Testing CPU utilisation on each individual core

Svend · Post by **Svend** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:07 pm

When monitoring a server sometimes a badly behaving thread will hog a single core only. In a dual core or hyperthreaded system this would result in CPU utilisation of 50%. If you set your alert threshhold to 90% you may never get an alert.

My wish is for the ability to monitor individial cores so that if any core experiences high CPU utilisation I will get an alert.

In some cases you may want to specify each of the cores seperately, in others you may wish to say that if ANY core exceeds X condition, for Y number of tests, then alert me.

I have seen monitoring systems from IBM (specifically for IBM servers) do this and thought it was cool. I figured that given task managers performance tab shows performance for each core the data should be accessible to the windows APIs (you would hope).

Any way, it would be good to have.

Svend.

KS-Soft Europe · Post by **KS-Soft Europe** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:59 am

If you want to monitor each processor separately, you may use "WMI" or "Performance Counter" test methods.
For instance, using "WMI" test method you just should provide a query like: select LoadPercentage from Win32_Processor where DeviceID='CPU0'
http://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/mfra ... ts.htm#wmi
Please read following article to gather more information about Win32_Processor class: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394373.aspx

"Performance counter" test method also allows you to select certain processor to monitor. You just should select "Processor" as "Performance object" and select certain CPU from instances list.
http://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/mfra ... erfcounter

Regards,
Max

Svend · Post by **Svend** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:34 pm

I shall try again.
Wasn't having much luck browsing performance counters either local or via an agent. Could it be because I'm using the RCC client?

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:03 pm

Could it be because I'm using the RCC client

If system where RCC is running does not have full admin access to system that you need to monitor, then yes. RCC/HostMonitor uses standard Windows API to browse Performance Counters.

Regards
Alex

Svend · Post by **Svend** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:18 pm

We monitor systems across a couple of domains. No trusts exist between these domains and we'd rather not set up trusts (can't because our small offices run Small Business Server which does not allow trusts).

Is there a simple way around this?

KS-Soft Europe · Post by **KS-Soft Europe** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:57 am

Svend wrote:Is there a simple way around this?

I think, you should setup RMA on the remote servers. RMA supports "WMI" and "Performance Counter" test methods as well.
RMA is able to monitor whole network, not just one server, so, it would be enough to setup single RMA on each domain.
http://www.ks-soft.net/hostmon.eng/rma-win/index.htm

Regards,
Max

KS-Soft · Post by **KS-Soft** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:29 am

Is there a simple way around this

Sure, you may type performance counter manually, without using "Browse" window. E.g. \\servername\Processor(0)\% User Time
Then test will be performed by HostMonitor or specified RMA

Regards
Alex

Svend · Post by **Svend** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:31 pm

Getting somewhere...

I can reach the server that the RMA agent is running on but I can't get that server to perform the test on another system on it's network.

Would I be right in guessing that I can't have this RMA agent proxy for another agent? That I would need to install an agent on each server I want to monitor and setup a port translation on the firewall for each?

If so, thats... alright...

... not ideal. Can I change my wish to "I wish this was easier" or does that use up a wish

KS-Soft Europe · Post by **KS-Soft Europe** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:11 am

Svend wrote:I can reach the server that the RMA agent is running on but I can't get that server to perform the test on another system on it's network.

I assume, that is a permission issue. You have started RMA as a service, right? By default, RMA service is started under "Local system" account, that could not access network. You may specify certain account with admin rights to start RMA service using standard windows "Services" applet.

Svend wrote:Would I be right in guessing that I can't have this RMA agent proxy for another agent?

Yes, you are right. RMA cannot work in that way. RMA is able to connunicate with the HostMonitor only, not with another agent.

Svend wrote:That I would need to install an agent on each server I want to monitor and setup a port translation on the firewall for each?

Exactly not. You do not need to install the agent on each server. You just have to start RMA under account (admin account), that have necessary rights on the network.

Regards,
Max

Svend · Post by **Svend** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:17 am

All working.

As instructed - changed the credentials of the RMA and restarted the service. Tests now work perfectly.

Thanks heaps.