Login VSI Storage Workload

Login VSI storage workload

Introduction

The Login VSI storage workload is used in conjunction with Login VSI. The storage workload proves the capacity of storage solutions only. To test the performance and capabilities of the overall system and overall use cases, please use the regular Login VSI workloads as well.

The storage worker workload in Login VSI was radically modified to suit storage testing in the following ways:

• CPU-only intensive operations are removed in favor of IO-intensive operations
• Browse and edit sections are removed or minimized, as they have no specific impact on disk IO
• The Login VSI storage workload loops every 16 minutes instead of the 48 minutes typical for the knowledge worker profile
• At the end of each loop, after all apps are closed, the VSImemoryeater consumes maximum memory for a couple of seconds (105% of available memory). This will clear any applications that are still cached in Windows memory. The next time these apps are started in a new loop, it will generate the same read IO as if the application is started for the first time

The VSImax, Login VSI’s easy-to-understand measure point of how many users can run in the environment before the performance reaches an unacceptable level, is less relevant when it comes to storage tests. In fact, you do not want to reach the VSImax at all with storage tests. Not reaching your VSImax indicates that the amount of users you tested with can be run on your (storage) platform.

The recommended usage of the Login VSI storage workload

The recommended usage of the Login VSI storage workload is as follows:

• The storage workload relies on Login VSI 4.1, so the first step is to download, install and configure Login VSI 4.1. If you’re not familiar with Login VSI, please refer to the Login VSI Installation documentation. Installing the PRO content library is recommended to use with the storage workload.

• Install the Login VSI Storage workload into the Login VSI share.

• Validate the VDI or SBC environment and the Login VSI installation by running one of the default workloads, included in the Login VSI Professional download.

• Select the Storage workload in the management console.

• Run a small-scale test and slowly incrementing number of sessions.

• Analyze the results of the test. To get full insight in the performance of your VDI or SBC environment, external data can be gathered and loaded into the Analyzer.

Requirements before using the storage workload

• Traditional Login VSI environment is already up and running
• Web servers need to use UNC

Installation

The Login VSI Storage workload relies on the functionality of Login VSI 4.1

Download and install Login VSI 4.1

Download Login VSI from this download page

Install Login VSI 4.1 as described in this Installation page

Download and install the storage workload

Download the storage workload from this download page

Description	Screenshot
Start the LoginVSI_StorageWorkload.exe installer.
Click the “Next” button.
Enter the path to your Login VSI share and click the “Next” button.
Click the “Install” button to start the installation.
Press the “Finish” button to close the installer application.

Running the workload

Description	Screenshot
Configure the Login VSI infrastructure, phase and connection as shown in the “Getting started with Login VSI” video.
Open Test setup > scenario in the Login VSI management console
Select the “Storage” workload
Start a test as described in the Login VSI Start your first test documentation.
Monitor the session’s progress.
Wait for all sessions to log off. This can be monitored in the Login VSI Management Console dashboard.

Analyzing the results

Start the Login VSI Analyzer as described on Starting the Analyzer Select the storage test that you want to analyze and click Open to start the analysis.

Storage analyzer tabs Login VSI 4.1.x

This analyzer overview is only available when the following workload is used:

• Storage Worker

Description	Screenshot
The VSImax v4.1 tab is the main tab of the Login VSI analyzer in combination with the storage workload. This tab shows the most important information.
This section shows the following. VSImax v4.1: VSImax v4.1 shows the amount of sessions that can be active on a system before the system is saturated. The red X shows the point where VSImax was reached. This number gives you an indication of the scalability of the environment (higher is better). VSIbase: VSIbase is the best performance of the system during a test (the lowest response times). This number is used to determine what the performance threshold will be. VSIbase gives an indication of the base performance of the environment (lower is better). VSIbase is also indicated within the graph. VSImax v4 average: VSImax v4 average indicates the average response time for all the measurements taken when the indicated number of sessions on the X axis were active. VSImax v4 threshold: VSImax v4 threshold indicates at which point the environments saturation point is reached. It is based on VSIbase. VSImax v4 threshold is also indicated within the graph. Stuck sessions: How many sessions got stuck during the test. This number should be 0. Stuck sessions indicate a problem during the test. As stuck session do not generate load the VSImax score will be reduced by the number of stuck sessions.
Minimum Response: Minimum response indicates the minimum response time for all the measurements taken when the indicated number of sessions on the X axis were active. Average Response: Average response indicates the average response time for all the measurements taken taken when the indicated number of sessions on the X axis were active. Maximum Response: Maximum response indicates the maximum response time for all the measurements taken when the indicated number of sessions on the X axis were active. VSI Index Average: VSI Index Average indicates the average value as calculated by VSI. The VSI Index Average differs from Average Response on the fact that Average Response is the pure average. VSI Index Average applies certain statistical rules to the average to avoid spikes from influencing the average too much.

Storage VSImax detailed

Description	Screenshot
The VSImax v4 detailed tab shows the individual measurements taken during a test in a combined graph. This graph shows the minimum, average and maximum response times for each individual measurement. There is also a Total metric that combines all of the metric into a single number. The minimum, average and maximum for this combined value is shown as well.
The metrics are as follows. Total: The sum of all the metrics. 100k20: Write 20 100k files. 2MB10: Write 20 10MB files. 4k100: Write 100 4k files. 7ZCR: Create a zip file of the above data: 100k20, 2MB10 and 4k100. 7ZEX: Extract the zip file of the above data: 100k20, 2MB10 and 4k100. CPU: Calculates a large array of random data. DD: Delete the directory that contains all of the IO data: 100k20, 2MB10 and 4k100, written above. FCTL: File Copy Text Local. Copy a txt (plain text) file locally. FCTS: File Copy Text Share. Copy a txt (plain text) file locally. NFO: Notepad File Open. The open dialog in notepad. NSLD: Notepad Start/LoaD file. Start notepad by file type association, loading a text file. UMEM: Percentage of memory used by the sessions. ZLC: Zip Low Compression. Zip a PST (Outlook Personal Folder) file, which is approximately 5 megabytes in size, using no compression.

Storage VSImax detailed weighted

Description

The VSImax v4 detailed weighted tab shows the exact same individual measurements and metrics as in "Storage VSImax detailed" they are also taken during a test in a combined graph where as in now a multiplier is applied. This graph shows the minimum, average and maximum response times for each individual measurement. In this graph you can clearly see which measurement has an impact on your environment.

Dec 19, 2014 - Login VSI Storage Workload: The ultimate proof of VDI storage performance