2.3.22 Monitoring processor performance based on results output by the sar command in an AIX environment

If you are using simultaneous multithreading (SMT) or micro-partitioning in an AIX environment, the amount of physical CPU allocated is included in the calculation of CPU usage displayed by the sar command, but is not included in the calculation of CPU usage displayed by PFM - Agent for Platform. For this reason, the CPU usage figure displayed by PFM - Agent for Platform might be lower than that output by the sar command.

PFM - Agent for Platform enables settings to be changed so that processor performance data can be collected from the results output by the sar command of AIX.

This section explains how to collect and monitor processor performance data from the results output by the sar command of AIX when PFM - Agent for Platform is used.

Organization of this subsection
(1) Settings
(2) Correspondence between sar command output results and PFM - Agent for Platform records
(3) Records supported in global environment and WPAR environments
(4) Notes

(1) Settings

This section describes how to set the system to collect processor performance data from the results output by AIX's sar command.

  1. From the monitoring console browser, log in to PFM - Web Console.
    The Main window appears.
  2. On the navigation frame of the Main window, click the Services tab.
    The Services window appears.
  3. From the navigation frame, expand the contents of the Machines folder.
    A folder that has the name of the host on which the Performance Management service is installed appears. Expand the folder that has the host name to display the services installed on that host.
    The names of the services are displayed, in order of the service IDs. For details about service IDs, see C. List of Identifiers and the sections that explain the service naming conventions in the appendixes of the Job Management Partner 1/Performance Management Planning and Configuration Guide.
    The format of the service ID depends on whether the product name display functionality is enabled. For details about the product name display functionality, see the chapter that describes the Performance Management functionality in the Job Management Partner 1/Performance Management Planning and Configuration Guide.
  4. Expand the contents of the monitoring agent host folder, and select host-name<UNIX> (Agent Collector service).
    A check mark is displayed next to the selected Agent Collector service.
  5. Select the Properties method in the method frame.
    The Service Properties window appears.
  6. Select Agent Configuration.
  7. In sar Command Monitoring at the bottom of the information frame, specify whether to collect processor performance data from the results output by the sar command.
    Specify one of the following:
    • Y: Collect from the sar command's output results.
    • N: Do not collect from the sar command's output results (default).
  8. In sar Command Interval at the bottom of the information frame, specify the interval (in seconds) to be specified as the sar command argument.
    Specify the numeric value that corresponds to the INTERVAL argument of the following AIX sar command:

    /usr/sbin/sar -P ALL INTERVAL 1

    Specify a value between 1 and 50 (the default is 5).

(2) Correspondence between sar command output results and PFM - Agent for Platform records

If you are using simultaneous multithreading (SMT) or micro-partitioning in an AIX environment, PFM - Agent for Platform enables you to collect the results output by the following AIX sar command:

/usr/sbin/sar -P ALL INTERVAL 1

An example of the results output by the AIX sar command is shown below.

Figure 2-16 Example of results output by AIX sar command

[Figure]

With PFM - Agent for Platform, the results output by the sar command are stored in the fields that monitor processor performance data of the System Summary Overview (PI) and CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) records.

The following table describes the correspondence between the fields of the System Summary Overview (PI) record and the results output by the sar command.

Table 2-35 Correspondence between System Summary Overview (PI) record fields and the results output by the sar command

RecordFieldField descriptionResults output by the sar command
System Summary Overview (PI)Active CPUs (NUMBER_OF_ACTIVE_CPUS)Number of processorsNumber of rows in which a number is displayed in the cpu column
CPU % (KERNELMODE_USERMODE_PERCENT)CPU usage (%).
This also indicates the average percentage for each processor.
%sys column + %usr column
Idle % (IDLE_TIME_PERCENT)Percentage of time spent in idle state (%).
This is also the average of the percentages for all processors.
%idle column
Kernel CPU % (KERNELMODE_PERCENT)Percentage of time running in kernel mode (%).
This is also the average of the percentages for all processors.
%sys column
User CPU % (USERMODE_PERCENT)Percentage of time running in user mode (%).
This is also the average of the percentages for all processors.
%usr column
Wait % (WAIT_TIME_PERCENT)Percentage of time spent in I/O standby (%).
This is also the average of the percentages for each processor.
%wio column

The following table describes the correspondence between the fields of the CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) record and the results output by the sar command.

Table 2-36 Correspondence between CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) record fields and the results output by the sar command

RecordFieldField descriptionResults output by the sar command
CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP)CPU % (KERNELMODE_USERMODE_PERCENT)CPU usage per processor (%)%sys column + %usr column
Idle % (PROCESSOR_IDLE_PERCENT)Percentage of time spent in idle state (%)%idle
Processor ID (LOGICAL_PROCESSOR_ID)Processor identifiercpu column
System % (PROCESSOR_SYSTEM_PERCENT)Percentage of time running in kernel mode (%)%sys column
User % (PROCESSOR_USER_PERCENT)Percentage of time running in user mode (%)%usr column
Wait % (PROCESSOR_WAIT_PERCENT)Percentage of time spent in I/O standby (%)%wio column

When the setting is made to collect processor performance data from the results output by AIX's sar command, 0 is set as the value for the fields of the System Summary Overview (PI) record shown in the table below.

Table 2-37 System Summary Overview (PI) record fields whose value is 0 when collection of processor performance data from the results output by the AIX sar command is set

RecordFieldField descriptionAlarm usedReport used
System Summary Overview (PI)Total Idle Time (TOTAL_IDLE_TIME)Total time spent in idle state by all processors (sec)NoneNone
Total Kernel-Mode Time (TOTAL_KERNELMODE_TIME)Total time spent running in kernel mode by all processors (sec)NoneNone
Total User-Mode Time (TOTAL_USERMODE_TIME)Total time spent running in user mode by all processors (sec)NoneNone
Total Wait Time (TOTAL_WAIT_TIME)Total time spent in I/O standby by all processors (sec)NoneNone

When the setting is made to collect processor performance data from the results output by AIX's sar command, a blank is set as the value for the fields of the CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) record shown in the table below.

Table 2-38 CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) record fields whose value is blank when collection of processor performance data from the results output by the AIX sar command is set

RecordFieldField descriptionAlarm usedReport used
CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP)Context Switches (PROCESSOR_CONTEXT_SWITCHES)Number of context switch executionsNoneNone
Context Switches/sec (PROCESSOR_CONTEXT_SWITCHES_PER_SECOND)Frequency of context switch executions (executions per sec)NoneNone
Idle Time (PROCESSOR_IDLE_TIME)Time in idle state (sec)NoneNone
Sys Calls/sec (PROCESSOR_SYSTEM_CALLS_PER_SECOND)Frequency of system calls (calls per sec)NoneNone
System Calls (PROCESSOR_SYSTEM_CALLS)Number of system callsNoneNone
System Time (PROCESSOR_SYSTEM_TIME)Time running in kernel mode (sec)NoneNone
Type (PROCESSOR_TYPE)Description of processorNoneNone
User Time (PROCESSOR_USER_TIME)Time running in user mode (sec)NoneNone
Wait Time (PROCESSOR_WAIT_TIME)Time spent in I/O standby (sec)NoneNone

(3) Records supported in global environment and WPAR environments

When processor performance data is collected from the results output by the sar command, the records supported and the range of data collected for each record will depend on whether PFM - Agent for Platform is running in the global environment or in the System WPAR environment.

The following table describes the fields of System Summary Overview (PI) records supported in the global environment and in the System WPAR environment.

Table 2-39 Fields of System Summary Overview (PI) records supported in the global environment and the System WPAR environment

RecordFieldGlobal environmentSystem WPAR environment
Collected?Range collectedCollected?Range collected
System Summary Overview (PI)15-Minute Run Queue Avg (FIFTEEN_MINUTE_RUN_QUEUE_AVG)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
1-Minute Run Queue Avg (ONE_MINUTE_RUN_QUEUE_AVG)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
5-Minute Run Queue Avg (FIVE_MINUTE_RUN_QUEUE_AVG)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Active CPUs (NUMBER_OF_ACTIVE_CPUS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Block Ops (BLOCKIO_IO_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Block Reads (BLOCKIO_READ_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Block Reads/sec (BLOCKIO_READ_OPS_PER_SECOND)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Block Writes (BLOCKIO_WRITE_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Block Writes/sec (BLOCKIO_WRITE_OPS_PER_SECOND)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Cache Read % (CACHE_READ_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Cache Write % (CACHE_WRITE_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Context Switches (CONTEXT_SWITCHES)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Context Switches/sec (CONTEXT_SWITCHES_PER_SECOND)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
CPU % (KERNELMODE_USERMODE_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Idle % (IDLE_TIME_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Kernel CPU % (KERNELMODE_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Logical I/O Ops (LOGICAL_IO_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Logical Read Mbytes (LOGICAL_READ_MBYTES)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Logical Reads (LOGICAL_READ_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Logical Reads/sec (LOGICAL_READ_MBYTES_PER_SECOND)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Logical Write Mbytes (LOGICAL_WRITE_MBYTES)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Logical Writes (LOGICAL_WRITE_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Logical Writes/sec (LOGICAL_WRITE_MBYTES_PER_SECOND)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Physical I/O Ops (PHYSICAL_IO_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Physical Reads (PHYSICAL_READ_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
Physical Writes (PHYSICAL_WRITE_OPS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
System Calls (SYSTEM_CALLS)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsYesGlobal environment and all WPAR environments
User CPU % (USERMODE_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Wait % (WAIT_TIME_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Legend:
Yes: Supported.
No: Not supported.
Note:
Records and fields not listed are the same as for the WPAR environment when processor performance data is not collected from results output by the sar command.

The following table describes the fields of CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) records supported in the global environment and in the System WPAR environment.

Table 2-40 Fields of CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP) records supported in the global environment and the System WPAR environment

RecordFieldGlobal environmentSystem WPAR environment
Collected?Range collectedCollected?Range collected
CPU - Per Processor Detail (PI_CPUP)Boot Time (SYSTEM_BOOT_TIME)YesGlobal environmentNoNo
CPU % (KERNELMODE_USERMODE_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Idle % (PROCESSOR_IDLE_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Interval (INTERVAL)YesGlobal environmentNoNo
Processor ID (LOGICAL_PROCESSOR_ID)YesGlobal environmentNoNo
Record Time (RECORD_TIME)YesGlobal environmentNoNo
Record Type (INPUT_RECORD_TYPE)YesFixed valueNoNo
Status (PROCESSOR_STATUS)YesGlobal environmentNoNo
System % (PROCESSOR_SYSTEM_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Up Time (SYSTEM_UP_TIME)YesGlobal environmentNoNo
User % (PROCESSOR_USER_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Wait % (PROCESSOR_WAIT_PERCENT)YesGlobal environment and all WPAR environmentsNoNo
Legend:
Yes: Supported.
No: Not supported.
Note:
Records and fields not listed are the same as for the WPAR environment when processor performance data is not collected from results output by the sar command.

(4) Notes

This section provides additional information about collecting and monitoring processor performance data from the results output by AIX's sar command when PFM - Agent for Platform is used.