But optimizing hardware and software configurations is tricky. The IT manager does not have to deal with this alone. Moore relied on its principal vendors. "We used Sun and SAP to ensure our database was set up correctly; we had the right configurations for I/O boards and network boards to get the performance we wanted," says Mike Coleman, director of infrastructure. "We did a lot of work up-front before we had a box on the floor, and the work has paid off."

Meir Chen, New York NT service manager at Swiss Reinsurance America Corp. in Armonk, N.Y., uses Best/1, a software product from BMC Software Inc., to optimize performance. "I use it for what-if scenarios: What if my workload increases? What is the impact of upgrades?" he says.

The product, according to BMC's VP of corporate marketing, Wayne Morris, lets the user monitor performance while the server is operating and isolate bottlenecks. It reports on performance and patterns and can be used to predict future performance so IT managers can plan ahead.

It's important to recognize that different uses of a server affect performance in different ways. Sun's Manner says applications such as technical simulations are CPU-centric; they use a lot of CPU cycles, so they require hefty CPUs for good server performance. Data warehousing, on the other hand, puts a heavy burden on the disk subsystem, so if users do a lot of data warehousing, they will want to consider boosting disk management. RAID storage technology, which spreads work over multiple disks, helps manage data, for example.

It would be nice if all the strategies for boosting server performance could be subject to a consistent return-on-investment analysis. It's not so simple, however, especially since performance affects business issues, and these can have dollar ramifications that are significant but unmeasurable.

Grainger of Dixon Ticonderoga says he gets an "intangible return" on the investments he's made to boost performance. His company has been able to shift customer-service issues from human interaction to the Web.

For example, when a shipment is sent but the customer can't find a record of receiving it, the customer used to call Dixon Ticonderoga, and a considerable amount of human effort and time went into tracking what happened. Now, the customer can log on and, in less than a minute, track shipments and see signed receipts. The company has reduced calls from customers by 80%, and the cost of handling transactions and verification has dropped from $60 each to between $3 and $4 apiece. Customers wouldn't use the system if the servers weren't performing well, notes Grainger. In fact, part of his motivation to boost server performance was the fact that customers were saying his Web site was a tad slow.

Dealing with the need for better server performance is a major issue for many IT managers. Demands on servers are increasing while options for boosting performance are almost endless. Users need to look ahead, anticipate needs, buy a bit more than they need today, and use several of the tools available. There isn't one answer, but a combination of tactics can produce a solution that keeps customers, employees, and managers happy with robust performance at a reasonable cost.

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