Axiant Thin Client performance over a WAN

Fri, 14 Nov 2003 17:05:54 -0500

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Hello Wilbert,

I've just recently returned from a 3-week holiday, but since I haven't seen
a response on the list to your question I thought that perhaps the following
"observations" will help (from some advice that I gave to one of our
partners a while back).

The short answers are (1) probably; and (2) yes. And here's why...

a) Since the only communication between the Axiant Client and the PowerHouse
4GL server is the sending and receiving of the data that is displayed in the
Axiant forms (together with a small overhead to control the display and
functionality of the correct form) it is quite likely that the network load
in this environment will actually be less than that of a terminal-based
PowerHouse application using telnet sessions -- since the terminal
background (titles, labels, highlighting, and cursor positioning
information, etc.) no longer needs to be sent from the server to the client,
as all of this is now static information in the Axiant form. This assumes
that that Axiant forms are installed locally to the PC, but see also the
next answer.

b) An NT share is only needed when the Axiant forms are installed to an
NT/2000 file server rather than on the user's PC. This is an option when
running the application setup kit created by the Axiant development
workbench. There are pros and cons to this. The big pro is that when a new
or updated form needs to be deployed it only needs to be installed in one
place...on the NT share. The big con is that each time a user runs the
associated program the Axiant Client on their PC needs to retrieve the form
from the NT share. This could be an issue since it drives up network usage
and reduces the apparent responsiveness of the application to the user
(under heavy network load or on a slow connection).

An alternative to an NT share is to install the Axiant forms on the
PowerHouse 4GL server. The Axiant Client then uses the PowerGrid TCP/IP
connection already established to communicate with the user's remote QUICK
session to download the Axiant forms from that same server. Additionally,
the Axiant Client maintains a local cache of these forms on the user's PC,
and can be configured to download the forms only if they have changed since
the last time they were used -- checking once per session (the first time
the program is called), every time they are called, or downloading all of
the forms at the beginning of a session. This functionality was introduced
with Axiant 4GL 3.1 and PowerHouse 4GL 8.2, and works with PowerHouse 8.29
on MPE/iX, 8.20 on OpenVMS, and 8.23 on UNIX, as well as 8.21 on Windows
NT/2000.

c) Over slow WAN links the most responsive option for the users is to have
all of the Axiant forms installed locally...by running the application setup
kit created by the Axiant developer's workbench and installing all of the
forms to their own hard drive. Whenever the developer needs to change a
form, he can make a new setup kit available to the users containing only the
new or modified forms. This could be on a network drive that the users have
access to, could be e-mailed to them as an attachment, or could be sent to
them on disc (they probably won't be able to use the revised program until
they have installed the new form).

An alternative, which might be more manageable for the IT folks, is to
install the Axiant forms on the PowerHouse server and using the local PC
forms cache as mentioned in b) above. This way the users only sees a slight
delay the first time they ever use a program (as the form is downloaded from
the PowerHouse server), but on each subsequent occasion only a timedatestamp
comparison is done and, unless a later version of the form now exists on the
PowerHouse server, Axiant will use the locally-cached version of the form
rather than downloading it again.

d) Only the data displayed on the form or entered by the user is passed
between the Axiant Client and the PowerHouse server -- not the entire form.
The only time the form itself is transferred is in the scenario where the
form is deployed to the PowerHouse server, but even then it is only
transferred in one direction (from the server to the client), and only on
first use or when the locally-cached version has been superseded by a newer
version on the server.

As to when the data is transferred, that is under the control of the
application designer. It is possible to use panel mode, where only a "panel"
of fields (which might or might not be all of the fields on the form) are
transferred at once. However, to utilize the default Windows point-and-click
functionality introduced into Axiant at the 3.0 release it is necessary to
use character mode...just as you would with a terminal-based PowerHouse
application.

I hope that this helps!

Best regards,
Conrad

Conrad Whittall
Solutions Architect, Global Customer Services, Cognos Incorporated
3755 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 4K9, Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: VISSERS,WILBERT (HP-NewZealand,ex1)
[mailto:wilbert.vissers@hp.com]
Sent: Tuesday 28 October 2003 17:46
To: 'powerh-l@lists.swau.edu'
Subject: Axiant Thin Client performance over a WAN

To the Axiant team at Cognos, and others with experience of WAN
implementations.  Can you help with these two related questions:   

(1) Across a WAN, are response-times for field-by-field editing similar
between Character-mode Powerhouse terminal deployments, and Thin Client
Axiant deployments.     

(2) If Thin-Client does perform similarly, I assume this means that a CITRIX
server is NOT required.   A CITRIX server being required for fat client
deployments.

The reason for the questiuon is that our current HP3000 application is
accessed from 21 remote locations using terminal emulators across a WAN,
and we need guidance about performance issues should we migrate from the
central HP3000 server to a central Windows2000 server.   

many thanks
Wilbert Vissers
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

This message may contain privileged and/or confidential information.  If you
have received this e-mail in error or are not the intended recipient, you
may not use, copy, disseminate or distribute it; do not open any
attachments, delete it immediately from your system and notify the sender
promptly by e-mail that you have done so.  Thank you.

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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Hello Wilbert,</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I've just recently returned from a 3-week holiday, =
but since I haven't seen a response on the list to your question I =
thought that perhaps the following &quot;observations&quot; will help =
(from some advice that I gave to one of our partners a while =
back).</FONT></P>

The short answers are (1) probably; and (2) yes. And =
here's why...

a) Since the only communication between the Axiant =
Client and the PowerHouse 4GL server is the sending and receiving of =
the data that is displayed in the Axiant forms (together with a small =
overhead to control the display and functionality of the correct form) =
it is quite likely that the network load in this environment will =
actually be less than that of a terminal-based PowerHouse application =
using telnet sessions -- since the terminal background (titles, labels, =
highlighting, and cursor positioning information, etc.) no longer needs =
to be sent from the server to the client, as all of this is now static =
information in the Axiant form. This assumes that that Axiant forms are =
installed locally to the PC, but see also the next answer.

b) An NT share is only needed when the Axiant forms =
are installed to an NT/2000 file server rather than on the user's PC. =
This is an option when running the application setup kit created by the =
Axiant development workbench. There are pros and cons to this. The big =
pro is that when a new or updated form needs to be deployed it only =
needs to be installed in one place...on the NT share. The big con is =
that each time a user runs the associated program the Axiant Client on =
their PC needs to retrieve the form from the NT share. This could be an =
issue since it drives up network usage and reduces the apparent =
responsiveness of the application to the user (under heavy network load =
or on a slow connection).

An alternative to an NT share is to install the =
Axiant forms on the PowerHouse 4GL server. The Axiant Client then uses =
the PowerGrid TCP/IP connection already established to communicate with =
the user's remote QUICK session to download the Axiant forms from that =
same server. Additionally, the Axiant Client maintains a local cache of =
these forms on the user's PC, and can be configured to download the =
forms only if they have changed since the last time they were used -- =
checking once per session (the first time the program is called), every =
time they are called, or downloading all of the forms at the beginning =
of a session. This functionality was introduced with Axiant 4GL 3.1 and =
PowerHouse 4GL 8.2, and works with PowerHouse 8.29 on MPE/iX, 8.20 on =
OpenVMS, and 8.23 on UNIX, as well as 8.21 on Windows =
NT/2000.

c) Over slow WAN links the most responsive option for =
the users is to have all of the Axiant forms installed locally...by =
running the application setup kit created by the Axiant developer's =
workbench and installing all of the forms to their own hard drive. =
Whenever the developer needs to change a form, he can make a new setup =
kit available to the users containing only the new or modified forms. =
This could be on a network drive that the users have access to, could =
be e-mailed to them as an attachment, or could be sent to them on disc =
(they probably won't be able to use the revised program until they have =
installed the new form).

An alternative, which might be more manageable for =
the IT folks, is to install the Axiant forms on the PowerHouse server =
and using the local PC forms cache as mentioned in b) above. This way =
the users only sees a slight delay the first time they ever use a =
program (as the form is downloaded from the PowerHouse server), but on =
each subsequent occasion only a timedatestamp comparison is done and, =
unless a later version of the form now exists on the PowerHouse server, =
Axiant will use the locally-cached version of the form rather than =
downloading it again.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>d) Only the data displayed on the form or entered by =
the user is passed between the Axiant Client and the PowerHouse server =
-- not the entire form. The only time the form itself is transferred is =
in the scenario where the form is deployed to the PowerHouse server, =
but even then it is only transferred in one direction (from the server =
to the client), and only on first use or when the locally-cached =
version has been superseded by a newer version on the =
server.</FONT></P>

As to when the data is transferred, that is under the =
control of the application designer. It is possible to use panel mode, =
where only a &quot;panel&quot; of fields (which might or might not be =
all of the fields on the form) are transferred at once. However, to =
utilize the default Windows point-and-click functionality introduced =
into Axiant at the 3.0 release it is necessary to use character =
mode...just as you would with a terminal-based PowerHouse =
application.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I hope that this helps!</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Best regards,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Conrad</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Conrad Whittall</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Solutions Architect, Global Customer Services, =
Cognos Incorporated</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>3755 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 4K9, =
Canada</FONT>
</P>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>-----Original Message-----</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>From: VISSERS,WILBERT (HP-NewZealand,ex1)</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>[<A =
HREF=3D"mailto:wilbert.vissers@hp.com">mailto:wilbert.vissers@hp.com</A>=
]</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sent: Tuesday 28 October 2003 17:46</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>To: 'powerh-l@lists.swau.edu'</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Subject: Axiant Thin Client performance over a =
WAN</FONT>
</P>
<BR>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>To the Axiant team at Cognos, and others with =
experience of WAN</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>implementations.&nbsp; Can you help with these two =
related questions:&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>(1) Across a WAN, are response-times for =
field-by-field editing similar</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>between Character-mode Powerhouse terminal =
deployments, and Thin Client</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Axiant deployments.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>(2) If Thin-Client does perform similarly, I assume =
this means that a CITRIX</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>server is NOT required.&nbsp;&nbsp; A CITRIX server =
being required for fat client</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>deployments.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>The reason for the questiuon is that our current =
HP3000 application is</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>accessed from 21 remote locations using terminal =
emulators across a WAN,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>and we need guidance about performance issues should =
we migrate from the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>central HP3000 server to a central Windows2000 =
server.&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>many thanks</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Wilbert Vissers</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>=3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =
=3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D =3D</FONT>
</P>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>This message may contain privileged and/or =
confidential information.&nbsp; If you have received this e-mail in =
error or are not the intended recipient, you may not use, copy, =
disseminate or distribute it; do not open any attachments, delete it =
immediately from your system and notify the sender promptly by e-mail =
that you have done so.&nbsp; Thank you.</FONT></P>

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