Installation tuning tests for WebSphere® Application Server

The installation tuning tests were created to quickly and conveniently apply load to an application server for the purpose of tuning the application server for maximum throughput. The three tests that are provided stress various parts of the application server.

Time required to import sample project: 5 minutes
The installation tuning tests are designed to test IBM® WebSphere® Application Server Version 7. Each test has different requirements that must be met before you run the test.
  • The Schedule_Snoop test is ready to use with any WebSphere® Application Server installation.
  • The "Schedule_Plants: PlantsByWebSphere" sample application must be installed. The sample application is provided with WebSphere® Application Server, but its installation is optional.
  • The Schedule_Daytrader test application is freely available from the Apache project Geronimo. Daytrader requires access to an IBM DB2 database.

Best results can be achieved for all tests by using one or more separate, dedicated computers to provide the greatest possible loads on the application server. When testing a large WebSphere® Application Server application, a single computer that runs Test Performance and provides a load on the application might not provide sufficient stress to test the application.

An installation tuning test is designed to stress your application server to achieve maximum throughput from basic tuning. Tuning is a complex procedure with many possible adjustments available according to the varying requirements of the application that you plan to run. For more information on tuning WebSphere® Application Server, see http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/techjournal/0909_blythe/0909_blythe.html.

A simple goal when you run the installation tuning tests is to achieve the highest percentage of CPU utilization on the application server while the test runs. Follow these guidelines as you run each test:
  • Use Task Manager, vmstat, or a similar tool to observe CPU utilization on the computer that runs the application server. With maximum throughput as a goal, you work to achieve the highest CPU percentage possible. To achieve maximum throughput, this number must increase as you make tuning adjustments.
  • Monitor the CPU utilization of the computer that runs Test Performance. If CPU utilization exceeds 70%, you might be approaching the limits of what that computer can provide. However, Test Performance supports using multiple computers to achieve an even greater load.
  • Because these tests provide high throughput, the tests might exceed the capabilities of your network. A tool such as Task Manager can show network utilization. If you are limited by a 100 Mbps network, access to a 1000 Mbps network might be required to fully stress the application server.