NOAGE on hpux

Hello, I am the Unix Administrator for my company. We currently run an Informix database server on an HP9000 system running hpux 10.2. I have been asked to install the patch that provides the NOAGE parameter for Informix. Currently, the system is severely processor bound with run queues as high as 5.0 with an average of 3.0 during a normal day. We are also experiencing memory pressure and IO bottlenecks. We do know that the system is severely undersized. My understanding is that the NOAGE parameter is supposed to prevent processes like oninit from loosing priority due to standard system priority aging. The thought is that the NOAGE parameter may significantly increase the system performance. HP has suggested that the patch is a dangerous patch to install and runs the risk of crashing the system and requiring a full reload of the OS. The patch is a large patch and is said to replace many libraries on the system. I am looking for information on what level of performance increase is gained by setting the NOAGE parameter. Is there a significant increase in processing speed or throughput when this parameter is used. Please provide real world examples if possible. My final objective is to evaluate the gains in performance vs. patch risk factors when implementing the parameter on an HA system. Thank you for your time, Craig A. Sharp Unix Systems Administrator Roush Industries 734-779-7282