How I tested

I tested the Vieo 1000 in a representative three-tier datacenter setting. This environment comprised a presentation layer with a Dell 1650 Web server running Linux and Apache HTTP Server. The middle business logic tier employed Dell 1650 Linux servers, configured with BEA Systems WebLogic Server; these systems hosted an e-commerce storefront and companion back-office inventory management application. A Sun E220R server and Oracle 9i database made up the database tier. (A total of eight Dell 1650 servers were available, with the Vieo 1000 able to provision the idle ones as needed in the Web and application tiers).

After wiring the Vieo 1000 to each server and installing appropriate agent software, I placed the Vieo 1000 appliance in learning mode for three days. During this time simulated Internet traffic was pointed at the test environment. Additionally, I used the Vieo 1000’s Java console to create software configuration templates and to adjust AQoS policy settings, such as acceptable response time.

I then switched the Vieo 1000 to adaptive mode and stressed the environment with unusual Web loads and application problems. In each case, the Vieo 1000 responded with appropriate measures. For instance, to bring response time down caused by excessive Web traffic, the Vieo 1000 provisioned and moved an idle server into the middle tier in under 10 minutes, application performance returned within tolerances almost immediately thereafter.