Solution generation method for thin client sizing tool

• US 7,050,961 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: McDonald, Kathryn Ann, Eismann, Leonard Eugene, Lee, Sharon Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US09/813,670
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222, 709/203, 709/249, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 709238-242, 709227-228, 703/26, 703/22, 703/23, 707/10, 715/853, 718/104
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method is provided for generating a configuration solution such as for a Server Farm or a Server Metafarm which can be optimally designed and configured after information has been developed on the customer'"'"'s profile and there has been calculated a base solution indicating the appropriate number of servers, proper disk space and memory requirements.

Claims

1. A method utilizable by a Thin Client:

Sizing Tool, for configuring Server Farms and for generating a proposed configuration of Servers and associated support apparatus established at one or more sites which will satisfy the requirement of a given Customer'"'"'s Profile in regard to establishing a number of servers for each Server Farm which would be the most appropriate number of servers satisfying a given Customer'"'"'s Profile, comprising the steps of;

(a) calculating a basic solution for establishing the appropriate number of servers and types of associated support apparatus, for each site and for each Server Farm and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile establishes the required amount of disk capacity which will be required for each User-type in using each particular application program, and wherein step (a) of calculating includes the steps of;

(a1) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile specific features and capabilities for each Server Farm at each site;

(a2) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile each User-type involved in each Server Farm;

(a3) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile each application program name used by each User-type in each Server Farm;

(a4) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile the required amount of disk capacity for each User-type using each application program and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile provides information on the disk capacity requirement for each single Server Farm and wherein step (a4) further includes the steps of;

(a4a) calculating the disk capacity requirement for a single Server Farm;

(a4b) inserting the disk capacity requirement information onto a Disk Capacity Report;

and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile provides the actual User-Weight indicating user-usage as being light, medium, heavy or super-heavy, and wherein step (a4) includes the steps of;

(a4c) filling out a Customer Data Report;

(a4d) calculating the actual User-Weight for each User-type operating with each application program wherein a Server Information Database provides information as to the normal total number of users that will be supported by a Server Farm and said number is designated the adjusted total of users, and wherein step (a4d) includes the steps of;

(a4d1) accessing said Server Information Database for Server data;

(a4d2) calculating for each Server Farm the adjusted total of users for each application program wherein said Server Information Database provides means to calculate the required data transmission capability needed for bi-directional communication between users and said Server Farm, and wherein step (a4d2) includes the steps of;

 

(a4d2a) calculating, for each Server Farm, the required data transmission capability in kilobits per second;

 

(a4d2b) calculating the number of Servers to service the Customer'"'"'s configuration.

2. A method utilizable by a Thin Client Sizing Tool, for configuring Server Farms and for generating a proposed configuration of Servers and associated support apparatus established at one or more sites which will satisfy the requirement of a given Customer'"'"'s Profile in regard to establishing a number of servers for each Server Farm which would be the most appropriate number of servers satisfying a given Customer'"'"'s Profile, comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating a basic solution for establishing the appropriate number of servers and types of associated support apparatus, for each site and for each Server Farm and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile establishes the required amount of disk capacity which will be required for each User-type in using each particular application program, and wherein step (a) of calculating includes the steps of;

(a1) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile specific features and capabilities for each Server Farm at each site;

(a2) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile each User-type involved in each Server Farm;

(a3) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile each application program name used by each User-type in each Server Farm;

(a4) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile the required amount of disk capacity for each User-type using each application program and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile provides information on the disk capacity requirement for each single Server Farm and wherein step (a4) further includes the steps of;

(a4a) calculating the disk capacity requirement for a single Server Farm;

(a4b) inserting the disk capacity requirement information onto a Disk Capacity Report;

and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile utilizes an Application Delivery Solution Configurator to determine the required amount of memory capacity appropriate to each Server Farm, and, which includes the steps of;

(i) calculating the required amount of memory capacity for each Server Farm;

(ii) developing a Base Solutions Report having a base solution which indicates the number of Server Farms, the number of Servers in a Farm, plus disk and memory requirements for each Server Farm said step of developing including the steps of;

(iia) calculating a set of Default Availability Levels which characterize said base solution;

(iib) filling-out an Availability Report indicating said Availability Level.

3. A method utilizable by a Thin Client Sizing Tool, for configuring Server Farms and for generating a proposed configuration of Servers and associated support apparatus established at one or more sites which will satisfy the requirement of a given Customer'"'"'s Profile in regard to establishing a number of servers for each Server Farm which would be the most appropriate number of servers satisfying a given Customer'"'"'s Profile, comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating a basic solution for establishing the appropriate number of servers and types of associated support apparatus, for each site and for each Server Farm and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile establishes the required amount of disk capacity which will be required for each User-type in using each particular application program, and wherein step (a) of calculating includes the steps of;

(a1) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile specific features and capabilities for each Server Farm at each site;

(a2) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile each User-type involved in each Server Farm;

(a3) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile each application program name used by each User-type in each Server Farm;

(a4) retrieving from said Customer'"'"'s Profile the required amount of disk capacity for each User-type using each application program and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile provides information on the disk capacity requirement for each single Server Farm and wherein step (a4) further includes the steps of;

(a4a) calculating the disk capacity requirement for a single Server Farm;

(a4b) inserting the disk capacity requirement information onto a Disk Capacity Report;

and wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile provides the actual User-Weight indicating user-usage as being light, medium, heavy or super-heavy, and wherein step (a4) includes the steps of;

(a4c) filling out a Customer Data Report;

(a4d) calculating the actual User-Weight for each User-type operating with each application program wherein a Server Information Database provides information as to the normal total number of users that will be supported by a Server Farm and said number is designated the adjusted total of users, and wherein step (a4d) includes the steps of;

(a4d1) accessing said Server Information Database for Server data;

(a4d2) calculating for each Server Farm the adjusted total of users for each application program wherein said Server Information Database provides means to calculate the required data transmission capability needed for bi-directional communication between users and said Server Farm, and wherein step (a4d2) includes the steps of;

 

(a4d2a) calculating, for each Server Farm, the required data transmission capability in kilobits per second;

 

(a4d2b) calculating the number of Servers to service the Customer'"'"'s configuration;

wherein said Customer'"'"'s Profile utilizes an Application Delivery Solution Configurator to develop a Network Capacity Report on a window which indicates the estimated network activity (Kbps) for each Server Farm at each customer site, and displays the entire network solution as to the minimum number of Server Farms, the minimum number of Servers per Farm, the required operating system memory amount, the number of and speed of processors for each type of server used, all done for each customer site, and wherein step (a4d2b) includes the steps of;

(i) filling-in a Network Capacity Report which indicates the transmission capacity (kilobits/sec) for the enterprise Server Farm network;

(ii) displaying the Network Capacity Report of the entire network solution on a Window screen.