Working with Scenarios

Overview of Working with Scenarios

Scenarios are collections of systems and workloads, both real and “What-If” creations. While scenarios are based on real data, you can modify parameters to model changes to the environment and the configuration of systems and workloads. The following tasks are described:

Creating a scenario (see Creating a Scenario)
Editing a scenario (see Editing a Scenario)
Copying a scenario (see Copying a Scenario)
Renaming a scenario (see Renaming a Scenario)
Viewing or modifying changes to a scenario (see View or Modify Changes)
Controlling the behavior of a scenario (see Controlling Scenario Behavior)
Removing a scenario (see Deleting a Scenario)

Creating a Scenario

Scenarios are used to model system behavior by performing “What-If” operations based on collected data. The first step in using scenarios is creating one.

Prerequisites. To create a scenario:

You must be logged in to HP Systems Insight Manager (see Accessing Capacity Advisor).
You must have already collected data on the systems of interest (see Collecting Data).
The systems you want to include in the scenario must be licensed for Capacity Advisor and you must be authorized on all of them (see VSE Management Software Quick Start Guide Version A.03.00.00).

Procedure 4-23 To Create a Scenario

Select OptimizeCapacity AdvisorCreate Scenario... from the upper, HP SIM menu-bar.
The Capacity Advisor - Create New Scenario wizard will be started, with a list of systems available for the scenario. Systems that are licensed for Capacity Advisor but with no data collected are listed below the list of available systems.
If any of the systems you want to use in the scenario are not listed anywhere on the page, make sure they are licensed for Capacity Advisor and that your login is authorized on them (see VSE Management Software Quick Start Guide Version A.03.00.00) and then return to this procedure.
If any of the systems you want to use in the scenario are in the list of systems licensed for Capacity Advisor with no data collected for them, you need to collect data on them (see Collecting Data) and then return to this procedure.
Click the check boxes preceding the systems you want to include in the scenario (you can add or remove systems later if necessary).
Check marks will appear in the check boxes by the selected systems and the rows containing the systems will be highlighted.
Click the Next button.
The second screen of the Capacity Advisor - Create New Scenario wizard will be displayed.
Fill in the field labeled Scenario Name. Each scenario name must be unique and must follow the rules listed below the field.
It is a good practice to provide a short description in the field labeled Description, since, as the number of scenarios grows, it will become more difficult to depend on names to differentiate them.
Click the Next button.
The final screen of the wizard will be displayed.
Verify the name, description, and systems to be included in the scenario, then click the Finish button.
The Capacity Advisor screen will be displayed.

What Now? Once you have created a scenario, you might want to:

Edit a Scenario (see Editing a Scenario).
View reports and graphs to determine the effects of the changes (see Overview of Graphs and Reports).

Editing a Scenario

Editing a scenario allows you to modify the systems and workloads in a scenario. This can be done immediately after initial creation or to tune a scenario to represent planned changes.




	NOTE: When measuring CPU utilization of Virtual Machines, it is possible for the reported utilization to be greater than the number of virtual CPUs (vCPUs) associated with the Virtual Machine. While the number of Virtual Machine host threads allocated to the process for the virtual machine is restricted to the number of virtual CPUs, the Virtual Machine host threads used to implement virtual hardware, such as I/O cards, are not restricted. Under certain load conditions, this can result in CPU utilization of more than 100% being reported for a Virtual Machine.

Prerequisites. To edit a scenario:

You must be logged in to HP Systems Insight Manager (see Accessing Capacity Advisor).
You must have created the scenario (see Creating a Scenario).

Procedure 4-24 To Edit a Scenario

If you are not on the Capacity Advisor tab:
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is visible, click the Capacity Advisor tab.
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is not visible, select OptimizeCapacity AdvisorView Scenarios... from the upper, HP SIM menu bar.
The Capacity Advisor tab will open, with a list of scenarios.
Any scenarios you have authorization to edit will be presented as links. Click the name of the scenario you want to edit.
The Capacity Advisor - Edit Scenario screen will be displayed.

What Now? While you are editing a scenario, you can:

Control the scenario parameters (see Controlling Scenario Behavior).
View, enable, and disable changes to the scenario (see View or Modify Changes).
Work with systems (see Overview of Working with Systems).
Work with workloads (see Overview of Working with Workloads).
View reports and graphs to determine the effects of the changes (see Overview of Graphs and Reports).

Copying a Scenario

Scenarios are used to model system behavior by performing “What-If” operations based on collected data. It is frequently desirable to use an existing scenario as the starting point for developing a new scenario. Copying a scenario provides an easy way to accomplish this.

Prerequisites. To copy a scenario:

You must be logged in to HP Systems Insight Manager (see Accessing Capacity Advisor).
You must be authorized on all systems in the scenario (see VSE Management Software Quick Start Guide Version A.03.00.00).

Procedure 4-25 To Copy a Scenario

If you are not on the Capacity Advisor tab:
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is visible, click the Capacity Advisor tab.
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is not visible, select OptimizeCapacity AdvisorView Scenarios... from the upper, HP SIM menu bar.
The Capacity Advisor tab will open, with a list of scenarios.
The names of any scenarios you have authorization to copy will be displayed. Click the radio button preceding the scenario you wish to copy.
The row containing the scenario will be highlighted and the radio button will be filled in to indicate selection.
Select CreateCopy Scenario.... The Copy Scenario confirmation screen will be displayed.
Modify the Name and Description fields as appropriate.
Click the OK button.
You will be returned to the Capacity Advisor tab.

What Now? Once you have copied a scenario, you might want to:

Edit a Scenario (see Editing a Scenario).
Rename a scenario (see Renaming a Scenario).

Renaming a Scenario

Scenarios are used to model system behavior by performing “What-If” operations based on collected data. Over time, more appropriate names for scenarios may become apparent. Renaming a scenario allows you to change the name.

Prerequisites. To rename a scenario:

You must be logged in to HP Systems Insight Manager (see Accessing Capacity Advisor).
You must have created the scenario (see Creating a Scenario).

Procedure 4-26 To Rename a Scenario

If you are not on the Capacity Advisor tab:
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is visible, click the Capacity Advisor tab.
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is not visible, select OptimizeCapacity AdvisorView Scenarios... from the upper, HP SIM menu bar.
The Capacity Advisor tab will open, with a list of scenarios.
The names of any scenarios you have authorization to rename will be displayed as links. Click the radio button preceding the scenario you wish to rename.
The row containing the scenario will be highlighted and the radio button will be filled in to indicate selection.
Select ModifyRename Scenario... from the lower menu-bar.
The Rename Scenario screen will be displayed.
Modify the Name and Description fields as desired.
Click the OK button.
You will be returned to the Capacity Advisor tab.

What Now? Now that you have renamed a scenario, you may want to:

Edit a Scenario (see Editing a Scenario).

View or Modify Changes

As you work on a scenario, you can review the changes made or undo selected ones.




	IMPORTANT: Disabling or enabling What-If actions can cause subsequent dependent What-If actions to fail. Be prepared to undo the suppression of any changes if you get errors.

Prerequisites. To view or modify changes made to a scenario:

You must be editing a scenario (see Editing a Scenario).




	NOTE: You can view or modify changes from either the System or Workload tab.

Procedure 4-27 To View or Modify Changes

Select What-If ActionShow or Modify Changes... from the menu-bar.
The Edit Scenario - Show or Modify Changes screen will be displayed. A list of changes made to the scenario with check boxes preceding them is visible, with the earliest changes at the top of the list.
If you only wanted to review the changes, click the Cancel once you are done.
You will be returned to the Capacity Advisor - Edit Scenario screen.
If you wish to disable changes, click the check boxes preceding the changes you want to disable.
Check marks will appear in the check boxes.
If you want to re-enable changes, click in the check boxes preceding the changes you want to re-enable.
The check marks will disappear.
Click the OK button.
You will be returned to the Capacity Advisor - Edit Scenario screen. The changes you disabled will no longer be in effect and those you re-enabled will be in effect again.
IMPORTANT: Disabling changes that later changes depend on can lead to errors in the scenario.

What Now? Once you have modified changes, you might want to:

View reports and graphs to determine the effects of the changes (see Overview of Graphs and Reports).

Controlling Scenario Behavior

The default values for the Simulation Interval and the Metric View Selection may not accurately represent the interval of interest and the preferred metric. These are easily adjusted.

Changing the Simulation Interval of a Scenario

Prerequisites. To change the parameters for a scenario:

You must be editing a scenario (see Editing a Scenario).




	NOTE: Changes to the simulation interval are persistent across sessions.

Procedure 4-28 To Change the Simulation Interval of a Scenario

This diagram provides context for understanding this procedure. The Simulation Interval is controlled by a combination of three fields:

1	Duration
2	Reference Point
3	Reference Date (date to which the “Reference Point” will be attached)

Click in the “Duration” field (1 in the diagram).
The list of simulation intervals (shown in the diagram) will be posted.
Select the desired duration.
The list will collapse and the selected value will fill the field. The simulation interval will be updated.
Click in the “Reference Point” field (2 in the diagram).
The list of possible reference points (shown in the diagram) will be posted.
Select the desired reference point.
The list will collapse and the selected value will fill the field. The simulation interval will be updated.
Fill the date into the “Reference Date” field (3 in the diagram).
Press the Enter key to update the scenario.

What Now? Once you have modified the scenario parameters, you might want to:

View reports and graphs to determine the effects of the changes (see Overview of Graphs and Reports).

Changing the Metric View Selection

Prerequisites. To change the parameters a scenario:

You must be editing a scenario (see Editing a Scenario).




	NOTE: Changes to the metric view are applied to the current scenario editing session, but return to the defaults at the beginning of future sessions.

Procedure 4-29 To Change the Metric View Selection

The Metric View Selection is a compound control. The diagram below provides context for understanding this procedure.

1	Metric Type
2	Metric Presentation

Click in the “Metric Type” field (1 in the diagram).
The list of possible metric types (shown in the diagram) will be posted.
Select the desired metric type.
The list of possible metric types will collapse and the selected value will fill the field and the scenario will be updated.
Click the Absolute or Percent button.
The appropriate radio button will be highlighted and the scenario will be updated.

What Now? Once you have modified the scenario parameters, you might want to:

View reports and graphs to determine the effects of the changes (see Overview of Graphs and Reports).

Deleting a Scenario

Over time, as scenarios become irrelevant, removing them will reduce the list you have to search to find your scenarios.

Prerequisites.

You must be logged in to HP Systems Insight Manager (see Accessing Capacity Advisor).
You must have created the scenario (see Creating a Scenario) or be the HP SIM administrator (see the HP SIM help by selecting HelpFor HP Systems Insight Manager from the upper, HP SIM menu-bar).

Procedure 4-30 To Delete a Capacity Advisor Scenario

If you are not on the Capacity Advisor tab:
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is visible, click the Capacity Advisor tab.
- If the Capacity Advisor tab is not visible, select OptimizeCapacity AdvisorView Scenarios... from the upper, HP SIM menu bar.
The Capacity Advisor tab will open, with a list of scenarios.
The names of any scenarios you created, and thus can delete, will be displayed as links. If you are the administrator, you can delete any scenario. Click the radio button preceding the scenario you wish to delete.
The row containing the scenario will be highlighted and the radio button will be filled in to indicate selection.
Select DeleteDelete Scenario from the lower menu bar.
The Delete Scenario confirmation screen will be displayed, with the name of the scenario that will be deleted.
Confirm that this is the scenario you want to delete, then click the OK button.
You will be returned to the VSE Management: Capacity Advisor screen.