Windows Performance Monitoring

The aim of this tool is to incorporate Windows performance data, important to the proper functioning of your applications, within your PATROL environment. Alerts can be set to provide immediate notification in case one of the parameters you are monitoring is above or below a given range.

Performance monitor collects information about objects on your Windows NT/2000/2003 computer and measures them. Theses objects can be processors, threads, processes, memory, etc., with each one having an associate set of counters and possibly instances. The data gathered by the Windows performances about specific components can be used to identify problems and bottlenecks within your application and plan ahead for your future needs.

A Windows performance is defined by a performance object name and a counter name, as well as anything from none to several instances. Furthermore, each performance counter contains a unique set of counters and instances. Some objects are built into the system, typically corresponding to the major hardware components, but others will only be accessible if the associated software has been installed. Here are some definitions of the items as described by Microsoft:

•	Performance object: A logical collection of counters that is associated with a resource or service that can be monitored. The objects that are typically installed on a system are: cache, memory, objects, paging file, physical disk, process, processor, server, system and thread.

•	Counter: A value corresponding to a particular aspect of the performance defined for the performance object.

•	Instance: A term used to distinguish between multiple performance objects of the same type on a computer.

If an object has several instances, it is possible to monitor them either individually or all at once. In the latter case, you can choose to monitor the minimum, maximum, average or total value of the instances.

To create a Windows Performance monitoring, right-click the Application/Container icon in the PATROL Console and select KM Commands > New > Windows Performance monitoring...

To edit an existing Windows Performance monitoring, right-click the Windows Performance monitoring icon in the PATROL Console and select KM Commands > Edit.

As explained above, a Windows performance counter is composed of two or three items:

Since counters and instances are specific to a Windows performance object, the first thing you have to do is select an object from the list of available performances on your system.

This panel is displayed if one or more instances of the selected Windows Performance is found. Otherwise, a much simpler panel is shown displaying only the list of counters and the scale.

•	Select one or more instances: This list displays the selected Windows Performance object instances. Select which one(s) you wish to monitor from the list.

•	Select a counter: The counters available for the selected Windows Performance object are listed here. Select the one you wish to monitor

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Scale: A scale can be used to divide the Windows performance value by this number. To do so, enter the number you wish the value to be divided by (e.g.: the committed memory is expressed in bytes, so, to obtain the value in mega-bytes (MB), type "1024" in the field for scale. By default, the scale value is 1 (no scale).

PATROL object creation and type of value obtained: This is only relevant if more than one instance is selected. The radio buttons at the bottom of the panel can be used to select the creation mode of the Windows performance PATROL object instance:

Create one PATROL object per instance: All selected instances will have their own PATROL object and will be monitored separately.

Group all selected instances into one PATROL object: All selected instances are grouped into one PATROL object and are monitored all together. If you select this option, you must choose one of the following:

•	Calculate average of all selected instances for selected counter: Each value will be added then divided by the number of instances. So the average value of all the selected instances will be monitored.

•	Use minimum value of all selected instances for selected counter: The minimum value of the different selected instances will be monitored.

•	Use maximum value of all selected instances for selected counter: The maximum value of the different selected instances will be monitored.

•	Calculate total value of all selected instances for selected counter: The value of each selected instance is added so the total value of all selected instances will be monitored.

Object display name: Label displayed in the PATROL Console for this Windows Performance monitoring.

What thresholds do you want to set for the newly created instance? A drop-down list allows you to select the mode of setting alert thresholds:

•	Use default thresholds: Uses the default thresholds set by Monitoring Studio

•	Set custom thresholds: Allows you to customize the thresholds for all parameters of the instance

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Use default thresholds and customize them: Sets the default Monitoring Studio thresholds on certain parameters (see list of parameters with default thresholds) and then allows you to customize any/all of them. This is mainly intended to help save time if you wish to customize the thresholds of just one of many parameters for the instance, and leave the default settings for the others.

If you select Use default thresholds and customize them; on clicking Finish, the Set Thresholds panel will appear, certain parameters for the instance may appear with an asterisk symbol - indicating that they already have thresholds. You can then customize (any/all) the thresholds of the parameters as per your specific needs.

•	Do not set any thresholds for now: No thresholds will be set on any parameter of the instance, and as a result no alerts will be triggered. Monitoring Studio will poll the object and return the output of the polling, but will not raise any alerts until you set thresholds.

Thresholds can be set or modified at anytime by right-clicking on the instance > KM commands > Set Thresholds.

Windows Performance counter monitoring objects are instances of the SW_NTPERFORMANCE class.