IBM Tivoli Monitoring, Version 6.3

Understanding situation modeling

Situation modeling can be done with selected attributes from the current query-based view or with the conditions of the current situation.

Modeling from a query-based view
Query-based views and historical data are valuable for exploring your monitored environment and researching conditions to build situations against. The situation modeling feature enables you to capture data from a query-based view and use it to model possible threshold scenarios or to test the effectiveness of a situation. The Model Situation window has options for calculating different values, comparing attributes, and transferring the results to the Situation editor to create a new situation or to fine tune the conditions in an existing situation.

If the attribute group data has been collected historically, then you can run statistical algorithms against it and provide values on the same chart. The model situation chart shows the difference between the original and calculated values. For example, you might be viewing data samples over a month-long period and see that a metric peaks during Monday mornings from 8:00 to 10:00. You can use the modeling tools to help you make decisions about whether that maximum value is repeatable or an anomaly, and whether it correlates with other conditions.

You can open the Model Situation window from the selected data row or point in a chart view or table view.

Modeling from the Manage Situations at Managed Systems window
The Manage Situations at Managed System window displays all the situations that are associated with the Navigator item for the agent. You can use situation modeling to refine the thresholds of an existing situation so that events are opened appropriately: not too often, but not so seldom that important issues are missed.
Open the Model Situation window for a selected situation to see the formula with the current attribute values plotted in the model situation chart. Use the expression editor and statistical functions to model other possible thresholds. Then copy the results into the Situation editor for editing the situation values or to create another situation.
The tool is disabled if a situation is ineligible for modeling. Situation definitions that have any these characteristics cannot be used for modeling:
  • Embedded situations, which also includes correlated situations
  • Situations with more than ten attributes in the formula
  • Situations with no numeric attributes in the formula
  • Situations with an attribute repeated in the formula (such as MyAttribute > 0 AND MyAttribute < 50)
  • Situations with Boolean OR logic
  • Situations with group functions: count, sum, average, minimum, maximum


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