Table 3 outlines the activities performed by each user class utilizing Office 2003 products.

Table 3. Activities incorporated into the test scripts for each user class

Activity description

Heavy User

Medium User

Light User

 

 

 

 

 

Access

Open a database, apply a filter, search through

X

 

 

 

records, add records, and delete records.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excel

Open, print and save a large spreadsheet.

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

Excel_2

Create a new spreadsheet, enter data, and create

 

X

X

 

a chart. Print and save the spreadsheet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

InfoPath

Enter data3 into a form; save the form over an

X

X

 

 

existing form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outlook

First pass: Email a short message.

X

 

 

 

Second pass: Email a reply with an attachment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outlook_2

Create a long reply.

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PowerPoint

Create a new presentation, insert clipart, and

 

 

 

 

apply animation. View the presentation after each

X

X

 

 

slide is created.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PowerPoint2

Open and view a large presentation with heavy

X

 

 

 

animation and many colors and gradients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Word

Create, save, print, and email a document.

X4

X

X

Test scenarios

For the Heavy User type, HP initiated testing by running the appropriate script with a group of 15 simulated users. Start times were staggered to eliminate authentication overhead. After these sessions finished, HP added 15 more users, then repeated the testing. Further groups of 15 users were added until the maximum number of users was reached.

For Medium and Light User types, HP utilized groups of ten users.

Performance and scalability metrics

While the scripts were running, HP monitored a range of Windows Performance Monitor (Perfmon) counters to help characterize server performance and scalability. In particular, HP has monitored CPU utilization (% Processor Time) to establish the optimal number of users supported on an HP SBC server

–by definition, the number of users active when processor utilization reaches 80%. At this time, a limited number of additional users or services can be supported; however, user response times may become unacceptable.

To validate scalability metrics obtained using Perfmon, HP also runs canary scripts to characterize Heavy User response times – a very practical metric – for discrete activities such as an application being invoked or a modal box appearing. By monitoring response times as more and more users log on, HP has been able to demonstrate that these times are acceptable when the optimal number of users (as determined using Perfmon counter values) is active.

3Data entry for Office InfoPath 2003 requires significant processor resources

4Shortened version for Heavy Users

8