1. “We chose Intel as a strategic
partner because of our mutual
vision of the future of servers.
Intel processors lead the world
in performance and reliability
as well. The combination will
enhance our customers’
confidence in AltoWeb solutions
and, in turn, help our customers
serve their customers better.”
Ali Kutay
CEO
AltoWeb, Inc.
AltoWeb
®
AltoServer™
and Intel
®
-Based Servers
Achieving Optimal Performance in a
Visual e-Business Infrastructure Solution
Using Intel
®
Solution Services
C A S E S T U D Y

2. A l t o W e b ®
A l t o S e r v e r ™
a n d I n t e l ®
- B a s e d S e r v e r s
For e-Businesses to stay competitive, it’s critical that
their operations be as nimble and responsive as possible. But unfortunately,
most current e-Business technologies prevent companies from reacting
quickly to changing market conditions. To ensure their success, today’s
e-Businesses need a cohesive network environment that ties together all
of the mission-critical applications found on the corporate enterprise. These
companies also are searching for a simplified approach to e-Business
applications development, deployment, and maintenance.
AltoWeb AltoServer
optimized at Intel®
Solution Center
To achieve optimal performance for
AltoServer running on Pentium®
III Xeon™
processor-based standard high-volume
systems, AltoWeb sent a two-member
team for a visit to the Intel Solution
Center in DuPont, Washington to work
with Intel software performance engineers.
The main goal of the visit was to optimize
and improve the performance of
AltoServer to handle twice its current load.
The Intel Solution
Centers accelerate
the refinement process
Intel Solution Centers provide software
developers with a unique opportunity to
work side by side with highly skilled Intel
performance engineers who understand
both hardware and software technologies,
“The AltoWeb Visual e-Business infrastructure can
help businesses deliver on the promise of the Web.”
Regis McKenna
Chairman
McKenna Group
Intel and AltoWeb
work together to
provide an optimized
e-Business solution
Together, Intel and AltoWeb are
providing powerful tools that simplify
application development and deployment
and eliminate the barriers to a truly
unified e-Business-enabled enterprise.
Recently optimized on Intel-based servers
at an Intel Solution Center, AltoServer, the
heart of the AltoWeb Visual e-Business
Infrastructure Solution, provides real-time
access to multiple disparate data sources
like flat files, Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) APIs, and XML documents.
In addition, it executes application
business logic, and delivers dynamic
result sets in a wide range of output
formats, including HTML, WAP, XML,
and JSP*. Written entirely in Java*, this
all-in-one solution lets companies lever-
age their e-Business information across
multiple applications.
AltoWeb provides solutions to compa-
nies that develop business-to-business
(B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C),
corporate intranet, e-advertising, and
many other types of web applications.

3. A l t o W e b ®
A l t o S e r v e r ™
a n d I n t e l ®
- B a s e d S e r v e r s
and know how to combine the two for
maximum results. The centers offer
state-of-the-art labs equipped with the
latest Intel hardware, plus access to
the most advanced Intel and third-party
performance tools. Using the Intel
Application Optimization methodology
and other best-known methods (BKMs),
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)
can tune or optimize their current Intel
Architecture IA-32-based applications
and, when they are ready, port them to
the new Intel Itanium™
architecture.
Enabling AltoServer to
speed up transaction
performance
Before traveling to the Intel Solution
Center in Washington, AltoWeb and Intel
engineers met to review methodology and
to discuss preparations and expectations
for the company’s upcoming visit. The
teams agreed during this meeting that a
significant speedup in performance could
be achieved through system tuning. This
included installing AltoServer on high-end
Intel servers that use multiple CPUs
and by migrating the application to a
switched, full-duplex network.
Because AltoServer includes many
third-party dependencies, the first step
“Intel-based servers
helped us in optimizing
and improving our run-
time environment, as
well as understanding
system and perform-
ance issues that will
be used in future
development of our
product.”
Elli Albek
Director, Chief Architect
AltoWeb, Inc.
The AltoWeb Visual e-Business Infrastructure Solution allows companies to
rapidly build, deploy, and manage applications that will help them achieve
their business goals.

4. A l t o W e b ®
A l t o S e r v e r ™
a n d I n t e l ®
- B a s e d S e r v e r s
of the visit was to address and remove
system bottlenecks. As a result, the
engineers spent much of their time
resolving system integration issues to
improve application performance. Key
activities included making changes to
application memory, processor scaling,
thread variation, JDBC*/JVM*, affinity
mask resetting, string manipulation, and
application server optimization.
The visit resulted in a total perform-
ance improvement of 4.43X on an
Intel server using six processors. These
enhancements were achieved through a
combination of solution stack integration
and application tuning. Approximately
1.25X of the improvement resulted
from application tuning alone. Given the
emphasis on system bottlenecks, AltoWeb
would like to plan a second visit to focus
more closely on application tuning.
“Intel provided us with the best
resources, including its most advanced
servers, a highly knowledgeable
engineering team, and all the third-
party software and support required
for successful execution of the tests,”
explains Elli Albek, Director and Chief
Architect at AltoWeb. “We gained
valuable knowledge that will help us
to keep our software on the cutting edge
of high-performance web applications.
I found our visit to be both challenging
and educational.”
“AltoWeb solves a major problem inhibiting the
growth and efficiency of ‘new economy’ companies.
Even with the advanced application servers available
today, like BEA’s WebLogic Server, users must be
extremely familiar with Java, a scarce resource.
AltoWeb helps remove dependence on Java skills
and preserves the company’s legacy investment.”
Chris James
VP Business Development and Marketing
AltoWeb, Inc.
Tips Learned from the Intel®
Solution Center in Washington
• Optimizing the solution stack
is a key first step in addressing
performance tuning, in general,
and in highlighting application
bottlenecks, in particular.
• Setting execute threads within
WebLogic*’s 4.5.1 configuration
file using the formula:
2 x (number of CPUs - 1)
results in superior performance
by using all but one CPU for
worker and reader threads, while
reserving the remaining CPU
for OS kernel and I/O functions.
In general, this formula seems
to be optimal for four- and six-
processor configurations.
• Identifying the right JVM was
key to the overall optimization
process. In the final analysis, Sun
JVM 1.17b with Symantec JIT
outperforms Sun JVM 1.2.2 with
Symantec JIT by at least 10%.
• Furthermore, the Oracle* OCI*
JDBC driver delivered the
greatest database performance
for this application.

5. AltoWeb customers benefit from AltoServer on Intel-based
servers. Thanks to the performance improvements in AltoServer achieved at
the Intel Solution Center, AltoWeb customers now can handle a much greater
network load without investing in additional equipment. The optimization also
allows the application to better deliver on real-time access to disparate data
sources, faster execution of application business logic, and speedier delivery
of dynamic result sets in a wide range of output formats.
A l t o W e b ®
A l t o S e r v e r ™
a n d I n t e l ®
- B a s e d S e r v e r s
Resources
For more information about Intel®
Solution Centers worldwide, visit the Intel Solution Center web site:
http://www.intel.com/internetservices/intelsolutionservices/services
For Intel Developer Services, visit:
http://www.intel.com/ids
To find out more about the tools used in the AltoWeb AltoServeroptimization, visit these web sites:
Optimizeit Pro, Intuitive Systems, Inc.:
http://www.optimizeit.com/
Perfmon*, which is packaged with Microsoft* Windows* NT and Windows 2000 Operating Systems:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/techart/Perfmon.htm
For other optimization tools, visit:
http://www.intel.com/software/products/index.htm
About the AltoWeb platform
s Integrates any data, from any source. AltoWeb can pull
together content from heterogeneous databases, web servers,
file servers, XML servers, legacy systems, and other sources,
and manipulate and present this information in real time.
s Supports any application. Our integrated development
environment allows you to visually assemble complex
e-Business applications without in-depth knowledge of
Java, XML, or other technologies.
s Delivers real-time content in any output format. AltoWeb
dynamically delivers live application content to XML, HTML,
WML, VoiceML, or any other format. Written entirely in
Java, the AltoWeb platform consists of three integrated
components—AltoServer™
, AltoStudio™
, and AltoClient™
.
s AltoServer is the heart of the AltoWeb e-Business infrastruc-
ture. AltoServer provides real-time access to multiple dis-
parate data sources, executes application business logic, and
delivers dynamic result sets in a wide range of output formats,
including XML, HTML, WML, VoiceML, JSP, and Java.
s AltoStudio is a visual development environment that reduces
development timeframes from months to days. AltoStudio’s
intuitive graphical interface makes it easy to create data
objects, define reusable business logic components, and
control how information is presented to end users—all
without writing a single line of code.
s AltoClient is a set of optional Java components that offers
stunning visual differentiation from today’s relatively static
HTML displays. AltoClient displays large amounts of informa-
tion in a limited area and allows users to navigate through
content more efficiently.
s For more information, visit the AltoWeb web site:
http://www.altoweb.com.

6. Printed in U.S.A. 249057-001
About AltoWeb, Inc.
AltoWeb, Inc. is the first company to provide Visual e-Business Infrastructure software. This solution allows for the rapid assembly
of Web applications with a component-based architecture that delivers seamless access to data from disparate sources—both inside
and outside an organization. Supported industry standards include J2EE*, XML, HTML, WML,
JSP, and Java. AltoWeb dramatically changes the Web experience and accelerates deployment
of innovative solutions in real time. The company can be reached at www.altoweb.com
About Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation supplies the computing, networking, and communications industry with chips, boards, systems, software, and
services that are the “building blocks” of the Internet economy. These products are used to create workstations as well as a full range
of computing and communications servers and networking hardware. Intel brings its advanced research and development capability,
along with volume technology expertise, to the manufacture of these building blocks, and as a result, has been able to improve the
computing and communication capabilities readily available to individuals and organizations around the world. Intel works with a broad
range of leading computer and peripheral manufacturers, telecommunication providers, software developers, resellers, retailers, solution
providers, and integrators worldwide to enable solutions based on its products to be delivered to end customers and to promote industry
standards. For more information about Intel Corporation, go to http://www.intel.com
About Intel®
Solution Services
Intel Solution Centers (formerly Intel Application Solution
Centers) are now part of Intel®
Solution Services.
Intel®
Solution Services provide a set of services to support
industry needs from application optimization and porting through
guidance on end-to-end e-Business integration. These services
enable Solution Providers, ISVs, OEMs, Web Integrators, and other
customers to work directly with Intel to develop solutions on Intel
technology. Intel Solution Services will be available through Solution
Centers worldwide as well as through on-site consulting. The Intel
Solution Centers are optimal environments for safely designing
and testing flexible, high-performance solutions infused with best-
known methods and technologies from Intel and other industry
leaders. Our services allow companies to test, tune, and prove
their solutions with minimal impact on their day-to-day business.
Two of the many services offered include Application
Optimization and Porting. Application Optimization involves taking
an ISV’s source code into a rigorous and secure environment
where performance issues are identified and recommendations are
made to maximize application performance. Application Porting
consists of helping an ISV migrate its software to the Intel Itanium
architecture by working with it initially to plan its port, then later,
by providing access to Itanium-based preproduction systems, OS,
and tools, plus assistance with execution and debugging issues.
There are more than 30 Intel Solution Centers worldwide. For
more information about Intel Solution Centers and Services, visit:
http://www.intel.com/internetservices/intelsolutionservices
* Other brands and trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Intel, the Intel logo and Pentium are registered trademarks, and Itanium is a trademark of Intel Corporation.
AltoWeb and the AltoWeb logo are registered trademarks, and AltoServer, AltoStudio and AltoClient are trademarks of AltoWeb, Inc.
©2001 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Performance tests and ratings are measured using specific computer systems and/or components and reflect the approximate performance of Intel products as measured
by those tests. Any difference in system hardware or software design or configuration may affect actual performance. Buyers should consult other sources of information to
evaluate the performance of systems or components they are considering purchasing. For more information on performance tests and on the performance of Intel products,
reference http://www.intel.com/procs/perf/limits.htm or call (U.S.) 1-800-628-8686 or 1-916-356-3104.