Project Server User Activity Test

A high level of user activity on the Project Server often increases the workload of the SQL server on which the Project Server databases reside! For instance, if many users make PSI calls to the Project server database via third-party applications or if users execute multiple queries on the database to create/modify/retrieve SSP job schedules, the load on the SQL server hosting these databases is bound to increase; in the long run, this can significantly impact the overall performance of not just the SQL server but also the Project Server associated with it. To avoid this, administrators can use the Project Server User Activity test to monitor the PSI calls made and SSP scheduled job stored procedures executed on the SQL database server used by the Project server. Doing so enables administrators to rapidly detect abnormal activity on the server and promptly initiate measures to curb the activity, so that user experience with the Project Server does not suffer.

Target of the test : A Microsoft Project Server

Agent deploying the test : An internal agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for the Microsoft Project server that is being monitored.

Configurable parameters for the test

Parameters	Description
Test Period	How often should the test be executed.
Host	The host for which this test is to be configured.
Port	The port at which the specified host listens. The default port is Null.

Measurements made by the test

Measurement	Description	Measurement Unit	Interpretation
PSI calls	Indicates the number of Web Service calls from the clients to the PSI API per second.	Number	The PSI is the API of Project Server. The PSI object model exposes Project Server functionality to all external applications. Project Professional 2010, Project Web App, LOB, and other third-party applications use the PSI to access Project Server data in the Draft, Published, and Archive databases. The PSI is available through WCF services and through ASMX Web service calls by back-end LOB applications, or through a PSI proxy. The value of this measure is an indicator of the load imposed by external applications on the Project server.
SSP jobs scheduled	Indicates the number of SSP (Shared Services Providers) jobs that were scheduled per second.	Number	A Shared Services Provider (SSP) provides a common set of services and service data to a logical grouping of Web applications and their associated sites. The Shared Services Provider Scheduled Jobs protocol allows clients to add, modify, refresh, and delete scheduled jobs from a store on the protocol server, as well as retrieve those scheduled jobs by using predefined criteria such as a unique identifier or jobs scheduled to be run within a specific interval. In addition, the protocol specifies the actions that the client takes when a particular scheduled job is retrieved and is to be executed in the next specified interval. This measure reports the number of SSP scheduled jobs that were added every second to the database. A high value indicates that many jobs have been scheduled, which in turn signals an increase in the load on the server in the immediate future.