Applying Performance-Tuning Parameters and Techniques

This section recommends specific techniques for tuning and improving system performance. Areas where you can apply performance-tuning techniques are listed first followed by suggested performance-tuning techniques.

The following components and areas can be tuned for optimum performance and scalability.

• TIBCO BusinessWorks application: This component uses an embedded implementation of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) which creates the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The JVM can be tuned for better performance.

• TIBCO BusinessWorks process engines: These are logical groupings of jobs; a process engine runs within a single Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

• TIBCO BusinessWorks jobs: These are instances of a BusinessWorks process template and consume resources. One job corresponds to one overallWindchill ESI product data publish operation per ERP instance, or oneWindchill ESI transaction.

• TIBCO BusinessWorks threads: These are the same as Java threads. Threads represent a pool of workers for jobs. Each thread executes a fixed number of BusinessWorks activities and is then released back to the pool.

• Adapter connections: These represent the data channels available to the distribution targets. Refer to the appropriate TIBCO adapter documentation for a complete understanding of how connections are formed, and when they are released.

• JVM memory size: This needs to be monitored to check how much memory is consumed for a given number of jobs and if this is pushing the limits of available memory. You can use basic operating system tools to perform this function.

• CPU usage allocation: This activity needs to be monitored because having multiple, available CPUs does not guarantee that the application resource load is automatically distributed across them. CPU load-balancing is typically configured at the operating-system level.

• Additional host machines: Adding more physical servers can provide greater data throughput, as well as high-availability features.

The following lists some techniques that you can use to improve performance and scalability.

• Perform a data volume/frequency analysis to predict likely adapter memory consumption. To establish a baseline, measure the memory consumption of an idle adapter instance.

• Assess the latency in your environment as this is critical when integrating end-systems.

• Minimize the number of unused, idling process engine jobs in BusinessWorks, as they needlessly consume memory.

• Consider the option of tuning the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) using these suggestions:

◦ Apply the latest JVM patches for your operating system

◦ Tune heap and stack size to optimize garbage collection, including selecting an optimal value for the TIBCO BusinessWorks engine’s thread stack size deployment setting.

◦ Adjust operating system kernel parameters to match the characteristics of the application.

◦ Set the -Xms and -Xmx parameters on the JVM, which are operating system independent and control the amount of memory allocated to the JVM at startup (-Xms) and the maximum amount of memory the JVM is allowed to consume (-Xmx). At a minimum, these should both be set to 256 MB. If the application generates java.lang.OutOfMemoryErrors during testing or production runs, then you must increase the -Xmx parameter to larger values.

◦ Investigate other JVM parameters and tuning options. Depending on the JVM and operating system, there may be other tuning options available. The following web sites should be helpful:

◦ Investigate later versions of the JRE; these may provide better performance. However they are not supported.