April 15, 2023
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      Mia Thompson

3.1 IBM ICCP Tool (SCout) for system sizing

For upgrades to an existing IBM FileNet system, especially in a situation where an increase in the volume of ingested documents for storage is anticipated, it is useful to know what the impact of the changes will be.

IBM has a software tool called IBM Content Capacity Planner which produces graphical reports to provide network and CPU load predictions, based on the projected loads on the system from an increase in business data volumes.

The following IBM link describes the use of this system and a method of collecting data for it, from an existing deployed production system, to get a baseline loading, from which to extrapolate the expected loading after additional data volumes have been introduced.

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/filenet-p8-platform/5.5.x?topic=p8-running-content-capacity-planner-report

3.1.1 The procedure to collect report data for the IBM ICCP (IBM SCout) tool

An IBM CCP report is generated from the Reports view in the IBM System Dashboard for Enterprise Content Management tool which is described in this section.

3.1.1.1 Installation of the IBM system dashboard for Enterprise Content Management

The overview for this is described in the link as follows:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/filenet-p8-platform/5.5.x?topic=p8-installation-overview

To install the System Dashboard, an archive file is downloaded from IBM Software Access Catalog. This was searched for in the IBM Software Access Catalog, using the text:

IBM Enterprise Content Management System Monitor 5.5.9 Multiplatform English eAssembly

The download contains all of the IBM System Dashboard programs, samples, libraries, and API documentation. Unzip the package to the directory you have designated for System Dashboard. (zipped in IBM_ECMSM_5.5.9_LINUX_ON_INTEL.tar.gz for Linux, and IBM_ECM_SM_V5.5.9_WINDOWS_EN.zip for Windows Servers). In the directory locate the launch file for your platform:

Open the launch file with a text editor. Add AcceptLicense to the end of the command, for example:

java -Xms128m -Xmx1100m -cp .:libs/forms_rt.jar:libs/chart.jar:libs/chart.ext.jar:libs/log4j-1.2.13.jar:mgrlib.jar:mgr.jar com/filenet/PchMgr/Manager AcceptLicense

Modify the command to include a fully qualified path to the Java executable if it cannot be found in the current search path and save your changes.

3.1.1.2 To create an IBM ICCP report

The release of IBM ICCP 4.50.12 tool, dated 30th November, 2015, was made available (briefly) to IBM BusinessWorld Partners in May 2017 on the IBM Software Access Catalog website. This version covers IBM FileNet up to version 5.2 (NOTE: The Java API used for this is still compatible with the latest IBM FileNet 5.5.x versions). IBM now, appear to only release this software for their internal Technical Consultants to access.

As at version 4.50.12, the following additional IBM Software products were added:

The existing Wizard list was also extended for IBM CMoD 9.5, IBM Datacap 9.0, IBM CM8 Case Manager, IBM CM8 Navigator, IBM CM8 IER (IBM Enterprise Records for IBM Content Management 8).

IBM FileNet P8 5 .2 CSS (Content Search Services) and P8 5.2 Records Manager.

The IBM ICCP workload models available include P8 4.x, CM8, P8 3.x and IDMIS products. The descriptive and numerical details of the system to be analyzed has to be loaded into the IBM ICCP Modelling and Performance Analysis software tool.

Once a workload and system are modelled, complex computations of the loading of the Network and CPU of the system and its components are performed. The computations IBM ICCP uses are pulled from a large library of algorithms which have been generated from real-world system performance testing. The performance load results are organized into reports so that the IBM ICCP Analyst can provide a reasonable estimate of the systems utilization. IBM ICCP quickly generates reports on the main Network and CPU loading of the system.

The accuracy of the results from any computer modelling application depends on the load data input. IBM ICCP predictions are accurate to within plus or minus 20% of the reported demand based on the specified workload.