Further Experiences with Software Performance Modelling

P. Utton and G. Martin (British Telecom)

Abstract

This position paper provides a brief report on a case study within BT focussing on the creation of a performance model for a large software based system which reflects an object oriented design operating in a distributed environment. The case study system is a large customer service system currently under development that will enable operators to respond to customers’ telephone queries with information gleaned from database searches, the results being returned using a combination of automated announcement and operator to customer dialogue. The projected system workload is in excess of 300,000 queries per hour at peak times which are resolved by a team of 3000 operators geographically distributed across the UK. Performance is recognised as a key issue by the system owners.