Consulting Services

FrontRunner Computer Performance Consulting offers a variety of services to meet the needs of developers and others concerned about the performance and availability of their products.

Product Lifecycle Performance Support

FrontRunner CPC works closely with a client to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to performance and availability. The process starts with helping clients to specify relevant and realistic performance goals as well as plans for using performance data. Once goals are in place, FrontRunner CPC builds models to predict performance and provides ongoing consulting to developers on performance issues. As development of the product progresses, FrontRunner CPC can assist with performance measurement (benchmarking) as well as disseminating information about the product's performance.

The lifecycle performance support service offers a variety of benefits. Lifecycle performance support is provided as a series of deliverables, allowing you to review and adjust the support relationship as the product evolves.

Contract Analysis

The contract analysis service is a good match for clients who have a few specific questions about a product's performance. FrontRunner CPC first meets with a client to completely understand the questions and develop an approach for answering them. FrontRunner CPC then provides a detailed problem statement to be reviewed by the client for completeness and accuracy. Once the problem statement is approved, FrontRunner CPC performs the analysis and provides a second report describing the findings. The service includes rerunning the model with minor changes (such a new parameter values) once the client has read the report.

• Get the focused answers you need without long-term expenses.
• All analysis is fully documented for future reference.
• Your technical team can stay focused on product development

Consulting Retainer

Under the retainer service, FrontRunner CPC provides a certain number of hours of performance consulting services every month. The consultant assigned to a client functions much like an employee and receives direction from a manager in the client organization. Retainer service can be delivered on-site, by phone or e-mail, or by a combination of both methods.

• Benefit from full-time performance expertise at a part-time price.
• Get performance support for multiple or ongoing projects
• If additional performance support is needed, FrontRunner can respond more quickly because we are already familiar with your project.

Benchmark Design and Execution

There are many subtleties in planning and conducting performance benchmarks that are not present in conventional functional testing, so FrontRunner CPC's experience and expertise can ensure that your performance tests are both valid and useful. Assistance can range from advising your test team to complete outsorcing of the benchmarking effort.

Training

FrontRunner CPC can provide training on variety of subjects related to computer and network performance, ranging from an introduction to performance analysis to advanced classes on modeling techniques. Please contact FrontRunner for more information.

• Increase your organizational capability for performance analysis
• Learn skills needed by developers

Process and Methodology Consulting

FrontRunner CPC can also assist client organizations in improving their ability to do performance analysis in house. If your organization is engaged in process improvement leading to ISO, SEI or other certification, FrontRunner can help integrate performance analysis into an overall quality plan. FrontRunner CPC can also reviews your organizations skill sets and infrastructure as they relate to performance and recommend improvements.

• Learn how to leverage existing performance skills and data within your organization
• Benefit from FrontRunner's experience with performance analysis in a variety of settings

Simulation Model Conversion

Porting a performance model from one simulation tool to another involves more than recompiling. There are several unique issues such as pseudo-random number generation and statistics collection. For the conversion to be most effective, the new model must capture the same behavior as the old. FrontRunner CPC has experience with several leading simulation tools, as well as well as a knowledge of several programming languages, so we are well-positions to convert simulation models.

• Porting is done from the analyst/user's perspective
• Minimize differences in assumptions made by old and new models
• Frees technical staff to focus on its core mission

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