Service Manager 7.

x Deployment Information and

Strategies
HP Management Software Service Manager

Understanding Service Managers (SM7) Architecture.............................................................................. 2

Supported Web Architecture Components .............................................................................................. 4
SM7.0x - Web tier: Application servers .............................................................................................. 4
SM7.0x - Web tier: Web servers ....................................................................................................... 4
SM7 Web Client Version Considerations ............................................................................................ 5
Web Client Notes ............................................................................................................................ 5
Server Architecture Network Traffic........................................................................................................ 6
Expected Traffic: Application Servers to RDBMS Server ........................................................................ 6
Client Architecture Network Traffic......................................................................................................... 6
Expected Traffic: Application Servers to Windows Clients or Web Applications Servers ........................... 7
Expected Traffic: Web Applications Servers to Web Browsers............................................................... 7
Network Traffic Notes .......................................................................................................................... 8
Client Deployment Options ................................................................................................................... 9
Eclipse Based Windows Client .......................................................................................................... 9
Windows Client Self-install Options ................................................................................................ 9
Web Client ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Citrix, or similar technologies (remote desktop emulation) ................................................................... 10
Utilizing the Deployment Options......................................................................................................... 11
Supporting Data on Communications Overhead and Latency .................................................................. 12
Chart 1- Application Server to RDBMS Server.................................................................................... 12
Chart 2- Web Application Server, or Windows Client to Application Server ......................................... 13
Chart 3- Web Browser to Web Application Server............................................................................. 14
Service Manager 7.01 and ServiceCenter 6.2.7, and earlier versions.............................................. 14
For more information.......................................................................................................................... 15

Understanding Service Managers (SM7) Architecture

SM7 is a three tier architecture, consisting of a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS),
the SM7 Application Server(s) and a client(s). The client can be deployed in two different
configurations; namely as a Windows based client, or a zero footprint web based client. The Web
based client is an X-tier architecture, utilizing a modern Web Application Server as the operational
and rendering component of the clients functions, and the Web Browser as the display and user
interaction portion.
When planning the deployment of the two primary tiers (application server and RDBMS) it is
essential that they are both located in the same LAN. It is also recommended that this be a high
bandwidth and low latency LAN, 1 GB based or greater. While it is also preferred to have these
two components on the same subnet, it is accepted that this is not always feasible in a large data
center. In such large data centers utilizing RDBMS farm technology, it is common to have a router
between the Application Server and the RDBMS Server. HP has not observed any significant
performance impacts in such an environment, as long as the router is not also a firewall. Another
technology that has been observed in this portion of the architecture is a Virtual LAN. This is
commonly known as a VLAN, and is a group of hosts with a common set of requirements that
communicate as if they were attached to the Broadcast domain, regardless of their physical
location. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLAN for more details). HP does not recommend this
configuration for the network between the Application Server and the RDMBS.
Furthermore, RDBMS ID(s) and password(s) in this segment of the architecture should never be
validated through an LDAP, Active Directory, or similar type Single Sign On service. This can cause
considerable delays resulting in thread confusion between the application server and the RDBMS
server.
The next portion of the architecture to be considered is the connectivity between the client and the
Application Server. In the case of SM7, both the Web client and the Windows client utilize the
same listeners and communication facilities on the Application Server and so the communication
considerations are the same.
As described above, the Web Client is distributed in two parts - the Web Application Server and
the Web Browser. The Web Application Server performs the majority of the work, including object
rendering and properties declarations and control, and the Web Browser is responsible for the
display engine and user interaction functionality. Due to this standard division of functionality and
the nature of the standard communications channel between these entities, the data transferred to
accomplish the final result will be a significant amount. Increasing the number of entities, and
controls on the rendered forms increases the total number of packets and bytes of data being
transferred to the Web Browsers.
This whitepaper explores the interaction between these tiers to enable architects to consider the
optimum designs for customer environments.

Web Based Access

Windows Client Access

`
`

Web Tier

RDBMS
Service Manager
7.x Server
(Horizontal Scaling
w/ Load Manager)

Supported Web Architecture Components

SM7.0x - Web tier: Application servers
Application servers require Java Development Kits (JDKs). Each application server vendor
determines compatible JDKs.
Application server

Operating system

Notes

IBM WebSphere Application Server 6.0, 6.1 HP-UX 11i (PA-RISC & Itanium)
Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
AIX 5.2, 5.3
Solaris 9, 10
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Edition, 4.0
Novell SuSE 9
Tomcat 5.0, 5.5

HP-UX 11i (PA-RISC & Itanium)

Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
AIX 5.2, 5.3
Solaris 9, 10
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Edition 4.0
Novell SuSE 9

BEA WebLogic 9

HP-UX 11i (PA-RISC & Itanium)

Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
AIX 5.2, 5.3
Solaris 9, 10
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Edition 4.0
Novell SuSE 9

SM7.0x - Web tier: Web servers

Ensure that the web server and application server you choose are compatible with one
another.
Web server

Operating system

IBM HTTP Server 6.0

HP-UX 11i (RISC & Itanium)

Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
AIX 5.2, 5.3
Solaris 9, 10
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Edition
Novell SuSE 9

Apache 1.3.19
- required if using AIX

4.0

HP-UX 11i (RISC & Itanium)

Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
Apache 2.0 (minimum 2.0.43)
AIX 5.2, 5.3
- required if using Windows, Solaris or Linux Solaris 9, 10
Red Hat Linux Enterprise Edition 4.0
Novell SuSE 9
IIS 5.0

Windows 2000 Server

IIS 6.0

Windows Server 2003

SM7 Web Client Version Considerations

At the publication of this paper, the SM7 Web Client requires a design that precludes utilizing the
standard web technology capability of local caching. Service Manager 7.02, 7.1x and
ServiceCenter 6.2.8 and later versions have enabled the expiry header feature for all common
objects. This header is set to two hours, allowing the object will stay current in the web browsers
cache for the specified duration and not refreshed each time it appears at all subsequent required
points.

Web Client Notes

The stated browsers have been tested and certified on Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional
and Windows Vista. While not explicitly tested or supported, access from other operating systems
and/or browsers should be feasible through browsers based upon the Mozilla, Trident or Gecko
engines.
For version compatibility and current supported versions of web components, on all versions of
ServiceCenter and Service Manager, please refer to the compatibility matrix for the appropriate
version(s) of ServiceCenter or Service Manager. These are available on the support web site as
mentioned later in this document.

Server Architecture Network Traffic

There is no discernable difference in the amount of data that is transferred between the Application
Server and the RDBMS Server for either type of client for the same type of transaction. Therefore
this paper will discuss this portion of the architecture as a single unit, regardless of the external
client chosen.
Service Manager is a database resident application i.e. it is the RDBMS which stores the
operational data (tickets), instructions and configuration information in the RDBMS. Some benefits
of this architectural approach include a true server controlled environment, with no changes to
update the operation of either client, and one set of rules for all user operations, from both clients
and the same set of rules for all automated processes. However it is observed that the traffic
between the application and the RDBMS is greater than in other designs.
HP has observed that the default transmission block size of the RDBMS to application server,
usually does not match the block size of data stored in the RDBMS and so there are benefits in
configuring this where possible. In Oracle this is defined by the SDU setting.
Final optimization for the data stored as ticket data in the RDBMS is highly configurable and is
dependent upon the customer configuration and business requirements, and so it is suggested that
this be reexamined after the system tailoring ids are completed.

Expected Traffic: Application Servers to RDBMS Server

Due to the structure of the application being a database resident application, as explained above,
there is little that can be done for a vast majority of the select statement.
Some major areas of performance tuning has been found on customer sites to be around ensuring
rational indices and properly mapped set of joined tables as objects, to avoid costly actions such
as full table scans. This will normally manifest itself as long times in searching and displaying of
data records. The best general rule of thumb is that there should be an index on any data field that
is to be searched and if the data is in an attribute table, or is an array of structure, and will be
reported against, a multi-row array table is usually the best choice.
Working with the DBAs to verify this is not the case and the data structures can yield a quicker
system and less general overhead.

Client Architecture Network Traffic

Once the business logic is completed at the RDBMS and application server level, the results will be
passed to the clients. For the sake of comparison, the basic steps which the application server uses
to communicate with the client layer are listed below:

Client makes request to server

Server processes the request
Server prepares to deploy the next display as requested
Server transfers basic screen data to the client
Client accepts as OK or requests a refreshed version of the screen layout
o If needed the server will transmit the screen layout data to the client
The server passes data record to the client
The server passes form based supporting data to the client
o Note, for the Web client, this data is not segmented but is transmitted in a single
section of time. For the windows client, some subset of data will be transmitted,
with additional data to follow, if requested from the client to the server

The client processes the screen data, rendering it and present the results to the end user
o If the web client is deployed, this operation happens in the Web Application
Server, and DHTML is now compiled.
o Once the DHTML form is complete all the data is transmitted to the web client.

Expected Traffic: Application Servers to Windows Clients

or Web Applications Servers
While we have measured a difference in the data going from the application server to the windows
client versus the web client, our benchmark test yielded very little additional data, and therefore, for
simplicity, we chose to combine this data in our examples.
The largest single item as noted here is when using dropdown lists of extraordinary length, in
anticipation of using them in a field as a select only value. We have seen major impact with a
customer using a control with in excess of 1 million entries.
The next largest is the Dynamic View Dependency control and having extremely large forms. All the
data to the clients for these entities, whether displayed or not, must be transmitted every time and
constitute additional overhead that is not of any value to the end users.

Expected Traffic: Web Applications Servers to Web

Browsers
The web browser represents a stateless environment. Service Manager is a state based
environment, with threading controlled within the clients display. Service Managers web based
client is also a zero footprint client and does not download any applets to the end users system. It
does not require the use of a session variable, which would leave it potentially exposed to hacking
while the end users system is still alive. It does require a cookie for thread control; but this expires
at the end of the connection set, therefore removing a security vulnerability for hackers.
Due to the condition differential, Service Manager has to overcome the stateless condition of web
browsers and is required to transmit more data to the web based client as it cannot go back to the
server and request additional data. This is the primary reason why this client will take additional
time for create the DHTML and render the results.

Network Traffic Notes

All measurements were conducted on the standard system as delivered, with no tailoring. All
network speed and latency times as elapse times are calculated, based on the measured number of
packets, including minimum times, and then extended out based on the number of packets and
maximum assumed latency time per packet
Measurements were captured with a configuration where the Application Server, RDBMS Server,
Web Application Server, clients (Web Browsers or Windows based as applicable) were all on the
same LAN, with no inclusion of additional time for firewalls and poor routings.
The web tier measurements do not include local browser time to complete the final rendering to the
end user.
The three basic transmission speed projections are assumptions as follows

1.54 Mb (150ms and 250ms latency times)

o Typically a DS1/T1 communications service
4 Mb (100ms latency times)
o Typically a commercial broadband communications service
10Mb (50ms, 100ms and 500ms latency times)
o Typically a Ethernet LAN communications service

The three charts represent:

Chart 1- Application Server to RDBMS Server

o This tiers performance will be consistent between both client options
Chart 2- Web Application Server, or Windows Client to Application Server
o This time is in addition to Chart 1 for the client, with little additional time needed to
render the forms
Chart 3- Web Browser to Web Application Server
o If the web client is being used for ESS or as an operational client, the total
expected time is the sum of Chart 1, Chart 2 and Chart 3

Client Deployment Options

Eclipse Based Windows Client
The native Windows client is the most efficient client for operations with the server. The attributes
that make this a verifiable statement are the local caching of all static format and controls. This
result in these items only downloads to the client once per session.
However it also poses unique challenges to most customer environments. These challenges include
distribution and installation of the client, security validations, interoperability with other package
and desktop operating system validation. Due to these challenges many customers choose to not
deploy this option to the majority if the user community.
There is also a positive side to this client, which is the removal of a Web Application Server layer.
This provides a level of surety around simplicity of deployment and removing an additional
dependent system layer. Communications to the Application Server are also streamlined, not only
for the caching; but not having to dispatch all the data prior to releasing control of the client to the
end user.

Windows Client Self-install Options

SM7 supports the Windows based client in a self-extracting deployment model. This will allow
packaging as a single executable file as well as easy inclusion into one of many automatic or on
demand software distribution tools like HPs Configuration Management Solutions (CMS).
HP does not provide prebuilt, deployable packages for any software distribution tools. For details
on this distribution methodology, please refer to the product documentation or to the support web
site as mentioned later in this document.

Web Client
The Web Client, is a zero footprint client, and is the most efficient client for deployment. The
attributes that make this a verifiable statement are ability to run on most standard browsers without
downloading and executing any applets, or any requirements for session variables and session
executables in memory. Execution of this client is accomplished by uploading the WAR or EAR file
to the appropriate Web Application Server (WAS), and then restarting the server. All users will
now have the new client, and since there may be many WASs for a single SM instance, this allows
for updating without an outage. There is a requirement for a session cookie for thread and session
retention. This cookie is only valid for the duration of the current session, and it does not store data
for the any subsequent sessions, nor needs maintained from session to session.
In global deployments it is not uncommon for this technology to be deployed, where the WASs may
be regionally or facility based and deployed to help eliminate network latency issues.
The web client also poses unique challenges to most customer environments. These challenges
include the requirement of a Web Application Server(s), which may include additional costs, and
complexity on this additional middleware. There is normally an additional speed concern for this
additional complexity, and the increased traffic from the Web Application Server and the
requirement for a stateless client to have all data downloaded to it prior to releasing complete
control to the end user. In additional to all the data, the general number and size of packets
involved are greater to the DHTML requirements of the browsers.
There is also a positive side to this client, is no environmental and operations concerns, as well as
deployment concerns.

Citrix, or similar technologies (remote desktop emulation)

This technology will allow all components to be locally managed and deployed while allowing only
screen mimicking to the remote workstations. The primary advantages of employing this type of
limited distribution of software, reduced network requirements, as the screen data is the only
transferred information, and easier centralized configuration management. An additional
advantage of this technology include removal of system power requirements for the client, as the
virtual machine is the client to the application server, allowing older desktops that may not have the
latest operating system or enough memory to be utilized.
Some of the obstacles of this technology, s the workstation, and therefore application is running in
another location than the end user. This presents challenges in local storage and printing as
needed. Other issues we have observed utilizing this type of virtual desktop technology are slow
and /or multiple screen repaints, as when the server presents a screen of data to the client, the
data being transferred to the true end user may be segmented and updated several times.
This type of technology represents a transparent technology to the function of either the Windows
based client and Web based client, and as such are acceptable to use within the recognized
limitations. This is normally a deployment option that may be chosen when dealing with a WAN
containing extremely limited bandwidth, or long latency times.
HP does not certify the running of either of the SM clients with any PC emulation technology. For
the policies on transparent technology support, please refer to the documentation for the particular
version of SM or the appropriate HP software product.

Utilizing the Deployment Options

Many clients utilize a combination of deployment strategies. As noted in the above client
transmission definitions and due to tailoring as needed to support your business, the exact data
and transmission requirements are different.
In general what we see for client use, by role:
Employee Self Service (ESS) users
o Use the web client
o The advantage is the true zero foot print

Tier 2 and Tier 3 users

o Mixed use of web client and windows client
o The windows client in many locations where a dispatched is involved and they are
spending a significant amount of time in Service Manager
o Web client for true resolvers who utilize Service Manager as a recording tool to
assist them in their daily functions

Tier 1 users (service desk)

o Mixed Use of web client and windows client
o The windows client in many locations where there is a limited number end users
and a limited deployment area
o The web client is areas of wide deployment; but also with a local WAS

Administrators
o Mixed Use of web client and windows client
o Windows client if they are also doing development tasks otherwise the web client
is acceptable for all administration tasks

Developers
o Use the windows client
o This is a requirement for system tailoring

Due to low end user system capabilities or lower bandwidth networks or where a large amount of
latency time is a consideration, we have noticed many customers employing a Citrix type
environment, where the true PC emulator is based in the LAN, and only the screen data is
transmitted to the end users. The choice to deploy on such an environment may have printing and /
or local storage implications; but either client should perform approximately the same for this
configuration.
Another deployment choice is to have distributed Web Application Servers. This will allow for
lower network traffic overhead to the application server, and push the expanded traffic of the Web
Application Server to the Web Browser to a local LAN, which normally have a much higher
bandwidth.

Supporting Data on Communications Overhead and Latency

Chart 1- Application Server to RDBMS Server

Chart 2- Web Application Server, or Windows Client to

Application Server

Chart 3- Web Browser to Web Application Server

Service Manager 7.01 and ServiceCenter 6.2.7, and earlier versions

For more information

Please visit the HP Management Software support Web site at:
http://www.hp.com/managementsoftware/support

This Web site provides contact information and details about the products, services, and support that
HP Management Software offers.
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Search for knowledge documents of interest
Submit and track progress on support cases
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Enter discussions with other software customers
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2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained

herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and
services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such
products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an
additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or
omissions contained herein.
HP, AssetCenter, Service Manager and ServiceCenter are registered trademarks of
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
10/2008