Capacity Planning Tool 33rd Edition

From wiki.gis.com
Jump to: navigation, search
System Design Strategies (select here for table of contents)
System Design Strategies 33rd Edition (Fall 2013)
1. System Design Process 2. GIS Software Technology 3. Software Performance 4. Server Software Performance
5. GIS Data Administration 6. Network Communications 7. GIS Product Architecture 8. Platform Performance
9. Information Security 10. Performance Management 11. System Implementation 12. City of Rome
A1. Capacity Planning Tool A2. ESD Planning Tools A3. Acronyms and Glossary Preface (Executive Summary)


Fall 2013 Capacity Planning Tool 33rd Edition
Capacity Planning Tool updates

This Capacity Planning Tool appendix will focus on CPT demonstrations which can be used to identify your system design requirements and model performance and scalability of your GIS operations. The figures within this appendix expand on the design concepts discussed in the primary System Design Strategies chapters, where hyperlinks to this appendix demonstrate how the CPT can be used to reinforce core system design concepts introduced in the primary documentation. This appendix can be used as a resource for learning how to use and apply the CPT in addressing your system architecture design needs. The CPT provides a framework for integrating business, data, applications, and technical architecture needs required to design, deploy, and manage successful enterprise GIS operations.

This Chapter also includes a series of videos that demonstrate how the CPT can be used to collect business requirements, select the right software technology, identify the proper platform solution, and model Enterprise system performance and scalability.

Contents

System Design Process

The Capacity Planning Tool (CPT) simplifies business requirements data collection and automates system design analysis tasks associated with each phase of the development cycle. This section will introduce the CPT and show how the tools are used to complete a system architecture design.

The system design process starts with a business workflow loads analysis, identifying your GIS workflows and estimating the complexity of your business processes.

  • Project workflows are selected to identify appropriate workflow loads for the CPT design analysis.
  • User locations and network connectivity are configured for the CPT system requirements analysis.
  • The CPT network suitability analysis identifies required network bandwidth connectivity.
  • Platform architecture is selected to represent your data center hardware configuration.
  • Software is configured to represent your specific workflow installation.
  • The CPT completes the system architecture design analysis, identifies the required platform solution, and generates a projected average workflow performance summary.

Workflow loads analysis

Figure A-1.1 Understanding your business needs is a prerequisite for completing your system design. A clear understanding of your enterprise GIS vision, your existing business architecture, and the required GIS business workflows is an essential ingredient for getting started on the right path to a successful system architecture design.
Figure A-1.1 shows the first steps in preparing for the design process. Business needs (user requirements) establish the foundation for selecting a proper system design. Business requirements in the CPT are represented by project workflows.

The first step in completing a system architecture design is to select appropriate project workflows to represent your business requirements. Your selected project workflows identify the processing loads that must be supported by your selected hardware solution to satisfy your business needs.

CPT Calculator tab: Custom workflow loads analysis

Figure A-1.2 The CPT Calculator is a simple tool developed for use during business workflow loads analysis and software technology selection. The Calculator tab was designed for use in defining custom workflow performance targets. A selection recipe is used to generate appropriate custom workflow service times from a baseline set of performance benchmarks.
The Calculator shown in Figure A-1.2 provides a group of drop-down lists for workflow software technology selection (software, map document, density, percent data cache, complexity, map resolution, output format). A proper software technology selection will generate appropriate GIS workflow performance targets (service times) for use in your system architecture design.

The CPT Calculator can also be used to complete the system architecture design for a selected workflow. There is an option (cell C30) available to select your workflow source (Calculator or Workflow tab).

Warning: Capacity Planning Tool color scheme: Inputs to the Capacity Planning Tool are provided in the white cells (most inputs are drop-down lists). Formulas for the analysis are included in the colored cells. You should not change the colored formula cells.
Note: CPT Calculator tab is discussed in more detail in the CPT section on Software performance.


CPT Workflow tab: Workflow loads definition

Figure A-1.3 Workflow tab is used to define project workflows. It includes standard workflows and links for custom, test, and composite workflow performance targets.
Figure A-1.3 shows the CPT Workflow tab. A list of Standard Workflows is maintained in the Workflow tab for simple selection of the most common workflow performance targets. Custom workflows configured on the CPT Calculator tab include an output to the CPT Workflow tab (Calculator Workflow section).

The Project Workflows section is established at the top of the workflow list by including a copy of standard or custom workflows in your project workflow list – selection of your project workflows completes your workflow loads analysis. Once your workflow loads analysis is complete, your selected workflow performance targets will be available at the top of the workflow selection list for use in your system architecture design.

The composite workflow analysis section located at the bottom of the Workflow tab is used to calculate average service times for a use-case that combines two or more component workflows. A demonstration of a composite workflow loads analysis is included in the Greek Citizen Declaration case study at the end of Chapter 4.

Note: The CPT Workflow tab is discussed in more detail in the CPT section on GIS software technology.


System architecture design

Figure A-1.4 System Architecture Design process provides a logical step by step methodology for using the CPT to complete your System Architecture Design.
Once you have identified your project workflows, you are ready to complete your system design. The CPT follows a standard system architecture design process as shown in Figure A-1.4. Each cycle of the system architecture design process includes the following steps:
  • Technical architecture strategy—High-level network diagram showing user site locations, network bandwidth connections, and central data center locations. User location information is collected during the user needs analysis.
  • User requirements analysis—CPT Requirements analysis section is configured to represent the site locations, user workflows, peak loads, and network bandwidth for the enterprise design solution.
  • Network suitability analysis—CPT Design completes the network suitability analysis and identifies any communication bottlenecks. Network bandwidth upgrades are identified to complete the network suitability analysis.
  • Platform architecture selection—CPT Design Platform tier is configured to represent the design solution. Identify platform tier nicknames, select platforms, and identify platform rollover settings.
  • Software configuration—CPT Design Software Configuration module is used to assign workflow software to supporting platform tier (software install) and make workflow data source selection.
  • Enterprise design solution—Once configured, the CPT Design tab completes the system architecture design analysis and provides the platform solution.

The system design process includes the user requirements analysis, network suitability assessment, platform architecture selection, software configuration (installation), and the Enterprise design solution. The CPT was designed to complete the analysis. Once the CPT is properly configured and business requirements are defined, the CPT will complete the system architecture design analysis and display the platform solution.

CPT Design tab: User requirements analysis

Figure A-1.5 User requirements analysis. User requirements are identified by configuring the workflow rows and peak loads located at the top of the CPT design tab.
User requirements analysis—CPT Requirements analysis section is configured to represent the site locations, user workflows, peak loads, and network bandwidth for the enterprise design solution.


Figure A-1.6 The CPT Design tab includes a Requirements Analysis module designed for use in configuring your user requirements for CPT design analysis.
Once you identify your business workflows, you are ready to complete a user system loads analysis. The CPT Design tab includes a Requirements Analysis module where you can identify user locations and peak throughput loads.

Figure A-1.6 shows the CPT Design tab Requirements Analysis module. The gray rows represent the data center network connections (LAN, WAN, Internet) while the green rows represent remote site network connections. Workflows for WAN users are located under the data center LAN network. Remote user workflows are located below each remote site network, based on user work locations.

Peak concurrent users and workflow productivity establish system throughput loads that drive the system architecture design. These loads include network traffic that must travel between the user display location and the central data center. Location of the workflow users and how their locations are connected with the central data center can directly impact software technology selection.

Warning: Capacity Planning Tool color scheme: Inputs to the Capacity Planning Tool are provided in the white cells (most inputs are drop-down lists). Formulas for the analysis are included in the colored cells. You should not change the formula cells.
Note: An example of an Enterprise user requirements analysis was provided in Chapter 12: City of Rome.


CPT Design tab: Network suitability analysis

Figure A-1.7 Network suitability analysis. The CPT completes the network suitability analysis once the user requirements configuration is complete.
Network suitability analysis—CPT Design completes the network suitability analysis and identifies any communication bottlenecks. Network bandwidth upgrades are identified and upgrades are entered to resolve identified network contention.


Figure A-1.8 The CPT Design: Requirements Analysis module completes a network suitability analysis based on user location, peak system loads, and available network bandwidth.
Once you configure the CPT Design tab to reflect your user requirements and identify the network connections, the CPT completes a network suitability analysis. The CPT analysis evaluates network bandwidth and latency to ensure adequate capacity to accommodate peak traffic flow loads. You can then increase network bandwidth as required to accommodate peak traffic loads. Figure A-1.8 shows the business workflow, peak loads, and network bandwidth inputs needed to complete the network suitability analysis.


Figure A-1.9 Results of the network suitability analysis are used to identify appropriate network bandwidth upgrades. Once the network upgrade bandwidths are entered, the CPT Design tab shows a valid enterprise-level workflow solution.
Once the business requirements analysis is complete (user locations, peak workflow loads) available bandwidth for each network must be entered in column H. The CPT completes the network suitability analysis, and identifies associated design conflicts (user productivity and network traffic). Analysis results provide information needed to complete the network design. Figure A-1.9 shows the network suitability analysis results once the network upgrades are made.

Once bandwidth upgrades are made, the traffic flow and productivity conflicts are removed.

Warning: Capacity Planning Tool color scheme: Inputs to the Capacity Planning Tool are provided in the white cells (most inputs are drop-down lists). Formulas for the analysis are included in the colored cells. You should not change the formula cells.
Note: Network Suitability Analysis was discussed in Lesson 6: Network communications.


CPT Design tab: Platform architecture selection

Figure A-1.10 Platform architecture selection. The data center architecture selection is configured for each platform tier located on the bottom rows of the CPT Design tab.
Platform architecture selection—CPT Design Platform tier is configured to represent the data center platform architecture structure. Identify platform tier nicknames, select platforms, and identify platform rollover settings.


Figure A-1.11 The CPT Design: Platform selection module allows you the ability to select your desired platform configuration.
Figure A-1.11 shows the CPT Design Platform Configuration module. The platform selection (column B) is normally configured first, and platform nicknames followed by a colon (:) can be identified for each tier just above the platform selection in column B. You can also set a rollover setting in column H, telling the Capacity Planning Tool when to add new platforms.

Platform selection is a critical decision in any design process. The selected platform directly contributes to user display performance, platform capacity, and software licensing cost. A faster processor core (column F) improves user performance and reduces license cost. Higher capacity servers (column G) reduce the total number of server machines required to satisfy business requirements.

Warning: Platform selection directly impacts overall system cost.

Once the platform names are set, you can complete the system install in the Software Configuration section.

Note: CPT Design: Platform selection is discussed in more detail in Chapter 8: Platform performance.


CPT Design tab: Software configuration

Figure A-1.12 Software configuration. The workflow software is installed on the appropriate platform tier to complete the system configuration.
Software configuration—CPT Design Software Configuration module is used to assign workflow software to supporting platform tier (software install) and make workflow data source selection.


Figure A-1.13 Once you have identified your selected platform configuration, the CPT Design: Software configuration module is used to complete the software installation.
Figure A-1.13 shows the CPT Design Software Configuration module. Once you establish your platform architecture, you are ready to install the workflow software. Software install is defined in the Software Configuration section (columns J through R) for each user workflow.

Workflow software components you must install are identified by colored blocks in the software configuration section.

  • Client workflow software can be installed on any data center platform tier from a drop-down list selection (the drop-down list includes a Default value, as well as nicknames for each of the 10 platform tiers). The Default platform for each column is identified in row 5. You can install each software component individually on each workflow row, or install all rows on the default platform. This provides flexibility to install workflow software in any data center hardware configuration.
  • Data source selection for each workflow is identified in column R.
Note: CPT Design software configuration patterns are discussed in more detail in the CPT product architecture section.


CPT Design tab: Enterprise system design

Figure A-1.14 Enterprise design solution. System architecture design analysis performed by the CPT completes the design.
Enterprise design solution—Once configured, the CPT Design tab completes the system architecture design analysis and provides the platform solution.


Figure A-1.15 The CPT Design tab completes an enterprise level system architecture design analysis once you have entered your business workflow needs, available network bandwidth connectivity, and selected platform configuration.
Figure A-1.15 shows the resulting Enterprise system design. Once you make your platform selections and install workflow software components (software configuration), the CPT will complete the platform sizing and show the required server configuration (number of platforms and peak utilization levels for each platform tier).

The Design tab provides a snapshot view of your user requirements and associated platform solution as a single integrated information product.

  • User workflow requirements show the user location, the peak throughput for each workflow (peak users or transactions per hour); the network bandwidth connecting each user site with the central data center; results of the network suitability analysis showing workflow traffic, site traffic, and network utilization; and the relative display response time for each workflow at each user location (Workflow performance summary).
  • The platform selection area shows your physical or virtual server configurations, along with a diagram of the final platform solution (number of platforms per tier and peak server utilization).
Note: Chapter 12 provides a case study for the City of Rome, demonstrating how to use the CPT to complete an enterprise system architecture design.


CPT Hardware tab: Platform performance

Figure A-1.16 The CPT Hardware tab is used to list SPEC performance benchmark values for use in completing the system architecture design.
Platform performance metrics are pulled from the Hardware tab, shown in Figure A-1.22. The Hardware tab provides a list of available platform configurations each with the following information:
  • Platform processor
  • Number of cores
  • Cores per chip
  • Processor MHz
  • Vendor-published SPEC baseline benchmark value
  • SPEC baseline per-core value


Benchmark results are collected from the SPEC benchmark site for each vendor platform configuration. This platform performance information is used by the CPT to complete the system architecture design analysis.

Note: CPT hardware tab and performance benchmarks is discussed in more detail in Lesson 8: Platform performance.


CPT Test tab: Performance validation

Figure A-1.17 Test measurements are used to validate workflow performance compliance. The CPT Test tab provides tools for use in translating performance measurements to workflow performance targets that can be used to generate those measured loads.
Measuring performance during the system build and deployment reduces implementation risk. System design is only the beginning of the process; then you need to build a system that performs within the system architecture design performance targets. If measured performance loads exceed planned budgets, adjustments can be made to workflow complexity during the build process to deliver services within initial performance targets.

The CPT Test tab was designed to help with the validation process, and includes several tools that can be used to translate performance measurements to equivalent workflow service times.

There are four Test tools that you can use during system deployment.

  • Measured desktop map display rendering time is used to estimate deployed map service times (validate display complexity is within performance budgets during initial authoring of the map).
  • Measured map service render time is used to estimate map service times (check of map service performance during initial deployment).
  • Measured throughput and utilization is used to estimate map service times (this is the most accurate performance measure).
  • Peak users and productivity are used to estimate throughput. Throughput (peak users x productivity) and utilization are then used to estimate map service times.
Best practice:
  • Evaluate performance compliance during initial prototype testing.
  • Validate system performance goals are met during initial production deployment.
  • Establish periodic performance validation milestones throughout production.
Note:Test tab is discussed in more detail in the CPT section on Performance validation


Platform Capacity Calculator (Hardware tab)

Figure A-1.18 The CPT Hardware: Platform Capacity Calculator is a simple tool you can use to select a hardware configuration. It will then calculate light and medium complexity throughput capacity estimates for the selected workflow configuration.
Figure A-1.18 shows the CPT Platform Capacity Calculator. The Platform Capacity Calculator is located at the bottom of the CPT Hardware tab.

The Platform Capacity Calculator provides a peak throughput range for a list of selected Workflows, showing medium complexity output in blue and light complexity output in red. This simple tool answers many of the most important questions customers have when purchasing Esri software (What throughput can I expect from the selected hardware?).

The Platform Capacity Calculator is simple to use.

  • Platform selection is entered in the top white cell at left of the calculator (column A).
  • You can select whether you want the output in transactions per hour (TPH) or concurrent users (users) in cell C322.
  • You can identify whether you want results based on a physical server configuration, or for virtual server configurations deployed on the selected physical server.
  • Platform capacity is calculated for both light and medium complexity workflows, providing a performance range that applies for most server deployments.

Workflow candidates on the left of the chart can be modified to represent any workflow listed on the CPT workflow tab, including your project workflows. Simply slide the graphic to the side and the workflow selection cells are available directly behind the chart. The total number of workflow candidates can be increased or decreased to by expanding or contracting the workflow rows to satisfy your reporting needs.

System Design Process Videos

CPT Video: System Design Process
HD CPT Video: System Design Process
The next section shows CPT software technology patterns discussed in Chapter 2: GIS Software Technology.

GIS Software Technology

ArcGIS shares a global platform for working with maps and geographic information.
ArcGIS share a variety of software technology patterns available to satisfy enterprise business operational needs and help communities work together to better manage our world. Technology patterns include a broad range of Desktop, Server, and Mobile deployment options. Selecting the right technology is a critical step in the enterprise system design process.

This section shows the available ArcGIS software workflow patterns and how they are represented in the Capacity Planning Tool (CPT). Standard Workflow patterns represented in the CPT include the following:

  • ArcGIS for Desktop
- Workstation
- Windows terminal server
  • ArcGIS for Server
- Web mapping
- Imagery
  • ArcGIS Mobile
- Windows mobile

CPT desktop workflows

ArcGIS for Desktop provides a variety of deployment options to satisfy your specific business needs. Selecting the right deployment option for each specific user workflow is the primary role of your system design process.

Figure A-2.1 Desktop workflow performance targets are generated from the CPT Calculator tab.

Figure A-2.1 shows the CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop software technology selections.

ArcGIS for Desktop workflow performance targets are generated from the CPT Calculator tab.

  • Software selections include workstation (wkstn) and Windows Terminal Server (WTS Citrix) workflow architecture patterns.
  • All ArcGIS for Desktop workflows use an MXD map document.
  • Light, medium-light, medium, medium-heavy, heavy, 2xMedium, and 2xHeavy display complexity settings provide a full range of potential workflow performance targets.
Note: Workflow complexity is discussed in greater detail in Lesson 3: GIS software performance.

Software workflow recipe

The CPT Calculator generates a workflow recipe in cell A3 that identifies the selected Software Technology and Performance Parameters.

  • Software technology selection establishes a workflow profile based on a technology baseline.
  • CPT performance factor selections include software, map document (MapDoc) or imagery, density, %DataCache, complexity, resolution, and output. These are the primary workflow performance variables identified during Esri benchmark testing.
  • Changes in the software performance parameters will change the workflow performance targets (service times) based on technology baselines and key parameters established during performance benchmark testing.
Note: The Software technology selection section in the software performance chapter provides more information on selecting appropriate workflow performance targets.


ArcGIS for Desktop Standard Workflows

Figure A-2.2 ArcGIS for Desktop Standard Workflow performance targets are provided on the CPT Workflow tab.

Figure A-2.2 shows the ArcGIS for Desktop workflow patterns available on the CPT Workflow tab. The Workflow tab is the Excel performance target look-up table used for CPT Design.

The most common ArcGIS for Desktop workflow patterns are pre-generated from the Calculator tab and included on the Workflow tab as Standard Workflows.

  • AGD102 wkstn MXD 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 Feature. Use for very simple and focused user desktop workflows. Platform loads are 50 percent of the standard dynamic workflow.
  • AGD102 wkstn MXD 100%Dyn Med 10x7 Feature. Use for standard user workflow loads. Follow best practices for map display and database performance.
  • AGD102 Citrix MXD V 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 ICA. Use for very focused user workflows with simple map displays hosted on Citrix XenApp servers. User workflow display includes vector only data source. Platform loads are 50 percent of the standard dynamic user workflow.
  • AGD102 Citrix MXD V 100%Dyn Med 10x7 ICA. Use for standard user workflow loads with simple map displays hosted on Citrix XenApp servers. User workflow display includes vector only data source. Follow best practices for map display and database performance.
  • AGD102 Citrix MXD R 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 ICA. Use for very focused user workflows with simple map displays hosted on Citrix XenApp servers. User workflow display includes raster imagery. Platform loads are 50 percent of the standard dynamic user workflow.
  • AGD102 Citrix MXD V 100%Dyn Med 10x7 ICA. Use for standard user workflow loads with simple map displays hosted on Citrix XenApp servers. User workflow display includes raster imagery. Follow best practices for map display and database performance.

Heavier workflow recipes can be generated from the CPT Calculator and included in your project workflows.

CPT server workflows

ArcGIS for Server includes a broad variety of web clients and service offerings developed to meet your specific workflow needs.

Figure A-2.3 ArcGIS for Server workflow performance targets are generated from the CPT Calculator tab.

Figure A-2.3 shows the CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Server software technology selections.

ArcGIS for Server workflow performance targets are generated from the CPT Calculator tab.

  • ArcGIS for Server provides a variety of web mapping applications and map service deployment patterns.
  • The CPT Calculator ArcGIS 10.2 workflows generate performance targets for REST, KML, WMS, SOAP, KMZ, Portal and imagery deployment patterns.


ArcGIS for Server standard workflows

Figure A-2.4 ArcGIS for Server standard workflow performance targets are provided on the CPT Workflow tab.

Figure A-2.4 shows the ArcGIS for Server workflow patterns available on the CPT Workflow tab.

The most common ArcGIS for Server workflow patterns are pre-generated from the Calculator tab and included on the Workflow tab as Standard Workflows.

  • AGS102 REST MSD V 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 PNG24: Use for very simple and focused map display services. Platform loads are 50 percent of the standard dynamic workflow.
  • AGS102 REST MSD R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG: Use for standard map display services with JPEG output (no transparent overlay). Follow best practices for publishing high-performance map services.
  • AGS102 REST MSD V 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG: Use for standard map display services with PNG24 output (transparent overlay) with cached basemap. Follow best practices for publishing high-performance map services.
  • AGS102 REST MSD V 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG +$$: Use for standard map display services with PNG24 output (transparent overlay). Follow best practices for publishing high-performance map services.
  • AGS102 REST MSD R 40%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG +$$: Use for standard map display services using dynamic business layers combined with a cached basemap. Follow best practices for publishing high-performance map services.
  • AGS102 REST MSD V 20%Dyn Med 10x7 Feature +$$: Use for feature editing of a limited number of business layers combined with a cached base map.
  • AGS Full MapCache Service: Use with fully cached map or imagery service.
  • AGS102 KML MSD V 100%Dyn Med 10x7 PNG24: Use for standard map display services using KML output capabilities.
  • AGS102 WMS MSD V 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG: Use for standard map display services using WMS output capabilities.
  • AGS102 Imagery MosaicDS R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG: Use for standard imagery mosaic dataset workflow with on-the-fly processing.
  • AGS102 Imagery MosaicDS R 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 JPEG: Use for image service using mosaic dataset workflow with pre-processed imagery files (single image).
  • AGS102 Imagery RasterDS R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG: Use for image service using raster dataset with pre-processed imagery files (single image).
Best Practice: Use the CPT Calculator to complete a workflow analysis for each business use case, and then use the Calculator-generated workflow service times for your design specifications.

Standard workflows provide a reasonable performance target for light and medium software deployment use-cases. In most cases, Standard Workflows provide performance targets with adequate margins for your design.

Best Practice: The workflow recipe should be used as design specifications by the service author and software developer to ensure compliance with performance targets during system deployment.
Note: Workflow display complexity is discussed in more detail in Chapter 3: Software Performance.

CPT Mobile Workflows

Mobile GIS supports a range of mobile systems from lightweight devices to PDAs, laptops, smart phones, and tablets.

ArcGIS for Windows Mobile Standard Workflows are generated from the CPT Calculator tab.

  • ArcGIS for Mobile sample Standard Workflows include the ArcGIS for Mobile client, the mobile synchronization service, and the mobile provisioning service.
  • Additional custom mobile workflows can be generated from the CPT Calculator tab based on the workflow software technology performance factors similar to the sample workflow recipe provided for the ArcGIS for Mobile Standard Workflows.


Figure A-2.5 Some sample ArcGIS for Mobile standard workflow performance targets are provided on the CPT Workflow tab.

Figure A-2.5 shows the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile workflow patterns available on the CPT Workflow tab.

  • AGS102 ArcGIS for Mobile client: Use to represent mobile clients that generate displays from a local device memory.
  • AGS102 ArcGIS for Mobile synchronization service: Use for simple point or polygon edits that are synchronized with the server during edit operations. Workflow productivity should be adjusted to represent workflow edit loads.
  • AGS102 ArcGIS for Mobile provisioning service: Use for simple local extent business layer downloads representing new job tasking. The basemap cache should be downloaded before going to the field. Workflow productivity should be adjusted to represent frequency of project data downloads.


ArcGIS for Windows Mobile standard workflow description

Figure A-2.6 The ArcGIS for Mobile workflow description identifies the recipe used to generate performance targets for each project workflow.

Figure A-2.6 shows the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile workflow descriptions. Each of the ArcGIS for Mobile Standard Workflows include a Calculator recipe provided as the Workflow Description (column AB).

  • The sample CPT ArcGIS for Mobile Standard Workflows assume the client has a small 400x300 pixel map display (larger tablet display would generate more traffic). The ArcGIS 10.2 for Mobile client workflow uses an MXD light-complexity 100% dynamic vector-only 400x300 pixel display.
  • Wireless synchronization is limited to 10% of a light complexity vector display (business layers for a simple edit operation). The mobile synchronization service uses a SOAP MXD light complexity 10% Dynamic (limited to exchanging updated features streamed to client over SOAP interchange) with 400x300 display.
  • The provisioning service downloads 100% of the business layers for each new project for the work area of extent (basemap layers should be loaded on the device before going into the field). The mobile provisioning service downloads 100% of the dynamic MXD display business layers using a SOAP web service connection.

Workflow service times should be generated based on specific workflow properties, providing a reasonable performance target for capacity planning. Workflow service times for a variety of other custom mobile applications can be generated from the CPT Calculator tab, similar to the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile demonstration.

CPT Video: GIS Software Technology

Software Performance (CPT Calculator)

The CPT Calculator can be used to generate custom workflow service times for use in your system design.

This section shares lessons learned about selecting and building effective GIS design solutions that satisfy operational performance and scalability needs. Software technology allows us to model our work processes, and provide these models to computers to optimize user workflow performance. The complexity of these models, the functions selected to generate our display, the complexity of the data source, and how application functions are orchestrated to analyze and present information processing needs all have a significant impact on computer system workload and subsequent performance and scalability.

Workflow description is retained in a workflow recipe. Performance factors used to generate the workflow recipe include the following:

  • Software
  • Map Document (Imagery)
  • Density
  • %DataCache
  • Complexity
  • Resolution
  • Output

Proper workflow selection establishes the foundation for a successful system architecture design.

Software technology selection

Figure A-3.1 CPT Calculator software selection establishes the workflow baseline. The drop-down list shows the software technology profile selections available in the CTP Calculator.
The GIS software technology patterns were introduced in Chapter 2. The CPT Calculator can generate workflow processing loads from a variety of software technology patterns. Figure A-3.1 shows the CPT Calculator Software dropdown list located in cell E3 providing a list of the available software technology selections. Your Software technology selection identifies the baseline used for generating the selected workflow processing loads.
  • Selection picks from a list of the most common user workflows.
  • Selection identifies the software technology pattern.
  • Software nickname is included in the workflow recipe.

Map Document/Imagery selection

The CPT Calculator cell title will change based on the software technology selection. The Map document (MapDoc) dropdown selection is provided for GIS workflows, and the Imagery data management (Imagery) dropdown selection is provided for the ArcGIS for Server Imagery workflows.


ArcGIS map document (MapDoc) selection

Figure A-3.2 CPT Calculator MapDoc selection. This is a dropdown list that identifies which rendering engine will be used by the map service.
Figure A-3.2 shows the CPT Calculator MapDoc selection in cell G3. The selection options are MXD or MSD. The selection choice is included in the Workflow recipe.
  • Selection applies to ArcGIS for Desktop and standard web mapping workflows.
  • MXD must be selected for Desktop workflows, and MSD is the preferred choice for web mapping.
  • MSD must be selected for all map publishing workflows since ArcGIS 10.1..
  • MSD selection reduces SOC service time by 50 percent.


ArcGIS imagery selection

Figure A-3.3 CPT Calculator imagery selection. The imagery selection identifies which type of dataset is used for managing access to imagery data.
Figure A-3.3 shows the CPT Calculator Imagery selection in cell G3. The selection options are MosaicDS or RasterDS. The selection choice is included in the Workflow recipe.
  • Selection applies to ArcGIS for Server image services.
  • Mosaic dataset is the preferred selection.
  • Mosaic dataset selection reduces imagery pre-processing times.

Mosaic dataset host is selected in cell A11 (FGDB or DBMS). When selecting an Imagery workflow, cell J6 will provide a list of available Imagery data formats.

ArcGIS density selection

Figure A-3.4 CPT Calculator Density selection. The density selection modifies traffic and rendering time processing loads.
Figure A-3.4 shows the CPT Calculator Density selection in cell H3. The selection choice is included in the Workflow recipe (V for Vector Only and R for Raster Image).
  • Selection applies to all workflows.
  • Raster image should be selected when imagery layer is included in the display.
  • JPEG is the default output format for raster image selection.
  • PNG24 is the default output format for raster image selection.


ArcGIS percent data cache (%DataCache) selection

Figure A-3.5 CPT Calculator MapCache selection. The map cache setting identifies how many layers will be pre-processed into a tiled map cache.
Figure A-3.5 shows the CPT Calculator %DataCache selection in cell I3. The percent dynamic is calculated (1-%DataCache) and the %Dyn percentage is included in the Workflow recipe.
  • %DataCache selection is included to highlight the advantage of cached map services.
  • Selection identifies the percent of dynamic map layers that will be pre-processed and included in a map cache when publishing the service.
  • MapCache service can be included with the workflow using the +mapcache selection.
  • Workflow recipe identifies the percent of dynamic layers remaining in the display.


Display complexity selection

Figure A-3.6 Display complexity is used to establish workflow performance targets; selection identifies the display processing load relative to a medium complexity baseline workflow.
Figure A-3.6 shows the CPT Calculator workflow complexity selection in cell E6. Map complexity setting is identified in the workflow recipe. Workflow service time adjustments are applied to the application and database service times.

Workflow complexity directly impacts display performance and system cost. CPT Calculator was used to generate results for an ArcGIS for Server REST mapping service supporting 100,000 TPH with Xeon E3-1280v2 4 core (2 chip) 3600 MHz servers:

  • Medium complexity requires two 4-core servers with local response time of 0.25 sec.
  • Light complexity requires one 4-core server with a local response time of 0.16 sec.
  • Heavy complexity requires two 4-core servers with a local response time of 0.42 sec.
  • 3x Medium complexity requires four 4-core servers with a local response time of 0.74 sec.


Resolution selection

Figure A-3.7 Calculator resolution selection identifies the map output display size. More traffic is required when publishing larger map resolution.
Figure A-3.7 shows the CPT Calculator resolution selection in cell F6. Selection is included in the workflow recipe in hundreds of pixels. Select a resolution that best matches the average map size of your published service. The map resolution rendered by the published map service is often determined by the size of the client map display.
  • Default 1024x768 map size selection.
  • 256x256 map cache selection.
  • 400x300 mobile phone selection.
  • 600x400 optimum performance web map size (half HTML page display).
  • 1024x768 tablet, rich Internet application large device format.
  • 1280x1024 Workstation, high resolution ArcMap client.
  • 1600x1200 Very high resolution client.


Output selection

Figure A-3.8 Several output service formats are available for map publishing. Select the format that applies to your published service. Calculator will use the output look-up table to adjust traffic and loads based on your selection.
Figure A-3.8 shows the CPT Calculator output selection in cell G6. Output selection makes a difference in both traffic and processing loads. Select an output that matches your published service.
  • Default JPEG for outputs with raster imagery layer
    • JPEG is opaque—suitable for base layer only
  • Default PNG24 for vector-only map layers
  • PNG supports transparency overlays, good for business layers
  • PNG8 compresses best
  • PNG32 best color spectrum
  • PDF good for local printing
  • Feature used for simple editing of business layers
    • Minimize feature layers in mash-up to keep traffic loads reasonable.
    • Use image layers for basemap and non-edited business layers.
  • Feature also used for desktop workflows, high-traffic loads
  • ICA used for Citrix WTS terminal client traffic


Vector storage format selection

Figure A-3.9 Several vector data source formats are available for your selection. Calculator will use a look-up table to adjust output traffic and loads based on your data format selection.
Figure A-3.9 shows the CPT Calculator data source selection in cell J6. GIS workflow application service time and traffic adjustments are made as shown in the data source adjustment table based on the data source selection.

Selection provides a dropdown list of standard GIS vector data sources.

  • SDE DBMS (SDE geodatabase) is the primary baseline workflow selection.
    • Versioned SDE geodatabase used for maintenance workflows.
    • Simple feature SDE geodatabase for replicated read-only publication database.
  • File geodatabase is good for single-server publication data source.
  • Shapefile performance overhead scales with size of data—not recommended for multi-user environments.


Imagery storage format selection

Figure A-3.10 Several imagery data source formats are available for your selection. Calculator will use a look-up table to adjust output traffic and loads based on your data format selection.
Figure A-3.10 shows the CPT Calculator imagery data source selections in cell J6. GIS workflow application service time and traffic adjustments are made as shown in the data source adjustment table based on the data source selection.
  • Imagery data format selection depends on a variety of business factors.
    • SDE raster dataset is no longer recommended as the optimum storage format.
    • Mosaic dataset provides optimum data management and performance.
  • CPT provides preliminary performance expectations for imagery data format selection.
Note: Additional information on imagery management strategies is provided in Lesson 4: GIS data administration.


Standard workflow selections

Figure A-3.11 CPT Calculator standard workflow selection with peak loads of 100,000 TPH will require two Xeon Xeon E3-1280V2 4 core (1 chip) 3600 MHz GIS server platforms.
Standard Workflows included on the CPT Workflow tab were introduced in Chapter 2. Figure A-3.11 shows how you can select project workflows or standard workflows at the bottom of the Calculator input display.
  • Select Workflow tab in cell D30.
  • Select desired workflow from cell E30.

ArcGIS 10.2 for Server Standard workflow selections

  • AGS102 REST Light dynamic: Good for simple business layer map services.
  • AGS102 REST Medium dynamic: Good for most web mapping services deployment.
  • AGS102 REST Medium 40 percent dynamic $$: Good for web mapping services with cached basemap.
  • AGS102 REST Medium 40 percent dynamic $$: Candidate for simple web editing with focused business layers and cached basemap.
  • AGS Full MapCache Service: Great for high-performance cached web map or imagery services.
Best Practice: Optimum complexity settings generate reasonable system design performance targets.
Warning: Workflow complexity established too high during design will generate inflated hardware and licensing cost estimates.
Workflow complexity established too low during design can increase deployment risk.

Medium complexity workflows will satisfy most standard web mapping deployment needs.

Custom workflow processing loads

Figure A-3.12 Custom workflow performance loads are generated from baseline workflows. Calculations begin with the selected baseline service times at the bottom row and work to the adjusted workflow service times at the top. Selected software performance factors are applied to generate custom baseline service times.
Figure A-3.12 shows the calculations made by the CPT Calculator in generating adjusted custom workflow loads. CPT Calculator workflows are generated from performance benchmark baselines.

Starting point

  • Software pattern selection: Establishes baseline processing load and display traffic.

First adjustment

  • Map document selection: Adjusts map processing loads (SOC).

Additional selection impact on workflow loads

  • Display complexity: Adjust map processing loads (SOC, SDE, DBMS).
  • Percent data cache: Adjust map processing loads (SOC, SDE, DBMS).
  • Display resolution: Adjust traffic and map processing loads (SOC, SDE, DBMS).
  • Data density: Adjust traffic and processing loads (WTS, SOC, SDE, DBMS).
  • Output format: Adjust traffic and processing loads (web, SOC).


Figure A-3.13 Custom workflow service times created on the Calculator tab are copied to CPT Workflow tab. Workflow service times can then be copied and included in Project Workflows
Figure A-3.13 shows where the CPT Calculator workflow service times show up on the Workflow tab. Calculator workflows provide a source for both standard and custom workflow performance targets.

Calculator workflows are copied to the CPT Workflow tab to include in project workflows.

  • Standard Workflows are pre-generated from the CPT Calculator and provided on the Workflow tab.
  • You can use the Excel Copy/paste values function to include custom workflows in Project Workflow list.
Best Practice: Software technology baseline service time, traffic loads, and relative performance adjustments are derived from test benchmarks.


CPT Video: Software Performance

  • This video shows how to create custom workflows on the CPT Calculator tab and then move these workflows to your Project Workflow section on the Workflow tab for use in your design.

The next section will take a closer look at ArcGIS Server software performance.

Server Software Performance

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.

Figure A-4.1 Web mapping service instance load profile.

The blue line in Figure A-4.1 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-4.2 CPT Design tab used to demonstrate the optimum number of Map service instances.

Figure A-4.2 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 a small file 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-4.1. Results should follow the blue line on the chart as the instance configuration is increased.

CPT Design batch process instance configuration

Figure A-4.3 Batch process loads

The blue line in Figure A-4.3 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-4.4 CPT Design tab used to demonstrate the optimum number of batch process service instances.

Figure A-4.4 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

  • The sample WebMap workflow with a small file 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 (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 AF6). 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 AF2.
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-4.3. Results should follow the blue 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 This network diagram shows the central National Data Center and sample small and large regional centers used in completing the design.

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 Four ArcGIS for Server web technology patterns were considered. They included an early Map Editor ADF application, two Adobe Flex applications, and one Windows Mobile application.

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: AGS930 ADF MXD R 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 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 10x7 JPEG
  • Web Flex application with central dynamic SDE data layers
CPT workflow: RESTdyn_Composite Workflow from the following composite recipe:
  • Basemap_AGS101 REST MSD R 90%Dyn Lite 10x7 JPEG
  • busLayer_AGS101 REST MSD R 10%Dyn Lite 10x7 Feature
  • 100 percent dynamic
  • Web FLEX application with point feature layer + central map cache
CPT Workflow: AGS101 REST MSD V 10%Dyn Lite 10x7 Feature +$$
  • Web mobile application + local map cache
CPT Workflow: AGS101 SOAP MSD V 5%Dyn Lite 10x7 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 CPT Calculator design shows platform solution when supporting business needs using 100 percent dynamic web ADF map editor server technology

Figure A-4.7 shows the CPT analysis for the dynamic Web ADF application solution. Standard E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers were used for this assessment. These are high performance 2013 server platforms.

CPT Workflow: AGS930 ADF MXD R 100%Dyn Lite 10x7 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:

  • 16 E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers
  • ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 40 cores

Peak network traffic estimates

  • 10 Mbps for large sites, recommend 24 Mbps bandwidth
  • 2 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

Figure A-4.8 CPT Calculator composite workflow analysis tool is used to calculate composite service times for display mash-up of dynamic business layer feature service with dynamic basemap layer map service.

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_AGS101 REST MSD R 90%Dyn Lite 10x7 JPEG
  • busLayer_AGS101 REST MSD R 10%Dyn Lite 10x7 Feature
  • Both services are required for 100 percent of the dynamic map displays


Figure A-4.9 CPT Calculator design shows platform solution when supporting business needs using 100 percent dynamic Web FLEX Map Editor server technology.

Figure A-4.9 shows the CPT Calculator analysis for the 100 percent dynamic Web Flex application. Standard E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 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 E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers
  • ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 24 cores

Peak network traffic estimates

  • 10.5 Mbps for large sites, recommend 24 Mbps bandwidth
  • 2.1 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 CPT Calculator design shows platform solution when supporting business needs using 10 percent dynamic web FLEX map editor server technology with cached basemap service.

Figure A-4.10 shows the CPT Calculator analysis for the Web Flex application with a cached basemap. Standard E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers were used for this assessment.

CPT Workflow: AGS101 REST MSD V 10%Dyn Lite 10x7 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 E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers
  • ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 12 cores

Peak network traffic estimates

  • 3.5 Mbps for large sites, recommend 6 Mbps bandwidth
  • 0.7 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.

Figure A-4.11 ArcGIS 10.1 for Server SOAP mobile synchronization service with map cache basemap.

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 E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers were used for this assessment.

CPT Workflow: AGS101 SOAP MSD V 5%Dyn Lite 10x7 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 E3-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz servers
  • ArcGIS for Server licensing for up to 4 cores

Peak network traffic estimates:

  • 0.5 Mbps for large sites, recommend 1.5 Mbps bandwidth
  • 0.1 Mbps for small sites, recommend 1.5 Mbps bandwidth


Caching advantage summary

Figure A-4.12 Business analysis comparing the four software technology solutions.

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. Figure A-4.12 highlights the advantage of selecting the right technical solution.

Best Practice: Selecting the right technology solution can make a big difference in price and user performance.

Business analysis identifies clear advantages in the ArcGIS for Mobile solution.

  • Over $770,000 savings in technology cost alone.
  • Significant savings on reduced infrastructure network bandwidth requirements.

CPT Video: Server instance configurations

GIS Data Administration

Figure A-5.1 Enterprise operations often include a combination of both GIS vector and imagery data resources supporting a variety of information services throughout the organization.

A variety of data management and deployment architecture strategies are available today to improve data access and dissemination throughout the rapidly expanding GIS user community. The volume of data you must sort through each day is growing exponentially. How you manage, organize, and control these data resources is critical to system performance and scalability.

This section will first show how to modify the CPT Platform Capacity Calculator workflow configuration to demonstrate the performance impact your data source format selections.

  • Vector data formats
  • Imagery data formats

Finally, this section will demonstrate how to configure the CPT for an Imagery workflow.

  • CPT Calculator imagery configuration
  • CPT Design imagery configuration

Modifying the CPT Platform Capacity Calculator workflow configuration

The CPT Platform Capacity Calculator is a simple tool for evaluating selected platform capacity. The default tool, located at the bottom of the CPT Hardware tab, includes a variety of standard workflows that demonstrate platform capacity. For analysis and reporting purposes, you may want to change the default list of sample workflows and include those workflows you are evaluating in your own design environment. This section describes how you can change the Platform Capacity Calculator workflow samples to a custom set of workflows for demonstration purposes.

ArcGIS for Server mapping service data source performance comparison

The CPT provides six data source format selections for vector workflows. These selections include SDE_DBMS, Small File GDB, Large File GDB, Small ShapeFile, Medium Shapefile, and Large Shapefile. The CPT Platform Capacity Calculator default configuration includes a total of 5 workflows.

Figure A-5.2 Platform capacity output chart can be moved aside to expose the underlying workflow selection list. You can increase the number of workflows included in the Platform Capacity Calculator to provide sufficient bars to represent the available data source formats (six separate workflows).

Figure A-5.2 shows the location of the selected workflows displayed on the Platform Capacity Calculator. These workflows are located in column A directly behind the Platform Capacity chart. To access these workflows, use your mouse to select and drag the Platform Capacity chart to a location below the workflow selection list. The workflow selection list is a group of white cells in column A below the platform selection cell, normally located behind the Platform Capacity chart.

Adjusting the workflow display on the CPT Platform Calculator:

  • Select and slide the Platform Capacity chart below the workflow selection list.
  • Select the desired workflow list.
    • Dropdown list shows available workflow selections from the CPT Workflow tab.
    • Medium complexity workflow must be selected for a proper analysis and display.
    • Workflow name displayed on the Platform Capacity graph is shown in column B.
  • You can expand the number of workflows included in the list by using the copy row and insert copied cells commands.
  • You can reduce the number of workflow included in the list by selecting a row and using the delete command.
  • Complete your desired workflow selection in column A.
Warning: Make sure to select a workflow with Medium complexity.


Figure A-5.3 Select the desired data source for each workflow. In this case, a different data source for each workflow was selected.

Figure A-5.3 shows where you can select the data source format for each workflow. The data source for each workflow can be selected in column I (same row as the selected workflow). For this example, the AGS102 REST MSD R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG workflow was selected to demonstrate variation in performance between the available GIS vector data source selections. There are six different vector data source formats included in the CPT, so a total of six workflow rows were included in the demonstration. A separate data source was selected for each workflow in column I.

Once the workflows and data source selections are made, you can replace the Platform Capacity chart over the workflow selection list for the final analysis and display. When you select a platform configuration in column A, the Platform Capacity chart will show a peak platform throughput range for each of the selected workflows. The Platform Capacity chart shows 80 percent throughput estimates for both medium and light complexity workflow configurations.


Figure A-5.4 The Platform Capacity Calculator shows peak throughput values for medium and light complexity web map services deployed on a Xeon E5-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz server.

Figure A-5.4 shows the modified custom Platform Capacity Calculator results. Selected platform configuration is the Xeon E5-1280v2 4 core (1 chip) 3600 MHz server. AGS102 REST MSD R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG peak throughput varies from 22,200 TPH to 166,200 TPH depending on the display complexity and the selected data source.

Review final display.

  • Workflow recipe and data source are displayed for each result on the Y-axis.
  • Medium and light platform capacity is shown for each workflow based on estimated 80 percent peak throughput.


ArcGIS for Server Imagery service data source performance comparison

The CPT provides seven file based data source format selections for Imagery workflows. These selections include TIFF uncompressed, TIFFLZW compression, TIFFJPG compression, JPG2000, MRSID, ECW, and IMG ERDAS. The CPT Platform Capacity Calculator workflow configuration can be adjusted to compare selected platform throughput capacity for the seven Imagery workflows.

Figure A-5.5 The Platform Capacity Calculator shows peak throughput values for medium and light complexity Imagery services deployed on a Xeon E5-1280v2 4-core (1 chip) 3600 MHz server.

Figure A-5.5 provides a view of the CPT Platform Capacity Calculator configured to show performance of the seven (7) available Imagery data source formats. The AGS102 Imagery MosaicDS R 100%Dyn recipe is used to represent the imagery workflow. The platform selection is the Xeon E5-1280v2 4 core (1 chip) 3600 MHz server configuration. The platform capacity output ranges from 15,800 TPH to 180,200 TPH based on selected data source and medium to light workflow complexity.

Procedure for adjusting the custom workflow display on the CPT Platform Capacity Calculator.

  • Select and slide the Platform Capacity chart below the workflow selection list.
  • Select the desired workflow list (AGS102 Imagery MosaicDS R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG).
  • Expand the workflow list by using the copy row and insert copied cells commands.
  • Complete your desired workflow selection in column A (seven rows with same imagery workflow)
Warning: Make sure to select a workflow with Medium complexity.
  • Select the data source for each workflow in column I.
  • Replace the Platform Capacity chart over the workflow selection list.

Review the final display.

  • The workflow recipe and data source are displayed for each result on the Y axis.
  • Medium and Light platform capacity is shown for each workflow.


Selecting an imagery workflow on the CPT Calculator tab

Figure A-5.6 Select the CPT Calculator imagery workflow. Imagery workflows have unique Imagery, Density, and Platform Architecture selections.

Figure A-5.6 shows how to select an Imagery software pattern on the CPT Calculator tab.

  • Select the desired imagery software in column E:F.
Tip: Cells with unique selections will show in red.
  • Imagery, Density, Platform Architecture, and Data Source have unique selection lists and will show red if the selection is invalid. *Update software technology performance factors to complete imagery workflow definition.
Warning: New selections must be made in all red cells to configure a valid workflow.


Figure A-5.7 The imagery selection is either MosaicDS or RasterDS. Select MosaicDS for on-the-fly imagery processing.

Figure A-5.7 shows the Imagery dataset manager selection. Select the imagery dataset manager (MosaicDS or RasterDS) that will be used for workflow imagery data access.


Figure A-5.8 The Calculator will identify the Density setting in red if Raster is not selected.

Figure A-5.8 shows the Density selection. For all imagery workflows the Density selection must be Raster.


Figure A-5.9 MosaicDS metadata server is located in a geodatabase, either in a DBMS or a file geodatabase (FGDB).

Figure A-5.9 shows where to identify the mosaic dataset location. Select the location of the mosaic dataset (DBMS or FGDB).


Figure A-5.10 Selecting CPT Calculator imagery data format.

Figure A-5.10 shows the imagery data source format selection. The list of available imagery data formats are provided as a dropdown menu when you select an imagery workflow. Select the data source format planned for the imagery workflow.

Warning: The imagery data format can have a significant impact on performance.

Once the imagery workflow configuration is complete, the calculator completes the workflow sizing analysis and shows the resulting platform solution. You can then include the configured imagery workflow in your project workflows on the CPT Workflow tab for access when completing your design.

Selecting an imagery workflow on the CPT Design tab

Figure A-5.11 The Design tab provides a separate data list for imagery workflows. A red error will show in column H if the wrong data source type is identified.

Figure A-5.11 shows the CPT Design tab, highlighting the data source selection for an imagery workflow.

  • Select the imagery workflow in the proper user location in column B.
  • Imagery workflows have a unique data source format selection list in System Configuration (column R).
  • The workflow cell in column I will show red when an invalid data source format is selection.
Warning: Be sure to select a data source format for each imagery workflow. New selections must be made in all red cells to configure a valid workflow.

The SDE selection in the CPT Design Software Configuration Module identifies the location for each workflow mosaic dataset. Proper selections are either the DBMS platform or a file geodatabase (FGDB).


Figure A-5.12 CPT Design solution for an imagery workflow selection.

Once you have configured the imagery workflow, you can view the design solution in Figure A-5.12. In this configuration, the GIS server platform is an E5-1280v2 4 core (2 chip) 3600 MHz server configuration hosting the AGS102 Imagery MosaicDS R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG workflow accessing a TIFF imagery data source. System loads are 75,000 TPH. The GIS Server is supporting these loads at a server utilization of 54.2 percent. Peak throughput loads for this workflow deployed on this server configuration is 138,000 TPH.

CPT Video: GIS data source

Network Communications

Figure A-6.1 Enterprise network architecture

Network communications provide the required connectivity for distributed GIS operations. Network capacity, in many cases, can limit the software technology solutions that perform well within your organization. System architecture design must identify and address network communication constraints and provide the right technical solution for a successful GIS implementation.

This section will use the CPT to demonstrate network latency, Network configuration, and provide an overview of the network performance parameters identified on the CPT Workflow tab.

  • Network latency
  • Network latency performance delays on the Calculator tab.
  • Network latency performance delays on the Design tab.
  • Network suitability analysis
  • Configuring network architecture on the Calculator tab.
  • Configuring network architecture on the Design tab.
  • Network performance factors
  • Network performance factors on the Workflow tab.

CPT network latency performance delays

Network chatter is included in each workflow on the CPT Workflow tab. Network latency is defined on the remote site network segments for each user workflow. The CPT will multiply network latency by workflow chatter to account for latency delays in calculating display response time.

CPT Calculator tab

Figure A-6.2 Latency is addressed for each remote location in the CPT Calculator in cells E13 and E14.

Figure A-6.2 shows how network latency is addressed in the CPT Calculator tab.

CPT Calculator rows 12, 13, and 14 address network communication traffic.

  • Row 12 is the LAN traffic, while rows 13 and 14 represent remote site communications.
  • Network bandwidth connections are identified in column G.
-LAN display performance is limited by client connection(client NIC bandwidth).
-Remote bandwidth analysis assumes the data center is not the bottleneck (set remote site bandwidth). The CPT Design tab must be used to complete a proper Data Center bandwidth suitability analysis.
  • Total number of remote users sharing the remote site connections is identified in column D.
  • Latency is identified for remote connections in column E.
  • Communication chatter is identified in column I (default of 10 for web and WTS workflows; 200 for medium workstation workflows, adjusted by display complexity).
  • Latency delay is shown as pink in the Workflow Performance Summary.


CPT Design tab

Figure A-6.3 Latency is addressed for each remote site network in the CPT Design column S.

Figure A-6.3 shows how network latency is addressed in the CPT Design tab.

Network analysis is completed in the CPT Design Requirements Analysis section.

  • Gray rows represent the data center LAN, WAN, and Internet connections.
  • Green rows represent the remote site network connections.
  • Network bandwidth for each network row is set in column H.
  • The Network latency setting (milliseconds) for the remote sites is set in column S (workflow network chatter is also identified in column S).
  • Latency delay is shown as pink in the Workflow Performance Summary.


CPT Calculator network suitability analysis

Figure A-6.4 A single workflow network suitability analysis can be completed using the CPT Calculator.

Figure A-6.4 shows how the CPT Calculator tab can be used to complete a workflow network suitability analysis.

  • Data center and remote site service connections identify bandwidth constraints that must be evaluated during the system design.
  • Standard workflow display traffic loads are used to evaluate network suitability across all WAN and Internet site connections.
  • The Capacity Planning Calculator can be used to estimate workflow client display traffic (megabits per display).
  • Client traffic (Mbpd) is included with the workflow service times on the CPT Workflow tab and used by the Design tab to complete the workflow network suitability analysis.
Best practice: CPT Calculator is a useful tool for evaluating single workflow network traffic contributions and the impact of available network capacity on remote site user productivity.
Warning:The CPT Calculator is limited to addressing a single workflow environment. Additional network traffic from other business operations will need to be included to complete the analysis.


CPT Design user requirements workflow loads analysis

Figure A-6.5 CPT Design user requirements module configuration establishes a foundation for completing the network suitability analysis.

Figure A-6.5 shows an overview of how the CPT Design tab can be configured to complete an enterprise network performance analysis.

The CPT Design shows the user workflow location relative to the data center and remote site network infrastructure.

  • Data center networks are represented by gray rows and remote sites by green rows.
  • Client workflows are located within the network segments where they work.
  • The available bandwidth for each network segment is identified in column H.
  • Network traffic must flow through both the remote site and data center connections to reach the server environment.
Best practice: GIS user workflow loads analysis should be completed before establishing the final system architecture design.

The CPT Design requirements analysis module layout makes it possible to represent workflow display traffic flow across the appropriate service provider network connections.

  • Configuration of the data center and remote site network segments.
  • Entering the existing network bandwidth.
  • Configuring the user workflows based on user location.
  • Entering the peak concurrent users and service throughput values from the user workflow loads analysis.
  • Completing the network traffic range updates.
Best practice: System design configuration begins with results from a user workflow loads analysis.


Figure A-6.6 Results of a user workflow loads analysis establishes requirements for the system architecture design.

Figure A-6.6 shows a sample of the results of a workflow loads analysis (Business Requirements Summary):

  • User requirements include three workflows (DeskEdit, DeskView, and WebMap)
  • Users are located at different network locations (local users, remote site 1, remote site 2, and public internet)
  • Peak workflow usage is identified for each network location
    • Local Area Network (peak users for each workflow)
    • Remote site 1 (peak users for each workflow)
    • Remote site 2 (peak users for each workflow)
    • Public Internet connection (peak transactions per hour for WebMap services)


Figure A-6.7 CPT Design configured to represent the user workflow loads analysis.

Figure A-6.7 shows how to configure these same user requirements in the CPT Design

  • Select and copy the green row at the bottom of the Requirements Analysis module for use as a remote site template.
  • Select below where you want to insert a new remote site and insert copied cells to add a remote site row within the WAN workflows.
  • Select and copy any existing workflow row and then insert copied cells to add a new workflow within a site network.
  • Select and delete any existing workflow you want to remote from a site.
  • Select the existing network bandwidth for each of the new site locations in column H.
  • Update network client and traffic summation ranges in columns E and F to complete the remote site configurations to match the user workflow requirements.
Best practice: Configuring the user requirements analysis module establishes a foundation for completing the CPT Design tab network suitability analysis.


CPT Design network suitability analysis

Initial user requirements loads analysis

Figure A-6.8 Network Suitability Analysis is completed by the CPT Design tab as you configure user locations, input peak workflow loads, and identify network bandwidth.

Figure A-6.8 shows an initial CPT Design tab requirements analysis configuration. The CPT Design tab will identify network bottlenecks as you complete configuration and inputs to the user requirements analysis.

  • Negative think time is a clear sign of an invalid workflow.
  • Sufficient bandwidth is not available to handle peak traffic flow.
  • Existing bandwidth capacity will restrict user productivity.
Best practice: Increase network bandwidth to roughly twice expected peak traffic flows.


RESET ADJUST function

Figure A-6.9 Demonstrate impacts on user productivity due to network bandwidth constraints by using the RESET ADJUST tool on the CPT Design tab.
Figure A-6.9 shows the CPT Design once productivity was adjusted using the RESET ADJUST function. You can use the RESET ADJUST function to identify expected user productivity with existing bandwidth.

Under the Excel Options > Formulas section, make sure that the 'Enable iterative calculation' option is selected.

  • Maximum iterations should be set at a minimum of 500.
  • Minimum change should be set at 0.001.
Warning: CPT will show a Circular Reference Warning if the enable iterative calculation option is not selected. You will need to reset the enable iterative calculation settings shown above for the CPT to work properly.
Best practice: Start with a Blink setting of 10 in cell AG2.
  • Select ADJUST in cell AF2.
  • Excel will complete up to 500 circular iterations to reach a valid workflow solution and then stop.
  • A valid solution exists if the following are true if:
    • Workflow minimum think time (Column AF) is equal to or less than calculated think time (Column AG).
    • Peak users in column C show green once a valid workflow is found (applies to all reduced productivity workflows).
    • Hardware tier platform utilization do not exceed 100 percent.
  • If there is no valid solution, try selecting the ADJUST function again.
  • If calculated think time blinks between positive and negative values, reduce the BLINK setting by a factor of 10 and repeat steps.
Note: ADJUST function uses excel iterations to identify productivity for batch processing workflows. As computed think time approaches zero, queue time increases to infinity (discontinuity) and processing loads exceed 100 percent capacity (not a valid solution). The BLINK setting determines the size of the productivity adjustments between each excel iteration. If the BLINK is too small, it can take thousands of iterations to converge on the correct productivity solution. If the BLINK setting is too large, the calculation will step across the discontinuity and the calculation must cycle below 100 percent capacity and try again. During high capacity loads, the BLINK setting should be reduced until the calculations can converge on the correct solution. Once the valid solution is reached, the throughput input cells will turn green.

The RESET ADJUST function resolves network bottlenecks.

  • Valid reduced productivity workflows are identified with green blocks in column C.
  • Minimum and calculated think time are equal for reduced productivity workflows.
  • Reduced productivity is shown in column E.
  • Reduced network traffic is shown in columns F:G.


Excel circular reference warning
Figure A-6.9.1 Excel will show a Circular Reference Warning when the iteration calculation option is not enabled.
The CPT analysis functions include iterative calculation options. Enable iterative calculations must be selected in the Excel Formulas Calculation options. Maximum iterations should be set at 500 and Maximum Change setting should be 0.001 for best CPT calculation performance. Figure A-6.9.1 shows the Excel Circular Reference Warning popup.

Workflow performance summary

Figure A-6.10 The Workflow Performance Summary shows performance once you have a valid user workflow.

Figure A-6.10 shows the Workflow Performance Summary following the productivity adjustment. Once you have resolved all workflows to a valid workflow solution, you can review the workflow performance summary to evaluate workflow response times for each user site location.

The Workflow Performance Summary will identify queue times for the reduced productivity workflows.

Validated design solution

Figure A-6.11 The CPT Design tab shows performance problems resolved once network bandwidth is increased to accommodate the peak traffic flow.

Figure A-6.11 shows the upgraded CPT Design solution. Once you complete your network suitability analysis, you should work with the network administrator to identify appropriate network bandwidth upgrades.

Best practice: Network bandwidth should be roughly twice the expected peak traffic loads to avoid performance bottlenecks.
Warning: Network traffic utilization over 60 percent could contribute to network contention with low bandwidth connections.
Note: Higher network utilization levels are acceptable with higher capacity connections. Network contention (queue time) is less sensitivity with high bandwidth capacity (bandwidth connections over 45 Mbps). Final bandwidth recommendations should consider cost and performance tradeoffs and traffic variability during peak loads.

Once you agree on bandwidth upgrades, you can enter them in the CPT Design to complete your analysis.

Network performance parameter look-up list

Figure A-6.12 Network performance parameters are identified on the CPT Workflow tab.

Figure A-6.40 shows the key network traffic parameters identified on the CPT Workflow tab. Workflow display chatter, client display traffic, and database traffic columns are established when creating a user workflow and are available in the CPT Workflow tab.

Key workflow network performance inputs provided on the CPT Workflow tab.

  • Client traffic (megabits per display) is provided in column C.
  • Workflow chatter used for latency delay calculations is provided in column B.
  • Database traffic (megabits per display) is provided in column J.
  • Minimum think time (default three seconds) is provided in column L.
  • Workflow productivity is provided in column M.


Network contribution to Web performance

Network performance counts. Network transport time is a major contribution to web client display response times.

Best practice: Network performance impacts should be considered carefully during design and deployment of web services.


CPT Video: Network suitability analysis

Product Architecture

Figure A-7.1 ArcGIS System environment.

GIS Product Architecture provides a foundation for understanding the software components and platform configuration options available for distributed GIS operations. Understanding application architecture alternatives and associated configuration strategies provides a foundation for selecting an appropriate distributed GIS design.

This section will show how to configure the CPT Calculator and Design tabs for the available ArcGIS for Desktop and ArcGIS for Server hardware configurations.

ArcGIS for Desktop workflows

  • Calculator tab
  • Design tab

ArcGIS for Server workflows

  • Design tab
  • 1 tier
  • 2 tier
  • 3 tier
  • Calculator tab (tier configurations)

ArcGIS for Desktop workflows

CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation workflows

Figure A-7.2 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation SDE_DBMS DC architecture.
ArcGIS for Desktop workstation software selection (AGD wkstn) is made cell E3:E4. Software selections include ArcGIS 9.3.0, 9.3.1, 10, 10.1, and 10.2 workflows. The CPT Calculator supports three of the ArcGIS for Desktop workstation configuration patterns.
  • SDE Direct Connect (DC) architecture
  • SDE Application Server Connect (ASC) architecture
  • File data source architecture

ArcSDE Direct Connect. ArcGIS for Desktop workstations SDE Direct Connect architecture is shown in Figure A-7.2. Data Source selection (SDE_DBMS) is made in cell J6:K6 and SDE connection (DC) in cell A11.

The CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation SDE_DBMS DC architecture solution is provided in rows 16-29. The server solution is generated based on the selected User Requirements (cell A6), the selected platform architecture (rows 7-11), and the selected remote site configurations (rows 13-15). In this configuration, the SDE processing load is on the client workstation. The Platform Solution shows Database server utilization and the Workflow Performance Summary shows relative display performance (rows 16-29).

Figure A-7.3 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation SDE_DBMS ASC architecture.
ArcSDE Application Server Connect. ArcGIS for Desktop workstation SDE_DBMS ASC architecture is shown in Figure A-7.3. Data Source selection (SDE_DBMS) is made in cell J6:K6 and SDE connection (ASC) in cell A11.

The CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation SDE_DBMS ASC platform solution is provided in rows 16-29. The server solution is generated based on the selected User Requirements, the selected platform architecture, and the selected remote site configurations shown in Figure A-7.2. In this configuration, the SDE processing load is on the SDE Geodatabase (GDB) tier. The Platform Solution shows Database server utilization and the Workflow Performance Summary shows relative display performance. The DBMS server load is increased by 100 percent (SDE GSRVR processing load is roughly the same as the DBMS query processing load) over the SDE_DBMS DC architecture.

Figure A-7.4 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation File data source architecture.
File data source. ArcGIS for Desktop workstation File data source architecture is shown in Figure A-7.4. File Data Source selection is made in cell J6:K6.

The CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop workstation File data source platform solution is provided in rows 16-29. The server solution is generated based on the selected User Requirements, the selected platform architecture, and the selected remote site configurations shown in Figure A-7.2. In this configuration, the data query processing load is on the client workstation. The File server utilization is not shown (very light processing load) and the Workflow Performance Summary shows relative display performance. File server capacity is determined by traffic loads, with primary constraints being the platform network interface card (NIC) or disk storage configuration. The client workstation query load will be adjusted based on the selected File data source format.

CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop workstation workflows

The CPT Design includes several integrated modules used for completing the system architecture design. ArcGIS for Desktop workflow selection is made in the user Requirements Analysis module. Platform tier configuration is established in the Platform Configuration module. Final software platform assignment is made in the Software Configuration module.

Figure A-7.5 CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop workstation platform configurations

User workflow network locations and peak loads are configured in the user Requirements Analysis module. Workflows are selected from a dropdown selection lookup list located on the CPT Workflow tab. User requirements CPT Design configuration was discussed in in the Enterprise System Architecture section in Chapter 6. Once the user requirements analysis is complete, the CPT Design can be configured for the proper server platform architecture.

The CPT Design supports all four of the ArcGIS for Desktop workstation configuration patterns.

  • SDE Direct Connect (DC) architecture
  • SDE server connect (remote server)
  • SDE Application Server Connect (ASC) architecture
  • File data source architecture

ArcGIS for Desktop workstation platform configurations.

Figure A-7.5 shows a platform configuration for demonstrating the four ArcGIS for Desktop workstation deployment patterns. Platform tier nicknames (followed by a colon) can be modified to represent your deployment environment. The platform nicknames must be updated before completing the software configuration assignments.

  • SDE: Platform Tier 09 will host the SDE instance for the remote server architecture.
  • DBMS: Platform Tier 10 will host the DBMS server.


Figure A-7.6 CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop workstation software configurations
ArcGIS for Desktop workstation workflow software configurations.

Figure A-7.6 shows the four ArcGIS for Desktop workstation software configurations. User workflow is selected in column B. Workflow software components are identified in row 4, columns J through R. Software components for each workflow display based on workflow selection. ArcGIS for Desktop service times are shown on the Client platform.

Software platform configuration is identified by selecting a platform nickname from the highlighted software component drop-down list on each workflow row. The default platform selection is provided on row 5. SDE Direct Connect is identified for all default SDE components by selecting default platform in row 5. The configured platform will be highlighted in RED if existing nickname is not on the platform drop-down list.

Data source selection for each workflow row is selected from a drop-down list in column R. Drop-down list contains vector data sources for mapping workflows and imagery data formats for imagery workflows.

Figure A-7.7 CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop workflow baseline installed platform service times
ArcGIS for Desktop workstation workflow Arc12 installed platform service times.

Figure A-7.7 shows the installed Arc13 baseline platform service times for the four ArcGIS for Desktop workflows.

The platform tier nicknames are identified in row 4. The baseline platform processing loads (service times) are identified for each user workflow. The processing load on each platform is different based on the selected data source.

  • File data source. Query and map rendering load is performed by the client workstation.
  • SDE Direct Connect. SDE and map rendering load is performed by the client workstation and query processing load is performed by the DBMS server.
  • SDE Server Connect. Map rendering load is performed by the client workstation, SDE load is performed by the remote SDE server, and query processing load is performed by the DBMS server.
  • SDE DBMS Connect. Map rendering load is performed by the client workstation, while the SDE and query processing loads are performed by the DBMS server.


Figure A-7.8 ArcGIS for Desktop workstation CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Desktop workstation CPT Design.

Figure A-7.8 provides a full view of the CPT Design solution for the same four ArcGIS for Desktop Workstation workflows.

  • ArcGIS for Desktop workstation workflows identified in column B rows 6-9.
  • Peak network utilization is provided in column I based on the bandwidth selection in column H.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.
  • Relative display performance is provided in the Workflow Performance Summary at the top right.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected SDE and DBMS platform tier.

CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop terminal server clients

The CPT Calculator supports three of the ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix (WTS) configuration patterns.

  • SDE Direct Connect (DC) architecture
  • SDE Application Server Connect (ASC) architecture
  • File data source architecture

CPT Calculator analysis is limited to completing a single-user workflow analysis. The analysis is also limited to show SDE connections to the DBMS server (does not support a remote SDE server configuration).


Figure A-7.9 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix SDE_DBMS DC architecture.
ArcSDE Direct Connect.

ArcGIS for Desktop workstations SDE Direct Connect architecture is shown in Figure A-7.9. Data Source selection (SDE_DBMS) is made in cell J6:K6 and SDE connection (DC) in cell A11.

The CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix SDE_DBMS DC architecture solution is provided in rows 16-29. The server solution is generated based on the selected User Requirements (cell A6), the selected platform architecture (rows 7-11), and the selected remote site configurations (rows 13-15). In this configuration, the SDE processing load is on the Citrix server tier. The Platform Solution shows the Citrix and Database server utilization and the Workflow Performance Summary shows relative display performance (rows 16-29).


Figure A-7.10 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix SDE_DBMS ASC architecture.

ArcSDE Application Server Connect. ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix SDE_DBMS ASC architecture is shown in Figure A-7.10. Data Source selection (SDE_DBMS) is made in cell J6:K6 and SDE connection (ASC) in cell A11.

The CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix SDE_DBMS ASC platform solution is provided in rows 16-29. The server solution is generated based on the selected User Requirements, the selected platform architecture, and the selected remote site configurations shown in Figure A-7.9. In this configuration, the SDE processing load is on the SDE Geodatabase (GDB) tier. The Platform Solution shows Citrix and Database server utilization and the Workflow Performance Summary shows relative display performance. The DBMS server load is increased by 100 percent (SDE GSRVR processing load is roughly the same as the DBMS query processing load) over the SDE_DBMS DC architecture.


Figure A-7.11 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix File data source architecture.
File data source.

ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix File data source architecture is shown in Figure A-7.11. File Data Source selection is made in cell J6:K6.

The CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix File data source platform solution is provided in rows 16-29. The server solution is generated based on the selected User Requirements, the selected platform architecture, and the selected remote site configurations shown in Figure A-7.9. In this configuration, the data query processing load is on the Citrix server tier. The File server utilization is not shown (very light processing load) and the Workflow Performance Summary shows relative display performance. File server capacity is determined by traffic loads, with primary constraints being the platform network interface card (NIC) or disk storage configuration. The Citrix server query load will be adjusted based on the selected File data source format.

CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix workflows

Figure A-7.12 CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop Platform Configuration
The CPT Design supports all four of the ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix configuration patterns.
  • SDE Direct Connect (DC) architecture
  • SDE server connect (remote server)
  • SDE Application Server Connect (ASC) architecture
  • File data source architecture

ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix platform configurations. Figure A-7.12 shows a platform configuration for demonstrating the four ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix deployment patterns. Platform tier nicknames (followed by a colon) can be modified to represent your deployment environment. The platform nicknames must be updated before completing the software configuration assignments.

  • WTS: Platform Tier 07 will host the Citrix Windows Terminal Server farm.
  • SDE: Platform Tier 09 will host the SDE instance for the remote server architecture.
  • DBMS: Platform Tier 10 will host the DBMS server.


Figure A-7.13 CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop software configurations
ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix workflow software configurations.

Figure A-7.13 shows the four ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix software configurations. Workflow software components are identified in row 4, columns J through R. User workflow is selected in column B. Software components for each workflow row are highlighted based on workflow selection. ArcGIS for Desktop service times are shown on the Citrix platform.

Software platform configuration is identified by selecting a platform nickname from the highlighted software component drop-down list on each workflow row. The default platform selection is provided on row 5. SDE Direct Connect is identified for all default SDE components by selecting default platform in row 4. The configured platform will be highlighted in RED if existing nickname is not on the platform drop-down list.

Data source selection for each workflow row is selected from a drop-down list in column R. Drop-down list contains vector data sources for mapping workflows and imagery data formats for imagery workflows.


Figure A-7.14 CPT Design ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix baseline installed platform service times
ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix workflow Arc13 installed platform service times.

Figure A-7.14 shows the installed Arc13 baseline platform service times for the four ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix workflows.

The platform tier nicknames are identified in row 4. The baseline platform processing loads (service times) are identified for each user workflow. The processing load on each platform is different based on the selected data source.

  • File data source. Terminal client load is performed by the Client, Query and map rendering load is performed by the Citrix platform tier.
  • SDE Direct Connect. Terminal client load is performed by the Client, SDE and map rendering load is performed by the Citrix platform tier and query processing load is performed by the DBMS server.
  • SDE Server Connect. Terminal client load is performed by the Client, map rendering load is performed by the Citrix platform tier, SDE load is performed by the remote SDE server, and query processing load is performed by the DBMS server.
  • SDE DBMS Connect. Terminal client load is performed by the Client, map rendering load is performed by the Citrix platform tier, while the SDE and query processing loads are performed by the DBMS server.


Figure A-7.15 ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix CPT Design.

Figure A-7.15 provides a full view of the CPT Design solution for the same four ArcGIS for Desktop Citrix workflows.

  • ArcGIS for Desktop Workstation workflows identified in column B rows 6-9.
  • Peak network utilization is provided in column I based on the bandwidth selection in column H.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.
  • Relative display performance is provided in the Workflow Performance Summary at the top right.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected WTS, SDE, and DBMS platform tier.

ArcGIS for Server workflows

ArcGIS for Server Recommended platform configuration strategies will be provided for single-tier, two-tier, and three-tier configuration alternatives identified above. Five ArcGIS for Server workflows will be used to represent the user requirements in the CPT Design examples.

  • Rest mapping workflow (AGS101 REST MSD R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG)
  • REST mapping workflow with cached basemap (AGS101 REST MSD R 40%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG +$$)
  • REST feature editing workflow with cashed basemap (AGS101 REST MSD V 20%Dyn Med 10x7 Feature +$$)
  • Fully cached map service (AGS Full MapCache Service)
  • Imagery service with Mosaic dataset (AGS101 Imagery MosaicDS R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG)

The CPT Design includes several integrated modules used for completing the system architecture design. ArcGIS for Server workflow selection is made in the user Requirements Analysis module. Platform tier nicknames (followed by a colon) and selected hardware platform can be modified to represent your deployment environment. Software platform configuration is identified by selecting a platform nickname from the highlighted software component drop-down list on each workflow row. Data source selection is made for each workflow row.

CPT Design for Web single-tier platform configuration

Figure A-7.16 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server single-tier platform configuration

The single tier software configuration would host the Web, GIS Server, and and DBMS data source all on a single platform tier.

Once the CPT Design is properly configured to represent your business requirements and selected hardware, the Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow and the platform section shows the number of required platform nodes and processing loads on the selected platform tier.

ArcGIS for Server single-tier platform configurations

Figure A-7.16 shows a Web single-tier platform configuration.

Platform tier nicknames (followed by a colon) can be modified to represent your deployment environment. The platform nicknames must be updated before completing the software configuration assignments.

  • GIS: Platform Tier 09 will host the Web Adaptor, GIS Server, and DBMS software components.


Figure A-7.17 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server single-tier software configurations
ArcGIS for Server single-tier software configurations

Figure A-7.17 shows the five standard ArcGIS for Server workflow configurations. Workflow software components are identified in row 4, columns J through R. User workflow is selected in column B. Software components for each workflow row are highlighted based on workflow selection. Web, SOC, and DBMS software are assigned to the GIS platform tier.

Software platform configuration is identified by selecting a platform nickname from the highlighted software component drop-down list on each workflow row. The default platform selection is provided on row 5. SDE Direct Connect is identified for all default SDE components by selecting default platform in row 4. The configured platform will be highlighted in RED if existing nickname is not on the platform drop-down list.

Data source selection for each workflow row is selected from a drop-down list in column R. Drop-down list contains vector data sources for mapping workflows and imagery data formats for imagery workflows.

Figure A-7.18 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server single-tier baseline installed platform service times
ArcGIS for Server single-tier workflow Arc13 installed platform service times.

Figure A-7.18 shows the installed Arc13 baseline platform service times for the single-tier ArcGIS for Server workflows.

The platform tier nicknames are identified in row 4. The baseline platform processing loads (service times) are identified for each user workflow. The processing load on the GIS Server is different based on the selected workflow and data source. Web Adaptor, GIS Server, and DBMS service times are shown on the GIS platform tier.

Figure A-7.19 ArcGIS for Server single-tier CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Server single-tier CPT Design.

Figure A-7.19 provides a full view of the CPT Design solution for the same five ArcGIS for Server workflows.

  • ArcGIS for Server Web workflows identified in column B rows 6-10.
  • Peak network utilization is provided in column I based on the bandwidth selection in column H.
  • Relative display performance is provided in the Workflow Performance Summary at the top right.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected platform tier.

Figure A-7.20 ArcGIS for Server single-tier virtual server CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Server single-tier virtual CPT Design.

Figure A-7.20 provides the platform view of the CPT Design solution for the same five ArcGIS for Server workflows.

  • Requirements analysis remains the same as Figure A-7.19.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Virtual platform selection is completed in column I for each of the virtual tier.
  • Select virtual platform, number of core/node, and Host platform assignment.
  • Host platform tier are located at the bottom below the virtual platform tier.
  • Virtual tier must have same platform selection as assigned Host platform tier.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected platform tier.

CPT Design for Web two-tier platform configuration

Figure A-7.21 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server two-tier platform configuration
The two tier software configuration would normally host the Web and GIS Server on one platform tier, and the DBMS server on a separate platform tier.

Once the CPT Design is properly configured to represent your business requirements and selected hardware, the Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow and the platform section shows the number of required platform nodes and processing loads on the selected platform tier.

ArcGIS for Server two-tier platform configurations.

Figure A-7.21 shows a Web single-tier platform configuration.

Platform tier nicknames (followed by a colon) can be modified to represent your deployment environment. The platform nicknames must be updated before completing the software configuration assignments.

  • GIS: Platform Tier 09 will host the Web Adaptor and GIS Server software components.
  • DBMS: Platform Tier 10 will host the DBMS software components


Figure A-7.22 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server two-tier software configurations
ArcGIS for Server two-tier software configurations.

Figure A-7.22 shows the five standard ArcGIS for Server workflow configurations. Workflow software components are identified in row 4, columns J through R. User workflow is selected in column B. Software components for each workflow row are highlighted based on workflow selection. Web and SOC software are assigned to the GIS platform tier. DBMS software is assigned to the DBMS platform tier.

Software platform configuration is identified by selecting a platform nickname from the highlighted software component drop-down list on each workflow row. The default platform selection is provided on row 5. SDE Direct Connect is identified for all default SDE components by selecting default platform in row 4. The configured platform will be highlighted in RED if existing nickname is not on the platform drop-down list.

Data source selection for each workflow row is selected from a drop-down list in column R. Drop-down list contains vector data sources for mapping workflows and imagery data formats for imagery workflows.

Figure A-7.23 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server two-tier baseline installed platform service times
ArcGIS for Server two-tier workflow Arc13 installed platform service times.

Figure A-7.23 shows the installed Arc13 baseline platform service times for the two-tier ArcGIS for Server workflows.

The platform tier nicknames are identified in row 4. The baseline platform processing loads (service times) are identified for each user workflow. The processing load on the GIS Server is different based on the selected workflow and data source. The Web Adaptor and GIS Server loads are on the GIS platform tier, and the DBMS loads are on the DBMS platform tier.

Figure A-7.24 ArcGIS for Server two-tier CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Server two-tier CPT Design.

Figure A-7.24 provides a full view of the CPT Design solution for the same five ArcGIS for Server workflows.

  • ArcGIS for Server Web workflows identified in column B rows 6-10.
  • Peak network utilization is provided in column I based on the bandwidth selection in column H.
  • Relative display performance is provided in the Workflow Performance Summary at the top right.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected platform tier.

Figure A-7.25 ArcGIS for Server two-tier virtual server CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Server two-tier virtual CPT Design.

Figure A-7.25 provides the platform view of the CPT Design solution for the same five ArcGIS for Server workflows.

  • Requirements analysis remains the same as Figure A-7.24.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Virtual platform selection is completed in column I for each of the virtual tier.
  • Select virtual platform, number of core/node, and Host platform assignment.
  • Host platform tier are located at the bottom below the virtual platform tier.
  • Virtual tier must have same platform selection as assigned Host platform tier.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected platform tier.

CPT Design for Web three-tier platform configuration

Figure A-7.26 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server three-tier platform configuration
The three tier software configuration would normally host the Web server on one platform tier, the GIS Server on a second platform tier, and the DBMS server on the third platform tier.

Once the CPT Design is properly configured to represent your business requirements and selected hardware, the Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow and the platform section shows the number of required platform nodes and processing loads on the selected platform tier.

ArcGIS for Server three-tier platform configurations.

Figure A-7.26 shows a Web single-tier platform configuration.

Platform tier nicknames (followed by a colon) can be modified to represent your deployment environment. The platform nicknames must be updated before completing the software configuration assignments.

  • Web: Platform Tier 08 will host the Web Server and Web Adaptor software components.
  • GIS: Platform Tier 09 will host the GIS Server software components.
  • DBMS: Platform Tier 10 will host the DBMS software components


Figure A-7.27 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server three-tier software configurations
ArcGIS for Server three-tier software configurations.

Figure A-7.27 shows the five standard ArcGIS for Server workflow configurations. Workflow software components are identified in row 4, columns J through R. User workflow is selected in column B. Software components for each workflow row are highlighted based on workflow selection. Web software is assigned to the Web server, SOC software is assigned to the GIS platform tier, and DBMS software is assigned to the DBMS platform tier.

Software platform configuration is identified by selecting a platform nickname from the highlighted software component drop-down list on each workflow row. The default platform selection is provided on row 5. SDE Direct Connect is identified for all default SDE components by selecting default platform in row 4. The configured platform will be highlighted in RED if existing nickname is not on the platform drop-down list.

Data source selection for each workflow row is selected from a drop-down list in column R. Drop-down list contains vector data sources for mapping workflows and imagery data formats for imagery workflows.


Figure A-7.28 CPT Design ArcGIS for Server two-tier baseline installed platform service times
ArcGIS for Server three-tier workflow Arc13 installed platform service times.

Figure A-7.28 shows the installed Arc13 baseline platform service times for the three-tier ArcGIS for Server workflows.

The platform tier nicknames are identified in row 4. The baseline platform processing loads (service times) are identified for each user workflow. The processing load on the GIS Server is different based on the selected workflow and data source. The Web Adaptor and GIS Server loads are on the GIS platform tier, and the DBMS loads are on the DBMS platform tier.


Figure A-7.29 ArcGIS for Server two-tier CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Server two-tier CPT Design.

Figure A-7.29 provides a full view of the CPT Design solution for the same five ArcGIS for Server workflows.

  • ArcGIS for Server Web workflows identified in column B rows 6-10.
  • Peak network utilization is provided in column I based on the bandwidth selection in column H.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.
  • Relative display performance is provided in the Workflow Performance Summary at the top right.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected platform tier.

Figure A-7.30 ArcGIS for Server three-tier virtual server CPT Design solution
ArcGIS for Server three-tier virtual CPT Design.

Figure A-7.30 provides the platform view of the CPT Design solution for the same five ArcGIS for Server workflows.

  • Requirements analysis remains the same as Figure A-7.29.
  • Platform selections for each platform tier are provided in column B.
  • Virtual platform selection is completed in column I for each of the virtual tier.
  • Select virtual platform, number of core/node, and Host platform assignment.
  • Host platform tier are located at the bottom below the virtual platform tier.
  • Virtual tier must have same platform selection as assigned Host platform tier.
  • Graphic display of the platform solution architecture is provided in columns AH - AP.

The Workflow Performance Summary shows the software service time distribution and expected client display response time for each workflow, while the platform section shows the processing loads on the selected platform tier.

CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Server platform configurations

Figure A-7.31 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Server single-tier architecture.
The CPT Calculator can be configured for each of the three ArcGIS for Server architecture patterns.
  • CPT Calculator single-tier configuration
  • CPT Calculator two-tier configuration
  • CPT Calculator three-tier configuration

CPT Calculator single-tier configuration

Figure 31 shows 3 concurrent users accessing a standard ArcGIS for Server 10.2 REST light web mapping workflow in a single-tier platform configuration. Service configuration includes an ArcSDE Direct Connect DBMS data source connection.

The CPT Calculator platform architecture configuration is set from a drop-down menu in cell A9. Choices include single, two-tier, and three-tier architecture selections. The single-tier architecture selection supports the Web Adaptor, GIS Server, and DBMS software on a single server platform tier.


Figure A-7.32 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Server two-tier architecture.

CPT Calculator two-tier configuration

Figure 32 shows 3 concurrent users accessing a standard ArcGIS for Server 10.2 REST light web mapping workflow in a two-tier platform configuration. Service configuration includes an ArcSDE Direct Connect DBMS data source connection.


Figure A-7.33 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Server three-tier architecture.

CPT Calculator three-tier configuration

Figure 33 shows 3 concurrent users accessing a standard ArcGIS for Server 10.2 REST light web mapping workflow in a three-tier platform configuration. Service configuration includes an ArcSDE Direct Connect DBMS data source connection.

Figure A-7.34 CPT Calculator ArcGIS for Server three-tier virtual server architecture.

CPT Calculator three-tier virtual server configuration

Figure 34 shows 3 concurrent users accessing a standard ArcGIS for Server 10.2 REST light web mapping workflow in a three-tier virtual server platform configuration. Service configuration includes an ArcSDE Direct Connect DBMS data source connection. Host platform tier is shown as a bottom tier below the virtual platform tier. All virtual and host platform selections must be the same platform configuration, since virtual platforms will be deployed on the Host platform tier.

Concluding Remarks

There are several factors that should be considered when establishing your enterprise data center architecture. Many of these factors are determined based on business needs and standard IT operating procedures.

The primary focus for Esri system architecture design services is to identify hardware and infrastructure resources that satisfy user productivity needs during peak GIS system loads. This effort focuses on the primary production hardware and available network infrastructure bandwidth required to support GIS operations.

Figure A-7.35 CPT Design Platform Module

Other factors contribute to the final system configuration. These factors include provisions for system maintenance, updates, configuration control, software licensing, and security. System requirements often include hardware provisions for application development, system test, production staging, background processing (i.e. map cache maintenance and replication services), system backup, and security. System migration will normally include continued support for legacy operations while introducing new technology, often on separate hardware environments.

The CPT Design tab provides a framework for modeling enterprise operations. Figure A-7.35 provides an overview of the adaptive CPT Design platform module.

  • Up to 10 unique platform tier available for software assignment
  • Each platform tier can scale to any required number of nodes (platforms)
  • A different platform technology can be selected for each tier.
  • Platform rollover setting automates platform sizing (fixed node option also available)
  • Selected hardware can be native (physical server) or virtual server platform tier
  • Platform names can be assigned to personalize the IT environment
  • Software components can be installed on any platform tier
  • Three additional Host platform tier are included at the bottom for virtual server platform assignment.

An Enterprise GIS design includes business, application, data, and technical architecture requirements. The Capacity Planning Tool provides a framework that models enterprise GIS performance and scalability, integrating the full range of Enterprise system design requirements into a solution that represents your GIS production needs.

CPT Video: Product architecture selection

Platform Performance

Platform performance baseline
Selecting the right hardware will improve user performance, reduce overall system cost, and establish a foundation for building effective GIS operations. Selecting the wrong hardware can contribute to implementation failure - spending money on a system that will not support your business needs.

This section will introduce the CPT Hardware tab, use the CPT to evaluate hardware platform best buy decision, and use the CPT Platform Capacity Calculator and CPT Calculator for platform sizing.


CPT Hardware tab

Figure A-8.1 CPT Hardware tab provides a lookup table used by the CPT models to complete the capacity planning analysis
Figure A-8.1 shows the CPT Hardware tab that includes a list of Desktop and Server SPEC CPU platform benchmark baseline values used as a lookup table by the CPT Calculator, Design, Test, and Favorites tabs. The SPEC benchmark values are used to adjust baseline service times to selected platform service times for capacity planning analysis.

Published vendor benchmark values are used to identify relative throughput and performance for selected hardware platforms. Platforms are arranged by vendor and year in two lookup lists. Desktop candidates are located at the top of the list. Server candidates are located at the bottom of the list. Project platform candidates are located in the middle of the list and included with the Desktop and Server list selections.

Primary platform values are entered in the WHITE cells (Processor, # of Cores, Core/Chip, MHz, SPECint_rate2006 baseline). COLORED cell values are generated from the WHITE cell entries (Hardware Platform Selection, Per core SPECint_rate2006 value, Total chips). Additional columns include vendor and WATTs information.

The SPEC Web site is the primary source for the platform performance metrics. Information from the SPEC Web site is entered into the CPT Hardware tab for capacity planning. Copy of the SPEC benchmark information is provided in a HardwareSPEC Excel workbook for easy access.

HardwareSPEC Excel Workbook

Figure A-8.2 HardwareSPEC Excel Workbook includes a snapshot copy of the vendor published SPEC Web Site benchmark values
Figure A-8.2 provides a view of the HardwareSPEC workbook. The Esri Capacity Planning Tool release site shares a HardwareSPEC workbook with an Excel table of platform relative performance values from the published SPECrate_integer benchmarks.

The HardwareSPEC workbook contains a SRint2000 tab and a SRint2006 tab. The SRint2000 tab includes all vendor published SPECrate_int2000 benchmarks available on the SPEC site (SPEC stopped publishing new SRint2000 benchmarks in January 2007). All the new platform benchmarks are now published on the SPECrate_integer2006 site (SRint2006 tab). The last date the benchmark tab was updated is shown with the link name. A hot link to the SPEC site is included on the top of the Capacity Planning Tool (CPT) hardware tab.

The HardwareSPEC workbook tabs include an additional column (baseline/core) that I add to the table. This column identifies the processing performance of an individual core, a value that is used to estimate relative platform processing performance for a single sequential display (estimate of the relative platform speed). The relative processing performance per core values will be used in this chapter to comparing user display performance.

Adding a new platform to the CPT Hardware tab

Figure A-8.3 CPT Hardware tab with a new Dell Demo server added to the Project Platform Candidate lookup list
New hardware platform benchmark values are published on the SPEC Web site each month throughout the year, so the platform you need for your design analysis may not be included in your version of the CPT. You can locate the new benchmark values on the SPEC Web site and then add them to your CPT Hardware tab.

Figure A-8.3 highlights the entries you will need to make to the CPT Hardware tab.

To add a new Server to the CPT Hardware tab, first create a new row template by copying one of the existing Platform rows and Insert Copied Cells to create a new row in the Project Platform Candidate section. Enter the processor name, # of Cores, Core/Chip, MHz, and the SPECint_rate2006 baseline value for the new server (Type new entries in the white cells only). The colored cells include formulas and will be completed as you enter the new values in the white cells.

Once you have completed your entries, the new server will be available for selection in all CPT Platform Selection dropdown lists.

CPT used to evaluate best buy

CPT is designed to automate the system architecture design analysis. The system architecture design analysis translates user business requirements to appropriate hardware platform solutions. Once you know your business requirements, the CPT can be used to identify your optimum platform selection.

Establishing business needs

Proper hardware selection depends on a clear understanding of your business needs. Figure A-8.4 will show how to select the optimum platform for publishing ArcGIS 10.2 REST mapping services.

Figure A-8.4 CPT Calculator tab configured for use in evaluating server platform candidates.

Business workflow requirements

  • ArcGIS for Server 10.2 REST MSD 100% dynamic Medium complexity map service with 1024x768 map resolution and JPEG output.
  • Peak throughput loads estimated at 80,000 map requests per hour (TPH).
  • Single server direct connect platform architecture for evaluation purposes.
  • Large remote site with peak of 5 concurrent users, 3 Mbps network connection with 10 milliseconds latency.
  • Small remote site with peak of 1 concurrent user, 1.5 Mbps network connection.

Hardware Platform candidates include the following:

  • Xeon E3-1280v2 4-core server
  • Xeon E5-2643 8-core server
  • Xeon E5-2670 12-core server
  • Xeon E5-2690 16-core server

Platform pricing analysis

Figure A-8.5 provides an overview of the platform pricing analysis.

Figure A-8.5 Overview of the best buy hardware platform selection analysis.

Hardware and Software pricing analysis

  • Hardware/virtual server pricing based on configured server provided by hardware vendor.
  • Software pricing based on number of cores provided by software vendor.
  • Total cost per core was computed to normalize pricing values.

Xeon E5-2690 platform has the lowest hardware cost per core without considering software pricing.

Warning: Selecting a server platform without evaluated what you need to satisfy your business requirements can lead to the wrong hardware selection.

Completing the capacity planning analysis

Figure A-8.6 CPT Calculator Xeon E3-1280v2 and E5-2643 platform solution summaries.
Figure A-8.6 shows the best buy CPT Calculator sizing evaluation of the Xeon E3-1280v2 and E5-2643 platforms.

Business workflow requirements are used to identify the required server cores for each analysis.

Xeon E3-1280v2 platform

  • Total of three 2-core VMs (6-core) required to support peak throughput loads, with VM loads expected to peak at 70.3 percent vCPU utilization.
  • Total of two 4-core host platforms required to support peak throughput loads, with host platform loads expected to peak at 52.7 percent utilization.
  • Average display response times of 0.52 seconds (local) to 2.01 seconds (remote site 2)
  • Business cost for deploying on this server is $44,547.

Xeon E5-2643 platform

  • Total of three 2-core VMs (6-core) required to support peak throughput loads, with VM loads expected to peak at 75.4 percent vCPU utilization.
  • Total of one 8-core host platform required to support peak throughput loads, with host platform loads expected to peak at 56.5 percent utilization.
  • Average display response times of 0.62 seconds (local) to 2.12 seconds (remote site 2)
  • Business cost for deploying on this server is $41,025.

Figure A-8.7 shows the CPT Calculator evaluation of the Xeon E5-2667 and E5-2690 platforms.

Figure A-8.7 shows the buest buy CPT Calculator sizing evaluation of the Xeon E5-2667 and E5-2690 platforms.

Business workflow requirements are used to identify the required server cores for each analysis.

Xeon E5-2667 platform

  • Total of four 2-core VMs (8-core) required to support peak throughput loads, with VM loads expected to peak at 60.6 percent vCPU utilization.
  • Total of one 12-core host platform required to support peak throughput loads, with host platform loads expected to peak at 40.4 percent utilization.
  • Average display response times of 0.49 seconds (local) to 1.98 seconds (remote site 2)
  • Business cost for deploying on this server is $51,187.

Xeon E5-2690 platform

  • Total of four 2-core VMs (8-core) required to support peak throughput loads, with VM loads expected to peak at 60.8 percent vCPU utilization.
  • Total of one 16-core host platform required to support peak throughput loads, with host platform loads expected to peak at 30.4 percent utilization.
  • Average display response times of 0.49 seconds (local) to 1.99 seconds (remote site 2)
  • Business cost for deploying on this server is $48,878.

Best Buy:

  • Marginal performance difference between platform selections.
  • Xeon E5-2643 platform has the lowest cost.


CPT Design platform analysis summary report

Figure A-8.6 shows the CPT Calculator evaluation of the Xeon E3-1280v2 and E5-2643 platforms.

Figure A-8.8 CPT Design composite platform solution summary.
Figure A-8.8 shows how the CPT Design tab can be used to evaluate all servers in a single report.

CPT Design is configured to represent the four different platform environments.

  • Complete business workflow is installed on each platform tier (4 single-tier configurations).
  • Different candidate platform is selected for each platform tier.
  • Results show relative display performance and total server cores for each platform selection.

Complete your system design analysis before making your hardware selection.

CPT Platform Sizing Analysis

Platform Capacity Calculator platform sizing

Figure A-8.9 Platform Capacity Calculator Platform Sizing Summary
CPT Platform Capacity Calculator can be used for a simple platform sizing analysis as shown in Figure A-8.9.

Select the platform for evaluation on the Platform Capacity Calculator located at the bottom of the CPT Hardware tab. Select if you want results in peak users or transactions per hour in column C. Peak throughput estimate for light and medium complexity workflows is provided for the workflows selected for the workflow display. The Platform Capacity Calculator provides a quick rough platform sizing estimate for a single workflow load.

CPT for Windows Terminal Server platform sizing

Figure A-8.10 CPT Calculator Windows Terminal Server Platform Sizing
CPT Calculator tab can be used for Windows Terminal Server platform sizing as shown in Figure A-8.10.

Select the workflow description that represents your Citrix server performance targets. AGD102 Citrix software profile with MXD Map Document is used for ArcGIS for Desktop Windows Terminal Server platform sizing. Select appropriate density, %DataCache, Complexity, and display Resolution for your average workflow use case. Selecting the right software technology performance factors to represent your business workflow is discussed in [Software Performance chapter].

Identify your peak user requirements and most common data source. Identify your planned platform architecture (2 tier, minimum or high availability, DC), and Select your hardware platform choice.

The recommended platform solution is generated by Excel once you enter your business requirements and make your hardware selections. You can try different platform configurations and experiment with different workflow complexities. Peak concurrent users per node for Windows Terminal Server are provided in cell J10.

The CPT Calculator tab can be used for single workflow platform sizing. The CPT Design tab should be used for more detailed enterprise design planning.

CPT for Windows Terminal Server memory guidelines

Recommended platform memory is provided in CPT Calculator cell I10 and on the CPT Design platform tier in column C. Formula used to calculate memory recommendations (rollover x SPEC throughput / 13.4) adjusts for peak concurrent user loads, workflow complexity, and selected platform configuration. Each platform tier shows the average user process size for the recommended memory guideline in Column P and includes a cell to input custom process memory requirements if needed.

CPT for ArcSDE Geodatabase platform sizing

CPT Calculator tab can be used for ArcSDE Geodatabase platform sizing as shown in Figure A-8.11.

Figure A-8.11 ArcSDE Geodatabase platform sizing

Select the workflow description that represents your user performance targets. AGD wkstn, AGD citrix, and a variety of AGS software profiles are available. MXD Map Document is used for ArcGIS Desktop profiles and MSD is used for most ArcGIS Server workflows. Select appropriate density, %DataCache, Complexity, and display Resolution for your average workflow use case. Selecting the right software technology performance factors to represent your business workflow is discussed in [Software Performance chapter].

Identify your peak user requirements and the SDE_DBMS data source. Select a 2 tier platform architecture and your SDE GDB hardware platform choice.

The recommended platform solution is generated by Excel once you enter your business requirements and make your hardware selections. You can try different platform configurations and experiment with different workflow complexities. Peak concurrent users per node for the SDE Geodatabase server are provided in cell J11.

The CPT Calculator tab can be used for single workflow platform sizing. The CPT Design tab should be used for more detailed enterprise design planning.

CPT for ArcSDE Geodatabase Server memory guidelines

Recommended platform memory is provided in CPT Calculator cell I11 and on the CPT Design platform tier in column C. Formula used to calculate memory recommendations (4 x rollover x SPEC throughput / 13.4) adjusts for peak concurrent DBMS connections, database complexity, and selected platform configuration. Each platform tier shows the average DBMS connection size for the recommended memory guideline in Column P and includes a cell to input custom connection memory requirements if needed.

CPT for ArcGIS for Server platform sizing

CPT Calculator tab can be used for ArcGIS for Server platform sizing as shown in Figure A-8.12.

Figure A-8.12 ArcGIS for Server platform sizing

Select the workflow description that represents your user performance targets. AGS REST, AGS KML, AGS WMS, AGS SOAP, and AGS Imagery software profiles are available. MXD Map Document is used for most ArcGIS for Server map services. Select appropriate density, %DataCache, Complexity, and display Resolution for your average workflow use case. Selecting the right software technology performance factors to represent your business workflow is discussed in [Software Performance chapter].

Identify your peak user requirements and your selected data source. Select your platform architecture and your hardware platform choice.

The recommended platform solution is generated by Excel once you enter your business requirements and make your hardware selections. You can try different platform configurations and experiment with different workflow complexities. Peak concurrent users per node for the SOC server are provided in cell J10.

The CPT Calculator tab can be used for single workflow platform sizing. The CPT Design tab should be used for more detailed enterprise design planning.

CPT Web and ArcGIS for Server memory guidelines

Web and ArcGIS for Server memory guidelines are generated based on recommended peak active concurrent service instance (SOC) configurations supported by the selected platform configuration. The general guideline is 3 GB memory per server core. 3 GB memory would support up to 15 concurrent 100 MB active SOC service instances, well above the recommended target configuration of 3-5 active service instances per core for peak system throughput.

Warning: Sufficient memory must be available to support the peak number of active concurrent SOC processes. Additional memory may be required for GIS Server sites that support a high number of active concurrent SOC processes (more than 15 service instances per core)

Memory recommendations are provided on the CPT Calculator tab in cells I9 and I10, and on the CPT Design tab on each platform tier in column C. Average process size is provided on each tier in column P along with a cell to enter a custom process size if required.

CPT virtual server host platform memory guidelines

Virtual server host platform memory guidelines are generated based on the total assigned virtual server memory requirements plus additional 1 GB per core for hypervisor memory. Minimum host platform recommended memory would be 4 GB per core.

CPT Video: Platform performance/selection

Information Security

No CPT activities

Performance Management

Esri started developing simple system performance models in the early 1990s to document our understanding about distributed processing systems. These system performance models have been used by Esri system design consultants to support distributed computing hardware solutions since 1992. These same performance models have also been used to identify potential performance problems with existing computing environments.

The Capacity Planning Tool was introduced in 2008 incorporating the best of the traditional client/server and web services sizing models providing an adaptive sizing methodology to support future enterprise GIS operations. The capacity planning tool methodology is easy to use and provides metrics to manage performance compliance during development, initial implementation, and system delivery.

This chapter introduces how these design models can be used for performance management.

CPT Design workflow productivity adjustment

CPT Design user workflow productivity adjustment

Figure A-10.1 CPT Design shows business requirements for ArcGIS for Desktop workflows deployed on a single Windows Terminal Server platform that does not satisfy user productivity needs.

Figure A-10.1 shows the CPT Design tab identifying an invalid design solution.

Peak concurrent user loads are not supported by the selected hardware solution.

User workflow requirements include Citrix editors and viewers hosted by a centralized WTS Platform communicating through the data center WAN and Internet gateway connections.

  • Wide Area Network clients include 10 Editors and 40 viewers.
  • Internet clients include 10 editors and 20 viewers.

The single Citrix WTS server platform (Xeon E3-1280v2 4-core (2 chip) 3600 MHz) is showing an overcapacity load of 105.6 percent.

This is an invalid solution.

  • Platform utilization is over 100%.
  • User productivity (column E) must be reduced (slow down) to identify a valid system loads.


User productivity is reduced to identify maximum valid solution
Figure A-10.2 CPT Design shows user productivity reduced identifying maximum workflow performance within restricted server capacity.

Figure A-10.2 shows the CPT Design tab solution following the workflow productivity adjustment.

CPT Design RESET ADJUST function is used to identify maximum valid solution.

  • Iterative function that adjusts workflow productivity (column E) until calculated think time = minimum think time (columns AF and AG).
  • Activating function with Blink setting of 10 (cell AG:2) will ADJUST to equal think times.
  • Function "blinks" between positive and negative calculated think time values.
  • Blink setting is reduced to 1 and calculation resolves for all workflows.
  • Calculated think times = Minimum think times.
  • Peak concurrent user cells turn green to show valid workflows.

CPT Design shows the impact of not having adequate server capacity to handle identified workflow loads.

Best practice: System design should be upgraded to satisfy user productivity needs.


CPT Design tab configured with a batch process

Figure A-10.3 CPT Design configured with a batch workflow. Batch process has zero (0) think time and ADJUST function must be used to identify batch loads.

Figure A-10.3 shows a CPT Design configured with a single batch process.

  • The batch process profile is represented by the CPT sample WebMap workflow (S WebMap)
  • Batch process is identified by setting the S WebMap workflow minimum think time = 0 (cell AF6).
Best practice: Workflow selection should have same load profile (client, web, GIS server, SDE, DBMS) as the batch process you wish to model. Total processing time is not important for modeling batch loads.

Platform configuration is a two tier configuration

  • GIS server is Xeon E3-1280v2 4-core (2 chip) 3600 MHz platform.
  • DBMS server is Xeon E3-1280v2 4-core (2 chip) 3600 MHz platform.
Warning: This is an invalid design.


Figure A-10.4 shows a CPT Design batch process valid design solution.

Figure A-10.4 Batch process productivity calculated using the CPT Design RESET ADJUST function.

The batch process productivity must be computed to identify a valid workflow. Productivity will depend on the server loads and available system resources. A single batch process can take advantage of only one processor core.

  • Workflow productivity (cell E6) can be computed using the RESET ADJUST function.

Peak batch instances must be identified in terms of number of Users (column C) or number of Clients (column D).

  • Peak batch throughput (productivity) will depend on available system resources.
  • Column C batch process load works the same as Column D.
  • A single Batch processes will take advantage of no more than one processor core on each platform.

CPT Design RESET ADJUST function is used to identify maximum valid solution.

  • Blink setting (cell AG2) set at 10.
  • Excel computes the batch process productivity (cell E6).
  • Batch client cell turns green with valid solution.

Total batch process instances can be identified in Column D except when TPH is selected in cell D6 (interprets selection as transactions per hour).

Examples of batch process workflows:

  • Geoprocessing tasks
  • Spatial analysis tasks
  • Map cache process flow
  • Data processing workflows
  • Replication services
  • SDE reconcile and post processing
  • Any heavy function sent to a queue for processing
Best practice: Recommended design practice - any heavy function (runs more than 30 seconds) that might be requested by several users at a time should be configured as a batch process (network services). Processing queue must be established for user work request input. Each batch instance (network service) will process requests sequentially based on available processor resources. User can be notified once their work request is services.

CPT Design evaluation of physical and virtual multi-core performance

Figure A-10.5 The CPT Design tab is used to demonstrate peak throughput performance for four different platform configurations.

Figure A-10.5 shows how platform queue time contributes to server performance.

The CPT Design is configured to represent 4 different test environments. Same workflow and physical server platforms are used for each test case.

  • Server platforms: Xeon E3-1280V2 2 core (1 chip) 3600 MHz
  • Published service: AGS102 REST MSD R 100%Dyn Med 10x7 JPEG

Each test environment is supported by a single platform tier. Each environment includes the same number of processor core (4 core). The four test configurations include the following:

  • Platform tier 07 is configured as 2 physical 2-core machines.
  • Platform tier 08 is configured as 1 physical 4-core machine.
  • Platform tier 09 is configured as 2 virtual 2-core machines.
  • Platform tier 08 is configured as 1 virtual 4-core machine.

Each workflow load was increased until display response time reached two seconds.

;Peak system loads with display response time = 2 seconds

  • Two physical 2-core servers:
  • Peak throughput = 98,380 (98 percent of physical 4-core throughput)
  • Platform utilization = 96.2 percent
  • One physical 4-core server:
  • Peak throughput = 100,285 (highest throughput for all configurations)
  • Platform utilization = 98.1 percent
  • Two virtual 2-core servers (service time increase 20 percent over physical machines):
  • Peak throughput = 89,060 (89 percent of physical 4-core throughput)
  • Platform utilization = 95.8 percent
  • One physical 4-core server (service time increase 40 percent over physical machines):
  • Peak throughput = 83,220 (93 percent of Virtual 2-core throughput)
  • Platform utilization = 97.7 percent

Virtual server performance overhead increases service time for multi-core servers. As a result, peak throughput performance degrades with increasing number of virtual core.

Initial CPT releases applied 10 percent processing overhead per core for virtual server environments. More recent virtual environments do not require as much overhead, and CPT virtual server overhead planning factors were reduced with the July 2013 release.

Arc13CapacityPlanning0701 applied virtual server overhead:

  • 1-3 core/node, 10 percent overhead
  • 4-6 core/node, 20 percent overhead
  • 7 or more core/node, 30 percent overhead
Best practice: For physical server platforms with same per core performance, more cores per server provides more throughput. For virtual server platforms with reduce per core performance, fewer cores per server provides more throughput.
Warning: More cores per server improves throughput only when display service times remain constant between configurations.

Performance Validation

Planning provides the first opportunity for building successful GIS operations. Getting started right, understanding your business needs, understanding how to translate business needs to network and platform loads, and establishing a system design that will satisfy peak user workflow requirements is the first step on your road to success.

Planning is an important first step – but it is not enough to ensure success. If you want to deliver a project within the initial planning budget, you need to identify opportunities along the way to measure progress toward your implementation goal. Compliance with performance goals should be tracked throughout initial development, integration, and deployment - integrate performance validation measurements along the way. Project success is achieved by tracking step by step progress toward your implementation goal, making appropriate adjustments along the way to deliver the final system within the planned project budget. The goal is to identify problems and provide solutions along the way - the earlier you identify a problem the easier it will be to fix. System performance can be managed like any other project task. We showed how to address software performance in Chapter 3, network performance in Chapter 5, and platform performance in Chapter 7. If you don’t measure your progress as these pieces come together, you will miss the opportunity to identify and make the appropriate adjustments needed to ensure success.

There are several opportunities throughout system development and deployment where you can measure progress toward meeting your performance goals. The CPT Test tab includes four tools you can use to translate live performance measurements to workflow service times – the workflow performance targets used to define your initial system design.

Map display render times

In Chapter 3 we shared the important factors that impact software performance. For Web mapping workflows, map complexity is the primary performance driver. Heavy map displays (lots of dynamic map layers and features included in each map extent) contribute to heavy server processing loads and network traffic. Simple maps generate lighter server loads and provided users with much quicker display performance. The first opportunity for building high performance map services is when you are authoring the map display.

There are two map rendering tools available on the CPT Test tab that use measured map rendering time to estimate equivalent workflow service times. One tool is available for translating ArcGIS for Desktop map rendering times (MXD) and the other tool is for translating ArcGIS for Server map service rendering times (MSD). With both tools, measured map rendering time is translated to workflow services times that can be used by the CPT Calculator and Design tabs for generating your platform solution. The idea is to validate that your map service will perform within your planned system budget by comparing the workflow service times generated from your measured rendering times with your initial workflow performance targets. If the service times exceed your planned budget, you should either adjust the map display complexity to perform within the initial planning budget or increase your system performance budget. The best time to make the map display complexity adjustment is during the map authoring process. Impacts on the project budget can be evaluated and proper adjustments made to ensure delivery success.

Measured MSD render time

Figure A-10.6 The CPT Test validation tool used for translated measured map service MSD render times to workflow service times.

Figure A-10.6 shows a tool you can use to translate measured MSD render time to workflow service times. MSD render time can be measured when publishing your map service using the service editor preview tool.

Warning: Make sure to measure a map location that represents the average map complexity or higher within your service area extent and adjust preview to average client display resolution. Use a local FGDB data source to collect proper measurement.

The Measured Performance tool can be used to generate workflow service times from a measured MSD render time.

  • Select MSD in cell B12.
  • Select Test Platform processor configuration in cell A14 (workstation or server platform used to render the map).
  • Select Software Technology map service in cell A16.
  • If using a platform with turbo-boost capability, set maximum turbo-boost MHz in cell D13.
  • Enter measured MSD display render time in cell A18.

Baseline workflow service time is provided in range D15:21.

  • Workflow service times are also provided on the CPT Workflow tab under the Test Workflows section.


Measured MXD render time

Figure A-10.7 The CPT Test validation tool used for translated measured map service MXD render times to workflow service times.

Figure A-10.7 shows a tool you can use to translate measured MXD render time to workflow service times. MXD render time can be measured using the MXDPerfStat ArcScript performance measurement tool.

Warning: Make sure to measure a map location that represents the average map complexity or higher within your service area extent. Adjust map display to average client display resolution. Use a local FGDB data source to collect proper measurement.
Note: Pan or Zoom of the ArcGIS for Server service editor preview window will provide render time for fresh dynamic display

The Measured Performance tool can be used to generate workflow service times from a measured MXD render time.

  • Select MXD in cell B12.
  • Select Test Platform processor configuration in cell A14.
  • Select Software Technology map service in cell A16.
  • If using a platform with turbo-boost capability, set maximum turbo-boost MHz in cell D13.
  • Enter measured MXD display render time in cell A18.

Arc12 workflow service time is provided in range D15:21.

  • Workflow service times are also provided on the CPT Workflow tab under the Test Workflows section.

Measured throughput and platform utilization

Figure A-10.8 The CPT Test validation tool used for translated measured map service throughput and platform utilization to workflow service times.

If you know your platform configuration, your measured peak workflow throughput, and the associated platform utilization the CPT can calculate the workflow service times. The Test tab translation tools can be used to input throughput (transaction per hour), the platform configuration (server platform selection), and the measured platform utilization and excel will translate these inputs to equivalent workflow service times. Figure A-10.8 shows the inputs required for completing this transaction.

Best practice: Performance metrics can be collected from benchmark test or live operations.
Warning: Make sure all measurements are collected for the same loads at the same time.

The Live Results tool can be used to generate workflow service times from throughput and utilization measurements.

  • Enter throughput in cell A3.
  • Select test platform configuration in range E4:10.
  • Identify number of platform nodes in range D4:10.
  • Enter measured utilization for each platform in range B4:10.

Arc12 workflow service time is provided in range G3:10.

  • Workflow service times are also provided on the CPT Workflow tab under the Test Workflows section.

Translate measured traffic to workflow transaction Mbpd.

  • Enter measured traffic in cell C3.
  • Enter test bandwidth in cell E3.
  • Workflow transaction Mbpd is provided in cell F3 and on the Workflow tab.


Measured peak concurrent users and platform utilization translator

Figure A-10.9 CPT Test validation tool used for translated map service peak concurrent users and platform utilization to workflow service times.

If you don’t have measured throughput, concurrent users working on the system can be used to estimate throughput loads. This is a valuable tool for using real business activity to validate system capacity (business units identify peak user loads and IT staff identify server utilization observed during these loads). The Test tab can be used to input throughput (peak concurrent users), the platform configuration (server platform selection), and the measured platform utilization and excel will translate these inputs to equivalent workflow service times. Figure A-10.9 shows the inputs required for completing this transaction.

Best practice: Analysis assumes peak users are working at web power user productivity (6 DPM) over a reasonable measurement period (10 minutes).
Warning: Make sure all measurements are collected for the same loads at the same time.

The Live Results tool can be used to generate workflow service times from peak concurrent users and utilization measurements.

  • Enter peak concurrent users in cell A5.
  • Select test platform configuration in range E4:10.
  • Identify number of platform nodes in range D4:10.
  • Enter measured utilization for each platform in range B4:10.

Arc12 workflow service time is provided in range G3:10.

  • Workflow service times are also provided on the CPT Workflow tab under the Test Workflows section.

Translate measured traffic to workflow transaction Mbpd.

  • Enter measured traffic in cell C3.
  • Enter test bandwidth in cell E3.
  • Workflow transaction Mbpd is provided in cell F3 and on the Workflow tab.


Move Test tab derived workflow service times to project workflows.

Figure A-10.10 Workflows generated on the CPT Test tab can be transferred to your project workflows on the CPT Workflow tab.

The CPT Workflow tab is where the results of your performance validation efforts come together. Figure A-10.10 shows how each of these test results can be brought together, along with the original workflow service times, to validate that you are building a system that will perform and scale within your established project performance budget.

Moving workflows to your Project Workflow list.

  • Test workflow service times show up in the Test Workflows section on the Workflow Tab.
  • Add an extra workflow in your Project Workflows to use as a template.
  • Copy blue portion of Test Workflow.
  • Select first column cell of template workflow.
  • Paste special/values to your new workflow template in the Project workflows.
  • Complete the Description of new workflow in column AB.
  • Insert nickname in workflow cell in Column A.
Best practice: Performance management, including performance validation throughout development and system delivery, is the key to implementation success. It is important that you identify the right technology and establish reasonable performance goals during your initial system design planning. It is even more important that you monitor progress in meeting these goals throughout final system development and delivery.

CPT Video: Performance management

Previous Editions

Capacity Planning Tool 32nd Edition (Spring 2013)
Capacity Planning Tool 31st Edition (Fall 2012)
Capacity Planning Tool 30th Edition (Fall 2011)
Capacity Planning Tool 29th Edition (Spring 2011)
Capacity Planning Tool 28th Edition (Fall 2010)
Capacity Planning Tool 27th Edition (Spring 2010)

System Design Strategies (select here for table of contents)
System Design Strategies 33rd Edition (Fall 2013)
1. System Design Process 2. GIS Software Technology 3. Software Performance 4. Server Software Performance
5. GIS Data Administration 6. Network Communications 7. GIS Product Architecture 8. Platform Performance
9. Information Security 10. Performance Management 11. System Implementation 12. City of Rome
A1. Capacity Planning Tool A2. ESD Planning Tools A3. Acronyms and Glossary Preface (Executive Summary)

Page Footer
Specific license terms for this content
System Design Strategies 26th edition - An Esri ® Technical Reference Document • 2009 (final PDF release)