Working with Scenarios

Introduction

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.

Creating scenarios (see “Creating a Scenario”)
Editing scenarios (see “Editing a Scenario”)
Copying scenarios (see “Copying a Scenario”)
Renaming scenarios (see “Renaming a Scenario”)
Showing or modifying changes to scenarios (see “Undoing or Editing Changes to Scenario”)
Controlling the behavior of scenarios (see “ Controlling Scenario Behavior”)
Removing scenarios (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 “Gathering Data for Capacity Advisor”).
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 Version 4.0 Getting Started Guide).

To create a scenario:

You must be logged in to HP Systems Insight Manager (see Accessing Capacity Advisor).

Procedure 5-27 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 Help on “VSE Licenses”) 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 Gathering Data for Capacity Advisor)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 “Producing 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: Only one scenario may be edited at a time. Starting to edit a second scenario when the first one is still open will end the first edit scenario session.

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 5-28 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.

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 Version 4.0 Getting Started Guide).

Procedure 5-29 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 5-30 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”).

Undoing or Editing Changes to Scenario

As you work on a scenario, you can review, delete, or disable/enable selected system changes.




	IMPORTANT: Disabling or enabling What-If actions can cause subsequent and dependent What-If actions to fail. Be prepared to re-enable any changes if you get errors in the scenario.

Getting There

When you are editing a scenario , from either the System or Workload tab, select What-If ActionUndo/Edit/View Applied What-If Actions from the menu bar. The Edit Scenario - Undo/Edit/View Applied What-If Actions 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.

To View Applied What-If Actions

If you only wanted to review the changes, click Close once you are done reviewing. You will be returned to the Capacity Advisor - Edit Scenario screen.

To Edit Applied What-If Actions

If you wish to disable changes, click the check boxes preceding the changes you want to disable. You can check either one step or a range of steps that have been grouped together.

Then, click Disable.

If you want to re-enable changes, click in the check boxes preceding the changes you want to re-enable. You can check either one step or a range of steps that have been grouped together.

Then, click Enable.

If you want to delete changes, click in the check boxes preceding the changes you want to delete. You can check either one step or a range of steps that have been grouped together.

Then, click Delete.

Modifying Resource Utilization Values

For rows where this feature is available, you can change the scaling factors (multipliers) associated with a change.

Click the check box to the left of the row where you want to change the value.
Change the value using the field in the column labeled Modifiable Values.
Click Modify.

Once you are done with all your changes (you can come back as many times as you wish), click Close .

You will be returned to the Capacity Advisor - Edit Scenario screen. The changes you disabled or deleted will no longer be in effect and those you re-enabled will be in effect again. You should be able to see the resulting modifications reflected in the data presented on the Edit Scenario System or Workload tab screens.

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

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 5-32 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 “Producing Graphs and Reports”).

Changing the Metric View Selection

To change the parameters for 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 5-33 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 “Producing 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 5-34 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.