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Oracle Performance Tuning and Optimization
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Edward Whalen
ISBN: 067230886x
Publication Date: 04/01/96
Chapter 34 Tuning the Client System
This chapter examines the client system and how the client operating system and the client hardware work together to serve the user. In the last few years, the power typical users have on their desks has increased dramatically. In the early 1980s, it was rare to see users with actual CPUs on their desks; more likely, they would have used terminals connected to a mainframe or minicomputer.
By the early 1990s, it was rare not to see a PC or workstation on most users desks. Today, the power of these PCs and workstations has grown to where the raw CPU horsepower is equivalent to or greater than that of the minicomputer that may have serviced the entire office only 10 years ago.
As the power of these machines continues to grow, each user will soon have computer capabilities only dreamed of in the early 1980s. With this new power come new applications that take advantage of the power. This leapfrog effect keeps the computer and software industries continually improving their products.
In the early 1980s, the first PCs were just becoming popular, as was the MS-DOS operating system. At that time, there were few applications that ran on MS-DOS; those that did exist were amazing innovations. I remember that my cousin (who worked at IBM at the time, and still does) showed me a DOS program that calculated mortgage payments based on the input of a principal amount and an interest rate. At that time, having such a power program running at home was amazing. Remember: this was only 15 to 20 years ago.
As the power of the computer continued to grow, better and better software continued to be introduced to take advantage of that hardware. At the same time, the new software quickly made obsolete the old hardware. With the introduction and popularity of Microsoft Windows, Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) became the standard.
Today, applications are being developed for the PC that a few years ago could not have been considered. With Microsoft Windows 95, it is now possible for the home user to take advantage of 32-bit applications that are more powerful than any ever available.
In fact, I frequently use Personal Oracle7 for Windows 95 at home for small database activities (such as my dogs database). Applications such as Personal Oracle7 and Oracle Power Objects are just a few examples of how software has been increasing in power to take advantage of newer and faster PCs.
Is there a point to all this or am I just rambling? The point I am trying to make is that the PC or workstation you have on your desk, if not already obsolete, soon will be. This is not a bad thing, just an indication that the applications available today to improve your productivity and your job are improving and will continue to improve. Because this is true, the capacity of the PC on your desk will improve also.
So what does this have to do with tuning the client system? As we continue to improve applications and client software, it is important to optimize the client to take advantage of all its capabilities. The client machine you are using today may seem very powerful but in a few years, when bigger and more powerful software is available to run on it, you will think that it is way too slow.
By optimizing the client system and finding ways to increase its capacity, you can lengthen the life cycle of these machines and provide better performance for your client applications. By optimizing the performance of the client machine, you can avoid costly upgrades until they are absolutely necessary.
This chapter looks at both the client operating system and the client hardware. It describes ways of improving client performance and how the client can be upgraded in the most effective way. Although upgrading a client machine may be the only way to improve a poor-performing client, remember that upgrading does not refer only to hardware but sometimes to software as well.
The chapter begins by looking at the Microsoft operating systems: Windows NT, Windows, and Windows 95. Later in the chapter, you look at ways to optimize UNIX systems as client systems. The chapter then describes some ways you can optimize and upgrade your systems hardware to provide better performance.
Windows NT
Microsoft Windows NT is very quickly gaining in popularity as a client operating system for the corporate user. Windows NT comes in two varieties: NT Workstation and NT Server. NT Server has more functionalityespecially in terms of management toolsbut for a client OS, Windows NT Workstation is sufficient.
Windows NT is a multiprocessor operating system; it can take advantage of scaleable performance increases by adding CPUs. Even though performance can benefit from the addition of processors, one CPU is usually sufficient for a client machine.
The NT operating system provides functionality such as 16-bit Windows application support and a Graphical User Interface (GUI). (The GUI is one of the prime reasons users have embraced Windows NT.) Other features that have made Windows NT a corporate standard include security features and robust management tools.
Tuning Memory
Perhaps the one disadvantage of the Windows NT operating system is its appetite for memory. Although you can run Windows NT Workstation in 16M or 24M of RAM, a minimum of 32M of RAM is recommended to run optimally. By using the NT performance monitor, you can check your memory usage and the amount of swapping that is occurring. Remember that swapping severely degrades performance.
One way to reduce your memory usage is to remove unnecessary services. By including only the network protocols you will be using, you reduce the overhead incurred by those additional protocols and reduce memory consumption.
Use the control panel to turn off any services you are not using. Doing so reduces memory usage and CPU overhead. By turning off all the services you will not be using, you can increase the performance of the system.
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