using treemaps to visualize server performance
TRANSCRIPT
drive
Len Conte
781-663-4870
John Dozier
April 13, 2005
Using Treemaps to Visualize Performance Exceptions
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
2
Agenda
›Background
›Heatmaps vs. Treemaps
›Treemaps – Taxonomy, Advantages/Disadvantages, Examples
›BMC – Use Cases
›Research Questions
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
3
Data Visualization - Goals
Organize the patterns inherent in data to make the complex clear.
Exploit the dynamic, interactive, medium of graphical displays to devise external aids to enhance cognitive abilities.
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
4
Data Visualization Tools
› Heatmaps Collection of cells representing objects
»cells are color coded»each cell same size
Collective color pattern of cells make portions of the map appear “cool” or “hot”
› Treemaps Collection of cells representing nodes in a hierarchy
»cells are color coded»each cell variable size - proportional to some variable in the hierarchy
Originally designed to replace directory trees
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
5
Heatmap - Stock Closingwww.screening.nasdaq.com/heatmaps/heatmap_100.asp
Cell based
•each cell = a stock
•cell color = % change in price
•every cell is the same sizeNote: cells sorted in descending order
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
6
Treemapwww.smartmoney.com
cell group = market segment
cell = a stock
cell color = % change in price
cell size = market capitalization of the stock
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
7
November 30th ,1998
A bad day on the
Wall Street
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
8
Ben Schneiderman –University Marylandhttp://www.cs.umd.edu/~ben/
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
9
Treemaps –Taxonomy www.hivegroup.com
Map
filter
legend
prompt -variable
Cell group
Cell/node
Color, size, location
Details
Cell label
Cell group label
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
10
Slice & Dice
Squarified
Treemaps –Styles www.hivegroup.com
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
11
•100-1000s of objects displayed on a single screen
• Compress a hierarchy into a single screen - bird’s eye view
• Multi-variant – size, color, location
• Reduced search – picking out the best and the worst
• Filtering – user control
• Details on demand – drill down, tooltips
• Pattern recognition within a blocks of cells
• Pattern recognition across maps of various time slices
Advantages - Amplifying Cognition
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
12
• “Don’t make me think” mapping size of cells and color of cells to variables
• Volatile data can make the display re-map
• Perceptual differences arise when area comparisons are made between nodes of differing heights and widths
• Small weighted nodes can drop off the display or become illegible
•Textual labels are needed for context…for small cells this is problematic
•508 issues – conveying the meaning of patterns
Disadvantages –Amplifying Cognitionwww.Peets.com
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
13
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
14
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
15
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
16
BMC Software
› Software monitors the availability of 100’s -1000’s of servers
Users are IT OperatorsOperational duties
› Software monitors the performance of 100’s -1000’s of serversUsers are IT Performance Analysts, Capacity PlannersPlanning and management duties
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
17
Current - Heatmap
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
18
Project : Performance Exceptions Monitoring & Escalation (PERE)
Use Cases:
›System detects a performance exception and pro-actively notifies analyst
›User ad hoc browses the system to see what servers are having performance problems
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
19
Browsing for exceptionsCurrently
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
20
Browsing using Treemaps
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
21
Browsing using Treemaps
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
22
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
23
Browsing for exceptionsCurrently
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
24
Some Design Decisions
Group by :› Server grouping (location, department, server type, application) › Exception question/detector› Server importance to the business
Cell = server, any infrastructure object
Cell color › Capacity of the server› Importance of the server to the business (impact)› Volume of exceptions› Severity of the exceptions
Cell size› Capacity of the server› Volume of exceptions› Severity of exceptions
Filter› Time› Grouping› Severity› Volume
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
25
Research Issues/Problems
›Determining optimal Out of the Box variables
›Learning curve Reducing initial color/size de-coding
›Efficiency of use – faster or slower than sorting a list (multiple sorts), or heatmaps.
›Labels – node labels can be very long
›Time based analysisComparing performance shift to shift, week to weekSmall multiple - calendar
›508 Accessibility issuesColor schemesTabular alternative
›Preserving the order cells – enable comparisons across time
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
26
Monday
Small Multiiples – by Week
Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Sat SunWeek 1
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
27
Monday
Small Multiples – Shifts by Week
Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Sat Sun
Shift 1 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Shift 2 4:59 PM – 12:00 AM
Shift 3 12:01 AM – 7:59 AM
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
28
Monday
Small Multiples – Month - February
Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Sat Sun
©2003 BMC Software confidential. For internal use only.
29
Questions?