Capacity Modeling of PATHWORKS Client-Server Workloads

PATHWORKS network operating system software runs on the remote server computer that accesses files on behalf of clients connected to a network. The PATHWORKS file server provides clients with centralized backup, printing, and security. Popular desktop applications can be used in a manner that consumes large or small amounts of server resources. Capacity planning seeks to determine which network filing system is appropriate to current workloads and to predict capacity needs as the PATHWORKS clientserver environment changes. The desktop industry lacks standardized performance tests. Digital has developed a general process that can be applied to any workload, including those in which the number of users causing the server process's resource consumption are unknown to a data collector. DECperformance Solution software was the primary tool used in the modeling process. Its analytical queuing model was used to predict performance and help define configuration alternatives.