The IBM Systems Workload Estimator is a Web-based sizing tool for IBM Power™ Systems, System i™, System p™, and System x™. You can use this tool to size a new system, to size an upgrade to an existing system, or to size a consolidation of several systems.
The Workload Estimator (WLE) allows measurement input to best reflect your current workload and provides a variety of built-in workloads to reflect your emerging application requirements. Virtualization can be used to yield a more robust solution. The Workload Estimator will provide current and growth recommendations for processor, memory, and disk that satisfy the overall client performance requirements.
Workload Estimator features
WLE functions provided as part of v2009.4 (November 2009)
- New System x models
WLE added support for more than a dozen recently announced models. Use WLE to help determine the right model for your overall workload. - New SAN: DS5020, DS8700, XIV partially populated
WLE added sizing support for these new storage systems. WLE will select the best storage solution for your aggregate I/O requirements or you can customize the solution via user options. - RAID10 support for SAN
You can customize your SAN storage protection via user options set to RAID10 or the other current types (RAID5, RAID6, mirroring, none). - SAN disk drive size as sizing input
Based on client feedback, the need to provide control over the disk drive size for the recommendation was needed. In user options, the default is "any" which selects the most appropriate size, but now you can customize to any valid size. - Smart Business sizing support
WLE now supports the IBM Smart Business program. IBM Smart Business is a new, easier way for small and mid-size organizations to find, buy, and manage all of the applications and hardware they need to run a smarter business. Today, IBM Smart Business is offered in the United States, India, and Italy with over 150 solutions for their business needs. More and more IBM Smart Business solutions will offer customers and business partners the ability to size a customized Smart Cube to fit their business needs. More information is available at IBM Smart Market. - Measured workloads (PM, SRM, Topas) with fixed growth rates
These methods of inputting measured customer data into WLE currently provide historic trending information to establish growth rates. This typically provides the best projections for sizing. Based on client feedback, these trended growth rates can be optionally over-ridden by specifying a fixed growth rate. - Performance Data Investigator for IBM i (PDI)
PDI provides a Web-based analysis of IBM i performance data. PDI lets you easily select any single interval to be considered for sizing using WLE. Simply select the interval and click on the size function. WLE will then be launched in a browser with your data so you can size an upgrade or a consolidation. - Energy Estimation enhancements
The energy estimation function was broadened to consider more scope in terms of I/O. If you already have not, give the "Energy Estimate" function on the Selected System panel a try! The IBM Systems Energy Estimator can also be used as a standalone Web-based tool. - Show possible systems and rejected system list
On the Selected System panel, use the Show possible systems function to show other possible system solutions, along with the number of cores, and the utilization. You can easily change the recommendation on this panel to meet your specific needs. The systems that do not meet the requirements are also listed there along with the reasons. - WLE .pdf output enhancements
WLE provides the ability to customize the .pdf to optionally exclude either the immediate or growth solution. A new tier page was added for multiple-system recommendations. - WLE Developer Updates
The Workload Developer allows others to build workload plug-ins for WLE to characterize applications (like the IBM Sizing Guides referred to below). Refer to the "What's New" information found in the help menu of the Developer for the latest enhancements. The Developer is included in the download version of Workload Estimator. - New/updated workload plug-ins and sizing guides
Several workloads were updated in WLE and many sizing guides were updated. Refer to the IBM Sizing Guides for additional information.
Download version
IBM Systems Workload Estimator - Download version (includes Workload Developer Toolkit) (84.4 MB)
Downloading tips
- It is highly recommended that the online version of the Estimator be used.
- The download version is a compressed file that contains the installation wizard and the installing instruction as an HTML file. It is necessary to read and perform all of the steps specified in the Installing.htm file. This file includes information and Internet links (URLs) to the following modules, which are necessary to run this tool on a standalone PC.
- Apache Tomcat Server v5+ (New starting with v2008.2)
- Java Development Tool Kit (JDK) v1.5 (New starting with v2008.2)
