Response Time Analysis

[Guest.Visitor]

We are looking to upgrade our network infasturcture from (SNA) dumb terminals and Perle 394 controllers to a (TCP/IP)Cisco Router and PC's and thin clients. The dilemma that we are in is that upper management has requested we PROVE response time will be greatly improved with the new network. We need an analysis tool to show REMOTE response time now with our current equipment from the time the request is sent to when it's answered. The new network is not going to be a problem but we need something now to analize the current terminal and controller situation. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks... John

[Guest.Visitor]

Response Time Analysis

John, There are quite a few tools out there including IBM's Performance Monitor. Most have to do with auto tuning the machine. But you can get reports. I don't know how far out (of the machine) they measure. If you do a WRKACTJOB and PF11, you can see average response time. PF5 will show you the adjustments. Unfortunately you only see internal response time (inside the machine). External response depends on type of wiring and network configuration. What do you have now, Token Ring, Ethernet, Twinax, Unshielded Twisted Pair? All influence internal response time. For external, ISDN, ATM, Frame Relay have another affect. Dialup versus Leased Line is another. Your best bet is looking on the internet for research already reported on this. Otherwise a phone call to a remote office and a stop watch will probably suffice (being facetious). HTH. Jack

[Guest.Visitor]

Response Time Analysis

Interactive repsonse times as determined at the network layer can only be determined by a com. trace. or a sniffer on the line. The interactive response times are the measure of the time it takes the AS/400 to turn the request around. In the com. trace this would be time t2-t1. Where t2 is the response frame. (not necessarily the ack) t1 is the time at which the request hits the AS/400. We call this turn-around time. There was some IBM published info. on SNA vs. TCP/IP in the Performance Annals somewhere. Call Support center.