P Publishes Highest Performance for TPC-C Benchmark - Uses INFORMIX-OnLine

On Tuesday, February 2, 1993, IBM released the FIRST TPC-C benchmark results executed on open (non-proprietary) systems. The next day, February 3, 1993, HP released the second set of TPC-C benchmark results on open systems. Both benchmarks used INFORMIX-OnLine as the database management system. Informix is the only UNIX relational database product to be used as part of a TPC-C benchmark to date. Internal performance bulletins summarizing these two benchmarks will be sent to each sales office as part of next week's Falcon Mailing. Attached is an electronic version of the information relaying the HP TPC-C results for the HP 9000 Series 800 Model H40: ------------------------------- Attached email -------------------------------- On February 3, 1993, Hewlett-Packard published the results of an important industry-standard benchmark on an HP 9000 Series 800 Model H40 using INFORMIX-OnLine version 5.01 for the DBMS. This benchmark is the TPC Benchark C, as defined by the Transaction Processing Performance Council, of which Informix and HP are both members. Significance of These Benchmarks -------------------------------- These are among the FIRST TPC-C bencmark results published by ANY vendor on an open (non-proprietary) system and the FIRST TPC-C results published by HP for their UNIX systems. The results are a good indication of the power and excellent price/performance of this HP system. Implementing the most complex industry-standard OLTP benchmark available today, TPC-C, the performance of 406.65 tpmC achieved is unprecedented. Clearly HP wanted to choose the fastest database available, even if it meant using a third party product instead of HP's own relational database. HP's choice of OnLine for these bechmarks confirms once again the UNIX database performance leadership, which Informix has held for many years. The Benchmark Results --------------------- Approved in July of 1992, TPC Benchmark C (TPC-C) is an industry-standard on-line transaction processing (OLTP) benchmark. TPC-C is a more complex OLTP benchmark than TPC-A because of its multiple transaction types, more complex database and overall execution structure. TPC-C involves a mix of five concurrent transactions of different types and complexity either executed on-line or queued for deferred execution. The database is comprised of nine types of records with a wide range of record and population sizes. TPC-C is measured in transactions per minute (tpm). (See section below for more details). System tpmC* $/tpmC** Availability of Priced Configuration ------ ---- ------ ------------------------------------ HP 9000/800 Model H40 406.65 $2,786 March 29, 1993 * tpmC = Transactions-Per-Minute-C = the number of orders processed per minute. This performance metric is a "business throughput". Multiple transactions are used to simulate the business activity of processing an order and each transaction is subject to a response time constraint. **$/tpmC = Dollars per tpmC = the 5-year cost of hardware and software, divided by the tpmC resulting in a price/performance metric. 5-year cost is the initial price of the hardware and software, plus 5 years of regular maintenance. The System Configuration ------------------------ HP 9000 Series 800 Model H40 Operating System HP-UX 9.0 DBMS INFORMIX-OnLine 5.01 Application tool INFORMIX-ESQL/C 5.01 # of users 350 Number of processors 1 Main memory 640 MB Number of disk drives 21 Total disk space 30.18 GB Tape drives 1 Terminals 350 plus console Terminal connectivity 6 Terminal servers, 1 LAN/9000 interface The TPC Benchmark C ------------------- The TPC Benchmark C specification is a more complex benchmark than the earlier released TPC Benchmark A and TPC Benchmark B. The TPC Benchmark C is best described by its own preamble which states, in part: "TPC Benchmark C (TPC-C) is an OLTP workload. It is a mixture of read-only and update intensive transactions that simulate the activities found in complex OLTP application environments. It does so by exercising a breadth of system components associated with such environments, which are characterized by: * The simultaneous execution of multiple transaction types that span a breadth of complexity * On-line and deferred transaction execution modes * Multiple on-line terminal sessions * Moderate system and application execution time * Significant disk input/output * Transaction integrity (ACID properties) * Non-uniform distribution of data access through primary and secondary key * Databases consisting of many tables with a wide variety of sizes, attributes, and relationships * Contention on data access and update" TPC-C simulates a complete computing environment where a population of terminal operators executes transactions against a database. The benchmark is centered around the principal activities (transactions) of an order-entry environment. These transactions include entering and delivering orders, recording payments, checking the status of orders, and monitoring the level of stock at the warehouses. While the benchmark portrays the activity of a wholesale supplier, TPC-C is not limited to the activity of any particular business segment, but, rather represents any industry that must manage, sell, or distribute a product or service. Obtaining Detailed Information ------------------------------ For complete copies of the TPC Benchmark C and other TPC Benchmark specifications, or copies of the full disclosure reports for the HP benchmark or any other vendor's TPC benchmark results which have been submitted, contact the administrator of the TPC at: TPC Administrator Shanley Public Relations 777 N. First St., Suite 600 San Jose, California 95112-6311 Phone: (408) 295-8894 Fax: (408) 295-2613 -- %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% William Daul Advanced Support INFORMIX SOFTWARE INC. 4100 Bohannon Dr. (415) 926-6488 - wk Menlo Park, CA. 94025 uunet!infmx!billd or billd@informix.com