A Computer Performance Evaluation Educational Tool.

This report describes the development of an educational tool which is to be used in conjunction with a course in computer performance evaluation. The tool is a system composed of background information and software which simulates a computer site. The student is assigned to a position in a fictional computer services organization, and given problem situations to solve. The instructor prepares scenarios, constructs a model of the sites workload, and describes the initial computer configuration to be used. The student takes this information and uses it to decide what data may be required from the available hardware and software monitors. The data accumulated from these decisions and models is submitted to a computer simulation for processing. The simulation uses the workload description, configuration description, and monitor data requests to simulate a large mainframe computer with its attached hardware and software monitors. A computer accounting log and monitor statistics reports are generated by the simulation. After examining these outputs, the student provides solutions, or further requests for data which are then run through the simulation. This iterative process can continue for as long as the instructor desires. Author