Writing kernel APPLDATA records

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 z/VM guest

z/VM® is a convenient point for collecting z/VM guest performance data and statistics for an entire server farm. Linux® instances can export such data to z/VM by using APPLDATA monitor records.

z/VM regularly collects these records. The records are then available to z/VM performance monitoring tools.

A virtual CPU timer on the Linux instance to be monitored controls when data is collected. The timer accounts for only busy time to avoid unnecessarily waking up an idle guest. The APPLDATA record support comprises several modules. A base module provides an intra-kernel interface and the timer function. The intra-kernel interface is used by data gathering modules that collect actual data and determine the layout of a corresponding APPLDATA monitor record.