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  The File I/O Performance Monitor

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hIOmon Add-On Support for
IBM Tivoli Monitoring

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IBM® Tivoli® Monitoring (ITM) affords comprehensive enterprise monitoring solutions that provide a robust means for managing distributed resources (particularly system infrastructure) through centralized control and configuration.  Moreover, these solutions can provide an enterprise-wide backbone for availability monitoring across operating system and application components along with the collection and consolidation of performance information regarding the distributed resources.

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In addition, the ITM software incorporates components, such as the Tivoli Enterprise Portal Server (TEPS) and Tivoli Enterprise Portal Clients, that provide for the presentation of the collected/consolidated performance information, including by means of a single, customizable portal interface. The ITM graphical presentation capabilities feature flexible charting/tables for both "real-time" and "historical" availability/performance data maintained at the Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Servers (TEMS), which act as collection and control points. Please see the IBM Tivoli website for more information about the IBM Tivoli Monitoring solutions and architecture.

hIOmon Add-Support for "IBM Tivoli Monitoring"

The hIOmon File I/O Performance Monitor is the only software utility currently available that enables you to easily, quickly, and efficiently collect “summary” (i.e., automatically aggregated by hIOmon) I/O operation performance information upon an individual file, device, and/or process basis for those specific files, devices, and processes of particular interest to you.  These empirical metrics reflect the actual file and device I/O operations performed through the normal, everyday use of your very own applications and associated files.  Moreover, no file, application, or operating system changes are required!

The hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring" enables IBM Tivoli Monitoring solutions access to these summarized/aggregated I/O operation performance metrics.  Once retrieved by the IBM Tivoli Monitoring components, these hIOmon metrics can then be viewed, graphed/charted, monitored for specific thresholds (i.e., "situations"), and used for trending analysis, capacity planning, service level agreement (SLA) monitoring along with a variety of other enterprise management tasks supported by the IBM Tivoli Monitoring solutions.

Please note that the hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring" has successfully met the IBM specifications for validation as "Ready for IBM Tivoli software" and is included within the IBM Tivoli "Open Process Automation Library (OPAL)".  Moreover, IBM Tivoli Monitoring is the first enterprise solution of its type to retrieve and leverage the unique empirical metrics captured and made available only by hIOmon upon an individual file, device, and process basis.

The "hIOmon WMI Support" that is incorporated within the hIOmon software enables the Microsoft® Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) interface to be used for retrieving the “summary” I/O operation performance metrics collected by hIOmon.  The hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring" utilizes this "hIOmon WMI Support" to make the summary I/O operation performance metrics accessible to the IBM Tivoli Monitoring solution components.

More specifically, custom Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agents (also referred to as “monitoring agents” within the IBM ITM documentation) can be created to retrieve the "summary" I/O operation performance metrics via the WMI support provided by the hIOmon software.  That is, the Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agents can utilize "ITM Agent Builder data providers" that collect data from a WMI external data source.  In turn, the hIOmon-specific Common Information Model / Managed Object Format (CIM/MOF) classes (which are supplied by the hIOmon WMI support and which reflect the real-time summarized I/O operation performance metrics collected by hIOmon) can be used as the WMI external data source for these Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agent "data providers".

Overall then, the integration between the hIOmon Add-On “Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring” and the IBM Tivoli Monitoring solutions is based upon two primary elements:

• The hIOmon real-time "summary" I/O operation performance metrics for individual files, devices, and processes that are made accessible by means of the hIOmon WMI support, which includes several additional hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes that are specifically tailored to IBM Tivoli Monitoring.
  
  

• A custom Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agent (called the hIOmon "ITM Intelligent Remote Agent (IRA)" that makes use of these additional hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes that are specifically tailored to IBM Tivoli Monitoring.  Please note that this custom Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agent is optional and is not included within the standard hIOmon software installation package, but instead must be obtained as described below.

Further details regarding both of the above items can be found within the "hIOmon Add-On Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring User Guide" document.  Also see the "hIOmon User Guide" document for additional information about the "hIOmon WMI Support" and the hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes.

NOTE:

Please note that the hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring" relies upon the "Summary" I/O operation performance metrics (and optionally the "Physical Device Extended Metrics") that can be collected by the hIOmon software. Consequently, the hIOmon "Summarized Data Licensing Option" (and optionally the  "Raw Device Extended Feature Option") must be available (licensed for use) in order to make use of this hIOmon Add-On support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring.

The hIOmon WMI support along with the hIOmon ITM IRA provide a quick and simple way to help you easily incorporate and leverage the unique hIOmon "summary" I/O operation performance metrics (moreover, upon a specific file, device, or process of interest) into your IBM Tivoli Monitoring solutions environment.

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hIOmon Configuration Setup for the "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring"

The hIOmon File I/O Performance Monitor software must first be installed and properly configured to collect I/O operation performance metrics in order for these metrics to be retrieved by a Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agent (such as the hIOmon ITM IRA, which also must be first installed).

Consequently, the recommended sequence for using the hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring" including the "hIOmon ITM IRA" is:

1. Install the hIOmon software using the hIOmon software installation process as described briefly within the hIOmon "ReadMe" document and more extensively within the “hIOmon User Guide” document; both of these documents are included within the hIOmon software installation package.

The required hIOmon WMI Support (including the ITM-tailored, hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes needed for this hIOmon Add-On) are automatically installed as part of the Windows Installer installation process (which is used for installing the hIOmon software installation package).

Also note that the Windows Installer installation process provides a "Custom Installation Options" whereby you can run the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" as part of the Windows Installer installation process.  This option enables you to perform the required hIOmon software configuration step (i.e., step 3 immediately below) as part of the hIOmon software installation process.



2. Install the hIOmon "ITM Intelligent Remote Agent (IRA)" Solution Install Package.

   Note again that the use of the hIOmon ITM IRA is optional.  Instead, you can create other custom Tivoli Monitoring Agents (using the "IBM Tivoli Monitoring 6.2 Agent Builder" software from IBM) to access the hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes (including the ITM-tailored classes) provided by the hIOmon WMI support.
   
   

3. Configure the hIOmon software to collect summary I/O operation performance metrics for the specific files, devices, and processes that are of particular interest to you.  These summary metrics can then be retrieved by the hIOmon ITM IRA.

   The "hIOmon User Guide" document provides "step-by-step" instructions using the hIOmon Presentation Client (and the hIOmon WMI Browser) that help illustrate how you can specifically configure the hIOmon software to collect the summary file and device I/O operation performance metrics.  In addition, the hIOmon "Getting Started" FAQ html (also accessible via the "Start -> Programs -> hIOmon -> Getting Started Help -> Read This First !!!" shortcut) describes these "Quick Start" procedures.

   For those new to the hIOmon software and wanting to quickly begin investigating the use of the hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring", another recommended option is to use the hIOmon "Device and File I/O Performance Analysis Add-On" or the "Process I/O Performance Analysis Add-On" (which allows you to restrict the collection of I/O operation performance metrics to those particular processes that you specify), both of which provide an alternative means of configuring, but in a more limited fashion, the hIOmon software so as to collect the "summary" file and device I/O operation performance metrics.  Using the hIOmon WMI Support and the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup" VBScript, this Add-On helps automate the hIOmon configuration process based upon limited user input (i.e., the simple selection of the particular files that are to be monitored by hIOmon) along with various default values.

   The hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup" VBScript allows you to simply specify:

   -  The particular file (or files using the wildcard) to be monitored by hIOmon.  You can also specify that all files upon a specific logical drive (e.g., "G:\*") be monitored by hIOmon.

   -  Whether you want to collect "Physical Device Extended Metrics" for the particular file(s).  The "Physical Device Extended Metrics" basically reflect the "physical device" I/O operations (performed at the "physical device" level within the operating system) that were required to complete file I/O operations for those files that were also being monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.  Note that this option might require a reboot of the operating system.

   -  The time period interval to be used for the collection of the summary I/O operation performance metrics; note that this time period interval applies to all files (and devices) to be monitored by hIOmon.

   Please note that there are no special configuration options that need to be enabled within the hIOmon software in order to support the retrieval of the real-time summary I/O operation performance metrics by the hIOmon ITM IRA.  Simply use the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup" VBScript, the hIOmon Presentation Client, or the hIOmon WMI Browser to create and activate a "Filter Selection" which identifies those particular files and devices that are to be monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor and which indicates that summary I/O operation performance metrics are to be collected.

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1. That the hIOmon File I/O Performance Monitor software be properly installed and active (i.e., that the hIOmon Manager and hIOmon I/O Monitor components are currently running; note that these components are normally configured upon the installation of the hIOmon software to automatically be started when the computer system is started).  In addition, the hIOmon software must be properly configured to collect "summary" I/O operation performance metrics.
   
   

2. That the "Summarized Data" is licensed.  The "Raw Device Extended Feature" option must also be licensed if "Physical Device Extended Metrics" are additionally to be collected by hIOmon.  Note that the trial version of the hIOmon File I/O Performance Monitor software includes full-support for both of these licensing options and that the collection of the "Physical Device Extended Metrics" is optional and not required by the hIOmon Add-On "Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring".
   
   

3. That the IBM Tivoli Monitoring Version 6.2 software be properly installed.
   
   

4. That the hIOmon "ITM Intelligent Remote Agent (IRA)" Solution Install Package be properly installed and configured.  Information in regards to obtaining the hIOmon ITM IRA "Solution Install Package" is provided below.  In addition, please note that installation/use of the hIOmon ITM IRA is optional; you can instead create and install your own custom "Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring IRA" using the "ITM 6.2 Agent Builder" software from IBM, in which case please be sure to create an IRA that gathers data from an external WMI data source (and particularly the data collected from the ITM-tailored, hIOmon-specific WMI CIM/MOF classes); please see the "hIOmon Add-On Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring User Guide" document for additional details.

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The hIOmon "IBM Tivoli Monitoring Intelligent Remote Agent (IRA)" is included within the hIOmon ITM IRA "Solution Install Package" which is available from hyperI/O LLC.  Please contact us to obtain download instructions for the hIOmon ITM IRA "Solution Install Package". 

Note that the use of the hIOmon ITM IRA is optional.  Instead, you can create other custom Tivoli Monitoring Agents (using the "IBM Tivoli Monitoring 6.2 Agent Builder" software from IBM) to access the hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes (including the ITM-tailored classes) provided by the hIOmon WMI support, which is included within the base hIOmon software package and which is automatically installed by the hIOmon software installation process. 

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The hIOmon ITM IRA is provided by means of a "Solution Install Package" generated by using the "ITM 6.2 Agent Builder" software from IBM.  This "Solution Install Package" is essentially a "setupwin32.exe" file that includes the hIOmon ITM IRA along with the necessary ITM support files required to install the hIOmon ITM IRA amongst the appropriate ITM components (e.g., TEMS, TEPS, etc.).

Note that if the hIOmon ITM IRA is installed, then the Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Server (TEMS), Tivoli Enterprise Portal Server (TEPS), the Tivoli Enterprise Port Clients (e.g., Tivoli Enterprise Desktop Client), and the local TEMS depot configurations will be updated with the hIOmon "ITM IRA" support files as part of the installation/configuration of the hIOmon ITM IRA "Solution Install Package".

Please see the "hIOmon Add-On Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring User Guide" document for "step-by-step" instructions for installing the hIOmon ITM IRA using the "Solution Install Package" available above.

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The hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes that have been specifically tailored to support the IBM Tivoli Monitoring software provide real-time, "summary" I/O operation performance metrics for individual files, devices, and processes.  The "summary" I/O operation performance metrics are provided by these ITM-tailored, hIOmon-specific WMI CIM/MOF classes include:

• Name of the monitored file (or name of the associated device in the case of "Device Summary" I/O operation performance metrics or process in the case of process-based summary I/O operation performance metrics)

• Timestamp (month, date, hour, minute) when the metrics were prepared for offload/retrieval

• Separately for both read and write I/O operations and as observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor:
  -  Accumulated number of I/O operations
  -  Accumulated number of "Fast" I/O operations; that is, I/O operations that were successfully completed in less than one millisecond as observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor either by explicit request for use of the "system file cache" (SystemCache Hits) or not (i.e., successfully completed in less than one millisecond but did not explicitly request the use of the "system file cache")
  -  Accumulated number of "System File Cache Hit" I/O operations; that is, I/O operations that were successfully performed using the "system file cache" by explicit request and which completed in less than one millisecond as observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor
  -  Average I/O operations rate (IOPS); also average IOPS for read and write I/O operation combined
  -  Maximum I/O operations rate (IOPS)
  -  Minimum, average, and maximum time duration (in seconds) for an observed I/O operation (i.e., response time)
  -  Accumulated total (in bytes) of data transferred by the I/O operations
  -  Average and maximum data transfer rates (MBs), including by a single I/O operation
  -  Average queue length/depth

• Average queue length for read and write I/O operations combined

• Random access percentages for read I/O operations, for write I/O operation, and for either read or write file I/O operations that represented random accesses to the file regardless of the particular open file instance

• Accumulated total (in bytes) of data transferred by random read I/O operations and separately for random write I/O operations

• Busy time percentage; that is, the overall busy time percentage as by the hIOmon I/O Monitor, where this percentage is calculated by dividing the accumulated total busy time by the time span over which the total busy time was accumulated (generally the time duration since the hIOmon I/O Monitor first started accumulating the respective I/O operation performance metrics for the respective file, device, or process)

• Statistics Time Duration Base (i.e., time duration in seconds since the hIOmon I/O Monitor first started accumulating the associated summary I/O operation performance metrics)

If the Filter Selection includes files to be monitored for which "Physical Device Extended Metrics" are also to be collected, then the following "Physical Device" summary I/O operation performance metric types (for read and write I/O operations separately as observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor) are also available for retrieval:

• Accumulated number of I/O operations

• Accumulated total (in bytes) of data transferred by the I/O operations

• Average and maximum response times

Please see "Appendix A - Export Data Definitions" in the hIOmon User Guide document along with the "hIOmon Add-On Support for IBM Tivoli Monitoring User Guide" document for additional information about the metrics above.

Also please note that the hIOmon ITM IRA supports the retrieval of all of the metrics defined within each of the three ITM-tailored classes.  That is, the hIOmon ITM IRA collects all of the metrics included within the ITM-tailored, hIOmon-specific CIM/MOF classes for files, devices, and processes.  The "Device Summary" metrics represent the aggregate for all of the monitored files associated with a particular device and that the "Process Summary" metrics represent the aggregate for all of the monitored files to which the process directed a file I/O operation.

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