few users, as indicated
in Table 3 and Figure 6. The table and graphical data show the wire bandwidth difference
between 10 Mb/s and 100 Mb/s, as well as the effect of increasing the user load.
PERFORMANCE TUNING
Bus System Tuning
Compaq introduced dual peer PCI buses with the ProLiant 5000 for added performance and
reliability. For performance, both buses are independent, allowing a full 267 MB/s of I/O. For
added reliability, the ProLiant 5000 offers support for redundant 10/100 TX PCI UTP Network
Interface Controllers (NICs) as well as redundant disk controllers. With redundant controllers
installed, the system can remain operational even if a disk or network controller fails or if there is
a PCI bus failure. Installing redundant controllers on separate PCI buses insures maximum
possible reliability.
Slot 5, 6, 7, and 8 are on the primary bus; slot 2, 3 and 4 are on the secondary bus.
0.000
20.000
40.000
60.000
80.000
100.000
2 4 6 8 10
Number of Clients or Workstations
Total Throughput [Mbits/sec]

WHITE PAPER (cont.)
20
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In order to avoid I/O contention, the following Server Configuration of ProLiant 5000 is
recommended.
Table 4. Server Configuration of ProLiant 5000
One network controller and one array controller
Device Bus Slot
10/100 TX PCI UTP Secondary 2
SMART-2/P Array Primary 5
One network controller and two array controllers
Device Bus Slot
10/100 TX PCI UTP Secondary 2
SMART-2/P Array Primary 5
SMART-2/P Array Secondary 3
Two network controllers and one array controller
Device Bus Slot
10/100 TX PCI UTP Secondary 2
SMART-2/P Array Primary 5
10/100 TX PCI UTP Primary 6
Two network controllers and two array controllers
Device Bus Slot
10/100 TX PCI UTP Secondary 2
SMART-2/P Array Primary 5
10/100 TX PCI UTP Primary 6
SMART-2/P Array Secondary 3
Hard Disk Controller Tuning
Some of these features offer performance and fault tolerance advantages, which were discussed in
an earlier section detailing hardware versus software striping, and the number of drives supported
in an array. Now the performance impact of the Smart-2 Controller Array Accelerator will be
examined.
The Smart-2 Controller Array Accelerator serves as a read-ahead and write cache that
dramatically improves the performance of read and write commands. The Array Accelerator
performance gains are best seen in database and fault-tolerant configurations. The Smart-2
Controller writes data to 4 MB of cache memory on the Array Accelerator rather than directly to
the drives, allowing the system to access this cache more than 100 times faster than accessing the
disk. The data in the Array Accelerator is written later to the drive array by the Smart-2
Controller when the controller is otherwise idle.