HP Performance Tuning Framework User Guide

The HP Performance Tuning Framework assists workstation system administrators by quickly guiding their configuration of workstations used to run certain technical applications.  Several key features of the Framework that provide this assistance are:

• a thorough configuration inventory displayed on the Configuration Page along with easy access to the Hewlett-Packard QuickSpecs document for the particular workstation model
• a listing of available drivers for the machine's graphics card along with the application names that were certified using each one; this information is presented on the Graphics Driver Page, which also includes a button to easily download and install the desired driver
• an OS Tuning Page for Windows XP Professional customization
• a report of the plug-in and add-in application software, USB Plug-and-play device information and driver for the 3Dconnexion motion controller connected on the workstation; this information is presented on the 3Dconnexion Page, which also includes a button to start/stop the driver
• a collection of application-specific tuning pages that deliver knowledge and experience derived from Hewlett-Packard's long history of intimate involvement with the application development teams

System Requirements

The following sections describe the specific network, software, and hardware requirements of the HP Performance Tuning Framework.

Network Requirements

An internet connection is crucial to the proper and successful operation of the Framework.  Each time it runs, the Framework server is queried for an updated certification database.  If one is found, it is immediately downloaded for use by the Framework.  Similarly, the Framework utility itself may require an update, either to fix a defect or add support for a new third-party application; these updates are delivered over the internet.  Finally, a major feature of the Framework is its ability to download and install graphics drivers.  This operation clearly requires access to the internet.

Both direct connection to the internet and connection through a firewall via an HTTP proxy server are supported by the Framework.  Upon the first attempted network connection, a direct request is made to the remote server using the system's Internet Options proxy settings.  If that request times out (after approximately ten seconds), the user is prompted to enter the address and port number of an HTTP proxy server, and, optionally, the user account information if it is required for the server.  If a connection is made using the proxy server, the proxy's address, port, and account information are saved for use with all future network requests.

System Internet Options that utilize an Automatic Configuration Script are not supported by the Framework.  Running on such a configuration will time out when connecting to the Framework's server, and will then prompt the user for an explicit HTTP proxy server.

Software Requirements

The Framework has been developed for both the Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional operating systems using version 1.1 of Microsoft's .NET Framework.  The .NET Framework is loaded automatically during a web-downloaded installation of the HP Performance Tuning Framework if it is not found on the workstation.

The Performance Tuning Framework is also supported with the .NET Framework version 1.1 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.  However, because of 32-bit limitations in the 1.1 version of the .NET Framework, the Memory Usage Page will only have accurate memory usage data for processes utilizing less than 4GB of memory.  A new feature of the Performance Tuning Framework, the Resource Collector, is capable of running with the .NET Framework version 2.0, with full 64-bit support, and therefore the ability to describe application memory usage above 4GB.  If version 2.0 of .NET is not installed on the workstation, the Performance Tuning Framework will show a link to Microsoft's .NET download site on the Resource Collector Configuration dialog.

Due to the Framework's ability to install drivers and modify system settings, the user running the Framework must have Administrator privileges.

Third-party applications are not required to run the Framework.  Their presence is represented through the content of some of the Framework's tabbed pages however.  For example, when supported applications are found on a machine, the Framework can report graphics driver certification information relative to only those installed applications.  Also, on the Applications Page, the installed, supported applications are listed first, before the supported applications that are not installed.

Supported Applications lists the applications recognized by the Framework, and describes the available application-specific features in greater detail.

Hardware Requirements

The Framework extracts its computer and graphics card certification information from a database that is updated frequently by the HP engineering team working with the software vendors.  As Hewlett-Packard and the graphics card vendors release new hardware, the database will reflect up-to-date certification results to provide accurate configuration recommendations.

These workstation models are currently supported:

• hp workstation xw3100
• hp workstation xw4000
• hp workstation xw4100
• hp workstation xw4200
• hp workstation xw4300
• hp workstation xw4400
• hp workstation xw5000
• hp workstation xw6000
• hp workstation xw6200
• hp workstation xw6400
• hp workstation xw8000
• hp workstation xw8200
• hp workstation xw8400
• hp workstation xw9300
• hp mobile workstation nw8000
• hp mobile workstation nw8240
• hp mobile workstation nw8440
• hp mobile workstation nw9440

Attempting to run the Framework on a non-HP workstation will fail.

The Framework's graphics driver library contains drivers for these graphics cards:

ATI Technologies Inc.

• FireGL 8700
• FireGL 8800
• FireGL X1
• FireGL Z1
• FireGL T2-64s
• FireGL T2-128
• FireGL V3100
• FireGL V3300
• FireGL V5100
• FireGL V7200
• Mobility FireGL T2
• Mobility FireGL V5000
• Mobility FireGL V5200

NVIDIA Corporation

• Quadro2 MXR
• Quadro2 EX
• Quadro2 Pro
• Quadro4 NVS
• Quadro4 380 XGL
• Quadro4 550 XGL
• Quadro4 580 XGL
• Quadro4 750 XGL
• Quadro4 900 XGL
• Quadro4 980 XGL
• Quadro FX 330
• Quadro FX 500
• Quadro FX 540
• Quadro FX 560
• Quadro FX 1000
• Quadro FX 1100
• Quadro FX 1300
• Quadro FX 1400
• Quadro FX 1500
• Quadro FX 1500M
• Quadro FX 2000
• Quadro FX 3000
• Quadro FX 3400
• Quadro FX 3450
• Quadro FX 3500
• Quadro FX 4500

These 3Dconnexion motion controllers are currently supported:

• USB SpaceTraveler
• USB Spaceball 5000
• USB SpacePilot