Common Agent Builder procedures

The following table lists the main procedures that you can complete with Agent Builder.

You can use Agent Builder to create agents for the IBM® Tivoli® Monitoring and IBM Cloud Application Performance Management environments. You can also use it to create application support extensions for the Tivoli Monitoring environment. Application support extensions are created by creating workspaces and situations to enhance one or more existing agents.

Before you use Agent Builder, you must install it. For instructions, see Installing and starting Agent Builder.

To create, test, and use an agent, complete the procedures in the following table in the order that they are listed.

Table 1. Quick-reference information for creating agents
Goal	Refer to
Create an agent by using the Agent wizard.	Creating an agent
Create data sources and attributes for your agent. Important: For a Cloud APM environment, a summary dashboard can display up to approximately five attributes; one of the attributes must denote overall agent or subnode status.	Editing data source and attribute properties
For the Tivoli Monitoring environment, create workspaces and situations for your agent. Running at least Tivoli Monitoring Version 6.1 Fix Pack 1 Setting the Tivoli Universal Agent solution version back to "00" Setting the value for "AppTag"	Creating workspaces, Take Action commands, and situations Importing application support files
For the Cloud APM environment, create resource definitions and dashboards for your agent.	Preparing the agent for Cloud APM
For the Tivoli Monitoring environment, create Cognos® data models for reports for your agent.	Cognos data model generation
Test and debug your created agent, ensuring the availability of monitoring information.	Testing your agent in Agent Builder Command-line options Using the Agent Editor to modify the agent.
Generate an installation package and install the agent on the monitored host.	Installing an agent
Remove an agent that you created with the Agent Builder.	Uninstalling an agent

You can also use Agent Builder for packaging custom workspaces, situations, and Take Action commands as application support extensions for existing agents. These functions are available only for the Tivoli Monitoring environment:

Table 2. Quick-reference information for other functions
Goal	Refer to
Create custom workspaces, situations, and Take Action commands.	Creating workspaces, Take Action commands, and situations
Package your application support extension.	Creating application support extensions for existing agents
Build custom bundles.	Creating Non-agent file bundles