proServices Performance Tuning FAQs

We also can deliver the results of our services three different ways:

e-Factory: Remote access to customer site to perform this service.
Factory: Perform this service in proServices' Trenton, NJ Factory.
On-Site: Perform this service at the customer's site.

Depending on which combination of the above options determines how many DSU's are required per engagement. For example, to provide Performance Tuning for a Small application with results to be delivered via our factory would require only 1 DSU. Please refer to our published price list.

Q: If I am a subscription-based customer and spend all of the DSU's before the 12-month term of the subscription period does the company still get billed in $10,000/month intervals and can we purchase more DSU's?
A: Thirty (30) days after all DSU's have been spent, the full amount of the residual is due. Additional DSU's can be purchased as a follow on yearly Subscription.

Q: What kind of gains can be achieved on this type of service?
A: Depending on the level and type of services selected we will identify the factors influencing the performance (characterization), identify business effective approaches to solution (fix identification), produce fixes to improve the performance, measure the degree of improvement (characterization) and submit the fixes to any quality review / testing to insure correctness of the solutions.

Q: What guarantee do you give me that you don't break my code?
A: In Performance Characterization Services we only advise the customer of where the problems are - so we don't touch your software to break it. In other services we submit a recommended fix, but your organization chooses to implement the fixes and your "regular" software process applies. When we perform the implementation of a fix, our fixes will undergo any software engineering review necessary for your acceptance that the change is a) professionally implemented and b) performs to intent. Typically this entails our changes passing any testing process available to evaluate the changes against expected / unexpected behaviors.

Q: How will I merge your changes back into my environment?
A: In most cases our changes are less than 20 lines of code change per fix. Through factory services we can complete the merge process ourselves subject to the customer's process. In factory services the changes are submitted back to your environment as source files, and difference listings.

Q: What techniques are you going to use to characterize my application?
A: proServices applies industry standard software performance profiling technology, static analysis tools and proServices scripts to characterize the software.

Q: Will I own the tools at the end of the engagement?
A: Your Company will own the results, however, you always have the opportunity to purchase the tools on your own for future needs. In some cases our customers already own the tools necessary to perform the service, however, they don't own the internal domain expertise to attain the necessary results.

Q: How can improvement be measured?
A: The performance is based on the characterization of the customer's test case scenarios. The result of characterization was timing data for each identified problem area. Improvement is measured as a change in the timings for the customer's test case scenarios. In many cases performance improvements can unblock one aspect of the software but lead to new bottleneck's later in the process.

Q: Where will you get the data to profile my application?
A: We use the customer's test case scenarios and test data to characterize the applications.

Q: Can you help me create the data to profile my application?
A: proServices offers test development services which can build tests to demonstrate the performance problems.

Q: What security precautions are you taking to safeguard our software artifacts?
A: proServices provides safeguards on a number of levels. With experience and clearances sufficient to work for the Department of Defense (DOD) we have developed a comprehensive customer software security policy available upon request.

First are the legal arrangements, signing the customer's non-disclosure agreements providing them with their own integrity and legal terms and conditions.
We provide safety in the integrity of the factory procedures
- Machines are built from the ground up on each job, and torn completely down between jobs - no customer data is available on the machines after the job is returned to the customer.
- The network on which the customer's work is performed is physically isolated at all times from any other corporate machines. The only individuals with authority to interconnect networks are the contract managers. No other individuals are permitted on the network during any interconnect time interval.
We provide integrity in the personnel process - "need to know", "just in time access" and clear job management including lines of authority, permission management and identification of all personnel employed on any job.
We provide integrity in the configuration management (Bill of Materials) procedures employed. Customer software is copied onto machines, protected against modification, and controlled access using CM tooling. No un-registered and accepted changes are permitted in the software process.

Q: After finding problems in our code base can they put in the necessary fixes and are they qualified?
A: As a company we have more than qualified staff to correct the problems we come across while working on your systems. This level of service is usually established after several engagements where there has been a mutual trust built up between our two companies. We have been asked by several of our customers to start our service off at such a level. However, we would rather build a great relationship on our first couple of engagements by delivering what we promise, then discussing the possibilities of proServices providing on-going maintenance support.

Q: How can they work on code they're not domain experts on?
A: Most services our customers would agree do not require application domain expertise. The types of problems we look for are standard and agreed upon by most software executives as problems they never want to have instances of within their applications. Our domain expertise is in the area of software automation and manufacturing process methodology.

Q: Why can't I just do this myself?
A: Our services are not based on your company's inability to perform these services internally; rather they are based upon proServices guaranteeing your company results. Also, we can provide your company with six major services at a lesser cost to your company. Our company has pre-configured production lines being run by skilled engineers tooled with automation technologies within a manufacturing process methodology.

Q: Why can't I just buy these tools and do this myself?
A: Any company can buy tools to perform such services. Our services are not based upon proprietary technology; in fact it's just the opposite. We use standard commercial grade automation products available to all companies.

Q: Why don't you sell me the tools, deploy them for me, and teach me how to do it?
A: We do offer such transition services to our customer base. We have customers that after a couple of engagements ask us to provide a factory representative to help them setup their own internal factory. They felt proServices provided them with a low cost vehicle for investigating the usefulness of such automation products by first delivering the results without the long-term financial burden.


	Q: How difficult is it to establish a connection to your e-Factory in Trenton, NJ? A: It's quite easy, most our customers take advantage of our Setup Service we offer with all of our services to establish the remote log-in capability. Q: Can proServices perform the services during off hours, weekends, and holidays? A: We have the capability of providing services during off times such as a 3rd shift on weekdays, over weekends, and Holidays. Through our factory, our customers can utilize their assets 24 hours a day. Q: Can I upgrade from a "Buy & Try" to a Subscription based service? A: Customers purchasing services using the "Buy & Try" method can always upgrade to a Subscription without losing any cost already incurred. Most customers use the costs incurred to establish an factory setup on the first "Buy & Try" to cost justify a Subscription level service going forward. Q: What is Development Service Unit (DSU)? A: DSU's apply to subscription-based customers only, unless you're a "Buy & Try" customer upgrading your service to a Subscription. Every subscription customer is allocated 12 DSU's per year, which can be spent numerous ways determined by the size of the application and the method of delivery. We also can deliver the results of our services three different ways: e-Factory: Remote access to customer site to perform this service. Factory: Perform this service in proServices' Trenton, NJ Factory. On-Site: Perform this service at the customer's site. Depending on which combination of the above options determines how many DSU's are required per engagement. For example, to provide Performance Tuning for a Small application with results to be delivered via our factory would require only 1 DSU. Please refer to our published price list. Q: If I am a subscription-based customer and spend all of the DSU's before the 12-month term of the subscription period does the company still get billed in $10,000/month intervals and can we purchase more DSU's? A: Thirty (30) days after all DSU's have been spent, the full amount of the residual is due. Additional DSU's can be purchased as a follow on yearly Subscription. Q: What kind of gains can be achieved on this type of service? A: Depending on the level and type of services selected we will identify the factors influencing the performance (characterization), identify business effective approaches to solution (fix identification), produce fixes to improve the performance, measure the degree of improvement (characterization) and submit the fixes to any quality review / testing to insure correctness of the solutions. Q: What guarantee do you give me that you don't break my code? A: In Performance Characterization Services we only advise the customer of where the problems are - so we don't touch your software to break it. In other services we submit a recommended fix, but your organization chooses to implement the fixes and your "regular" software process applies. When we perform the implementation of a fix, our fixes will undergo any software engineering review necessary for your acceptance that the change is a) professionally implemented and b) performs to intent. Typically this entails our changes passing any testing process available to evaluate the changes against expected / unexpected behaviors. Q: How will I merge your changes back into my environment? A: In most cases our changes are less than 20 lines of code change per fix. Through factory services we can complete the merge process ourselves subject to the customer's process. In factory services the changes are submitted back to your environment as source files, and difference listings. Q: What techniques are you going to use to characterize my application? A: proServices applies industry standard software performance profiling technology, static analysis tools and proServices scripts to characterize the software. Q: Will I own the tools at the end of the engagement? A: Your Company will own the results, however, you always have the opportunity to purchase the tools on your own for future needs. In some cases our customers already own the tools necessary to perform the service, however, they don't own the internal domain expertise to attain the necessary results. Q: How can improvement be measured? A: The performance is based on the characterization of the customer's test case scenarios. The result of characterization was timing data for each identified problem area. Improvement is measured as a change in the timings for the customer's test case scenarios. In many cases performance improvements can unblock one aspect of the software but lead to new bottleneck's later in the process. Q: Where will you get the data to profile my application? A: We use the customer's test case scenarios and test data to characterize the applications. Q: Can you help me create the data to profile my application? A: proServices offers test development services which can build tests to demonstrate the performance problems. Q: What security precautions are you taking to safeguard our software artifacts? A: proServices provides safeguards on a number of levels. With experience and clearances sufficient to work for the Department of Defense (DOD) we have developed a comprehensive customer software security policy available upon request. First are the legal arrangements, signing the customer's non-disclosure agreements providing them with their own integrity and legal terms and conditions. We provide safety in the integrity of the factory procedures Machines are built from the ground up on each job, and torn completely down between jobs - no customer data is available on the machines after the job is returned to the customer. The network on which the customer's work is performed is physically isolated at all times from any other corporate machines. The only individuals with authority to interconnect networks are the contract managers. No other individuals are permitted on the network during any interconnect time interval. We provide integrity in the personnel process - "need to know", "just in time access" and clear job management including lines of authority, permission management and identification of all personnel employed on any job. We provide integrity in the configuration management (Bill of Materials) procedures employed. Customer software is copied onto machines, protected against modification, and controlled access using CM tooling. No un-registered and accepted changes are permitted in the software process. Q: After finding problems in our code base can they put in the necessary fixes and are they qualified? A: As a company we have more than qualified staff to correct the problems we come across while working on your systems. This level of service is usually established after several engagements where there has been a mutual trust built up between our two companies. We have been asked by several of our customers to start our service off at such a level. However, we would rather build a great relationship on our first couple of engagements by delivering what we promise, then discussing the possibilities of proServices providing on-going maintenance support. Q: How can they work on code they're not domain experts on? A: Most services our customers would agree do not require application domain expertise. The types of problems we look for are standard and agreed upon by most software executives as problems they never want to have instances of within their applications. Our domain expertise is in the area of software automation and manufacturing process methodology. Q: Why can't I just do this myself? A: Our services are not based on your company's inability to perform these services internally; rather they are based upon proServices guaranteeing your company results. Also, we can provide your company with six major services at a lesser cost to your company. Our company has pre-configured production lines being run by skilled engineers tooled with automation technologies within a manufacturing process methodology. Q: Why can't I just buy these tools and do this myself? A: Any company can buy tools to perform such services. Our services are not based upon proprietary technology; in fact it's just the opposite. We use standard commercial grade automation products available to all companies. Q: Why don't you sell me the tools, deploy them for me, and teach me how to do it? A: We do offer such transition services to our customer base. We have customers that after a couple of engagements ask us to provide a factory representative to help them setup their own internal factory. They felt proServices provided them with a low cost vehicle for investigating the usefulness of such automation products by first delivering the results without the long-term financial burden.

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