3.2.3 Performance data management function and how to configure the function

Performance Management selects only the operation monitoring data needed for the system analysis from the collected records and stores the data in the database at required intervals. You can specify the upper limit of the data to be recorded in the database and a retention period enabling operation monitoring in a set resource. Depending on the monitoring records, you can also have Performance Management store the operation monitoring data in the database in summarized form, in a meaningful form such as the average or maximum values for each monitoring period. Therefore, the system administrator can efficiently manage only the data necessary for system analysis.

Figure 3‒12: Overview of management of performance data collected from the monitoring agents

You can specify how to record performance data into the Store database in Performance Management. You can specify the following items in PFM - Web Console:

Whether to record the collected performance data into the Store database
Collection intervals for performance data
An offset value to distribute the load when collecting performance data
Judgment conditions for recording performance data into the Store database
Retention periods for performance data

The data recording method varies depending on the records. For details about how to record each record, see the appropriate chapters (the default value and changeable value of each record) of each PFM - Agent or PFM - RM manual.

Point:: It is not necessary to save the monitoring record of the alarm settings into the Store database. However, when an alarm event occurs, you can check the status of the system by checking the history of the monitoring record; so we recommend that you save the records into the Store database.

Organization of this subsection

(1) For real-time data
(2) For historical data
(3) Storing difference data

(1) For real-time data

In the case of real-time data, the system does not store the collected performance data into the Store database.

(a) Collection start times for real-time data

In the case of real-time data, the system does not store the collected performance data into the Store database. In this case, the time PFM - Agent or PFM - RM is started determines the collection start time for performance data.

Refer to the following examples:

An example of the collection start times for real-time data

If you specify the collection intervals of the performance data as 180 seconds (three minutes) with the Content Index Detail (PD_CIND) record of PFM - Agent for Platform (Windows), and start PFM - Agent for Platform at 18:31:00, the first data collection starts at 18:31:00. The next data collection starts at 18:34:00, that is, three minutes after the previous collection as per the data collection interval.

Figure 3‒13: Example of the collection start times for real-time data

(b) How to store real-time data

The Store database does not store real-time data.

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(2) For historical data

In the case of historical data, the Agent Store or Remote Monitor Store service stores the collected performance data into the Store database.

Figure 3‒14: Process flow until the Store database stores the performance data

Flow of processing:

The performance data is collected.

The Agent Collector or Remote Monitor Collector service collects the performance data from the monitoring target program and the data is managed in a record format.
The performance data is stored.

The Agent Store or Remote Monitor Store service saves the collected performance data into the Store database. For PI type records, the Agent Store service stores the collected data in summarized form. For PD and PL type records, the collected data is stored in the same state as it was collected.

The default value of the performance data collection intervals varies depending on the records. For details, see the appropriate chapters that describe records in each PFM - Agent or PFM - RM manual.

(a) Collection start times for historical data

For the collection start times of historical data, based on 00:00:00 A.M. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the collection intervals (Collection Interval) of the performance data and the value of the collection start time offset (Collection Offset) determine the start time of the performance data collection.

To set the collection start time:

Convert the start time of PFM - Agent or PFM - RM to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Advance the time by the interval value (Collection Interval) from 00:00 GMT until the time determined in step 1 is exceeded.
Convert the time determined in step 2 to your local time.

The converted time is the collection start time.

Starting from the set time, data is collected at intervals of the Collection Interval value.

Note: If you specify Collection Offset, the Collection Offset value will be added to the collection start time determined in step 3.

Collection start time: example 1

This subsection provides an example for when you set the time to the following conditions:

Collection Interval = 28,800 seconds (8 hours)
Collection Offset = 0
Service start time: 13:00

To specify this setting:

Convert the start time of PFM - Agent or PFM - RM to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Collection starts at 13:00 Japan time, which corresponds to 4:00 GMT.
Advance the time by the interval value (Collection Interval) from 00:00 GMT until the time determined in step 1 is exceeded.

Because the collection interval is 8 hours, the time when the value first passes 4:00, the time becomes 08:00 GMT.
Convert the time determined in step 2 to your local time.

08:00 GMT corresponds to 17:00 Japan time. This marks the collection start time. After that, the performance data is collected every 8 hours (01:00 the next day, then 09:00, 17:00, ...)

Collection start time: example 2

This subsection provides an example for when you set the time to the following conditions:

Collection Interval = 28,800 seconds (8 hours)
Collection Offset = 60 seconds (1 minute)
Time to start the service = 13:00

To specify this setting:

Convert the start time of PFM - Agent or PFM - RM to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Collection starts at 13:00 Japan time, which corresponds to 4:00 GMT.
Advance the time by the interval value (Collection Interval) from 00:00 GMT until the time determined in step 1 is exceeded.

Because the collection interval is 8 hours, the time when the value firstly passes 4:00 is 08:00 GMT.
Convert the time determined in step 2 to your local time.

08:00 GMT corresponds to 17:00 Japan time.

Because the Collection Offset has been specified, the collection start time is 17:01, which is 17:00 plus 1 minute of the collection offset value.

After that, the performance data is collected every 8 hours (01:01 the next day, then 09:01, 17:01, ...)

Example of the collection start times for historical data

In this example using the System Overview (PI) record of PFM - Agent for Platform (Windows), the set value of the Collection Interval is 43,200 seconds (12 hours) and the Collection Offset is 10 seconds.

If PFM - Agent or PFM - RM starts at 06:27:15, August 2nd Japan time (21:27:15 on August 1st GMT), the first data collection takes place at 09:00:10, August 2nd Japan time (00:00:10 GMT). The next data collection takes place 12 hours later, which is at 21:00:10 Japan time (12:00:10 GMT).

Figure 3‒15: Example of the collection start times for historical data

(b) How to store the data

The following describes how to store the performance data of the records of the PI, PD, and PL records types:

For the PI record type

The system collects the performance data according to a collection interval that you set in the window of PFM - Web Console. However, the performance data is stored in the Store database, starting with the second collection after PFM - Agent or PFM - RM is started. The Store database does not store the data during that first collection.
For the PD and PL record types

The system collects the performance data according to a collection interval that you set in the window of PFM - Web Console. The performance data is stored in the Store database, starting with the first collection after PFM - Agent or PFM - RM is started.

As a default setting, the Store database stores the performance data of only some records. To store the performance data into the Store database, specify the setting in the window of PFM - Web Console for each record. For details about how to specify this setting, see the chapter that describes management of operation monitoring data in the JP1/Performance Management User's Guide.

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(3) Storing difference data

Some of the values stored in each field of the PI, PD, and PL record types exhibit a difference from the previous collection data. This difference data is called delta. Refer to the following examples:

An example of storing difference data

When the delta section of the field that measures the total I/O counts since the system starts is Yes, the system stores the I/O counts between the previous collection time and the current collection time. For instance, assume that you set the value of the collection intervals (Collection Interval) of the performance data to 3,600 seconds (1 hour).

If PFM - Agent or PFM - RM starts at 06:27:15 on August 2nd (21:27:15 on August 1st GMT), the first data collection takes place at 07:00:00 on August 2nd Japan time (22:00:00 in the GMT). The next data collection takes place at 08:00:00 Japan time (23:00:00 on August 1st GMT). After that, based on the data collected at 07:00:00 and 08:00:00 Japan time, the system creates difference data, and stores this data into the Store database.

Figure 3‒16: Example of storing difference data

For details about how to determine if the values in each field are delta values or not, see the relevant chapters (tables of each record field) of each PFM - Agent or PFM - RM manual. In the table of each record field, the fields that have Yes in the delta section store the differences from the previous measured value.

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