Knoa End-User
Experience and
Performance Manager
(EPM) for SAP
Implementation Blueprint
Stage 1: Understand
Knoa and Customer confirm
technical requirements and
specs so that each has a clear
picture of the deployment
environment.
Key Customer Resources
• Program Manager
• Technical coordinator
Project Specifications
1. Knoa Product Components
• Review the Knoa component
architecture, to see how the Knoa product
will fit in the target environment
• Knoa implementation consists of
installing 2 sets of components: client
(users’ desktops) and server.
• There is no integration between Knoa
components and the monitored
application front-end interface or backend infrastructure.
Events and Deliverables
2. Monitored Application Environment
▪ Knoa and Customer hold two 1-hour
knowledge-sharing sessions (either live
or online)
Exit Criteria
• Completed project specifications
• Signed off Statement of Work (SOW)
• Application systems monitored – specify
instances, configurations, and GUI
versions.
• Identify number and profile of application
users targeted for monitoring.
3. Knoa Server Components
• Determine Knoa server architecture
(number of servers and hardware
specifications), based on the number of
monitored users.
• Review the system and environment
requirements for the Knoa server
components.
4. Client Deployment
• Specify end-user application delivery environment –
desktops or Citrix/Terminal Server.
• Verify the Knoa client engine system requirements
• If the Knoa client engine is deployed on Citrix or Terminal
Servers, identify the number of servers targeted for
installation.
• Determine Knoa client deployment mechanism, i.e. SMS
or other third-party tools.
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP
Stage 2: Plan
Knoa reviews the
implementation roadmap.
Customer assigns roles and
responsibilities for their
implementation team.
Key Customer Resources
• Project Sponsor
• Project Manager
• Server/Database Administrator
• Desktop Management Team.
• Network/Security Administrator
• Knoa Console Administrator
• Knoa Console Users
Events and Deliverables
• Knoa and Customer hold Project Team
kick-off meeting
• Knoa and Customer review
Implementation Roadmap
Remote Access to Monitored
Application
• For the template configuration work, Knoa needs
remote access to the monitored application, as
end-users.
• Templates are tested and configured by Knoa
• Remote access via VPN and/or laptops preconfigured for access to the monitored
application.
• Knoa does not need access to the Production
system, but will require a non-production system
with the same GUI and configuration.
• The Knoa user application accounts require
access to the same areas as the Production
users – for template validation.
Project Status Meetings
• The project manager and selected technical
resources also participate in regular status calls
with the Knoa implementation team throughout
the project, where progress and action items are
reviewed by both teams, to ensure proper
coordination.
Exit Criteria
• Executive sponsor engaged
• Implementation roles assigned
• Knoa Implementation Roadmap signed
off
• Ongoing status meetings established
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP
Key Customer Resources
• Project Sponsor - Directs internal Knoa
EPM adoption by various departments
• Project Manager - Coordinates internal
project resources and assigns
implementation responsibilities
• Desktop Management Team - Executes
the deployment and configuration of Knoa
Client components
• Server/Database Admin. - Executes Knoa
Server component deployment and
configuration. Provides ongoing
administration of hardware resources
• Network/Security Admin. - Configures the
internal environment for operation of Knoa
components. Configures remote access for
the Knoa implementation / support team.
• Knoa EPM Console Admin. - Performs
system management tasks related to the
Console.
• Knoa EPM Console Users - Participate in
the Console Training sessions.
Stage 3: Configure and Deliver
Knoa configures, tests, and
delivers Knoa EPM to
Customer who then installs
server components and
deploys client package to test
users.
Key Customer Resources
▪ Project Manager
▪ Technical Coordinator
▪ Network/Security
▪ Server / Database Admin.
▪ Desktop Management Team
▪ Knoa EPM Console Admin.
▪ Knoa EPM Console Users
Events and Deliverables
▪ Customer installs and configures the
Knoa server components
▪ Customer installs the Knoa client and
template on an initial set of validation
desktops
Exit Criteria
• Knoa server components installed and
configured
Configuration and Installation Steps
1. Remote Access to Monitored Application
Knoa secures remote access to the monitored application in order to
validate and configure the EPM monitoring and analysis templates
against the live application. (Customer)
2. Knoa Server Deployment
The customer server / database administrator deploys and configures
the Knoa Collection server, analysis, database, and Console. The Knoa
Support team provides remote assistance, if needed. (Customer/Knoa)
3. Knoa Client Configuration Options
Customer technical resources check off the final configuration options
before the client package release. (Customer)
4. Knoa Client Package Release
Knoa team releases the pre-configured client package and the final
versions of the monitoring and analysis templates – validated against the
customer’s live application. (Knoa)
5. Knoa Client Deployment to Test Users
The customer desktop management team deploys the Knoa client package to a
selected number of validation desktops (around 10). These users will exercise
the monitored application over few days, to generate Knoa performance data,
which will be used to validate the Knoa templates before a Production release.
(Customer)
6. Test Data Validation
The Knoa implementation team reviews the data generated by the test users and
validates that the Knoa templates work according to specifications. This is the
final check-off before a production release of the Knoa client package to all
users. (Customer/Knoa)
• Monitoring template validated in the
test user environment
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP
Stage 4: Launch
Knoa EPM is installed and
configured, and live data
collection and reporting begin.
Live Data Collection
Knoa Client Deployed to Production Users
Once the templates have been validated for the Test users, the Knoa client package is distributed to the
entire user base targeted for monitoring. Once the Knoa client package has been distributed to all users,
the Knoa performance data generated by these users will be displayed live in the Knoa Console.
Key Customer Resources
▪
▪
▪
▪
Project Manager
Desktop Management Team
Technical Coordinator
Knoa EPM Console Admin.
Production Data Validated
After the Production rollout, the Knoa implementation team will review the new data once again to ensure
that the monitoring and analysis templates work as expected in the broad user environment.
Events and Deliverables
▪
Customer deploys Knoa EPM Client
Engine and Application Template to
Production end-users
▪
Live data collection begins from all
users who have the Knoa client
engine deployed
Console Reporting
Knoa performance metrics are available for
review in the Knoa EPM Console as the
data is generated live in the field. The
Console is functional without extraconfiguration.
Exit Criteria
•
•
Console Management
End-user metrics collected and
processed by the Knoa EPM
Collection and Analysis server
Performance reports displayed in the
Knoa EPM Console
Immediately after deployment, the Knoa Console Administrator can exercise the following basic
configuration options:
•
•
•
•
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP
User and Account management for Knoa Console Users
Configure error filters for the Error reports – adjust default settings
Configure KPI thresholds for Application and User KPIs – adjust the default settings
Configure custom user attributes (such as mapping of monitored users to jobs, roles, departments,
etc) – to leverage this information in the reporting
Stage 5: Confirm
Knoa and customer review
the monitoring, analysis, and
reporting outputs to verify the
final configuration.
Verification Checklist
These checks are done by the Knoa implementation team to confirm that the Knoa EPM system is fully
configured and functional at the customer site.
Client Agents and Monitoring Template
Key Customer Resources
▪
▪
▪
Project Manager
Technical Coordinator
Knoa EPM Console Admin.
Events and Deliverables
▪
Knoa runs data validation tests to spot
potential configuration modifications
Exit Criteria
•
•
Post deployment Quality and Integrity
Checklist completed
Knoa EPM implementation project
Statement of work (SOW) signed off
as completed
 Knoa client engine and template are fully functional for all target users – all users generate valid
performance data.
 Knoa track data has been validated – standard integrity checks passed.
Collection Server
 Collection server is fully configured and running – receiving data from the Knoa clients.
 The Collection server performance is within acceptable thresholds.
Database
 The Knoa database is fully configured and functional; data is stored properly.
 The database utilities are set to run on a schedule.
 There is enough space allocated to the Knoa database, given the archiving timeframe and the projected
number of users.
Analysis
 The analysis utilities are fully configured and functional.
 Analysis is running on a schedule and the report data is up to date.
 Knoa report data has been validated – standard integrity checks passed.
Reporting Console
 The Knoa EPM Console is fully configured and functional.
 Console user accounts for the customer groups have been created.
 Special Console configuration options have been applied, such as error filters and KPI thresholds.
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP
Stage 6: Operate and Optimize
Knoa provides EPM Console
training to customer users.
Ongoing system
administration procedures are
established.
▪
▪
▪
▪
Console Training Sessions
1. Console Overview
General overview of the reporting functionalities and performance metrics available in the
Console.
Key Customer Resources
2. Use Cases
Specific use cases based on the Knoa data generated from the field will be reviewed. These
illustrate specific uses of the Knoa data for investigating performance issues.
Project Sponsor
Project Manager
Knoa EPM Console Admin.
Knoa EPM Console Users
3. Console Management
Designed for the customer's Console Administrator and covers typical Console administration
tasks.
Events and Deliverables
▪
▪
Knoa delivers three 2-hour EPM
Console Training sessions
Customer creates Knoa EPM adoption
plan and administration procedures
Exit Criteria
•
Optimization and system
administration procedures and
responsibility established
Customer: Ongoing Knoa System
Administration
Console Administrator
The main tasks of the Console Administrator
are to create user accounts for the Console,
assign them access permissions to the
reporting modules available in the Console,
and configure settings for the Console.
System Administrator
The main tasks of the System Administrator
are to monitor the operation of the Knoa
software components, both client and
server components, by following the
administration procedures specified in the
documentation. This is an IT/System
Support role and requires technical
expertise.
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP
Knoa: Ongoing Maintenance & Support
As part of ongoing maintenance and support,
Knoa provides the following:
 Regular system health checks for the Knoa
components and data (requires ongoing remote
access to the customer system)
 Template upgrades to maintain compatibility
with upgrades of the monitored application GUI
(requires ongoing remote access to the
monitored application)
 Software upgrades
 Support in terms of configuration changes,
troubleshooting and error resolution
Knoa Component Architecture
 SAP AG 2007, Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) for SAP