Checklist for the server hardware and the operating system
Use the checklist to verify that the system where the server is installed meets requirements for hardware and software configuration.
| Question | Tasks, characteristics, options, or settings | More information |
|---|---|---|
Does the operating system and hardware meet or exceed requirements?
|
If you are using the minimum required amount of memory, you can support a
minimal workload. You can experiment by adding more system memory to determine whether the performance is improved. Then, decide whether you want to keep the system memory dedicated to the server. Test the memory variations by using the entire daily cycle of the server workload. If you run multiple servers on the system, add the requirements for each server to get the requirements for the system.  Restriction: Do not use Active Memory Expansion (AME). When you use AME, IBM
Db2 software uses 4 KB pages instead of 64 KB
pages. Each 4 KB page must be decompressed when accessed, and compressed when not needed. When the
compression or decompression occurs, Db2 and
the server wait for access to the page, which degrades the server performance. |
Review operating system requirements at technote 84861. Additionally, review the guidance in Tuning tasks for operating systems and other applications. For more information about requirements when these features are in use, see the following
topics:
To help you determine whether processor or memory characteristics are the cause of performance problems, see Identifying server performance problems. For more information about sizing requirements for the server and storage, see the IBM Storage Protect Blueprint. |
| Are disks configured for optimal performance? | The amount of tuning that can be done for different disk systems varies. Ensure that the appropriate queue depths and other disk system options are set. |
For more information, see the following topics:
|
| Does the server have enough memory? | Heavier workloads and advanced features such as data deduplication and
data replication require more than the minimum system memory that is specified in the system
requirements document. For databases that are not enabled for data deduplication,
use the following guidelines to specify memory requirements:
Ensure that you allocate extra space for the active log and the archive log for replication processing. |
For more information about requirements when these features are in use, see the following
topics:
To help you determine whether processor or memory characteristics are the cause of performance problems, see Identifying server performance problems. |
| Does the system have enough host bus adapters (HBAs) to handle the data operations that the IBM Storage Protect server must run simultaneously? | Understand what operations require use of HBAs at the same time. For example, a server must store 1 GB/sec of backup data while also doing storage pool migration that requires 0.5 GB/sec capacity to complete. The HBAs must be able to handle all of the data at the speed required. |
See Tuning HBA capacity. |
| Is network bandwidth greater than the planned maximum throughput for backups? | Network bandwidth must allow the system to complete operations such as
backups in the time that is allowed or that meets service level commitments. For data replication, network bandwidth must be greater than the planned maximum throughput. |
For more information, see the following topics: |
| Are you using a preferred file system for IBM Storage Protect server files? |
Use a file system that ensures optimal performance and data availability. The server uses direct I/O with file systems that support the feature. Using direct I/O can improve throughput and reduce processor use. For more information about the preferred file system for your operating system, see IBM® Storage Protect server-supported file systems. |
For more information, see Configuring the operating system for disk performance. |
| Did you configure enough paging space? | Paging space, or swap space, extends the memory that is available for
processing. When the amount of free RAM in the system is low, programs or data that is not in use
are moved from memory to paging space. This action releases memory for other activities, such as
database operations. Restriction: Do not use paging space to add memory to
your system. Paging space is intended to provide only a limited and temporary extension of space. If
your system uses paging space, system memory is full and must be extended.
|
|
 Did you tune kernel parameters after installation of the
server? |
You must tune kernel parameters. |
See the information about tuning kernel parameters: Tuning kernel parameters for Linux® systems. |
Paging space is automatically configured.