The Practical Performance Analyst
At last! Performance analysis made easy and applicable for large distributed systems. Here is a practical new perspective on performance analysis--one that makes this difficult subject understandable and useful. It demystifies the complex underlying formulas, and shows how to apply performance analysis to all kinds of large-scale computer systems, including client/server and communications systems. At the heart of this book is a unique methodology called performance-by-design. Timeless and independent of any specific technology, it is a tested approach for ensuring that goals are set and met. The emphasis is on assessing overall performance in large-scale systems, not just tuning one particular hardware subsystem or software compoenet. The chief tool supporting this methodology is the queueing analyzer, the C source code of which is provided on the accompanying diskette. This tool enables you to bypass such arcane concerns as the mathematics of queueing theory, and cut right to the real-world chase. Written in a friendly, intuitive style, this book will help you master performance analysis and apply it at either end of the development cycle: to support decisions in the early stages of system design, or to evaluate your existing system. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Neil J. Gunther was born in Melbourne, Australia. He holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Southampton, England, and began working in American's Silicon Valley at the dawn of the PC revolution. After eight years as a researcher at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, he joint Pyramid Technology as a Senior Scientist and Manager of Performance Analysis. In 1994 he founded Computer Dynamics Consulting, advising such clients as Amdahl Corporation, Tandem Computers, and Demand Technology on performance tool development and planning strategies for large-scale computer systems. Dr. Gunther is also a developer of distributed performance management tools, worldwide lecturer, and author of more than 50 professional articles. He lives in Mountain View, California.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.