1. 3184 Optimizing StarTeam for Distributed Teams Randy Guck Chief Scientist, DSP Borland

2. Overview The distributed team dilemma –The challenge –The dilemma –Advantages and concerns of replication –Advantages and concerns of centralization

3. Overview Distributed teams the StarTeam way –Optimizations for remote teams Client-activated options New features for StarTeam 7.0 –StarTeamMPX Turning the network inside-out New features for StarTeam 7.0 –StarTeam Import/Export Manager –The future of distributed teams

4. The Distributed Team Dilemma

5. Centralize or Replicate? The challenge –Teams are increasingly becoming distributed Global companies, out-sourcing, etc. –Geographically dispersed teams need access to the same lifecycle artifacts Variation: Sometimes network issues raise the same issues for “network near” teams

6. Centralize or Replicate? The dilemma –Should repositories be centralized and access provided to all team members? or… –Should repositories be replicated to remote locations for local access?

7. Replication Advantages –Network-near performance for remote teams –Remote teams remain productive when the root server is inaccessible

8. Replication Concerns –High administrative cost for constant replication –Artificial merge conditions introduced –Replication demands its own bandwidth and reliability –High product cost (extra hardware, licenses, DBAs, …)

9. Centralized Repositories Advantages –Maximum administrative control Users, groups, security Workflow, customization Product versions and upgrades –No artificial merge conditions –Lowest overall cost (e.g., admin, servers, H/A features in one place)

10. Centralized Repositories Concerns –How do remote teams get performance? –How do remote teams remain productive during network brownouts?

11. The StarTeam Solution StarTeam promotes centralized repositories –Highest control/security, lowest cost How do remote teams remain productive? –Optimizations for remote users –Innovative technology for remote teams –Intelligent “push caching”, reducing the need to touch the network Replication not needed for distributed teams!

12. Optimizations for Remote Teams

13. StarTeam C/S Architecture StarTeam Client StarTeam Client Vault StarTeam Server DB Command API StarTeam Client All information is pulled by clients using a request/reply command API

14. Optimizations for Remote Teams Command API compression Reduces network traffic up to 80%

15. Optimizations for Remote Teams Delta check-outs for faster check-outs New for 7.0: Cross-platform client support

16. Optimizations for Remote Teams Auto-reconnect: Connection loss resiliency New for 7.0: Cross-platform client support

17. StarTeamMPX: Turning the network inside/out

18. StarTeamMPX Architecture StarTeam Client StarTeam Client Vault StarTeam Server DB Message Broker Event publish stream StarTeam Client Updated objects are pushed to clients, preventing poll and refresh requests, reducing network demand

19. StarTeamMPX Profiles Deploy a Message Broker in each geographic region with > 5 users –Note: Maximum 10 Message Brokers Create an MPX profile for each Message Broker –e.g., “Denver MPX Profile” Set the “client default” profile to the one most users will use

20. Hub-and-Spoke Configuration MB ST Server and MB

21. Using StarTeamMPX First enable it… –Automatic refresh options take advantage of update messages

22. Using StarTeamMPX …then choose the appropriate MPX profile

23. New for 7.0: MPX Cache Agent StarTeam Client StarTeam Client Vault StarTeam Server DB Encrypted Cache Encrypted Cache Message Broker Cache Agent File publish stream Check-out requests The Cache Agent is trickled charged with file contents, providing an alternate check-out source for remote clients.

24. MPX Cache Agent Advantages –New files are broadcast once –Unicast and multicast broadcasting –Multiple Cache Agents can be deployed to assist remote locations –Cache Agents are trickled-charged automatically (“push caching”) –Multiple StarTeam server support

25. MPX Cache Agent Advantages –Files are encrypted in transfer and storage –Cache Agent-aware clients can check- out from any Cache Agent Clients can be configured to auto-locate the nearest Cache Agent –Up to 98% of outbound traffic removed from StarTeam server

26. MPX Cache Agent Advantages –Remote users receive network-near check-out performance Bulk/parallel check-out faster than normal check-out –Traffic reduced over long wires; more bandwidth for other apps –Server “availability window” reduced for large file check-outs

27. Stacked Cache Agents StarTeam Client StarTeam Client Vault StarTeam Server DB Encrypted Cache Encrypted Cache Message Broker Remote Cache Agent Root Cache Agent Alternate check-out path Catch-up/forwarded requests

28. Tiered Cache Agents Advantages –Special root Cache Agent provides forwarding headwater –Downstream Cache Agents can forward request “misses” to root Cache Agent All Cache Agents in the “stream” are charged along the way (like traditional “demand” caching)

29. Tiered Cache Agents Advantages –Downstream Cache Agents can catch- up from root Cache Agent after network outages Cache Agents know how to recharge/synchronize, regardless of clocks, topologies, etc. New Cache Agents can “pre-charge” from root Cache Agent

30. Tiered Cache Agents Advantages –Cache Agents can be tiered in any configuration; any # of levels –Cache Agents auto-locate the root Cache Agent; minimal configuration –New remote Cache Agents can be added to the cloud dynamically; auto- locate clients will automatically find and use

31. Cache Agent-Aware Clients Cross-platform Client

32. Cache Agent-Aware Clients Bulk check out (BCO) command-line utility –Alternative to “stcmd co” command –Cache Agent-aware –Switches to regular check-out if needed Example: bco -p "user:pw@prod1:49201/Project1/View1/srcfiles" -useCA autolocate -cfgl "6.0.1" -is -o -filter IO "*.java"

33. Distributed Cache Agents MB and CA ST Server, MB, and root CA

34. StarTeam Import/Export Manager

35. Is Replication Ever Needed? Most cited reasons for replication: –Scalability Team size exceeds server capabilities Not a valid reason for StarTeam! –Distributed teams Software doesn’t support remote teams Not a valid reason for StarTeam!

36. Is Replication Ever Needed? Most cited reasons for replication: –Security issues Establish a virtual firewall between teams Not a valid reason for StarTeam! –Connectivity No physical network with a remote team The most valid reason for needing replication

37. New for StarTeam 7.0: StarTeam Import/Export Manager Features: –Separate export, transfer, and import phases –Full and incremental export/import –Scoped processing: server, project, view, folder hierarchy –Ideal for project transfer

38. Import/Export Basic Flow XML+ archive image On-line or off-line transfer Source StarTeam Server Export XML+ archive image Read-only process Target StarTeam Server Import Local update process

39. StarTeam Import/Export Manager Ideal for copying critical projects from one repository to another Bi-directional flows can be set-up Can be used to “move” projects to new servers (e.g., for rebalancing) Note: Copied projects are not identical to the original –E.g., CR numbers may change

40. The Future of Distributed Teams

41. Where are we headed? Occasionally-connected/mobile teams –Read-only caching of all artifacts –Client “auto save” of view contexts –Updates queued and resynched when connectivity is restored Think email client/PDA metaphor Merge conditions resolved during sync

42. Summary Optimize StarTeam for distributed teams –Centralized repositories –Command compression, delta check- out, auto-reconnect –StarTeamMPX, distributed Cache Agents, CA-aware clients –StarTeam Import/Export Manager when replication is the only choice

43. Questions?

44. Thank You 3184 Optimizing StarTeam for Distributed Teams Please fill out the speaker evaluation You can contact me further at … randy.guck@borland.com