2.3.6 Using an alarm for monitoring

If an alarm is set and the performance data reaches a pre-defined threshold, a lamp icon (alarm icon) blinks red in the PFM - Web Console window to notify the system administrator that there is a problem (alarm). You can output a log (action log) when an alarm is triggered. For details about action logs, see H. Outputting Action Log Data.

When binding alarm tables, you can choose to bind a single alarm table for each agent, or bind multiple alarm tables for each agent. For details about binding alarm tables, see 3.4.4 Examining alarm table binding methods.

When binding occurs, Performance Management begins monitoring based on the alarm definition. The following describes an example of creating an alarm table and an example of binding an alarm table to a monitoring agent.

Organization of this subsection

(1) Creating an alarm definition
(2) Binding the alarm table and the agent

(1) Creating an alarm definition

The following example shows an alarm table called Web Server Monitoring being created by customizing the monitoring template of the alarm table PFM Windows Solution Alarms 8.00 from the PFM - Agent for Platform (Windows).

To copy and customize an alarm table:

In the navigation frame of the Main window, select the Alarms tab.
In the navigation frame of the Alarms window, expand the subgroup in the Windows folder.
From the alarm level in the navigation frame, select PFM Windows Solution Alarms 8.00.

A check mark appears next to PFM Windows Solution Alarms 8.00.
In the method frame, select the Copy method.
In the Copy > Input Name[Alarm Table] window, enter Web server monitoring for New alarm table name.

Note:

You can assign any name to an alarm table but you cannot specify PFM as the first three letters.
Click the OK button.

The newly created alarm table is added to the navigation frame of the Alarms window.
Select the CPU Usage alarm in order to edit the CPU monitoring conditions in the new alarm table.

A check mark appears next to the CPU Usage alarm and the Edit method is displayed in the method frame.
Select the Edit method in the method frame.

In the Edit > Main Information window, in Advanced settings, change the value of the item below.

Change Damping to the following:

4 occurrence(s) during 5 Interval(s)

Figure 2‒6: Example of the Edit > Main Information window

Damping: Damping refers to the setting that controls whether a notification is sent out after a threshold is reached a certain number of times within a certain interval. By setting this item, the system can be operated so that a notification is sent only when the CPU has a heavy, continuous load.

Click the Finish button.

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(2) Binding the alarm table and the agent

The newly created alarm table and the agent must be bound (linked). When binding occurs, Performance Management begins monitoring based on the alarm definition. The following procedure describes how to bind a single alarm table to a monitoring agent.

To bind a single alarm table to a monitoring agent:

In the navigation frame of the Main window, select the Agents tab.
In the navigation frame of the Agents window, select the agent that will bind the newly created alarm table.
In the method frame, select Bind Alarm Table.
In the Bind Alarm Table to Agents [Select Alarm Table] window, select an alarm table to be bound from the alarm table level displayed in the information frame.

The selected alarm table is marked with a check mark.
Click the OK button.

When the alarm table is bound to the agent, monitoring based on the alarm table begins.

In the method frame, select the Display Alarm Status method.

Figure 2‒7: Example of the Alarm Status window

A defined alarm is displayed in the bound alarm table.

When an alarm occurs, the alarm icon is displayed in a color that indicates the alarm status. When you click the alarm icon, the Properties window for the alarm is displayed, where you can check details of the alarm definition.

You can also check the operating status of the monitoring agent based on the message displayed for Health check status.

This subsection showed how to copy, customize, and use a solution set's alarm tables. However, the solution set's alarm tables can also be used as is. You can also define a specific alarm table instead of using a solution set. For details about how to define an alarm table, see the chapter that describes operation monitoring with alarms in the Job Management Partner 1/Performance Management User's Guide.

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