IBM Rational ClearQuest Web Version 7.1.0.2 Performance Report (Windows)

IBM Rational ClearQuest Web
Version 7.1.0.2 Performance Report (Windows)
This report measures the performance and scalability of IBM Rational ClearQuest Web (CQ Web)
7.1.0.2 and compares it to the 7.0.1 release.
Version 7.1 of Rational ClearQuest and Rational ClearCase introduces the Change Management
Server (CM Server), which provides server-side support for wide area network (WAN) interfaces
to Rational ClearQuest and Rational ClearCase. CM Server runs within the context of a unified
application server that combines the IBM WebSphere Application Server and IBM HTTP Server
to provide Web support for Rational ClearQuest Web (CQ Web) and Rational ClearCase Remote
Client (CCRC). CM Server leverages the performance, security and scalability of WebSphere
Application Server version 6.1. For more information about the CM Server architecture,
deployment scenarios, and administration, see the Rational ClearQuest 7.1 information center.
NOTE: Any performance data contained herein was measured in a controlled environment.
Therefore, the results obtained in other operating environments might vary significantly. Users of
this document should verify the applicable data for their specific environment.
Test Environment and Configuration
A series of tests were conducted using IBM Rational Performance Tester (RPT) to measure CQ
Web performance and scalability for the 7.0.1 and 7.1 releases. All tests were performed in a test
network environment with an average 100 millisecond round-trip latency and 100 Mbps
bandwidth between the simulated browser clients and the CQ Web server. Network connectivity
between the CQ Web server and the database server was 100 Mbps, full-duplex Ethernet with no
latency (see Figure 1).
The CQ Web server was configured without SSL encryption in a single-machine configuration
containing all the CQ Web server components. Both the 7.0.1 and the 7.1.0.2 versions of CQ Web
were installed on identical hardware. On the 7.1.0.2 version of CQ Web, WebSphere Application
Server and IBM HTTP Server (IHS) were upgraded to Fix Pack 23 (6.1.0.23), the currently
recommended version of WAS for the CQ Web 7.1 release. Refer to technote 1392959 for the
latest recommended WebSphere Application Server version. There were no customizations to any
of the default CQ Web settings. The CQ schema used for testing is of moderate complexity.
`
Web browser
simulation
(RPT)
ClearQuest Web server
CM Server
Database
server
Figure 1: Test configuration diagram
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Hardware Configuration:
Test driver
IBM ThinkCentre with two dual 3 GHz Pentium 4 CPUs, 2.5 GB
memory
Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002
Service Pack 2
CQ Web server
IBM IntelliStation Z Pro with two dual 2.40 GHz Intel Xeon CPUs, 4
GB memory, Physical Address Extension enabled
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition
with Service Pack 2
Database server
IBM xSeries 345 with two dual 3.06 GHz Intel Xeon CPUs, 8 GB
memory, Physical Address Extension enabled
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition
with Service Pack 2
Database server: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3
Transaction Details
IBM Rational Performance Tester (RPT) 7.0.2 and 8.0.0.3 were used to simulate virtual CQ Web
users. For single-user benchmarks, transactions were executed by an RPT script that iterated 50
times as fast as computationally possible. The response times for each transaction were then
averaged and compared.
In the environment described above, RPT measured the CQ Web response times for the
transactions in Table 1:
Use Case Tested
Login
Description
Time from submitting the login request to fully loading the
workspace
Create new defect
(initiate)
Wait for the blank form to display
Create new defect
(commit)
Commit (save) the defect after filling in the form
Find defect
Find an existing defect
Modify defect (initiate)
Wait for the form to display in edit mode
Modify defect (commit)
Commit (save) the defect after making modifications
Run saved query
(100 records)
Query for 100 defects
Load defect from results
set
View a defect returned in a query result set, wait for the
defect form to display
Logout
Log out of the application
Table 1: Rational ClearQuest Web transactions
Figure 2 shows the relative distribution of the transactions in Table 1 that were used for multiuser testing.
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Modify Defect
(Commit)
6%
Modify Defect
(Initiate)
6%
Run Query (100
records)
12%
Find Defect
16%
Load Record from
Result Set
12%
Create New Defect
(Commit)
12%
Create New Defect
(Init)
12%
Other Transactions
12%
Logout
6%
Login
6%
Figure 2: Rational ClearQuest Web transaction mix
7.1 ClearQuest Web Architecture
ClearQuest Web 7.1.x uses Web 2.0 and Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) technologies.
Key advantages of these technologies include automatic pre-fetching of data, data caching in the
browser layer, and the ability to execute concurrent tasks (run several queries at once, commit a
defect while finding another, and so on). Consequently, our 7.1.0.2 single-user benchmarks track
the first instance of a transaction when no data is called from the browser’s cache (first request)
and the second and subsequent instances of a transaction when static data is called from the
browser’s cache (second request).
Findings
These test results are specific to the product software, test configuration, workload and
environment used. Product performance in other environments or conditions might be different
compared to these results.
Single-user benchmark (SUB)
Figure 3 shows the single-user benchmark (SUB) for CQ Web response times under the test
conditions described above. For the CQ Web 7.1.0.2 release, response times for the first and
second request were measured.
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ClearQuest Web 7.1.0.2 Compared with ClearQuest Web 7.0.1
Single-User Benchmark
2.50
Response Time (sec.)
7.0.1
2.00
7.1.0.2 - 1st request
7.1.0.2 - 2nd request
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Login
Create
New
Defect
(initiate)
Create
New
Defect
(commit)
Find
Defect
Modify
Defect
(initiate)
Modify
Defect
(commit)
Execute
Saved
Query
(100
records)
Load
Record
from
Result Set
Logout
Transaction
Figure 3: Rational ClearQuest Web 7.1.0.2 compared with ClearQuest Web 7.0.1 single-user
benchmark
Multi-user performance and scalability
During the development cycle, iterative performance testing tracked overall progress and revealed
product areas to target for performance improvement. Multi-user scalability tests were run at a
per-user transaction rate averaging 23 transactions per hour (15 transactions per hour is a typical
developer rate). Response times for the multi-user runs are averaged across 18 continuous hours
of testing.
Figure 4 compares CQ Web response times for single-user, 75-user, 150-user and 225-user
workloads. The results show that CQ Web transactions scale well as user load increases on a CM
Server. Our current recommendation is not to exceed 225 active users on a single CQ Web WAS
instance as testing has shown transactional response time will noticeably degrade.
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ClearQuest Web 7.1.0.2 Scalability for a single CQ Web / WAS Instance
Comparison of Response Time 1 user vs. 75, 150 and 225 users
averaging 23 transactions-per-hour-per-user
3.00
1 user
Response Time (sec.)
2.50
75 users
150 users
2.00
225 users
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
Login
Create
New
Defect
(Initiate)
Fill New
Defect
Create
New
Defect
(Commit)
Find
Defect
Modify
Defect
(Initiate)
Modify Run Query
Defect
(100
(Commit) records)
Load
Record
from
Result Set
Logout
Transactions
Figure 4: Rational ClearQuest Web 7.1.0.2 scalability for a single CQ Web / WAS instance:
Averaged transaction response times with 1, 75, 150 and 225 simulated users
Conclusions
Based on the test results, CQ Web 7.1.0.2 response times maintain close parity to CQ Web 7.0.1
while providing a richer client experience. Under moderate load, CQ Web 7.1.0.2 response times
increase only marginally.
At the first instance of most CQ Web 7.1.0.2 transactions, the browser receives preferences and
form data that will be used for subsequent user transactions, such as viewing and modifying
records. While the login transaction is slower in 7.1.0.2, more business logic is now contained
within the client. Table 2 compares the login transaction between CQ Web 7.1.0.2 and CQ Web
7.0.1. The CQ Web 7.1.0.2 login transaction executes more actions than does the CQ Web 7.0.1
which includes loading the richer user interface.
7.0.1 Login Sequence
Request Welcome Page
Request Login Page
Login to Requested User
Schema
Get Restricted User
Properties
7.1.0.2 Login Sequence
Request Welcome Page
Request Login Page
Login to Requested User
Schema
Get Restricted User
Properties
Get Preferences
Get Default Record Type
Get Workspace Nodes
Set Preferences
Get CQ Form Data
Get Default Record Type
Get Workspace Nodes
Table 2: Comparison of login between Rational ClearQuest Web 7.0.1 and ClearQuest Web
7.1.0.2
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To optimize CM Server scalability under a large user load, performance tuning may be required.
For hardware planning, consider using server systems with at least four CPU cores (same as with
7.0.1) and at least 4-GB memory for CM Server deployment on the Windows platform. See the
ClearQuest 7.1 Minimum Hardware Requirements.
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