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FRESNO — With last year's Holy Bowl fresh in its memory, Garces tried to limit Chris Brown's touches Saturday night.
But when Fresno-San Joaquin Memorial had a chance, it let Brown have the ball. And Brown let Garces have it, just like last year.
Behind 282 yards and 5 touchdowns from Brown, Memorial stormed back from two touchdowns down at home to beat Garces 35-28 in a battle of unbeaten teams.
Brown's last touchdown gallop, from 8 yards out, capped a 99-yard drive that gave the Panthers (3-0) their first lead of the night with 1:37 to play.
The last gasp for Garces (3-1) fell short at the Rams' 39-yard line when Patrick Hellman's fourth-down reception fell a yard short of the first-down marker.
Last year in the Holy Bowl, Brown had 280 rushing yards, 418 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns as Memorial won 41-35 at Garces.
This time, the Rams did everything they could to limit the time Memorial would have on offense. It worked to perfection in the first half. Garces possessed the ball for nearly three-quarters of the half and took a 28-14 lead behind three Nick Vehlewald touchdown runs.
Hellman led the Rams with 156 rushing yards on 20 carries, including a 63-yarder on the game's first play from scrimmage that set up a short Dominic Frasch touchdown run. Vehlewald finished with 96 yards on 18 carries.
Memorial lost a fumble on its first play, and Garces quickly turned it into a 14-0 lead. With the score 21-14, the Panthers muffed a punt that the Rams also recovered and turned into points with 30 seconds left in the half.
But the Panthers defense gave Garces nothing in the second half, holding the Rams to 82 yards and allowing them to drive no deeper than the Memorial 48.
Meanwhile, big bad Brown, who averaged went to work. He carried on all four plays of the Panthers' first drive of the second half, going for 57 yards and a touchdown. His 2-yard TD run tied the game with 10:28 remaining, and he was responsible for 83 of Memorial's 99 yards on the winning possession.


text:
A system and method of monitoring and analyzing the performance of a computer system and its components in a data processing network and for proposing changes to the network to improve the performance. The system involves identifying undesirable conditions (sometimes called bottlenecks) in the system, determining which bottlenecks are the most severe in affecting the performance of the system and in proposing changes to the components of the system to improve performance of the network. The present invention uses historical data and forecasting techniques to predict bottlenecks which have not occurred yet but which can be expected, so that future bottlenecks can be projected, along with a prediction interval to indicate the confidence of the prediction. The future projections and the prediction interval are provided in a graph which is available to the user over the Internet, if desired, using HTML and hot links.
1. A method of analyzing performance of a computer system and for providing recommendations for changes in the system to improve its performance, the steps of the method comprising:
receiving and storing indicators of the performance of components of the computer system at periodic times;
applying stored rules to the stored indicators to analyze the performance of the computer system;
project future performance of the computer system based upon past indicators;
detecting a projected undesirable condition of the computer system based upon the future performance projections based on past indicators; and
in response to the detecting of an undesirable condition of the computer system, providing a recommendation to alleviate the performance of the computer system by ameliorating the projected undesirable conditions of the computer system.
2. A method of analyzing the computer system including the steps of
3. A method of analyzing performance of a computer system including the steps of
4. A method of analyzing performance of a computer system including the steps of
5. A method of analyzing performance of a computer system including the steps of
6. A method of analyzing performance of a computer system including the steps of
7. A method of analyzing the performance of a computer system and providing a report on the undesirable future condition which has been projected and a proposed remedy as set forth in
8. A method of analyzing the performance of a computer system and providing a report on the undesirable future condition including the steps of
9. A method of analyzing the performance of a computer system including the steps of
10. A system for projecting one or more undesirable conditions in a computer system and for recommending an action to alleviate the determined undesirable conditions, the system comprising:
a first module for receiving and storing indicators of the performance of components of the computer system over a time period;
a second module for applying rules to the stored indicators of performance to determine whether an undesirable condition exists;
a third module for projecting future operation of the computer system from the stored indicators if no undesirable condition has been determined in the stored indicators, said module including a statistical tool to project the indicators into the future; and
a fourth module for determining if the projected future operations of the computer system is an undesirable condition and for recommending a solution for ameliorating the undesirable condition.
11. A media with a program stored thereon, the stored program comprising:
a module for determining if a bottleneck condition has occurred in the past based on stored indicators of performance over a past period of time;
a module for projecting future indicators based on the stored indicators of performance over the past period of time, said projected indicators using statistical analysis of the stored indicators if no bottleneck has occurred in the past period of time;
a module for analyzing the projected future indicators based on a definition of a bottleneck condition in the determining module for a projected bottleneck which has not yet occurred but which is projected to occur and for providing a recommendation to ameliorate the projected bottleneck condition;
a module for reporting the projected bottleneck condition and a projected date on which it may occur with a recommendation for ameliorating the projected bottleneck condition.
12. A media with a stored program including the elements of
13. A media with a stored program including the elements of
14. A media with a stored program including the elements of
15. A media with a stored program including the elements of
[0001] The present invention is related to an invention "Method and System for Providing Performance Data", as described in a pending patent application Ser. No. 09/089,109 filed Jun. 2, 1998 by Randal Bertram et al. This patent is sometimes referred to as the Performance Data Patent.
[0002] The present invention is also related to "Method and System for Graphically Displaying Trend and Range Data for a Variety of Systems" as described in a pending patent application Ser. No. 09/088,525 filed Jun. 2, 1998 by Randal Bertram et al. This patent is sometimes referred to herein as the Performance Display Patent.
[0003] A concurrently-filed patent application (RAL9-99-009) entitled "System and Method for Monitoring and Analyzing Computer System Performance and Making Recommendations for Improving it", by Randal Bertram and Gregory McKnight, two of the inventors of the present patent, may also be relevant to the subject matter of this patent. This patent is sometimes referred to as the System Recommendation Patent.
[0004] A concurrently-filed patent application (RAL9-99-010) entitled "System and Method for Identifying Latent Computer System Bottlenecks and for Making Recommendations for Improving Computer System Performance", by Randal Bertram and Gregory McKnight, two of the inventors of the present patent, may also be relevant to the present invention. This patent is sometimes referred to as the Latent Bottlenecks Patent.
[0005] The Performance Data Patent, the Performance Display Patent, the System Recommendation Patent and the Latent Bottleneck Patent are all assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the specification and drawings of each patent are specifically incorporated herein by reference.
[0006] The present invention relates to capacity management in a computer system such as a network or server and, more particularly, to a method and system for analyzing the past performance of components of a computer system and projecting the results into the future, applying rules to the results to identify bottlenecks which have not yet occurred but are likely to occur and to make recommendations for ameliorating the bottlenecks.
[0007] Managing a computer system which includes a plurality of devices such as networks or servers is of special interest to data processing (or information technology) personnel. The computer systems typically include a plurality of diverse devices such as memory, disks, local area network (LAN) adapters and central processing units (CPUs) which interact in various interrelated ways when a variety of data processing applications are used in the computer system. As the systems get larger and more complex, these interactions become hard to define, model or predict the relationships between the devices, and hence the capacity of the system becomes difficult to manage. These systems are quite expensive to install and changes to the system involve a significant investment, so, while an investment is desirable which will improve the performance of the computer system, some investments in improvements to the computer system would not be worthwhile since the performance of the overall system would not improve.
[0008] Frequently, the performance of the computer system or network is less than it could be because only or more of the components is not appropriate for application loading of the computer system (or a network or server). It is desirable to know what changes to the computer system would be worthwhile in improving the capacity of the computer system and making those changes while avoiding changes which would not have a significant benefit to the performance of the computer system. The System Recommendations Patent describes the inventors' solution to this problem. However, the System Recommendation Patent does not make any projections as to how the computer system is likely to operate in the future.
[0009] One way to address the proper components for the loading of the system is to provide a model of the load and simulate the system to provide an optimum (or desirable) combination of elements. While there are numerous simulation techniques, they all rely on approximations of the loading and the components, and, as the systems become larger and more complex and the loading becomes more complex, the simulations are approximations whose accuracy and reliability is subject to significant doubt.
[0010] Another approach to predicting performance of a complex computer system involves active monitors, or adding a known load to an existing system and measuring the resulting output and effect of the load. This requires that the system be available for experimentation and that the added load operate in a known manner, both of which are assumptions that may work in some instances but not in others. For example, BlueCurve Dynameasure by BlueCurve, Inc. Intentionally induces an artificial workload to determine performance characteristics of a computer system. Such an active monitor is disruptive to the network (in that it interferes, at least to some extent, with the ongoing work of the computer system and the artificial load on the network may not accurately reflect the real world actual work of the computer system, either now or in the future.
[0011] Another way to manage the capacity is described in the Performance Management Patent and involves sampling of indicators of system activity. These indicators can be displayed as described in the Performance Display Patent, if desired. In any event, the data must be interpreted by a professional who has experience in looking at the results and interpreting the data to make recommendations. Unfortunately, these experts are in demand and not enough exist, so it is unlikely that a network expert would be available to analyze the results and to make suggestions for improvement at any given time and having the local expert is an inefficient use of his time and expertise.
[0012] Accordingly, the prior art systems for capacity management are limited and have undesirable limitations and disadvantages.
[0013] The present invention overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art systems by providing an improved capacity management system which is easy to use and which provides an indication of the bottleneck(s) in the system, in an ordered list, along with recommendations on how to improve the computer system, based on the use of passive monitors. The system projects the performance into the future using conventional algorithms and uses rules to determine potential bottlenecks which have not occurred but are projected as likely to occur in the future. Based on the predictions, the present invention projects when a bottleneck is likely to occur and makes recommendations as to how to ameliorate the system.
[0014] The present invention also has the advantage that analysis of the performance data of the system allows one to extend the trends into the future, with a confidence range based on statistical analyses, and allows for the inclusion of appropriate warnings about the reliability of the projections.
[0015] The improved capacity management system uses data which is typically available from hardware and software and uses software tools which are typically available. Thus, it is not necessary to find some obscure data on the computer systems or to add additional overhead (such as additional hardware or new software) to the computer system in order to obtain the necessary data to make recommendations on improving the computer system.
[0016] The present invention also allows use of statistical techniques for projections and for the use of confidence ranges, if desired, using conventional statistical methods. As the statistical tools become better refined and/or subject to further analysis, the substitution of new techniques for the previous projection and analysis techniques can be accomplished.
[0017] The present system has the advantage that it does not require a simulation program and it does not require that the user find or create unusual sets of data (like artificial loads of an active monitoring system like BlueCurve Dynameasure) which other prior art capacity management systems may require for analysis.
[0018] The present system avoids the need for consulting with an expert in the field of analyzing computer system performance to look at the various data which is available on the performance of the computer system and make judgments of whether the system has bottlenecks and whether changes to the system could make a significant improvement to its performance.
[0019] The present invention has the advantageous effect that the recommendations can be sorted according to rules, such as addressing the most severe problem first, and can be combined so that the same problem is reported only once. The present invention also allows the sorting of problems which have occurred before those which are merely predicted to occur, if desired.
[0020] The computer system of the present invention has the benefit that interactions between the performance of different parts of the system are taken into consideration during the analysis and the recommendations.
[0021] The present invention also has the advantage that certain periods of performance (like evenings and/or weekends) may be disregarded, if desired, in order to avoid the impact on the analysis of periods not particularly relevant to the users of the system. That is, the periods of greatest concern to the users can be focused on, either completely or with appropriate emphasis, and periods of lesser importance can be ignored or considered less important.
[0022] The disclosed computer system also has the capability of averaging system performance over a period of time to prevent peak periods of short duration from unduly influencing the data and the conclusions about the performance of the system. As with other monitors, the duration of the averaging may be adjusted by the user, if desired.
[0023] The present invention has the further advantage that the results can be made available over an Internet or intranet using hypertext markup language (HTML) format so that the results can be monitored from a remote site. The use of information in HTML format allows additional information (such as backup information and graphs, additional details, or a source of further information, such as an expert) to be made available by hot-links as well.
[0024] One further advantage of the present invention is that additional detail on the results can be added, such as warnings as to the strength of the recommendations and the confidence in the recommendations. If certain monitors are not present or have data only for a limited time, the results may be less reliable than if the same information was available over a longer period of time, and the system of the present invention has the advantage of providing information on the quality of the data on which the recommendations are made.
[0025] The present invention also has the advantage that the indicators are programmable and the definition of a bottleneck may be changed by the user. In this way, the user has his choice of a predetermined definition of a bottleneck or the use of his own customized version of a bottleneck. The present invention also includes preset parameters which define reliable data, but, again, the user can override these parameters, if desired, to customize his system.
[0026] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the following description of the drawings, taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
[0027] The following is a description of the present invention, described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0028]FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a computer system illustrative of the environment of the present invention.
[0029]FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a computer network of the type used with the present invention.
[0030]FIG. 2 is a a view of a display showing a reporting of monitors used in the previous versions of a monitor reporting system.
[0031]FIG. 3 is an illustration of the monitors and monitor types which may be used in the present invention, for a system which includes the components and component types shown.
[0032]FIG. 4 (comprising FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D) is a flow chart of logic of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0033]FIGS. 4E and 4F are modifications to the basic flowcharts of the System Recommendation Patent for the forecasting and prediction features of the present invention.
[0034]FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views of illustrative reports created by the process described in reference to the flow chart of FIG. 4.
[0035]FIG. 9 is an illustrative report of the forecasting or predicting feature of the present invention, showing the future projection with a dashed line and the confidence interval or prediction interval with dotted lines, above and below and somewhat diverging.
[0036] The following description is full and informative description of the best method and system presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention which is known to the inventors at the time of filing the patent application. Of course, many modifications and adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the following description in view of the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. While the system and method described herein are provided with a certain degree of specificity, the present invention could be implemented with either greater or lesser specificity, depending on the needs of the user. Further, some of the features of the present invention could be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features described in the following paragraphs. As such, the present description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not in limitation thereof, since the present invention is defined solely by the claims which follow.
[0037] The present invention relates to an improvement in providing information about the capacity of a computer system and whether or not the system is constrained, or limited, by a performance-limiting condition which has sometimes been referred to as a bottleneck. In the event that one or more bottlenecks are detected, then the system provides an indication of the bottleneck as well as one or more recommendations for improving the performance of the computer system by alleviating the bottleneck(s). The following description id presented to enable a man of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of the requirement for a obtaining a patent. The present description is the best presently-contemplated method for carrying out the present invention. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles of the present invention may be applied to other embodiments, and some features of the present invention may be used without the corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest cope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
[0038]FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a computer system 10 useful in the present invention. The computer system 10 includes a central processor unit (CPU) 112 coupled to a system bus 11. Also coupled to the system bus 11 are a user interface 14, a memory 16 and a display 18. The user can input information to the computer system 10 through the user interface 14 and the display 18 allows the user to view information form the system 10, for example, in graphical or text form (or, in some cases, in both forms).
[0039]FIG. 1B shows a block diagram of a data transmission network 20 (sometimes simply referred to as a network) of the type which may be used with the present invention. The data transmission network 20 includes the computer system 10 of FIG. 1A as well as other components 22, 24, 26 and 28. These components could be other computer systems, servers, printers or other computer apparatus. Although this figure depicts a network of five devices, in actuality, the network may include a variable number of components, from a small number (1 or 2) in an unusual situation to a very large number (thousands of systems).
[0040] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a user of the computer system 10 may wish to view the performance of the network 20 on his display 18. The performance of the network 20 may be of concern to the network administrator, for example, in managing the performance of the network 20. Applications which reside on the user's system 110 (but are not shown) allow a query of the systems attached to the network 20 to receive performance data on the system. This performance data, which are typically referred to as monitors, are time-varying information on the activity sensed at some point in the network, and may be an indication of the use of a resource, either in absolute amount (such as messages transmitted) or in relative terms (the portion of the memory which is used).
[0041]FIG. 2 is a diagram of a prior art system for viewing the performance of a computer system. In response to an inquiry, various monitors (shown here as monitor 1, monitor 2 and monitor 3) are displayed in a box 32, along with the time period displayed in box 34. A separate inquiry at another time or listing other monitors would display the requested monitors at the requested time in a subsequent display, leaving the synthesis to the user to put the data together and reach appropriate conclusions.
[0042] Fog. 3 is an illustration of the component types which may be present in a computer system, which may include individual servers, networks and other components such as printers. The component types include memory 40, disk(s) 41, LAN adapter(s) 42, and central processor unit(s) or CPU 43. The memory type 40 is shown as a single memory 40 a, with the disk 40 consisting of disk 1 (41 a) through disk n (41 n). The LAN adapter 42 includes LAN adapter (42 a) through LAN adapter n (42 n) and the CPU is shown with CPU 1 (43 a) through CPU n (43 n). Associated with each of the components is at least one monitor, with the added subscript "m" added to designate the monitor associated with a given device—e.g., the monitor for memory usage 40 am is associated with the memory 40 a. Since there are several monitors for the LAN adapter 42 a, these are indicated as a first monitor—utilization—(42 am 1) through a third monitor—packets received—(42 am 3). The monitors can be grouped into types, such as memory usage 40T, disk utilization 41 t, etc., corresponding to the respective monitors. The monitor types for the network can include network utilization 42 t 1, packets transmitted 42 t 2 amd packets received 42 t 3. CPU utilization 43 t is the type of monitor associated with the CPU monitor.
[0043]FIG. 4 (consisting of FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D) is a flow chart of process used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] This flowchart of FIG. 4A begins by reading the three inputs (report, monitor types and diagnosis). The flowchart shows that at the highest level, the method consists of several nested loops. The outer loop iterates through the systems in the report. This loop involves boxes 102, 110, and 111.
[0045] The next loop iterates through the time points in the report. This involves boxes 105, 112, and 113. This loop skips the time points that have less than two hours of consecutive data, via box 106. This is because the next flowchart will average the previous two hours of data. If a time point is less than two hours into the report, then the method goes to the next time point in box 113 and 112. Likewise, if the time point is less than two hours after a gap, then the method goes to the next time point. A "gap" occurs when the user has requested a report that includes only certain days of the week and hours of the day. These are called "inclusion times" in the Performance Data Patent. For example, if only the hours 9:00 am to 5:00 pm are included in the report, then there is a gap in the data between 5:00 pm and 9:00 am the next day. The first two hours, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, are skipped in this flowchart.
[0046] The time loop keeps a counter of how many time points were analyzed in box 107. This way it can leave out the times that were skipped in 106 when it does the analysis. The next loop iterates through the monitor types via boxes 108, 114, and 115. The final loop iterates through the monitors of that type in boxes 109, 116, and 117.
[0047] This flowchart of FIG. 4B shows how the method processes each monitor for each time point. In boxes 203 to 208, the method sums up the previous two hours of data. It rejects any time points where there is no data. This typically indicates that the system was turned off. Box 209 tests to see if the system was turned on at least half the time. If not, then the data is rejected for this time point and a counter is updated in box 210 in order to keep track of how much this condition has occurred. Note the assumption here that if one monitor does not have data for this time point, none of them do for the entire system, so we skip the other monitors and go to the next time point.
[0048] In box 211, the average is computed for the two hours. In 212, if the average is over 75%, then this monitor is constrained in 213.
[0049] By way of explaining 213, the method keeps a cumulative bottleneck for the current time point, and it adds to the bottleneck while it is processing the time point. The bottleneck contains the following information:
[0050] The frequency of the bottleneck (number of times it has occurred).
[0051] A list of the monitors that are constrained in the bottleneck, and the frequency of each one (number of times that it was constrained).
[0052] A list of the components that are constrained in the bottleneck, and the frequency of each one (number of times it was constrained).
[0053] The first time the bottleneck occurred.
[0054] The last time the bottleneck occurred.
[0055] The type of the bottleneck, which is determined by the component types involved in the bottleneck. This can be computed from the list of components.
[0056] The bottleneck is constructed in 213 during iterative passes through the loops. None of the frequencies in the bottleneck will exceed 1 since at this point, the bottleneck is only describing a single time point.
[0057] The flowchart of FIG. 4C shows how the method finishes processing each time point after it has processed each monitor.
[0058] Box 301 checks the cumulative bottleneck that contains the results of analyzing all of the monitors (see 213). If any of the monitors were bottlenecked, box 302 checks to see if there has already been a bottleneck for the same combination of component types. For each system, the method only keeps one bottleneck of each type. For example, there is only one CPU Bottleneck, only one Memory Bottleneck, only one CPU+Memory Bottleneck, and so forth. The types of components that are constrained determine the type of the bottleneck. If the same type of bottleneck has already occurred, the method updates the preexisting one in boxes 304 to 307. Otherwise, a new bottleneck of this type is added in box 303.
[0059] The flowchart of FIG. 4D shows how the method processes each system after all of the time points have been analyzed. Box 401 tests to see if includedTimes is nonzero. A zero value in this counter indicates that the system did not have two hours of consecutive data. In this case, the system is added to the list of undiagnosable systems in box 402 and we go on to the next system.
[0060] Box 403 tests to see if the system has any bottlenecks. If none were created by the analysis, then this system is added to the list of healthy systems in box 404.
[0061] If there are multiple bottlenecks, box 405 outputs the total time that the system was bottlenecked. If there is only one bottleneck, then there is no need to do this because it will be obvious to the user.
[0062] If a system does not have data for at least half the time, then box 406 warns the user that the diagnosis is less reliable. This is computed with the counters that were updated in 107 and 210.
[0063] Box 407 sorts the bottlenecks by frequency of occurrence. Recall that there is only one bottleneck of each type, containing the accumulated instances of that bottleneck throughout the report. The bottleneck type that occurred most frequently is listed first.
[0064] Box 409 outputs each bottleneck type that has occurred for the system. It uses the process outlined above (in item 2 of the method's inputs) to select the appropriate diagnosis for this bottleneck type. It fills out the diagnosis with the specific components and monitors that contributed to the bottleneck, and how much each one was constrained.
[0065] The flowcharts do not show the following features of an embodiment of the present invention which may be added, as desired, by one of ordinary skill in the field: The systems are sorted according to total frequency of bottleneck. Hence, the system that is bottlenecked the most is output first. The output is organized into Recommendations and Details. Each system is tested to see if it contains at least one monitor for each component type. Otherwise it is added to the undiagnosable list. If the user clicks on one of the underlined monitor names, the system displays a graph of that monitor. It would be trivial for one skilled in the art to add these enhancements.
[0066] The method uses several values that can be modified by the user. The threshold for each monitor defaults to 75%, but can be changed on a per-monitor basis. Other customizable numbers include: The length of the sliding average. The default is two hours. How much of the sliding average must contain data. The default is 50%. What percentage of the report interval must have data for the server before a warning is issued; the default is 50%. What percentage of the report interval must a bottleneck exist for in order to be listed in the Recommendations section; default is 25%.
[0067] The present invention modifies FIG. 4 from the System Recommendation Patent. Boxes 101, 102, 103, and 111 in FIG. 4E are given as reference points from the flowcharts in that Patent, and FIGS. 4A-4D in this document. Boxes 120 and higher are inserted.
[0068] All of the systems in the report share the same list of timestamps. Therefore, it is efficient to extend the list of time stamps into the future before the method begins iterating through systems. Boxes 120 to 126 cause the list of timestamps to extend into the future. The default forecastFactor is 2.0. This means that if the original list covers one month, the revised list will cover two months. The first month of the revised list will be the original list, and the second month will be the extension into the future. The forecastFactor can be any floating-point number greater than 1.0. The forecastFactor is read from an input file in the preferred embodiment but could be set in the user interface in other embodiments.
[0069] In boxes 120 through 126, the variable nextTime always contains the timestamp that will be written into the next position in the list of timestamps. It is initialized in 120 to the time that the real data ends in the report. In 121 the length of the list is increased to create empty positions in which to write the new timestamps, and in 122 the method points to the first empty position. In 123, nextTime is incremented by the sampling period. For example, if the timestamps in the original report are 5 minutes apart, then nextTime is incremented by 5 minutes each pass through the loop. Box 124 skips times that are not included by the inclusion times. For instance, if only the hours 9:00 am to 5:00 pm are included, then the times that fall between 5:00 pm and 9:00 am the next day are skipped by box 124. This causes the forecasted portion of the list of timestamps to adhere to the same pattern as the original portion.
[0070] When the list of timestamps is extended, the method begins iterating through systems in 102. This is according to the original flowchart. However, the revised flowchart then extends the monitor data for the current system so that it will correspond to the extended timestamp list. Box 128 increases the list of data points for each monitor by forecastFactor, just as the timestamp list was lengthened. Note that the monitors may not all have the same sampling frequency, so it is important to use a multiplication factor rather than adding a number because the ratio of timestamps to data points must be maintained. Box 129 uses linear regression to fill in the newly created empty positions in the monitor data. The existing data is analyzed to find the best-fit line, and this line is used to compute the future data. This process is repeated for each monitor in the system. Each monitor is analyzed individually, without regard for how it interacts with the others.
[0071] However, the preferred embodiment uses a programming interface to perform the forecast so that another forecasting algorithm can be substituted in the future without changing the rest of the algorithm. This is possible because from 103 on, the bottleneck detection method proceeds as if no forecast had been performed. With the exception of box 113 (see below), the method never needs to know whether it is analyzing real or predicted data. When it comes to the end of the real data, it keeps going into the predicted data without knowing the difference. So it would be possible to plug in a forecasting algorithm that used, for example, cyclic analysis or that took into account how the monitors interact.
[0072] The only time the method needs to consider whether the data is real or predicted is when it has encountered a bottleneck. The following flowchart modifies box 113 from the original flowchart.
[0073]FIG. 4F illustrates another change to the flow of FIG. 4A-4D to accommodate the forecasting of the present invention. Before forecasting was introduced into the present invention, box 113 in FIG. 4A would always go to the next time point if there was one via 112. However, if we are in forecasted data it is necessary to check and see if any bottlenecks have occurred in the past. If a bottleneck occurred in the past and we are in forecasted data, then finish processing the current system via "E" and do not continue to analyze it for bottlenecks. Once a bottleneck has occurred, the monitor data no longer behaves in a linear fashion and the forecast is invalid from that time point on. If the bottleneck occurred in the real data, then no forecast data will be analyzed at all. If the bottleneck occurs in the forecast data, then it is the only bottleneck that will be found since it stops the analysis. This implies that only one bottleneck can ever be found in forecast data.
[0074] The only other modifications to the original invention are in the output process. In box 406 in the original disclosure, if the system did not have enough data to be analyzed for at least half the time, then a warning is generated. A warning was generated in the original invention, but it is customized if the bottleneck is forecasted. This is shown in the sample output for System D. System D is included in the Details section but not in the Recommendations section because it triggered the warning in 406.
[0075] In addition, the output in box 409 must be enhanced to handle a forecasted bottleneck. For example, the "first and last time" and "how long it occurred" strings should be modified because we only know when it will begin to occur. Systems A and D illustrate this change in the sample output.
[0076] FIGS. 5-7 are examples of reports from the present invention. FIG. 5 is an output from the system of the present invention, preferably in the form of a HTMLpage available for review over an intranet or the Internet. A top pane 510 (e.g., in FIG. 5) is used to select a system to graph. (In some situations, it also selects a monitor, though the lower left pane is usually used for this.) Four buttons 512, 514, 516 and 518 at the top control the top pane. There are four options for the top pane: The first button 512 displays a table in the top pane. This button is currently selected, as is indicated by the box around the button. The table is currently displayed in the top pane. The first column has the heading "System" and lists all of the systems with their icons. The second button 514 displays a list of icons in the top pane. This allows a large number of systems to be viewed at once, using the same icons that are seen in the first column of the table. The third button 516 displays the HyperGraph in the top pane. The system icons are positioned on a graph but are still functional as icons, as described in the Performance Display patent. The fourth button 518 displays the Performance Analysis output in the top pane. The first three buttons are as described in the Performance Display Patent referenced above. However, the fourth button 518 is new and is used to access the invention. The button has a face that is frowning to indicate that at least one of the analyzed systems has a problem with a recommended remedy. If no problems were found, an appropriate symbol such as a smiling face would be displayed. If analysis were in progress, the face would have its eyes closed in a thoughtful expression. If analysis is not possible due to insufficient data, then the face would look dead. Of course, the selection of the appropriate symbols is within the selection of the designer, so long as the user can understand the results.
[0077] Now, FIG. 6 results when the fourth button is selected. The top pane shows the Recommendations, as described in the disclosure. The bottom two panes are unchanged.
[0078] Notice that "Go to details" is underlined for each system. This is the conventional way of indicating a hyperlink which the user should click on. Suppose the user clicks on the hyperlink for "Go to details" for System B, resulting in FIG. 7
[0079] The scroll bar has moved down to a later portion of the output where the details of System B's bottlenecks are given. The bottom two panes have not changed. However, now suppose the user selects "CPU Utilization" which is underlined in the top pane. The screen of FIG. 8 results.
[0080]FIG. 9 illustrates the report using forecasting of the present invention. The solid line 902 illustrates the result of actual data, the dashed line the forecast into the future using statistical techniques and the dotted lines 906, 908 indicate the prediction interval or forecast interval, computer using known statistical techniques for calculating the prediction interval. FIG. 9 shows that the forecast exceeds the threshold 910 in the future, so that the system has not bottlenecked yet, but is projected to do so where the dashed line 912 crosses the threshold 910. Alternatively, the intersection of the forecast intervals 906 and 908 intersect the threshold 910 at 914 and 916, respectively, indicating that the system is likely to exceed the threshold between the time associated with the point 914 and the point 916.
[0081] A typical report from this prediction is as follows:
[0082] System A Details
[0083] Bottleneck: LAN Adapter. This bottleneck has not occurred yet, but it may occur on Tue Sep. 29, 1998.
[0084] To graph the constrained resources, click on:
[0085] NDIS-Adapter 0-Packets Received
[0086] To improve performance:
[0087] Add faster LAN technology to LAN Segment 0.
[0088] Add another LAN adapter and migrate users from LAN Segment 0 to the new LAN subnet.
[0089] It is desirable to measure and record the utilization of each component type by using some combination of monitor types. For each type of component, there are alternative types of monitors that could be used to determine the utilization. The above monitor types are the ones that were most convenient in the preferred embodiment, and are given by way of example. Other types of monitors that could be used include LAN bytes per second, LAN packets or frames per second, CPU instructions per second, disk I/O operations per second, and disk bytes per second read and written. The preferred embodiment runs on a platform that provides a number of monitors, such as IBM's Netfinity or Tivoli software.
[0090] The monitors are considered "passive" because they observe the systems without effecting them. Other performance analysis methods use active techniques. (For example, see BlueCurve Dynameasure by Bluecurve, Inc. 2201 Broadway, Suite 700 Oakland, Calif. 94612.) These methods intentionally induce artificial workloads in the systems in order to determine performance characteristics. The drawbacks of this approach are that it is disruptive to the network, and the artificial load on the network may not resemble the actual load in the real world. The subject invention avoids these drawbacks by using passive monitors.
[0091] Experimentation has shown that a server's response time begins to increase exponentially when resource utilization reaches a threshold that is between 60% and 80%. (See Computer-Communications Network Design and Analysis, Mischa Schwartz, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632.) The preferred embodiment considers a component constrained when one of the above performance monitors averages over 75% for a period of at least two hours. A component meeting this criterion will noticeably degrade the server's performance. In our model it does not matter whether the monitor value that constrained the component is 76% or 100%, because a component is either constrained or not constrained. Though the invention allows the user to adjust the 75% threshold for each monitor, the user is advised to leave the threshold at its default.
[0092] A "bottleneck" occurs on a system when one or more of its components are constrained. A bottleneck is identified by a unique combination of constrained component types. For example:
[0093] If CPU 1 is constrained at a particular time, this is a CPU bottleneck. If CPU 2 is constrained at a later time, it is also a CPU bottleneck. The invention considers these two bottlenecks to be one bottleneck for much of the analysis. This illustrates that it is the component type that defines a bottleneck, and not the specific component.
[0094] If the "Network Utilization for Adapter 1" monitor is constrained at a particular time, this is a LAN bottleneck. If the "Packets Transmitted by Adapter 1" monitor is constrained at a later time, this is also a LAN bottleneck. The invention considers these two bottlenecks to be one bottleneck for much of the analysis. This illustrates that it is the component type that defines a bottleneck, and not the specific monitor or monitor type.
[0095] If CPU 1 and LAN Adapter 1 are both constrained, it is a CPU+LAN bottleneck. It is not two bottlenecks, but one. This illustrates that it is the combination of component types that defines a bottleneck.
[0096] Since there are four component types in the preferred embodiment, there are fifteen possible bottleneck types. (This is two raised to the fourth power, minus one for the case of zero which means no bottleneck.) Each of the fifteen bottleneck types has a different diagnosis. This is best explained by a few examples:
[0097] If Disk 1 is constrained, it causes a disk bottleneck. The user is advised to add disks or to move active data files from Disk 1 to under-utilized disks to better balance the disk workload.
[0098] If CPU 1 is constrained, it causes a CPU bottleneck. The user is advised to upgrade to faster or additional CPUs.
[0099] If memory is constrained, it causes a memory bottleneck. The user is advised to add the appropriate amount of memory.
[0100] If CPU 1 and memory are both constrained, it causes a memory+CPU bottleneck. The user is advised to add memory AND to upgrade to faster or additional CPUs. In this case, the recommendation is simply the combined recommendations for the individual components. If memory is constrained and one or more disks are constrained at the same time, it is a memory+disk bottleneck. The user is advised to add memory. The user is NOT advised to add disks or to move active data files from Disk 1 to under-utilized disks. The invention realizes that the constrained memory is most likely causing disk thrashing, so there is no benefit in working with the disk devices. In this case, the recommendation is NOT the combined recommendations for the individual components. After a memory upgrade is performed the invention can be used in an iterative fashion to re-analyze the status of the system. The invention would then correctly identify unlikely cases when combinatorial bottlenecks such as memory and disk I/O occur that are not related.
[0101] The last example shows that components in a bottleneck can interact. If a type of component is in a bottleneck with other types of components, it may mean something completely different than if the component type is in a bottleneck alone. This is why each combination of component types (memory, disks, LAN adapters, CPUs) causes a different type of bottleneck.
[0102] The invention gives suggestions to the user which include information about the specific components and monitors that created the bottleneck. The type of bottleneck, and hence the diagnosis, is determined only by the component types. But the specific components and monitors must be included in the diagnosis so that the user has enough information to address the problem.
[0103] Many modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the arts to which the present invention applies. Further, it may be desirable to use some of the features of the present invention without the corresponding use of other features. For example, the present invention has been described in the context of monitoring hardware performance and in making recommendations for changes in the hardware to improve the performance of the system, while software forms and integral part of the present invention and defines many of the capabilities of the system. Analysis of the performance of software and consideration of changes to the software could be accomplished in a rather straight forward way without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Further, the interaction between the hardware and software components could be used to advantage in monitoring the performance of the combined system, and those skilled in the relevant arts would be able to include software indicators of performance, if desired. Furthermore, the performance of other elements of the hardware and additional rules could be added to the system described without difficulty, and the use of other rules could be used with good results. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the present invention should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not in limitation thereof.
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Pearson 26 thoughts ?
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NY/LI mooring options
Sunnyside is a bit of hike to City Island + tolls.
JimsCal gave you the link for the Steppingstone facility. They will accept non-Great Neck residents for a slightly higher fee (not sure what it is now). We kept our boat there for 2 seasons and it was a positive experience over all. They do have bathrooms and a snack bar but the rest of the park is for Great Neck residents. Launch service on weekends and otherwise you can dinghy out to your boat. If you do go here make sure you have 2 pennants from your mooring - don't ask how I know this.
There is also a marina near LaGuardia and the fair grounds. It is a bit industrial compared to Steppingstone (SS) and is firmly in the East River while SS is in the westernmost LI Sound with better sailing right there. SS does not provide winter storage for boats (only summer) so you will have to shell out another $1k+ for winter storage somewhere else like City Island.
The next best option (in my opinion) would be the Hempstead Harbor Club which is in Glen Cove. It is a bit of a drive to get there but the Sound is also wider and more open there. HHC is also reasonably priced, has nice members AND has options for winter storage right there. There are some members of HHC on this forum (JimsCal may be a member there for all I know).
In the summer you will probably get to know most of route 25A as the LIE can be a parking lot, especially on Sunday evenings as you probably already know.
People also do put moorings in Little Neck Bay but I know precious little about what costs or clubs are involved with that. I'm also of the opinion that Little Neck Bay is pretty damn shallow and muddy but have no first hand experience to state this as fact. I'd suggest you think about getting a Maptech chart book for the LI Sound which will show you all the marine/marina facilities up and down the Sound. There is also ActiveCaptain which is free if you register to use it that gives similar information.
Originally Posted by
Hi, Thanks for all the replies. We are in Sunnyside Queens, I drove out to City Island this weekend. Did not realise that it would be such a hike and I don't think it's a feasable place to moor for us. I've never heard of Sreppingstone/Kings Point but I just looked on the google map - looks good. Is there a particular marina there you would recommend ?
Thanks again
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Expert Travel Advice to Cozumel
Top Ten Places to SnorkelAway.com Beach Experts Gary Chandler and Liza Prado share their favorite snorkel spots in the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico. Away Top Ten
Tips for a Safe Family Vacation to MexicoDo recent headlines have you second-guessing your family's Mexico vacation? The good news is, you're not alone. The better news is, Mexico is still a safe destination for the savvy traveler. Follow our advice for a stress-free vacation south of the border. Away Practical Advice
Cozumel: Searching for ElvisBonnier Travel
Cruising for CozumelBonnier Travel
Diving & Snorkeling: CozumelAway Travel
Mayan Riviera: Top AttractionsAway Travel
Mexico's Route 307A Scuba Diver's Pilgrimage. Gorp Travel
Top Answers To Cozumel Travel Questions
You can actually take a guided tour to bar hop. http://bit.ly/crwVC1
I have been traveling to Cozumel for more than 10 years now. I love it there and have snorkeled Chankanaab and have taken many of the snorkeling tours the drive shops offer. Chankanaab is more of a tourist place and there are statue's and things in the water to see. But if you want the full thrill of snorkeling and see the most beautiful fish and reefs, take one of the tours and make it really worth you money. Enjoy!
linda answered:The weather and water will be lovely . One note-try not to shop when the cruise ships are in as they double/triple their prices for these tourists. We normally go twice a year and dive, but if you do not dive, snorkeling will be amazing for you. We use Dive with Martin and they never have more that 6-8 divers per boat. They also take snorkelers out. Their prices are much more reasonable than the resort charges. Also, since we can't dive for 24 hours prior to flying, we rent mopeds and drive around the island. From the town, take the road that crosses the island to see the ruins at San G. after seeing the ruins, continue toward the east side of the island. The first left after leaving the ruins you can visit the Tequila History Museum. Very interesting and they give you many samples of the variety of tequilas made as well as learning how it is made. On the east side of the islaisland,
Answer this1 AnswerIt costs $19 for adults, $12 for children under 12. You can pre-book tickets here: http://bit.ly/eRlO7R


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Rice Bran Oil- Our Cold Pressed Rice Bran Oil is rich in Vitamin E and anti-oxidants. This oil has long been used in Japan as a base for soap, skin moisturizer and protector. It is said to be an effective substitute for lanolin. Rice Bran Oil is especially used for treating dry and mature skin.
Ingredients: Botanical Name: Oryza sativa Bran OilCommon Name: Rice Bran Oil
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The post Chatting with Sarah of Spicy Pinecone appeared first on Soap Queen.


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End Of The Beginning
By Lari Goss
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End Of The Beginning arranged by Lari Goss. For Solo with SATB choir. From the collection "High Praises" (080689373176). Modern Christian, Easter. Choral octavo. Duration 5'19". Published by Word Music (WD.080689562273).


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US Marine Corps Successfully Employs Contracted Air to Ground Training Capability
TWENTY-NINE PALMS MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FIELD, Calif., June 7 /PRNewswire/ — US Marine Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) cleared a flight of civilian A-4 Skyhawks to drop inert, practice ordnance on a USMC target range on May 27th. JTACs controlled the pilots and A-4 Skyhawks of Airborne Tactical Advantage, Co., known as ATAC, the US Navy's tactical aircraft training provider. ATAC, the US industry leader in DoD airborne tactical services, is the first civilian company cleared to employ Mk-76 inert training munitions in support of DoD JTAC training. ATAC also flies the supersonic F-21 Kfir and Mk-58 Hunter, and is the only civilian company certified to train the US Navy's "Topgun" weapons school and USAF F-22 Raptors. ATAC also trains every aircraft carrier battlegroup prior to deployment from bases across the US and the Pacific regions.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100607/PH14903 )
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100607/PH14903 )
Demand for USMC, Navy and USAF JTAC-qualified personnel to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq has increased dramatically in the past 5 years. The NATO sponsored 13th Annual Joint Close Air Support (JCAS) Symposium emphasized that the most challenging part of training JTACs is the requirement for tactical aircraft for JTACs to control. Lt Col Christopher DeLong, credited with initiating this new training capability for the USMC said, "Having Contract Close Air Support (CCAS) aircraft deliver inert ordnance for the USMC allows us to close the loop on the training evolution from CAS check in and 9 line passage through aircraft acquisition, ordnance delivery, corrections to impacts and bomb damage assessment." Although JTAC requirements have increased dramatically in recent years, so have the demands on a shrinking US fighter and attack force. In order to professionally tackle the challenges of JTAC support, ATAC brought on USMC Maj Gen (retired) Jon "Goose" Gallinetti, to help guide ATAC's efforts with the Marines. ATAC's Air-to-Ground Program Manager, Lt Col (retired) James Reed, is a former USMC F/A-18 fighter pilot who served as the Operations Officer for the USMC's Weapons School located in Yuma, AZ, the premier air-to-ground training school for the USMC. Reed said, "Through-put at JTAC schools such as EWTGPAC is a challenge. Ultimately, the USMC has contracted ATAC to fly in support of JTAC training to help alleviate the bottle-neck of this critical combat training."


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Merry Go Round Little Boy Blue 4" x 6" Frame
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Merry Go Round frames display favorite memories. Featuring a charming graphic inspired by the famous Little Boy Blue nursery rhyme, this photo frame makes the perfect gift for an expectant mother. Find more charming keepsakes at Kohls.com. In blue/white.
- Trumpeting character and "Little Boy Blue, Come Blow Your Horn" graphics add a charming touch.
- Decorative box makes gifting easy.
- Details:
- 8.25-in. height
- Holds one 4" x 6" photo
- Horizontal display
- Earthenware
- Promotional offers available online at Kohls.com may vary from those offered in Kohl's stores.
Our hassle-free return policy means worry-free shopping.
- Return any item, anytime, for any reason.
- No receipt? No problem. We'll take care of you.
- Yes, you can return it in store (even if you bought it online!).
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The links below are ads provided by the Google AdWords™ program. Outside companies pay to advertise via these links when specific phrases and words are searched. These ads are provided by Google and are labeled as sponsored links. Clicking on these links will open a new tab displaying that respective company's own website. The website you link to is not affiliated with or sponsored by Kohls.com


text:
An Almost Win
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Lazio equalized the game at the last minute to tie 1-1 at the Juventus Stadium for the first leg of Coppa Italia.
beIN SPORT
Lazio has become the team for Juventus to beat as it has emerged as genuine Scudetto contenders and are currently on a 14-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.
Both sides came into the game missing key players as Juventus' Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini and Sebastian Giovinco were sidelined for injury, while Miroslav Klose, Abdoullay Konko and Ederson were absent for Lazio and Andre Dias was suspended.
The first half was all about Juventus looking to take an early lead but with not much luck to its side. Lazio had less but equally valid chances to open the score, but the teams went off to the half time break with the score tied without goals. The only novelty was that Leonardo Bonnuci presented some problems and was replaced with Martin Caceres on Juventus' side.
The second half started as the first had, with Juventus on the offensive. Finally, Federico Peluso rose above his marker to power Giaccherini 's cross past the helpless goalkeeper Marchetti and put the game 1-0 for the home team.
Juventus kept pushing and was often close to finding the sequel goal, but Marchetti kept Lazio alive and four minutes before the end of the game, Stefano Mauri scored a miraculous equalizer, giving Lazio a visitor goal worth its weight in gold for the second leg of the quarter final. The final score was 1-1.


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Snorkelling Gear
Check out the underwater world!
Getting in the water to watch marine life, such as fish an coral, is an amazing experience. But finding the right snorkelling gear to suit the shape of your face and foot type can be tricky. Make sure to get a snorkelling set that suits you and is durable enough to last a few seasons. Swimwear Shack has selected some affordable (and comfortable!) snorkelling equipment to sell online. We sell masks, fins, snorkels and flotation devices. This is the fast and easy way to get the snorkelling equipment you need. If you are unsure about the size, you are welcome to contact us.
Tusa Sport 'Elite Series' Mini Platina Youth Mask & Snorkel Combo
Regular Price: $44.00
Sale Price $39.95
Tusa Mask/Snorkel Combo - Tri-Ex - Black/Metallic Blue
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Sale Price $84.95
US Divers 'Java Tropic' Junior Snorkelling Set
Regular Price: $50.00
Sale Price $39.95
US Divers 'Pro Diver' Snorkelling Set
Regular Price: $130.00
Sale Price $89.95
US Divers 'Reef Scout' Junior Snorkelling Set
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US Divers 'Tuscon' Snorkelling Set
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US Divers 'Pacific' Snorkelling Set
Regular Price: $90.00
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Tusa Mask/Snorkel Combo - Serene - Black/Hot Pink
Regular Price: $89.95
Sale Price $84.95
Ocean Hunter Chameleon Mask and Snorkel pack - Black
Regular Price: $69.95
Sale Price $59.95
Marlin Open Heel Mask-Snorkel-Fins Set
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Sale Price $99.95
Nipper Snorkel Set - Junior & Child
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Sale Price $29.95
Tusa Sport 'Elite Series' Liberator Mask & Snorkel Combo - Three Colours
Regular Price: $69.95
Sale Price $64.95
Beuchat 'Oceo' Mask, Snorkel & Fins Set - Junior
Regular Price: $69.00
Sale Price $59.95
Problue 'Jetta' Snorkel Set
Regular Price: $89.95
Sale Price $79.95
Out of stock
Problue 'Jetta' Snorkel Set -Royal Blue
Regular Price: $89.95
Sale Price $79.95
Beuchat 'Oceo' Mask, Fin & Snorkel Set - Adult
Regular Price: $69.00
Sale Price $59.95
Beuchat 'Oceo' Mask and Snorkel Set - Junior
Regular Price: $59.95
Sale Price $44.95
Beuchat 'Oceo' Purge Mask and Snorkel Set - Adult
Regular Price: $54.95
Sale Price $49.95
Out of stock
Beuchat 'Oceo' Junior Mask
Regular Price: $39.95
Sale Price $24.95
Ocean Pro 'Adventurer' Mask, Snorkel & Fin set
Regular Price: $49.95
Sale Price $44.95
Ocean Hunter Chameleon Mask and Snorkel pack - Blue
Regular Price: $69.95
Sale Price $59.95
Ocean Hunter Chameleon Mask and Snorkel pack - Green
Regular Price: $69.95
Sale Price $59.95
TUSA Snorkel Platina II Hyperdry - Clear Blue
Regular Price: $71.50
Sale Price $54.95
Tusa Serene Adult Travel Set - Black/Hot Pink$139.95
What You Need to Go Snorkelling
Snorkelling is an easy and affordable way to view the Oceans marine life. Make sure you get the right gear for you and your family. Snorkelling is an enjoyable water sport activity that the whole family can join in.
You Will Need:
Mask - You want a mask that is comfortable, fits correctly around your face and doesn't leak. The best way to check if you have the correct fitting mask is to place it firmly upon your face and hold the air between your nose and throat. If the mask sticks to your face without the aid of the mask strap comfortably then you have the right fit!
Snorkel - There are many different options of Snorkels out there and it is down to personal preference to which is the right one. For example; the Purge Valve snorkel allows the water to be cleared from the snorkel at the lower end so therefore requires less effort to clear your snorkel than standard models.
Fins - Wetsuit Warehouse has selects a great range of snorkel fins; from full foot fins to open heel. When you are snorkelling remember that you will be skimming on the surface of the water so it is better to choose a shorter length and lighter weight fin otherwise you will find it difficult to kick and tire easily.


text:
2 Chinese teeners killed in crash were best friends
More News from Agence France-Presse
BEIJING—The two teenage Chinese girls killed in a South Korean passenger jet crash at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday were best friends and promising students, state media reported on Monday.
The pair, Ye Mengyuan and Wang Linjia, studied together at a high school in eastern China's Zhejiang province, the Beijing Morning Post said, citing Ye's relatives, who speculated they may have sat in the same row on the plane.
Ye, 16, an outstanding student and piano player and a national aerobics champion, was the pride of her family, the report said, citing teachers and her mother.
"She was learning music from me and was very gifted in singing," the newspaper quoted a teacher surnamed Ai as saying.
Budding artist
Wang, 17, was an active and acclaimed student leader, according to her classmates.
"I feel very depressed after learning the news this morning," said Lu Hao, a fellow student. "She was very friendly to all the classmates."
Wang was good at Chinese calligraphy and painting, and her works hung in the office of her father, who owns a company, the report said.
Summer camp
The two were among a group of 30 students flying to the United States with their teachers to take part in a summer camp, previous Chinese media reports said.
Participants had paid nearly 30,000 yuan ($5,000) each for their places, according to the official news agency Xinhua.
Wang's last posting on a Twitter-like weibo site was "Go!" apparently reflecting her excitement about the trip.
Chinese nationals made up 141 of the 291 passengers aboard the Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 that burst into flames after it landed short of the runway, injuring 182.
The two teenagers are the only deaths from the accident so far.
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text:
Building a Starplate Aviary
For people looking for more attractive ways of keeping their birds, I suggest trying this geodesic structure. I keep pheasants in mine. What will you keep in yours?
Starplates are a geodesic building system offered by Stromberg's a U.S. poultry supply company. They will ship this system to Canada, which is where I am. They are one of my favorite choices for aviary construction, as they are sturdy, economical, and look impressive. A Starplate structure is said to be able to withstand ten thousand pounds of downward pressure, which is good when building aviaries near large trees. Construction with this system is fast and fairly simple provided you take your time and measure properly. In fact, a couple of people with the right tools, and a bit of imagination, can create a beautiful sturdy aviary in a day or two.
Depending on your local climate Starplate aviaries can be used for everything from smaller soft bills, to chickens, to ornamental pheasants. A Starplate aviary even will make a excellent home for reptiles such as iguanas, or smaller monitors, in warmer climates. Hard bill birds such as parrots will require additional features for safety and security that I will not be covering.
What You Get And What You Need
What you get with the Starplate Building System is a set of 11 Starplate connectors. The connectors are good quality metal plates and their price plus shipping is reasonable. What you will need to get is 25 2X2s, 2X3s, or 2X4s, depending on the size of structure you are planning on building. The sizes of these pieces of lumber can be up to 9′ in length using this system.
Anything larger is not recommended with Starplates. For aviaries larger is better. For my Starplate aviaries I have used 8′ 2X4s. In addition to the lumber you will need to purchase 50 each of nuts, bolts, and washers according to the size of the structure you are going to build. You will need some additional pieces of lumber for construction of doors or if you want to add additional horizontal support struts.
The structure will need to be covered completely with a wire mesh, not plastic or fabric. For larger birds such as pheasants you can use 2″ stucco wire which is inexpensive. For medium sized birds you can use poultry wire, for smaller birds, such as finches, or for reptiles you will need to use a hardware cloth or good quality poultry wire. Make sure it is galvanized or PVC coated to prevent rusting over time. To attach the wire mesh to the structure you will need either U nails or the appropriate size of good quality staples.
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interesting and informative,thanks Mark
i have visited a lot of aviaries and I always feel sorry for the birds. I'm sure they are better than cages in the house though. And for chickens they must be a good choice if they have to be penned. Well written article. Best wishes, Ruby
In the unit that uses 8 ft lenghts of wood, you have 110 sq feet of floor space inside. By adding logs, branches, and levels you can increase this. For birds like chickens they only need to be penned when you first get them, when they are young, or at night – for their own protection from predators. The shape is better than square cages, because there are no interior corners. All in all a much better unit for birds who must be contained.
Some breeds of birds are very rare in the wild, but safely kept by aviaculturists. Also some birds must be kept in pens due to zoning laws.
I like that these are well planted and have things of interest for the birds.
hi there….my husband is building an outdoor aviary of 16 feet high and it has an igloo shape.can anybody recommend me a web site to get info about cohabiting species, tips on how to care for the birds…..etc…many thanks in advance
hallo, i live in germany and i´d like to build such a niche hous. But ther is until now nobody who like to send me this Starplates.
If you know somebody ples giv me the adress. I cand belive that it is not possible to get them in germany.
Good article. I had no idea you could buy something like this, and then set it up so easily. Any structures on the farm that I used to live on was put there the hard way. Thanks!
Ich habe eine Adresse von einem Original Starplate-Lieferanten in Deutschland.


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Bobby Deol tells RANA SIDDIQUI ZAMAN about meltdown in the dream world and the joy of 'Ek'
"Oh, hi, how've you been? I will take a few minutes. Can I?" As always, Bobby Deol flashes his pearly, dimpled smile and shakes hands warmly. One knows he is going out for a quick fag away from the 'No smoking' zone of the hotel. As promised, he comes back quickly. He looks tired. "Yeah! I had a migraine attack last night, and it has still not gone. You carry on, please!" He tries to buck up and poses happily for the lensman.
That's the warmth Bobby has always exuded. And that's precisely the reason you choose to ignore even his outrageous blue shirt with white collar and matching shoes. "Warmth comes from the family," he smiles, adding, "I don't know what a broken family is. I always think all families must be like ours." He grins as he settles to talk about his role as a professional killer in Sangeeth Sivan's Ek –The Power of One. And even before he gives out the details of the film, he has an eye-opener: the economic recession has had an effect on our tinsel town too. Quietly he opens up. A bit of a surprise considering Bobby is not known to be a chatterbox. Keeping his counsel, he says, is also a weapon for him.
He had realised its power when corporate houses entered the film industry and recession hit filmdom. "I had discussed it with the family. I always knew corporate houses would disburse money like anything without caring for the quality. Now, believe me all of them have run away. Except may be UTV which is almost a part of the film industry now." And recession, he admits, has affected the film industry badly. He goes to the extent of saying, "Even our pay structures are affected. It had to happen." He continues rather pensively, "How can one keep the tickets priced at Rs. 150 to 250 for a film? It was totally uncalled for. India is largely middle class. If they had taken care of that, it wouldn't have affected cinema as it has today."
And yet, quite a fat amount has been spent on action in the film. Bobby asserts the USP of the film is its action. It is done by Peter Hynes who also did action for Ghajini.
Stylised action
"Action in the film is very stylised. It is powerful and raw, like hitting with fists. Peter has used powder in dust sequences so much that we started calling him 'Peter Powder' on the sets. In one of the scenes, for instance, he drilled the ground and used an air pressure pump to create haze. He has done several experiments. His action scenes kept all of us on our toes," laughs Bobby, then reveals, "I play Nandu. Orphaned in childhood, he grows up to be a professional killer. Nandu is ruthless. He wears an attitude and is not sombre and soft like the professional killer in Bichchu. His hair is long and straight, which imparts a cold look and his kohl-rimmed eyes have a piercing gaze. And he speaks little too," says Bobby.
Like many of us, Bobby also thinks the film's title, for which Ram Gopal Varma has already dragged Sivan before the Motion Pictures Association, is rather uncreative but he dismisses it as none of his business. "Producers don't get titles any more. Whatever titles they go with are already registered. I also think a catch-line like 'The power of one' is not needed. But I keep quiet. I am 40 and maintain the dignity of my age. I don't comment on anything that is pre-decided," he says rather thoughtfully. Though Bobby has Sivan's next film Cheers with father Dharmendra in hand, and other films (Gangs of London and Formula 44 have been put on hold), he seems dissatisfied. "Good scripts aren't coming to me. But I am positive," he concludes, with his trademark affectionate smile.


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Three of the planets biggest auto races will take place this Sunday. If you didn't know what to do this weekend, check out some world class racing.
We lost another important player in motorsports this year, relaunched to become your a-typical sports channel.
Next year could see not only an American team on the grid of a Formula One race, but a NASCAR owner to boot!
Billionaire Haas has conquered NASCAR, but now he wants to do a selling job on the rest of the world
F1 looks set to end its controversial clash with a NASCAR race in the same state of Texas for the 2015 season.
With the clock ticking, Haas Formula's plans to interview prospective partners will be delayed until next month
On F1's future: 'Everybody's converging on cars that look more and more similar.'
An American team is getting set to enter Formula One and could there be an American driver joining them?
It seems as though none of Haas' current NASCAR drivers will make the leap to Formula One, and that includes former Indycar race winner Danica Patrick.
Team owner Gene Haas is close to revealing F1 technical partnership and when Haas Formula will be on the grid
Taking a stand on an issue that has always been a controversial part of racing and isn't going away anytime soon...
Apples and oranges folks. Neither series attracts each other's fans.
NASCAR couldn't have scripted a better outcome
Counting down the top moments of 2013, the loss of Speed Channel was chased at the #2 top moment of the year gone by.
Gene Haas' NASCAR team only took off after Tony Stewart joined the organization and took partial control, so can he really make it in the world of Formula One?
The team may opt for the more traditional 'middle of the grid' F1 model, featuring an experienced name alongside a so-called 'pay driver'.
On Monday, Gene Haas took some time to talk more in depth about his plans to enter Formula One as the twelfth team on the grid.
Another big weekend of racing is in the books, and what did we learn this time? Read on to find out.
It's been officially confirmed that NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner Gene Haas has been granted a Formula One license by the FIA.
"I agree that anything is possible, but nobody has said anything to me. I am happy where I am at right now as far as racing goes" - Danica Patrick.
Ford boss says the U.S. manufacturer is not considering jumping back into the F1 pool
There's always places where you can make improvements in terms of safety; even in motorsports as safe as NASCAR and Formula One.


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They'll need it as they spend the rest of the week cleaning up the colossal mess Old Man winter left on their front lawns.
Homeowners in the low-lying areas along the Vermilion River, on Riverside Drive, finally got a breather Sunday and Monday as the swollen river stopped swelling and the rain stopped coming.
"There's still a jam at the mouth, there's still a jam here on Riverside, and there's a jam at Mill Hollow," Vermilion Mayor Eileen Bulan said Monday afternoon. "But the good news is the water level has dropped about 4 feet"
When it did, it dropped chunks of ice the size of dinner tables on lawns, driveways and roads.
Erie County Emergency Management Agency director Tim Jonovich said city crews were out en masse Monday morning, using excavators to push ice blocks off roads so residents could finally gain access to their homes.
The carnage played out late Friday and early Saturday, climaxing with a rescue operation Saturday morning, when the Lorain County dive team and Vermilion firefighters had to rescue five adults, one child and four dogs from flooded homes.
At its peak this past weekend, the river rose to more than 16 feet, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. Later Sunday the waters began to recede — a bit too much, perhaps — causing officials to waylay any plans of breaking up ice at the mouth of the river.
"We had the Coast Guard cutter come through last night, but they require 14 feet of depth," Bulan said. "We only had 12 feet"
A barge outfitted with an ice-breaking excavator of sorts remains locked in ice at the Vermilion Lagoons. The city contracts with the barge to break up ice at the mouth of the river.
"As long as we don't get any rain or anything, we'll be OK" Bulan said.
A sense of normalcy was returning to the Riverside Drive area Monday, with work crews restoring electricity and some residents returning to homes for the first time in days.
"We left Friday night. We knew it was coming" said Sandy Loucka, who has lived on Riverside Drive with her husband, Frank Loucka, for nine years. "We were prepared, but we didn't think it was going to be this bad. We never saw it like this"
The Louckas stood back as workers used iron bars to smash monstrous blocks of ice the river had dropped on their front lawn.
"Some homes had water more than 4 feet up inside" one worker said.
No one reported any injuries, and homeowners are still assessing the damages.
"They've got gas down here, electronic down here," Jonovich said. "We're just trying to help everybody clean all this ice out. We're going to have to move it. It's not going anywhere unless you move it"
Work crews were still working on repairing septic systems Monday afternoon. There are 40 homes on Riverside Drive, and about half are occupied year-round, Jonovich said.


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Scripture Alone
We live in a world filled with competing truth claims. Every day, we are bombarded with declarations that something is true and that something else is false. We are told what to believe and what not to believe. We are …Read More
The Christian's GPS
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The Dawn of Reformation
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Induction and Deduction with Reference to Inspiration
One feature of the evangelical doctrine of scriptural inspiration (and inerrancy) which is subject to considerable debate is the respective place and scope of induction and deduction in the task of ascertaining a truly biblical view of the subject. Dewey …Read More
Last Things First
Do you ever have difficulty understanding how Scripture fits together as a coherent whole? I have a suggestion. The next time you read through the Bible, s t a r t wit h Revelation 20–22, and then go back to …Read More
Seeing the Gospel in the Word of God
Surely no one reading this article needs to be convinced of the importance of feeding upon the Word of God. As Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of …Read More
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Dear Pithius, Our dear boy, you quite misunderstand the problem. So long as Christians continue to understand the Book to contain truths, claims about the way things really are, about the enemy, about Him-who-ought-not-be-named, about His Paraclete, about humans as …Read More
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This member has provided no bio about themself...
1 comment by Quogu on Feb 19th, 2010
Mainly for the purposes of leaving feedback on the rather excellent The Haunted mod, which I'm very excited about.
Having visited this site a few times before, I'm not a complete stranger but until now, I never felt the compulsion to sign up.
Alas, someone had stolen my prefered nickname of "Pie", so I had to fall back to ShmenonPie. Not that you care.
Perhaps I shall be seen around here, but this seems unlikely. There's a much better chance of catching me over at PS3Trophies.com.


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Superior Van and Mobility Announces Fall Open House with a Chance to Win $5,000
Superior Van and Mobility, one of the nation´s leading dealers in wheelchair vans and mobility equipment, has today announced their Fall Open House, where visitors can enter for a chance to win $5,000.
Louisville, KY (PRWEB) October 01, 2012
Superior Van and Mobility, a leading Southeast provider of handicap vans and wheelchair equipment, has today announced their Fall Open House, which will be held in early October. Visitors are invited to come down to their nearest Superior Van and Mobility location for a weekend of fun, food and education, as well as the chance to win $5,000.
All seven Superior Van and Mobility locations will be participating in the Fall Open House, including Louisville, Lexington, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Evansville and Knoxville. Each location will host a full weekend of fun and celebration. The event kicks off Friday, October 5th from 11 AM to 7 PM. It concludes on Saturday, October 6th, and will run from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Attendees are in for a fun-filled weekend at all Superior Van and Mobility locations. There will be entertainment, food, games and more. In addition, the fully trained staff will be available for demonstrations and to answer any questions about mobility equipment or wheelchair vans. Representatives from the top names in mobility equipment and handicap conversion technology will also be available to answer questions and give demonstrations.
Everyone who attends the Fall Open House will be entered to win $5,000 in the company´s Superior MEGA CASH Lotto. Attendees can RSVP by contacting the company at (877) 878-2304. Every attendee earns 1 entry into the cash drawing. However, an RSVP prior to October 3rd earns attendees an additional 5 entries. At the end of Saturday´s celebration, tickets from all 7 locations will be sent to the corporate office in Louisville, and the drawing will be conducted live via webcast on Tuesday, October 9th.
To find out more about the open house or the new wheelchair van and mobility equipment available, visit http://www.SuperiorVan.com.
About Superior Van and Mobility: Superior Van and Mobility is dedicated to providing customers throughout the South and Southeast with the highest quality wheelchair vans and mobility equipment available on the market today. The company has built a reputation for expertise, caring and providing tremendous customer service.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/10/prweb9944090.htm


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Vocalize! is the transcribed compilation of the popular Voice Lessons To Go CD series. Four full singing lessons by Ariella Vaccarino* put into sheet music form. Her vocal exercises range from simple to difficult with much variety within.
Ms. Vaccarino has written words of instruction preceding each particular exercise which will further your success in singing and mastering them. As a plus, the vocalizes are broken down for the piano player to understand in the beginning pages of the book. Vocalize! is perfect for voice teachers to resource, and singers to train from.
*Ariella Vaccarino has been teaching Voice and Piano for over 18 years in the Los Angeles area. She is an accomplished Opera singer, having studied voice at USC. Ariella has also performed on many movie sound tracks.
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