JA-SIG 2001

Building Building Whistler City: Whistler City: From Concept From Concept to Real Worldto Real World

Jim Hall,Jim Hall,

Web Production Support, Web Production Support,

University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota

JA-SIG 2001

Famous QuotesFamous Quotes

““I think there is a world market for maybe five I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”computers.”

-Thomas Watson (chairman of IBM) -Thomas Watson (chairman of IBM) 19431943

JA-SIG 2001

Famous QuotesFamous Quotes

““There is no reason anyone would want a There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”computer in their home.”

-Ken Olson (president of DEC) 1977-Ken Olson (president of DEC) 1977

JA-SIG 2001

Famous QuotesFamous Quotes

““640k ought to be enough for anybody.”640k ought to be enough for anybody.”

-Bill Gates (CEO of Microsoft) 1981-Bill Gates (CEO of Microsoft) 1981

JA-SIG 2001

Famous QuotesFamous Quotes

““Linux will have no place in the University of Linux will have no place in the University of Minnesota enterprise.”Minnesota enterprise.”

-Steve Cawley (CIO at U of M) 1999-Steve Cawley (CIO at U of M) 1999

JA-SIG 2001

The BeginningThe Beginning

JA-SIG 2001

Web RegistrationWeb Registration

• Part of student culturePart of student culture• First web registration: 1996First web registration: 1996• 95% students used web registration95% students used web registration• Implemented Peoplesoft registration: 1999Implemented Peoplesoft registration: 1999• New web registration system requiredNew web registration system required

JA-SIG 2001

Student Administration Student Administration FunctionsFunctions

• View enrollment appointment (queue time)View enrollment appointment (queue time)• View holdsView holds• Class schedule / course guideClass schedule / course guide• Add/drop classesAdd/drop classes• Update personal informationUpdate personal information• View gradesView grades

JA-SIG 2001

CapacityCapacity

• Capacity = 240 usersCapacity = 240 users• 70,000+ students at U of M70,000+ students at U of M

JA-SIG 2001

Improvement NeededImprovement Needed

• Poor performancePoor performance• InstabilityInstability• Students hated the systemStudents hated the system• Support staff restart systems Support staff restart systems all dayall day

– Can’t do other work!Can’t do other work!

JA-SIG 2001

Poor PerformancePoor Performance

• Students see “Access denied”Students see “Access denied”• 10-30 seconds add/drop time = “good”10-30 seconds add/drop time = “good”• 2 minutes not unusual2 minutes not unusual

JA-SIG 2001

InstabilityInstability

• Multiple crashes per dayMultiple crashes per day• One crash induces another to failOne crash induces another to fail• All servers are down!All servers are down!

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

Staff MoraleStaff Morale• Incentive to improve things for ourselvesIncentive to improve things for ourselves• Stability and performance are keyStability and performance are key• Separate effort to improve PS performanceSeparate effort to improve PS performance• Unable to improve web application capacity Unable to improve web application capacity

issuesissues• Registration cycle starts in 2 months!Registration cycle starts in 2 months!

JA-SIG 2001

New, ImprovedNew, ImprovedWeb RegistrationWeb Registration

JA-SIG 2001

Web RegistrationWeb Registrationon Linux?on Linux?

““All the components to run web registration All the components to run web registration are now available for Linux!”are now available for Linux!”

JA-SIG 2001

Web Registration Web Registration (AIX)(AIX)

In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb

Server

W ebServer

W ebServer

A IXW eb serverW ebS phere

S P hardw are ($$$)

80

JA-SIG 2001

Web Registration Web Registration (Linux)(Linux)

In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb

Server

W ebServer

W ebServer

LinuxW eb serverW ebS phere

PC hardw are ($)

80

JA-SIG 2001

Web RegistrationWeb Registrationon Linux?on Linux?

• Linux runs well on IBM hardwareLinux runs well on IBM hardware• IBM support for all componentsIBM support for all components• Server management tools:Server management tools:

– RPM, KickstartRPM, Kickstart

• Ensure Linux hardware compatibility before Ensure Linux hardware compatibility before you start:you start:– SCSI, network, videoSCSI, network, video

JA-SIG 2001

RequirementsRequirements

• Support for all componentsSupport for all components• StabilityStability• ScalabilityScalability

JA-SIG 2001

Web Registration Web Registration (AIX)(AIX)

In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb

Server

W ebServer

W ebServer

A IXW eb serverW ebS phere

S P hardw are ($$$)

$50,000+

$50,000+

$50,000+

JA-SIG 2001

Web Registration Web Registration (Linux)(Linux)

LinuxW eb serverW ebS phere

PC hardw are ($)

In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb

Server

W ebServer

W ebServer

$5,000

$5,000

$5,000

JA-SIG 2001

OptionsOptions• Web registration tied to Web SphereWeb registration tied to Web Sphere• Web Sphere supported on these platforms:Web Sphere supported on these platforms:

– AIXAIX– SolarisSolaris– Windows NTWindows NT– Red Hat LinuxRed Hat Linux

• Linux is best choice for short timeframeLinux is best choice for short timeframe

JA-SIG 2001

Project Project ManagementManagement

JA-SIG 2001

Project TeamProject Team

• A multi-team effortA multi-team effort• Web Development:Web Development:

– Systems AdministratorSystems Administrator– ManagerManager

• Central Computing:Central Computing:– HardwareHardware

JA-SIG 2001

How To Implement How To Implement To Build ConfidenceTo Build Confidence

• Change as little as possibleChange as little as possible• Test before you implementTest before you implement• Burn-in periodBurn-in period• Phased deploymentPhased deployment• Isolate moving partsIsolate moving parts

JA-SIG 2001

Project ManagementProject Management

• Keep the project in scopeKeep the project in scope• BudgetBudget• Time frameTime frame• Features vs. effortFeatures vs. effort

JA-SIG 2001

Project ManagementProject Management

• Create a schedule, stick to itCreate a schedule, stick to it• Regular meetings for progressRegular meetings for progress• Emails with daily statusEmails with daily status• Be honest with respect to risks, delaysBe honest with respect to risks, delays

JA-SIG 2001

Overcoming FearOvercoming Fear

• Challenge to the status quoChallenge to the status quo• Free / open source is new conceptFree / open source is new concept• New paradigmNew paradigm

– CIOCIO– CustomerCustomer– Security staffSecurity staff– Our own staffOur own staff– AuditorsAuditors

JA-SIG 2001

Overcoming FearOvercoming Fear

• Document the workDocument the work– TestingTesting– SupportSupport– CostsCosts– DeploymentDeployment– StatisticsStatistics– Make information available on the webMake information available on the web

JA-SIG 2001

Overcoming FearOvercoming Fear

• Communicate key messagesCommunicate key messages– In-house expertiseIn-house expertise– Confidence in productConfidence in product– Confidence in scalabilityConfidence in scalability– Cost effectiveCost effective– Constant involvement of customerConstant involvement of customer– Opportunity to pull “big red handle”Opportunity to pull “big red handle”

JA-SIG 2001

ResultsResults

JA-SIG 2001

Performance ImprovedPerformance Improved

• (AIX) Web registration:(AIX) Web registration:– 10-30 seconds response time = “good”10-30 seconds response time = “good”– 2 minutes not unusual2 minutes not unusual

JA-SIG 2001

Performance ImprovedPerformance Improved

• (Linux) Web registration:(Linux) Web registration:– 74% 0-5 sec. Add/drop74% 0-5 sec. Add/drop– 95% 0-10 sec. Add/drop95% 0-10 sec. Add/drop

JA-SIG 2001

Stability ImprovedStability Improved

• (AIX) Web registration:(AIX) Web registration:– Multiple crashes per dayMultiple crashes per day– All servers down not uncommonAll servers down not uncommon

(“cascade failure”)(“cascade failure”)

JA-SIG 2001

Stability ImprovedStability Improved

• (Linux) Web registration:(Linux) Web registration:– 5 burps (Java process died)5 burps (Java process died)– e-Network Dispatch routes traffic automatically across e-Network Dispatch routes traffic automatically across

redundant serversredundant servers– No crashes visible to userNo crashes visible to user

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

IBM SupportIBM Support

• IBM’s Linux support is excellentIBM’s Linux support is excellent• Fast customer responseFast customer response• Good customer contactGood customer contact• Very knowledgeable support staffVery knowledgeable support staff

JA-SIG 2001

Findings About JavaFindings About Java

• Garbage collection allows Java to recover Garbage collection allows Java to recover more memorymore memory

• Garbage collection is exponential with more Garbage collection is exponential with more memory (AIX)memory (AIX)

• All other operating systems, garbage All other operating systems, garbage collection works correctlycollection works correctly

JA-SIG 2001

ResultsResults

• U of M more receptive to Open Source:U of M more receptive to Open Source:– BugzillaBugzilla– Additional Linux solutionsAdditional Linux solutions– Continue to derive cost benefitsContinue to derive cost benefits

• Improved team reputationImproved team reputation• Boosted team moraleBoosted team morale

JA-SIG 2001

JA-SIG 2001

Questions?Questions?Jim Hall <hallx049@tc.umn.edu>Jim Hall <hallx049@tc.umn.edu>

http://http://web.umn.eduweb.umn.edu

or, http://labs.webteam.umn.eduor, http://labs.webteam.umn.edu