IBM Performance Management

Common Agent Builder procedures

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

You can use Agent Builder to create agents for the IBM® Tivoli® Monitoring and IBM 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 using Agent Builder, you must install it. For instructions, see Installing and starting Agent Builder.

To create, test, and use an agent, complete the following procedures:

Table 1. Quick-reference information for creating agents
Goal	Refer to
1. Create an agent by using the Agent wizard.	Creating an agent
2. Create data sources and attributes for your agent. Important: For a Performance Management 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
3. For the Tivoli Monitoring environment, create workspaces and situations for your agent.	Creating workspaces, Take Action commands, and situations Importing application support files
4. For the Performance Management environment, create resource definitions and dashboards for your agent.	Preparing the agent for IBM Performance Management
5. For the Tivoli Monitoring environment, create Cognos® data models for reports for your agent.	Cognos data model generation
6. 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.
7. Generate an installation package and install the agent on the monitored host.	Installing an agent
8. 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. This functionality is available only for the Tivoli Monitoring environment:

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