Network resource planning for SAP R/3, Baan and Peoplesoft

This book is intended as a guide for network planners, both technical staff and managers, who are responsible for ensuring that an enterprise wide area network infrastructure can support mission-critical enterprise application deployments. For the experienced network manager, the book describes how to implement Network Resource Planning (NRP) methodologies, with examples using specific performance management software tools available today. However, NRP is very much about process rather than specific tools. For an experienced network manager, the mechanics of using a software tool to collect data on network performance is not problematic -- rather it is deciding what data to collect, and how to interpret the meaning of that data in terms of overall network planning objectives. This book is thus focused on the processes of NRP -- setting objectives, determining what data to collect, making assumptions about the deployment of a new enterprise application, assessing the validity of the data that is collected, and evaluating the results in light of the assumptions that are required in order to predict network performance under conditions that may not yet exist in reality.

While the focus of this book is on analyzing a network's ability to support deployment of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application such as SAP R/3, BAAN IV, or PeopleSoft, its techniques are applicable to many other types of client/server applications. It can also be used to provide valuable insights into how the enterprise network is supporting existing applications, and to help diagnose conditions within the enterprise network that may be contributing to application performance problems.

Table of contents

Preface

Organization of the book

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Limitations on the scope of this book

Examples

Part 1: Network Resource Planning

Chapter 1: Network Resource Planning overview

Why enterprise applications need Network Resource Planning

The evolution of enterprise computing

The reality of distributed enterprise computing

Network Resource Planning methodology

The basic Network Resource Planning processes

The tools used for Network Resource Planning

The consequences of not using Network Resource Planning

The varied causes of poor application performance

The importance of identifying the real problem

References

Chapter 2: The Network Resource Planning process

Factors in determining the benefits of Network Resource

Planning

Application/network architecture

Network usage

Quality of service

Network environment changes

The techniques of NRP

The cyclical nature of NRP

Baselining

Application planning

Capacity planning

The Three Phases of NRP

Pre-implementation phase

Rollout validation phase

Lifecycle management phase

Network tools that are available for NRP

Data collection and analysis tools

Router MIB statistical collection tools

Traffic analyzers and RMON2 compatible probes

Performance Management Tools

Visualization/reporting tools

Topology acquisition tools

Traffic import/consolidation tools

Application profiling tools

Network modeling/simulation tools

Resources for implementing an NRP project

References

Chapter 3: Getting Started

Formulate the project objectives

Scenario 1: A transportation company

Scenario 2: A manufacturing company

Scenario 3: A service company

Identify methodologies and strategies to accomplish your goals

Prioritize your network planning goals

Collect and document what is already known

Define tasks that support the objectives

Define a data collection strategy

Determine project timing and timeframe

Create a project timeline

Refine the methodology

Ingredients for a successful NRP project

People resources

Budget

Network Tools

Chapter 4: Baselining the Network

Baselining defined

Creating a baseline vs. baselining

Why use baselining techniques?

How much baseline data is enough?

Baselining versus trending

The data required for baselining

Existing network documentation

Topology data

Usage-based data

Application-based data

The relationship between usage-based and application-based data

Creating a baseline

Baselining objectives

The network inventory

The topological inventory

Validation

The traffic inventory

Collecting usage-based data

System volume or activity

Individual circuit utilization

The data collection interval and time periods

Collecting application-based data

Data collection placement strategy

Configuring the data collection devices

Traffic analysis

Analyzing usage-based data

Finding the "busy hour" for the system

Analyzing backbone circuit behavior

Validating your conclusions

Analyzing application-based data

Application distribution

Identifying high-volume applications

Analyzing application throughput

Determining the applications to analyze

Correlating usage and application data

Using baseline data to create a capacity planning baseline model

Tracking changes in network activity

Changes in the topology inventory

Changes in network utilization

Changes in system activity

Changes in circuit utilization

Correlating application-based data with system activity

Changes in application distribution

The baselining life cycle

Application planning as the next step

References

Chapter 5: Application Planning

The objectives of application planning

Requirements for application planning

Understanding how the application will be used

Understanding the application deployment environment

Understanding your testing environment

Baselining as a requirement

Developing your application planning strategy

The application planning cycle

NRP's focus on an application's network behavior

Application assessment

Defining the application usage scenario

Defining the number of users

Defining the frequency of the transactions

Selecting the application transactions

Developing the benchmark

The characteristics of a good benchmark

Assessing the application distribution on the network

Application data collection

Selecting a data collection device

Creating or identifying your test environment

Placing and configuring your data collection devices

Determining acceptable quality of service

Capturing the application traffic data

Running the benchmark multiple times

Requirements for the "knowledgeable" application user

Application Profiling

Capacity planning as the next step

Chapter 6: Capacity Planning

The objectives of capacity planning

An historical perspective on capacity planning

Capacity Planning's role in Network Resource Planning

The requirements for capacity planning

Baseline data

Application profiles

Application usage projections

Network modeling tool

The capacity planning cycle

Baseline model creation

Making assumptions

Baseline model creation strategies

The benefit of creating multiple baseline models

Creating capacity planning scenarios

Requirements for creating capacity planning scenarios

Scenario assumptions that affect capacity planning outcomes

Using multiple scenarios

Using a performance management (modeling) tool to create scenarios

Running the "what-if" analysis for capacity planning

Discrete event simulation

Analytical modeling

Performance management tool requirements

Calculating the route on a per packet basis

Calculated bandwidth utilization

Reporting utilization values

Per packet response time

Calculating response time

Analyzing the results of the "what-if" analysis

Checking your assumptions

Redesigning your network

Network design beyond the scope of this book

Obstacles to collecting an end-to-end traffic matrix

Redesigning the network to meet quality of service goals

Deciding how to redesign

Frame relay design -- a special case

Projecting Growth

Capacity planning in the future

Chapter 7: The Future of Network Resource Planning

NRP as a requirement as enterprise networks evolve

The evolution of the NRP cycle

Baselining

Network inventory

Topological inventory

Traffic inventory

Traffic analysis

Application planning

Application Assessment

Application data capture

Application profiling

Capacity planning

Creating the baseline model

Creating capacity planning scenarios

Running the model or simulation

Analyzing results

Redesigning the network

Planning for growth

The continued role of NRP

Part 2: Case Studies

Chapter 8: Lucent Technologies

Project background

Lucent Technologies' objectives

Project tasks

Project overview

Project results

Usage results

Traffic analysis results

Application planning results

Capacity planning results

Project conclusions

Chapter 9: The 3M Company

Project background

3M Information Technology's objectives

Project tasks

Project activities

Baselining activities

Discovery results

System activity results

Circuit utilization results

Application planning activities

Benchmark activities

Test bed environment

Establishing quality of service goals

Data collection

PeopleSoft application profiles

PeopleSoft deployment projections

Capacity planning activities

Creating the baseline models

Modeling analysis results -- Logon scenario

Modeling analysis results -- General Ledger and Procurement scenario

Network redesign results

Project conclusions

Chapter 10: AlliedSignal

Project Background

Enterprise network infrastructure

Support for business units

Project scope

AlliedSignal's NRP objectives

Baselining process overview

Topological inventory

Traffic inventory

Traffic analysis

Business unit performance issues

Summary

Appendix A: Baseline model creation strategies

Peak utilization baseline model

Selecting the sample values

Advantages and disadvantages of a peak utilization baseline model

Merged peak utilization baseline model

Selecting the sample values

Advantages and disadvantages of a merged peak utilization baseline model

Peak volume baseline model

Selecting the sample values

Advantages and disadvantages of a peak volume baseline model

Merged peak volume baseline model

Selecting the sample values

Advantages and disadvantages of a merged peak volume baseline model

Average utilization or average volume baseline model

Appendix B: Tools for Network Resource Planning

Data collection and analysis tools

Router MIB statistical collection tools

Traffic Analyzers and RMON2 compatible probes

Performance management tools

Visualization/reporting and topology acquisition tools

Traffic import/consolidation and application profiling tools

Network Modeling/Simulation Tools (Simulation)

References

Appendix C: Glossary