Question

Is the ELAPSED-TIME in the pc_server log a correct indication of GUI response time -- or is the actual response time comprised of multiple pc_server log transactions and additional components?

Answer

There are three components to GUI response time:

1. the communication time from the PC to the server (after the user presses Enter or clicks a button which triggers communication with the server)
2. the time spent by the pc_xxx_cnnnn (or pc_xxxx_cnnnn) server program in processing the transaction, and
3. the communication time from the server to the PC (after which, the response displays on the PC screen).

The ELAPSED-TIME shown in the pc_server log for the pc_xxx_cnnnn program which processes the transaction is the *total* pc_server time for that particular transaction. The pc_xxx_cnnnn program calls other programs, but these programs are *never* pc_xxx_cnnnn programs, never appear in the pc_server log, and never have ELAPSED-TIME values. A transaction from the PC initiates one and only one pc_xxx_cnnnn program and produces one and only one ELAPSED-TIME value.

Of course, since the actual response time includes the two communication components, it can be significantly longer than the ELAPSED-TIME shown in the pc_server log.

And, of course, an activity by a user (such as a search) can consist of multiple pressings of the Enter key (or other server-communicating buttons) -- and multiple ELAPSED-TIME's. But what we can say with certainty is that, for each such pressing of the Enter key / clicking of button, there is one ELAPSED-TIME value in the pc_server log.

Note: Print daemon activity is an exception: though the print daemon is initiated from a particular PC and has log entries for pc_com_c01nn programs for that PC, such as pc_com_c0180 ("Retrieve Information on Print Template Package"), these activities are initiated by the system and do not involve any pressing of the Enter key (or other communication from the PC).

Category: System Management (500)

Subject: Performance

• Article last edited: 10/8/2013