Optimizing processor utilization by disconnected scanner (disconnected scenario)

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By default, CPU utilization is not limited during the scan. You can optimize the utilization by setting the CPU threshold.

Before you begin

The way of defining the CPU threshold depends on the version of the disconnected scanner that you are using.
  • Starting from application update 9.2.27, the CPU threshold is defined in the setup_config.ini file.
  • For application update 9.2.26 and lower, the CPU threshold is defined in the isotag_config.xml, slmtag_config.xml and sw_config.xml files.
If you set the CPU threshold in application update 9.2.26 or lower and want to preserver the setting, leave the value of the SW_SCAN_CPU_THRESHOLD_PERCENTAGE parameter in the setup_config.ini file empty. If you change the value of the SW_SCAN_CPU_THRESHOLD_PERCENTAGE parameter, it overwrites the values that you previously specified in the isotag_config.xml, slmtag_config.xml or sw_config.xml file. The overwriting value is the same in all XML files.

About this task

By default, the scan can consume up to 100% of a single CPU that is available to the scanner. The higher value that you specify as the threshold, the higher is the consumption limit. For example, if you specify 75, scanner processes use the average of 75% of a single CPU that is available on the target computer.

Setting the threshold does not guarantee that CPU consumption is always below the specified value. It fluctuates around that value, sometimes exceeding it and sometimes dropping below it. Temporary peaks are expected. The CPU threshold provides the process scheduler of the operating system with information for how long to keep the scanner thread idle. The scanner does not control how the threshold is mapped to the CPU resources that are available. The assignment of resources is determined by the operating system that decides on which processor (or core) to run the scanner thread.

Setting the threshold might lengthen the time of the scan.

Procedure

  • Starting from application update 9.2.27, perform the following steps. The procedure does not apply to IBM i. For this operating system, use the procedure that is described for older application updates.
    1. Change the value of the SW_SCAN_CPU_THRESHOLD_PERCENTAGE parameter in the setup_config.ini file. Provide a value between 5 and 100.
    2. Run the automation/configure.sh or automation\configure.bat script for the change to take effect.
  • For application update 9.2.26 and lower, or if you use IBM i, perform the following steps.
    1. Add the cpuThreshold attribute to the following files.
      • UNIX Windows isotag_config.xml, slmtag_config.xml
        <IBM>
<CIT>
<FSScan version="1.0">
(...)
<Provider value="provider_cache"/>
<AssumeAutoFS value="remote"/>
<CpuThreshold value="20:2:150:850"/>
</FSScan>
</CIT>
</IBM>
      • sw_config.xml
        <CIT>
<XSE version="1.0">
<Plugins>
<Plugin name="FSScanner">
(...)
<Attribute name="cpuThreshold" value="20:2:150:850"/>
<Attribute name="maxQueryTime" value="43200"/>
<Attribute name="interruptOnTimeout" value="true"/>
<Attribute name="assumeAutoFS" value="remote"/>
(...)
</Plugin>
</Plugins>
<Signatures>
<Attribute name="cpuThreshold" value="20:2:150:850"/>
(...)
</Signatures>
</XSE>
</CIT>
</IBM>
    2. Specify the value that represents the threshold.
      Table 1. Threshold values
      CPU threshold Value
      5% 10:2:50:950
      10% 20:2:100:900
      15% 20:2:150:850
      20% 30:2:200:800
      25% 30:2:250:750
      50% 50:2:500:500
    3. Save the files.