Procedure Title

Tune OS Parameters_AIX.

Service

Middleware

Version
No
1.0

Date
05-June-12

Comments
New Document

Author
Rajeevreddy L

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Prepared By

Verified By

Approved By

Name:Rajeevreddy L
Date :05-June-2012

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Contents
Standard Operation Procedure (SOP)

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1.

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 3

2.

TUNING AIX SYSTEM............................................................................................................3

1. INTRODUCTION

Standard Operation Procedure (SOP)

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This Document describes how to tune the AIX operating system to optimize the performance of
your WebSphere Application Server.
Enable Global Security for Admin Console In WAS.

2. TUNING AIX SYSTEM

Steps To Tuning AIX System:

About this task

There are a number of configuration changes and variables you can set to tune the performance of
Websphere to suit your needs. Because the AIX operating system is not a WebSphere Application
Server product, be aware that it can change and results can vary.

Procedure
Change the following configuration settings or variables according to your needs:

TCP_TIMEWAIT
o

Description: Determines the time that must elapse before TCP/IP can release a
closed connection and reuse its resources. This interval between closure and
release is known as the TIME_WAIT state or twice the maximum segment lifetime
(2MSL) state. During this time, reopening the connection to the client and server
costs less than establishing a new connection. By reducing the value of this entry,
TCP/IP can release closed connections faster, providing more resources for new
connections. Adjust this parameter, if the running application requires rapid release
or the creation of new connections, or if a low throughput occurs due to many
connections sitting in the TIME_WAIT state.

How to view or set:

Issue the following command to set TCP_TIMEWAIT state to 15 seconds:
/usr/sbin/no o tcp_timewait =1

AIX operating systems with DB2

o

Description: Separating your DB2 log files from the physical database files can
boost performance. You can also separate the log and the database files from the
drive that contains the Journaled File System (JFS) service. AIX uses specific
volume groups and file systems for the JFS logging.

How to view or set: Use the AIX filemon utility to view all the file system input and
output and to strategically select the file system for the DB2 log files..

Default value: The default location for the DB2 log files is often the same disk drive
where the database tables are stored.

Recommended value: Move the files to a disk that is separate from the DB2 data
and has the minimum input or output activity.

AIX file descriptors (ulimit)

o

Description: Specifies the various restrictions on resource usage on the user

account. The ulimit -a command displays all the ulimit limits. The ulimit -a command
specifies only the number of open files that are permitted. The default number of
open files setting (2000) is typically sufficient for most applications. If the value set
for this parameter is too low, errors might occur when opening files or establishing

Standard Operation Procedure (SOP)

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connections. Because this value limits the number of file descriptors that a server
process might open, a value that is too low prevents optimum performance.
o

How to view or set: Perform the following steps to change the open file limit to
10,000 files:
1. Open the command window.
2. Edit the /etc/security/limits file. Add the following lines to the user account that
the WebSphere Application Server process runs on:
3. nofiles = 10000
nofiles_hard = 10000

4. Save the changes.

5. Restart your AIX system.
6. To verify the result, type the ulimit -a command on the command line. For
example, type # ulimit -a.
o

Default value: For the AIX operating system, the default setting is 2000.

Recommended value: The value is application dependent and applies exclusively

to application program data and the application stack.

Increasing the ulimit file descriptor limits might improve performance.

Increasing some of the other limits might be needed depending on your
application. Any changes to the data or stack ulimits should ensure that
data+stack < 256MB (for 32-bit WebSphere Application Server only).
It is recommended that you change the ulimit for data to "unlimited".

AIX TCP_KEEPIDLE
o

Description: The keepAlive packet ensures that a connection stays in an

active/ESTABLISHED state.

How to view or set: Use the no command to determine the current value or to set
the value. The change is effective until the next time you restart the machine. To
permanently change the value, add the no command to the /etc/rc.net directory. For
example:
no -o tcp_keepidle=600

Default value: 14400 half seconds (2 hours).

Recommended value: 600 half seconds (5 minutes).

TCP_KEEPINTVL
o

Description: Specifies the interval between packets that are sent to validate the
connection.

How to view or set: Use the following command to set the value to 5 seconds:
no -o tcp_keepintvl=10

Default value: 150(1/2 seconds)

Recommended value: 10(1/2 seconds)

TCP_KEEPINIT

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Description: Specifies the initial timeout value for TCP connection.

How to view or set: Use the following command to set the value to 20 seconds:
no -o tcp_keepinit=40

Default value: 150(1/2 seconds)

Recommended value: 40(1/2 seconds)

Allocating large pages (16 MB) for Java virtual machines heap
Some applications require a very large heap for optimal performance. Reduce the CPU
overhead of managing a large heap by using large page support that is provided by the
CPU and the operating system. The following steps allocate 4 GB of RAM as large pages
(16 MB):

1.

As root user, run the following commands to reserve 4 GB of large page:

vmo -r -o lgpg_regions=256 -o lgpg_size=16777216
bosboot -ad /dev/ipldevice
reboot -q

2.
After reboot, run the following command to enable large page support on the AIX
operating system:
vmo -p -o v_pinshm=1

3.

As root user, add the following capabilities for the user:

chuser capabilities=CAP_BYPASS_RAC_VMM,CAP_PROPAGATE $USER

4.

Add the -Xlp Java options to the Java command.

a. Click Servers > Application Servers > server_name.
b. Under Server Infrastructure, click Java and Process Management > Process
Definition > Java Virtual Machine.
c. In the Generic JVM Argument field, add -Xlp.

5.

Add the EXTSHM custom property and set to OFF.

i. Click Servers > Application Servers > server_name.
ii. Under Server Infrastructure, click Java and Process Management >
Process Definition > Environment Entries > New.
iii. In the Name field, enter EXTSHM.
iv. In the Value field, enter OFF.

6.

Validate large page support is used with the following command:

vmstat -l 1

Note: The "alp" column is non-zero when the application is running.

Standard Operation Procedure (SOP)

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There are several concerns when enabling large pages, which can cause serious
events to occur on the machine when large pages are enabled. For more information
on AIX large pages, see the "Considerations for using large pages" section at the
following address: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/pseries/v5r3/index.jsp?
topic=/com.ibm.aix.prftungd/doc/prftungd/large_page_ovw.htm.
If you do not want to use the large pages option, there is also a medium page option.
The medium page size option, which is similar, and has close to the same
performance gains as large pages. However, it does not involve the problems of
reserving physical memory for a specific user or process..

Other AIX information

Consider the other AIX operating system settings that are not within the scope of this
document. You can adjust the following additional settings:
o

Adapter transmit and receive queue

TCP/IP socket buffer

IP protocol mbuf pool performance

Update file descriptors

Update the scheduler

Results
This tuning procedure improves performance of WebSphere Application Server on the AIX
operating system.

Standard Operation Procedure (SOP)

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