Logging performance data with Tivoli Performance Viewer

The Tivoli® Performance Viewer provides an easy way to store real-time data for system resources, WebSphere® Application Server pools and queues, and applications in log files for later retrieval. You can start and stop logging while viewing current activity for a server, and later replay this data. Logging of performance data captures performance data in windows of time so you can later analyze the data.

Before you begin

Ensure that one or more servers are running on the node and that you have configured the Tivoli Performance Viewer log settings. The log settings might affect performance and are described in detail in Viewing data with Tivoli Performance Viewer. The Tivoli Performance Viewer logging feature is not intended to be a full-time monitoring solution, but instead for selective data recording for subsequent replay and analysis.

About this task

You can study the sequence of events that led to a peculiar condition in the application server.

First, enable Tivoli Performance Viewer logging so performance data generated in the application server persists in a log file stored at a specific location. Later, using the replay feature in Tivoli Performance Viewer, view the performance data that was generated in exactly the same chronological order as it was generated in real time, enabling you to analyze a prior sequence of events.

You do not need to know the syntax and format in which log files are generated and stored. Do not edit log files generated by Tivoli Performance Viewer; doing so will irrecoverably corrupt or destroy the performance data stored in the log files.

You can create and view logs in the administrative console.

Starting with Version 8.0, the Tivoli Performance Viewer graph uses Dojo Technology for plotting the performance activity rather than the Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format. The Dojo format provides a better user experience and is more processor and memory efficient for the application server. The SVG format is still supported but is deprecated in Version 8 of this product. To use the SVG format and image format, set the JVM property to false; for example: com.ibm.websphere.tpv.DojoGraph=false. If the property is set to false, Dojo is disabled and Tivoli Performance Viewer displays interactive graphics using the SVG format or non-interactive graphics using the JPG format. By default, this property is set to a value of true to use the Dojo format.

Avoid trouble: If the custom property, com.ibm.websphere.tpv.DojoGraph is set to false, specifying to use the SVG format, performance degradation can occur when you use the Mozilla Firefox browser and Tivoli Performance Viewer to monitor the application server. Additionally, a memory leak problem occurs when you use Tivoli Performance Viewer for an extended period of time with the Mozilla Firefox browser. Use Microsoft® Internet Explorer with Tivoli Performance Viewer to monitor the application server. To use Internet Explorer, you must have a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) Viewer installed as a plug-in. The Mozilla Firefox browser provides a built-in plug-in. It is recommended that you use Internet Explorer when you are using the Tivoli Performance Viewer for long-term or extended monitoring.

Procedure

  • Create logs.
    1. Click Monitoring and Tuning > Performance Viewer > Current activity > server_name > Settings > Log in the console navigation tree.

      To see the Log link on the Tivoli Performance Viewer page, expand the Settings node of the Tivoli Performance Viewer navigation tree.

      After clicking Log, the Tivoli Performance Viewer log settings are displayed.
    2. Click on Start Logging when viewing summary reports or performance modules.
    3. When finished, click Stop Logging.
      Once started, logging stops when the logging duration expires, Stop Logging is clicked, or the file size and number limits are reached. To adjust the settings, see step 1.

    By default, the log files are stored in the profile_root/logs/tpv directory on the node on which the server is running. To change the log file directory, in the administrative console, click Monitoring and Tuning > Performance Viewer > Current activity > server_name > Settings > Log, and specify the new directory in the File Name field.

    Tivoli Performance Viewer automatically compresses the log file when it finishes writing to it to conserve space. At this point, there must only be a single log file in each .zip file and it must have the same name as the .zip file.

  • View logs.
    1. Click Monitoring and Tuning > Performance Viewer > View logs in the console navigation tree.
    2. Select a log file to view using either of the following options:
      Explicit Path to Log File
      Choose a log file from the machine on which the browser is currently running. Use this option if you have created a log file and transferred it to your system. Click Browse to open a file browser on the local machine and select the log file to upload.
      Server File
      Specify the path of a log file on the server.

      In a stand-alone application server environment, type in the path to the log file. The profile_root\logs\tpv directory is the default on a Windows system.

      [z/OS][AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows]In a deployment manager environment, click the Browse button next to the input to browse the various nodes and find the log file to view.

    3. Click View Log.
      The log is displayed with log control buttons.
    4. Adjust the log view as needed.
      Buttons available for log view adjustment are described in the following table. By default, the data replays at the Refresh Rate specified in the user settings. You can choose one of the Fast Forward modes to play data at rate faster than the refresh rate.
      Table 1. Log view adjustment . You can choose one of the Fast Forward modes to play data at rate faster than the refresh rate.
      Button Description
      Rewind Returns to the beginning of the log file.
      Stop Stops the log at its current location.
      Play Begins playing the log from its current location.
      Fast Forward Loads the next data point every three (3) seconds.
      Fast Forward 2 Loads ten data points every three (3) seconds.
    You can view multiple logs at a time. After a log has been loaded, return to the View Logs panel to see a list of available logs. At this point, you can load another log.

    Tivoli Performance Viewer automatically compresses the log file when it finishes writing it. The log does not need to be decompressed before viewing it, though Tivoli Performance Viewer can view logs that have been decompressed.