Nimsoft Monitor sybase Guide v3.5 series
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Contents Chapter 1: sybase This description applies to sybase version 3.5x. The Nimsoft Sybase Probe constantly monitors the internal performance and space allocation throughout the Sybase server. The information is presented to the database-administrator as alarms and/or as a report showing areas that need attention. An extensive range of pre-defined alerts is delivered with the Sybase Probe, and these can quickly be extended to meet the needs of specific monitoring requirements. The probe supports the SLM product-line by sending Quality of Service (QoS) messages. A lot of information can be extracted and monitored, such as: Server uptime Local and/or remote monitoring of Sybase Servers Amount of free log-file space Data file size for each database. Data and log-file cache hit ratio. Reports the number of: Active users Databases available Users currently logged onto the servers granted and waited page- and table locks transactions and deadlocks pr. second database page reads/writes pr. second disk IO, disk reads and disk writes Committed transactions For details, please see Checkpoint description. Contents 5
sybase Requirements Software: Sybase OCS client 12.5.x or ASE 15.0.x. For advanced monitoring either Sybase Monitoring Server of Monitoring Tables need to be installed and enabled. Sybase libraries have to be in system PATH. Platform: Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista, Linux glibc 2.3 or higher, Solaris 8 or higher on Sparc processor. Sybase: Sybase Monitoring Server has to be up and running User-id authorization To run the probe in basic mode, access to following tables is needed: sysdatabases spt_values sysusgaes sysprocesses syscurconfigs sysconfigures To run the probe in advanced mode using Monitoring Tables, the user-id used need the 'mon_role' authorization. To run the probe in advanced mode using Monitoring Server API, 'sa' user-id needs to be used. 6 sybase Guide
Installation notes The probe must be installed on a Windows/Linux/Solaris Robot with the Sybase client installed. This can be the Sybase server itself. Sybase Monitoring Server or Monitoring Tables have to be installed and activated. 1. Get the package sybase.zip from Internet Updates. 2. Get a valid license from http://www.nimsoft.no http://www.nimsoft.no. 3. Install sybase.zip on the machine running Sybase Client (use drag & drop from the Nimbus Archive). 4. Double-click on the sybase probe to launch the probe configurator. 5. Go to the Connection tab and setup Sybase Server and Monitoring server connections. 6. Define and activate at least one monitoring profile. Migration from previous releases If you migrate from previous releases, the probe will migrate the old configuration file (sysbase_monitor.cfg) into a release 3 configuration file (sysbase_monitor_v3.cfg). Every instance from V2 will be converted into one connection and one monitoring profile in V3. Every profile starts one thread for SQL queries and one process as Monitor Server data collector. Known issues With Sybase OCS 12.5.0 and 15.0 the Sybase Monitoring Server API can end in a CPU loop, if the probe agent does not have the possibility to close connection properly. This issue is solved by applying Sybase maintenance (12.5.3 or higher, 15.0.2 or higer). Chapter 1: sybase 7
ASE configuration for Monitoring Tables data collection: buf_cachehit_ratio: enable monitoring = 1 lock_requests, lock_requests_db, lock_requests_granted_db, lock_requests_waited_db: enable monitoring = 1, per object statistics = 1, object lockwait timing = 1 total_disk_io: enable monitoring = 1 stp_cachehit_ratio: enable monitoring = 1 locked_users (advanced, with sql text): enable monitoring = 1, max SQL text monitored = 1024 or more, SQL batch capture = 1, sql text pipe active = 1, sql text pipe max messages = 256 or more (depends on interval length and server activity) sybase Configuration Initial configuration of the sybase probe is done by using the UI, defining connections and profiles for monitored instances. The probe may be running locally on the database server, or it may be configured to run as a remote client. Every profile will run in its own thread and start, if necessary one monitoring server data collector as separate process. All windows containing lists are resizable. 8 sybase Guide
Sybase Setup tab This property-sheet will set the general run-time parameters regarding the sybase probe. Field Generate status only Alarm Severity filter Description Instructs the probe to only generate status, not to issue an alarm when a threshold is breached. Select the Status tab to see the status for the different checkpoints. Sets a "filter" on which severity levels to be considered as alarms. The oracle probe is capable of checking many areas of the Oracle databases. Some events that are generated are vital and key to the performance and availability of the database. As a database administrator, you may want to pass the important events on to the operations centre or helpdesk, so the event can trigger pagers, email etc. The Alarm severity filter will consider the events matching the selected severity level and higher as alarms, and pass these on whenever the Generate status only option is unchecked. If you e.g. set this to be major, then only messages with severity major and upward are considered as alarms. Status Auto-Update Check this box to automatically update the status after defined time. Chapter 1: sybase 9
Log Size Log-level Message pool tab Sets the size of the probe s log file to which probe-internal log messages are written. The default size is 100 KB. When this size is reached, the contents of the file are cleared. Sets the level of details written to the log file. Log as little as possible during normal operation, to minimize disk consumption. This tab contains a list of all alarm messages available. You select messages from this list when editing the properties for a checkpoint. Right-clicking in the list, allows you to add, edit, copy or delete messages. Sybase: Defining a message, using the Message pool Select the Message pool tab, right-click in the list and select New. 10 sybase Guide
You must specify a name in the small dialog popping up. Tip: Use the name of the checkpoint for which you create the alarm message as name. That makes it easier to find the alarm message when selecting an alarm message in the properties dialog for the checkpoint. Select the checkpoint for which you create the alarm message in the drop-down list, and all variables available for that check-point will be listed in the right part of the dialog. Type the message and pick the variables you need. Click the OK button when finished. The new message should now appear in the message pool. Chapter 1: sybase 11
Sybase Connections tab This list will be populated with the various connections to servers that the sybase probe will monitor. You need to specify user name, password and service name you want to use to connect to the instance. The password information is encrypted and placed into the configuration file. A connection can be used by more than one profile. 12 sybase Guide
The list contains one predefined connection, which you may modify to your preferences. You may add, edit delete and copy connections. Selecting the connection and choose Edit from the right popup-menu, opens the connection property window for editing. Field Advanced Monitoring Monitor Option Description User Password Server name Monitoring server Retry attempts Description Provides an option for enabling / disabling advance monitoring from the probe Specify monitoring tables / monitoring server for advance monitoring Short description of the connection. User-Id with authorization to read v$ views. Valid password. Service name, as defined in the interface files. Monitoring server name. This field becomes visible when monitoring option is set to monitoring server. Number of attempts the probe should try to repeat connection in case of failure. "0" means only the initial connection will be done. Chapter 1: sybase 13
Retry delay Timeout Test button Time, the probe will wait between two connection attempts. Connection timeout Will test if the connection can be made. In positive case, it will return the instance name and its version number, in negative case the Sybase error message. The button will test first the SQL server, than the Monitoring server connection. Sybase Profiles tab The list contains a sample profile that you may modify to your preferences. Every profile will run as a separate thread, more than one profile can be used to monitor one instance. If the selected checkpoints need data from the Monitoring server, every profile will start its own data collector, which will run as a separate process. This way the probe can be configured to deploy available resources in best way and allows independent monitoring of several instances simultaneously. Icons in the profile list Green icon in the profile line means the profile is active and running Yellow icon means the profile is active but suspended (the suspend / resume button in the profile properties dialog allows stopping / starting profile monitoring dynamic, without deactivating /activating the probe). Black icon shows the profile is inactive. 14 sybase Guide
You may add, edit delete and copy profiles. Selecting the profile and choose Edit from the right popup-menu, opens the profile property window for editing. The suspend / resume commands allows stopping / starting profile monitoring dynamic, without deactivating /activating the probe. The upper part of the window shows general profile properties and defaults; at the bottom is a list of available checkpoints. Field Active Description Check this option to activate the profile. Chapter 1: sybase 15
Descriptio n Heartbeat Connectio n Check interval Clear message SQL timeout Message Profile timeout Message Timeout severity Connectio n Suspende d/resume d Alarm source Short description of the profile Defines the interval, in which all profile checkpoints schedules will be tested and trigger eventual checkpoint execution. This number should be common denominator to all used check interval values. The higher the value the lower is the profile overhead. Connection used in this profile. It has to be defined in "Connections" dialog before creating a profile. Default value for check interval in the profile. Will be used if nothing else is defined in the checkpoint and overwrites the default checkpoint list setting Message name for clear alarm Every checkpoint query run asynchronously. In case the query reaches the SQL timeout, the checkpoint processing will be terminated and the next checkpoint will be started. Alarm is issued. Message name used for SQL timeout alarm Defines the maximum processing time for all checkpoints in the profile. If this timeout is reached, the interval processing is finished and the probe waits for next heartbeat to evaluate any checkpoint schedules. Alarm message is issued. Message name used for profile timeout alarm. Severity for timeout messages. Connection used in this profile. It has to be defined in "Connections" dialog before creating a profile. Diode shows if the profile is running (green) or suspended (red) Possibility to change the source for issued alarms. If not used, default is assumed (robot IP). 16 sybase Guide
Note on checkpoint types Defining a profile, you can use two different strategies how to handle Checkpoints in a profile. You can decide to use checkpoint templates dynamic, which means that the checkpoints are defined globally (under the "Templates" tab) and represent the default settings. Every time you change the template value, it will reflect on all profiles using dynamic templates strategy. If you want to have specific settings valid just for one profile, you should right-click the checkpoint in the list and select Change to static. Chapter 1: sybase 17
Now you can double-click the checkpoint to modify the properties, and the settings will be valid for this profile only. Note: If attempting to modify a template checkpoint in the Profile dialog without changing it to static as described above, you will get a warning like this: Of course, there can be both "template" and "static" checkpoints mixed in one profile. If a checkpoint is managed as static, the checkpoint name will appear in the list with a blue color, and it will be marked as static in the column Type. Conclusion: Static To manage the properties for a checkpoint locally, "change" the checkpoint to static in your profile before modifying it. When modified, the new settings will be valid for this profile only. Template To edit the properties for a checkpoint template, double-click the checkpoint in the profile list or Templates tab. When modified, the new settings will be valid for all profiles, unless overruled by static settings in the profile. See the section Sybase: Editing a checkpoint for a description of the checkpoint properties. When deciding which checkpoints to activate/deactivate for a profile, see the section Checkpoints description for a description of the different checkpoints. 18 sybase Guide
Sybase Templates tab The list contains the predefined set of checkpoints that you may use in your profiles. These checkpoints can be modified to your preferences. By default, most checkpoints are active with a reasonable default threshold value. The checkpoint properties may be used in a profile, either dynamic (using the template values), or they can be added to the profile and managed statically in the profile. See the section Sybase: Editing a checkpoint for a description of the checkpoint properties. Chapter 1: sybase 19
Sybase status tab The status is presented in a hierarchal fashion, with a profile name nodes and one or more checkpoint nodes (only active checkpoints are considered here). The highest status is propagated. Select the checkpoint in the navigation tree (to your left) to bring up the corresponding events. Changing the individual values for checkpoints: The properties for an individual checkpoint object can also be modified here. Select a profile and a monitored checkpoint in the left pane. Then double-click an object in the right pane. If the object belongs to a template object, you will be warned that a modification will make the checkpoint static for the selected profile. 20 sybase Guide
See the section for a description of the checkpoint properties. Chapter 1: sybase 21
Sybase: Editing a checkpoint The checkpoint properties may be used in a profile either dynamic, using the template values, or they can be added to the profile and managed static in the profile. Static To edit the properties for a checkpoint locally for a profile, right-click the profile in the Checkpoints list in the profile dialog and change it to static. Then double-click the checkpoint to modify it. When modified, the new settings will be valid for this profile only. Template To edit the properties for a checkpoint template, double-click the checkpoint in the profile list or Templates tab. When modified, the new settings will be valid for all profiles, unless overruled by static settings in the profile. The properties for checkpoints are described below: 22 sybase Guide
The upper part of the window contains general checkpoint settings. At the second part are two lists with threshold and schedule settings. Field Description Condition Clear severity Send Quality of Service Check interval Clear message Scheduling Threshold/Schedules Description Short description of the purpose of the checkpoint Information, describing how the threshold values are evaluated Severity, used for message issued in normal state. Activates QoS values being sent into the QoS database If not available in a checkpoint, checkbox is disabled. Interval value used for this checkpoint. Every checkpoint can have a different check interval value. Default is taken from the profile definition, if not defined than from the default checkpoint list. Message name used for clear alarm message. This field lets you select how to use the schedules settings, if any (see description below the table). Rules Selecting Rules means to run according the rules described in the Schedules settings. Exceptions Selecting Exceptions means to run except the rules described in the Schedules settings. See description below the table. Chapter 1: sybase 23
Sybase: Thresholds The list contains the predefined set of monitoring profiles that you may use in your profiles and that you can modify to your preferences. By default, most profiles are active with a reasonable default threshold value. The threshold values may be defined by modifying checkpoints in the respective profile. Every checkpoint has to have at least one threshold, but there can be additional thresholds defined. The threshold identification consists of an object name (if applicable), like tablespace name, userid etc. and a threshold ID, numbered from 0. Threshold values have to be descending or ascending, depending on condition used in a checkpoint, starting with the highest severity threshold condition. Field Threshold object name Threshold value Current value Severity Message Message text Description Monitoring object name, if applicable or default. Some special checkpoints have a second threshold called count" (e.g. "locked_users"). Value used for threshold evaluation Severity, used for message issued in normal state. Alarm severity. Name of message used for threshold alarm. Text of the message, containing variables, which will be replaced in run time. If the message text is changed from a profile list, you will be forced to create new message. 24 sybase Guide
Variables List of variables, available in the checkpoint. Sybase: Schedules If the schedules list is empty, the checkpoint will be executed in interval matter, 24 hours a day. Additional to it there can be defined number of schedules per checkpoint, which can define additional "rules" to the check interval or "exceptions" of it. "Rules" and "exceptions" cannot be mixed in one checkpoint. In principle, a schedule is a definition of an execution period (or execution break if exceptions used) with specified days, time from/to and date from/to values. Additionally, if only date from and time from is defined, first execution can be defined. Run once will cause the checkpoint run only once a day in the defined period (unlike multiple times if interval used). Chapter 1: sybase 25
Checkpoints metrics Count Absolute number of events in the interval. It is calculated as delta between count at the beginning of the interval and at the end. In the first interval, counts are not checked because their interval value cannot be calculated. If there is a "total" value in the message, it means "since the start of the instance". Gauge Absolute number, describing the actual state of the system. Ratio Calculated percentage, using interval counts. In the first interval, it is calculated from total counts (as the interval count cannot be calculated). Average Calculated using interval counts. In the starting interval, it is calculated from absolute counts. Status Absolute value like ONLINE etc. 26 sybase Guide
Checkpoint description Active_users count: Monitors number of users, having at least one active transaction at the moment of the snapshot. Source query. Table: sysprocesses, status = 'running'. Buf_cachehit_ratio ratio: Monitors buffer affectivity in interval. Calculated as (1 (physical reads / logical reads)) *100 Item: SMC_NAME_DATA_CACHE_HIT, SMC_NAME_DATA_CACHE_MISS Check_dbalive status: monitors SQL server availability (connection and query execution). Source: query. select isnull(@@servername,'not available')+':'+@@version Check_msalive status: Monitors Monitoring server availability (connect). Source: API (connect). Commited_transactions count: Monitors number of transactions committed in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_XACT. Database_count count: Monitors number of databases in server. Source: query. Table: sysdatabases. Database_size ratio: Monitors free space in database and log files in %. Source: query. Table: sysusages. Database_size_mb count: Monitors free space in database and log files in MB. Source: query. Table: sysusages. Dead_locks ratio: Monitors number of deadlocks per second in interval in database. Item: SMC_NAME_DEADLOCK_CNT. Lock_requests ratio: Monitors total number of lock requests per second in interval. Chapter 1: sybase 27
Item: SMC_NAME_LOCK_CNT. Lock_requests_db ratio: Monitors number of lock requests per second per database in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_LOCKS_GRANTED_IMMED, SMC_NAME_LOCKS_GRANTED_WAITED, SMC_NAME_LOCKS_NOT_GRANTED. Lock_requests_granted_db ratio: Monitors number of granted locks per second per database in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_LOCKS_GRANTED_IMMED, SMC_NAME_LOCKS_GRANTED_WAITED, SMC_NAME_LOCKS_NOT_GRANTED. lock_requests_waited_db ratio: Monitors number of lock request waits per second per database in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_LOCKS_GRANTED_IMMED, SMC_NAME_LOCKS_GRANTED_WAITED, SMC_NAME_LOCKS_NOT_GRANTED. login_count count: Monitors number of users currently logged to the server. Source: query. Table: sysprocesses. Page_locks ratio: Monitors number of page lock requests per second per database in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_LOCK_CNT. Server_startup count: Monitors number of days the SQL server is up. Source: query. DATEDIFF(dd,crdate,getdate())). Table_locks ratio: Monitors number of table lock requests per second per database in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_LOCK_CNT. 28 sybase Guide
Total_disk_io ratio: Monitors total number of I/O per second per device in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_DEV_IO. Total_disk_reads ratio: Monitors number of read I/O per second per device in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_DEV_READ. Total_disk_writes ratio: Monitors number of write I/O per second per device in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_DEV_WRITE. stp_cachehit_ratio ratio: Monitors stored procedure cache efficiency in interval. Caluclated as (1 (physical reads / logical reads)) *100. Item: SMC_NAME_STP_LOGICAL_READ, SMC_NAME_STP_PHYSICAL_READ. total_memory count: Monitors total size of memory in kb/mb, Sybase SQL server has allocated at the moment of snapshot. Item: SMC_NAME_MEM_CODE_SIZE SMC_NAME_MEM_KERNEL_STRUCT_SIZE SMC_NAME_MEM_SERVER_STRUCT_SIZE SMC_NAME_MEM_PAGE_CACHE_SIZE SMC_NAME_MEM_PROC_BUFFER SMC_NAME_MEM_PROC_HEADER. buffer_memory count: Monitors size of memory in kb/mb, Sybase SQL server has allocated to data cache at the moment of snapshot. Item: SMC_NAME_MEM_PAGE_CACHE_SIZE. stp_memory count: Monitors size of memory in kb/mb, Sybase SQL server has allocated to stored procedure cache at the moment of snapshot. Item: SMC_NAME_MEM_PROC_BUFFER SMC_NAME_MEM_PROC_HEADER. Chapter 1: sybase 29
log_contention ratio: Monitors the percentage of times, of the total times when a user log cache was flushed into the transaction log, that it had to wait for the log semaphore in interval. Item: SMC_NAME_LOG_CONTENTION_PCT. locked_users ratio: Monitors number of users waiting for a lock in interval. Source: query. Table: sysprocesses. log_size ratio: Monitors free space (%) in the log-file of a database. Source: query. Table: sysusages, sysdatabases. db_device_size ratio: Monitors free space (%) in database devices. Source: query. Table: sysdevices, sysusages, sysdatabases. tempdb_device_size ratio: Monitors free space (%) in temporary database devices. Source: query. Table: sysdevices, sysusages, sysdatabases. device_size ratio: Monitors free space (%) in devices. Source: query. Table: sysdevices, sysusages, sysdatabases. active_connection_ratio - ratio Source: Query Table: sysprocesses, syscurconfigs, sysconfigures Chapter 1: sybase 5 sybase Requirements... 6 User-id authorization... 6 Installation notes... 7 Migration from previous releases... 7 Known issues... 7 ASE configuration for Monitoring Tables data collection:... 8 sybase Configuration... 8 Sybase Setup tab... 9 Sybase: Defining a message, using the Message pool... 10 Sybase Connections tab... 12 30 sybase Guide
Sybase Profiles tab... 14 Sybase Templates tab... 19 Sybase status tab... 20 Sybase: Editing a checkpoint... 22 Sybase: Thresholds... 24 Sybase: Schedules... 25 Checkpoints metrics... 26 Checkpoint description... 27 Chapter 1: sybase 31