BenchMark Guidelines

Generally speaking, USoft BenchMark can test the following:

•Startup time of the application

•Startup time of info windows

•Transaction time

•Batch-processing time

•Workflow time

How representative the test model is depends upon a few items, which influence the performance. These items are:

a.	Memory use, which depends upon:

•Number of controls appearing on the screen; the more (painted) controls, the harder it is for the system to function

•Number of records that will be shown.

•Buffer height.

b.	Size of the resident cache.

c.	Startup time of the application, which depends upon:

•Save Workspace Options used (windows on the screen, in memory, or cached)

•Number of windows in the initial picklist

•Connect time of the application to the database (with respect to modem connections)

•Resource and application files, either on the network or locally (application files include resource files, CON, ESI, bitmaps, etc.)

d.	Startup time of info windows, which depends upon:

•Type of resident cache

•Whether the info windows are in the cache or not

•Size of the screen

•Number of records

•Number of columns

•Number of embedded children

•Number of ESI definitions

•Startup actions

The following items also influence performance:

•Use of joined columns (whether it is optimized or not)

•Use of additional fields

•Use of extra queries

•Number of relationships ( when an info window is opened the relevant table and all the direct relationships are read in from the conceptual file)

•Use of subtypes ( this can also positively influence the performance)

•Number of restrictive and manipulation constraints

As well as hardware and software configuration parameters such as:

•Swap space tuning

•Amount of memory

•Network map (throughput)

•Graphics accelerator

•Disk access (32 bit)

•Network driver software + configuration

•Database tuning (extra indexes )

•Whether you are running from flat files or not