1.1.4 Notifying users of problems in Oracle operation
In addition to using performance data collected by PFM - Agent for Oracle to display Oracle Database performance as reports, you can also use it to warn the user of a problem or error occurring during Oracle Database operation.
Suppose that you wish to notify the user by email whenever the percentage of table scans exceeds 10%. You can do this by setting percentage of table scans that do not use an index exceeds 10% as the abnormal condition threshold, and setting the system to send an email to the user when this threshold is reached. What the system does when the threshold is reached is called an action. The following types of actions are available:
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Sending an email
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Executing a command
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Issuing an SNMP trap
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Issuing a JP1 event
The definition of a threshold or action is called an alarm. A table of defined alarms is called an alarm table. Once an alarm table is defined, it is associated with PFM - Agent for Oracle. Associating an alarm table with PFM - Agent for Oracle is called binding. Once an alarm table has been bound to PFM - Agent for Oracle, whenever the performance data collected by PFM - Agent for Oracle reaches the threshold defined as an alarm, the event is reported to the user.
By defining alarms and actions, you can detect Oracle problems at an early stage and take appropriate action.
For details about how to set alarms and actions, see the chapter on alarm-based operation monitoring in the JP1/Performance Management User's Guide.