Server Software Performance (CPT Demos) 36th Edition

Server software performance parameters are used to allocated appropriate server resources for optimum system throughput. Selecting the proper hardware and licensing establishes available system resources; proper service configuration is essential to realize the available throughput potential. This chapter provides you with the guidelines and best practices you need to achieve optimum performance from your ArcGIS for Server system deployment.

CPT Design batch process instance configuration
The brown line in Figure A-4.1 shows the maximum host platform throughput in displays per minute (DPM) for a series of ArcGIS Server batch process service configuration instance settings. The bars show host platform service time (colored tier) and service wait times (wait times are due to shared use of the available core processor). The host platform has 4 core; the four core processors are shared resources used to execute the deployed service instances.

 Figure A-4.2 shows the CPT Design tab configured for a batch process service instance demonstration. The purpose of the demonstration is to show the optimum service instance configuration for a batch process.

CPT Design tab configuration
 * A sample WebMap workflow with an SDE geodatabase data source is used for demonstration purposes. When including batch processes in your enterprise design, select a workflow that approximates the load distribution of the batch process you wish to represent.
 * A single tier platform software configuration is used as the GIS Server, all software installed on the GIS platform tier.
 * The fixed nodes in the platform tier (column H) is set at 1 to restrict the platform tier to a single server during peak loads.
 * The workflow minimum user think time is set at 0 (cell T6). The CPT will treat the workflow as a batch process when the minimum think time is set to 0.  Batch process workflows can be included within an Enterprise design and will reserve the appropriate compute resources based on the batch service instance configuration.
 * Batch process workflows will calculate maximum productivity by forcing use of the RESET ADJUST function in cell T2.

"Warning: The RESET ADJUST function in Cell AF2 must be used to calculate batch process productivity. "

With the design tab configured for the batch process instance demonstration, the number of instances can be entered in the services column to represent each of the bars in Figure A-4.1. Results should follow the brown line on the chart as the instance configuration is increased. 

CPT Design map service instance configuration
Minimum and maximum service instances are identified when publishing a map service. It is important to identify the proper instance configuration for each map service deployment. Proper service instance configurations depend on the expected peak service demands and the server machine core processor configuration.

The blue line in Figure A-4.3 shows the peak host platform throughput in displays per minute (DPM) for a series of ArcGIS Server service configuration instance settings responding to random Web service requests. The bars show GIS Server machine service time (colored tier) and service queue times (processing queue times result from random arrival of service requests). The server machine has 4-core; the four core processors are shared resources used to execute the deployed service instances.

Figure A-4.4 shows the CPT Design tab configured for a Web mapping service instance demonstration. The purpose of the demonstration is to show the optimum service instance configuration for a defined Web mapping service.

CPT Design tab configuration
 * The sample WebMap workflow with an SDE geodatabase data source is used for demonstration purposes.
 * A single tier platform software configuration is used as the GIS Server, all software installed on the GIS platform tier.
 * The fixed nodes (column H) is set at 1 to restrict the platform tier to a single server during peak loads.
 * The workflow minimum user think time is set at 0.01 (cell AF6). This provides a negligible delay between display transactions simulating a pooled service instance.  Any value above zero will include random arrival queue times, simulating a live Web map request arrival distribution.
 * Select "Test" in cell D1. The Test setting will calculate maximum productivity by forcing use of the RESET ADJUST function in cell AF2.

"Warning: The RESET ADJUST function in Cell AF2 must be used to calculate map instance maximum productivity. "

With the design tab configured for the Web mapping service instance demonstration, the number of instances can be entered in the services column to represent each of the bars in Figure A-4.3. Results should follow the brown line on the chart as the instance configuration is increased. 

Selecting the right technology: A case study
Selecting the right software technology can make a big difference in performance and scalability, and cost of the production system. The following case study shares an experience with a real customer implementation which clearly represents the value of selecting the right software technology.

User requirements for web mapping solution

Figure A-4.5 shows an overview of the national architecture. The initial system design was developed using an earlier ArcGIS for Server web application development framework (ADF) map editor, hosting a centralized ArcGIS for Server dynamic web application with browser clients located at 60 regional national sites. Following contract award, the customer reviewed available technology options to finalize the system design.

Peak web service use requirements 
 * 2400 concurrent client edit sessions.
 * 75 percent map query to find home location
 * 25 percent simple edits (select point and complete attribute table)
 * 60 remote user locations, one central national data center.
 * Large site: 50 concurrent clients
 * Small site: 10 concurrent clients

'''Web mapping services architecture patterns. '''

Figure A-4.6 shows the ArcGIS for Server architecture patterns that were considered for the Greek citizen declaration solution.


 * Initial hardware proposal

The following workflow was used to generate system loads for the initial hardware proposal.
 * Web ADF application with central dynamic SDE data layers
 * CPT Workflow: AGS10 ADF MXD R 100%Dyn Lite 13x7 JPEG


 * System implementation design review (after grant approval) 

After some time, the European Union approved the Greek Citizen Declaration grant based on the initial hardware proposal. The Greek cadastral team traveled to Esri to review available technology options for final implementation.

The following web mapping services architecture patterns were reviewed to identify optimum deployment scenario.
 * Web ADF application with central dynamic SDE data layers
 * CPT workflow: AGS10 ADF MXD R 100%Dyn Lite 13x7 JPEG


 * Web Flex application with central dynamic SDE data layers
 * CPT workflow: RESTdyn_Composite Workflow from the following composite recipe:
 * Basemap_AGS103 REST MSD R 90%Dyn Lite 13x7 JPEG
 * busLayer_AGS103 REST MSD R 10%Dyn Lite 13x7 Feature
 * 100 percent dynamic


 * Web FLEX application with point feature layer + central map cache
 * CPT Workflow: AGS103 REST MSD V 10%Dyn Lite 13x7 Feature +$$


 * Web mobile application + local map cache
 * CPT Workflow: AGS103 SOAP MSD V 5%Dyn Lite 13x7 Feature

"Best Practice: Significant technology improvements have become available since the initial proposal. It is always good to update the final solution architecture based on current technology before final implementation. "

Web ADF application with central dynamic SDE data layers
Figure A-4.7 shows the CPT analysis for the dynamic Web ADF application solution. Standard Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers were used for this assessment. These are high performance 2014 server platforms.

CPT Workflow: AGS10 ADF MXD R 100%Dyn Lite 13x7 JPEG

Peak system requirements:
 * Estimated peak load of 2400 concurrent users
 * Simple web application with minimum layers supported by a light workflow
 * Standard output display environment

Hardware solution:
 * 15 Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers
 * ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 56 cores (Licensing included Web tier platform core)

Peak network traffic estimates
 * 13 Mbps for large sites, recommend 18 Mbps bandwidth
 * 2.7 Mbps for small sites, recommend 6 Mbps bandwidth

"Best Practice: Rich internet application clients provide the most optimum user performance and system scalability. Web ADF Map Viewer and Map Editor components were depreciated following the ArcGIS 10 release - RIA clients are a much simpler programming environment and deliver significant performance and scalability improvements]" 

Web Flex application with central dynamic SDE data layers
The Web Flex application will use a REST Feature service for the business layer mashup with a dynamic REST Map service for the basemap layer. Figure A-4.8 shows the CPT composite workflow analysis to generate the REST dynamic workflow.

CPT workflow: RESTdyn_Composite Workflow from the following composite recipe:
 * Basemap_AGS103 REST MSD R 90%Dyn Lite 13x7 JPEG
 * busLayer_AGS103 REST MSD R 10%Dyn Lite 13x7 Feature
 * Both services are required for 100 percent of the dynamic map displays



Figure A-4.9 shows the CPT Calculator analysis for the 100 percent dynamic Web Flex application. Standard Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers were used for this assessment.

CPT Workflow: RESTDyn_Composite Workflow Analysis

Peak system requirements:
 * Estimated peak load of 2400 concurrent users
 * Simple web application with minimum layers supported by a light workflow
 * Standard output display environment

Hardware solution:
 * 9 Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers
 * ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 24 cores

Peak network traffic estimates 
 * 14 Mbps for large sites, recommend 18 Mbps bandwidth
 * 2.8 Mbps for small sites, recommend 6 Mbps bandwidth

Web FLEX application with point feature layer + central map cache
ArcGIS Server provides a data cache option where reference map layers could be pre-processed and stored in a map cache pyramid file data source. Pre-processing the reference layers would significantly reduce server processing loads during production operations. A single point declaration layer contained all features that would be edited and exchanged during the citizen declaration period; all remaining reference layers could be cached. Changes would be displayed at all remote site locations with each client display refresh.

Figure A-4.10 shows the CPT Calculator analysis for the Web Flex application with a cached basemap. Standard Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers were used for this assessment.

CPT Workflow: AGS103 REST MSD V 10%Dyn Lite 13x7 Feature +$$

Peak system requirements:
 * Estimated peak load of 2400 concurrent users
 * Simple web application with minimum layers supported by a light workflow
 * Standard output display environment

Hardware solution:
 * 3 Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers
 * ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 8 cores

Peak network traffic estimates 
 * 3.9 Mbps for large sites, recommend 6 Mbps bandwidth
 * 0.8 Mbps for small sites, recommend 1.5 Mbps bandwidth

Web mobile application with edit feature synchronization + local map cache
The fourth design option was to use the ArcGIS Mobile application with a local reference cache data source. A demo of the ArcGIS Mobile client was provided on a Windows desktop platform to demonstrate feasibility of supporting the required editing functions with this client technology. The ArcGIS Mobile client technology operates very well on a standard Windows display environment and performed all the functions needed to support the citizen declaration requirements.

The ArcGIS Mobile standard workflow synchronization service was used to support the design analysis. This workflow was generated by the CPT Calculator using a SOAP MXD Light service with a feature output (display features streamed to the client application). A 95 percent data cache setting was used to represent traffic for point feature exchanges (only point changes would be exchanged between the client and server displays). Cached reference layers would be distributed to each regional site in advance, and access would be provided by a file share to the ArcGIS Mobile clients running on the local workstations. The ArcGIS Mobile client would synchronize point changes to the dynamic citizen declaration layer over the government WAN. The peak concurrent SOAP service load would be reduced to 600 concurrent users, representing 25 percent of the total client displays (point changes are made only during edit transactions).

Figure A-4.11 shows the CPT Calculator analysis for the Web Mobile application with a cached basemap. Standard Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers were used for this assessment.

CPT Workflow: AGS103 SOAP MSD V 5%Dyn Lite 13x7 Feature

Peak system requirements:
 * Local copy of cache data used for finding locations (75 percent of workflow)
 * Estimated peak load of 600 concurrent users (edits synchronized with the central data center)
 * Simple web application with minimum layers supported by a light workflow
 * Synchronized point feature exchange with central data center, assume less than 95 percent of total display

Hardware solution:
 * 2 Xeon E5-2637v2 4 core (1 chip) 3500 MHz servers
 * ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 4 cores

Peak network traffic estimates: 
 * 0.7 Mbps for large sites, recommend 1.5 Mbps bandwidth
 * 0.1 Mbps for small sites, recommend 1.5 Mbps bandwidth

Caching advantage summary
It was very clear that the cached client application provided significant cost and performance benefits over the centralized Web application dynamic solution included in the initial proposal. Pre-processing of map reference layers as an optimized map cache pyramid can significantly improve display performance. Use of an intelligent desktop client that can access reference layers from a local map cache can minimize network traffic and improve display performance even more. Selecting the right technology can make a big difference in total system cost and user productivity. Greek Citizen Declaration Business Case provides a summary of the CPT Calculator sizing analysis highlighting the advantage of selecting the right technical solution.

CPT Capacity Planning videos
Chapter 4 Capacity Planning Video will discuss best practices for configuring ArcGIS for Server for optimum performance and throughput.

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