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IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Transactions
~ How to do stuff ~
By Kevin Baldwin -

How to.....

Enable data logging for ISM monitors




Datalog files can be used for archiving or basic reporting needs and are mainly used by customers who have developed their own reporting tools.

At a high level, enabling data logging for ISM monitors requires just a few simple steps.

The high level process is:

1. Enable the Datalog module
2. Define DatalogFormat
3. Enable data logging
4. Restart ISM agent  
    

Here is some general information about the Datalog module and functionality:
 

• Datalogs can occupy a large amount of disk space.
  
  See Disk Space Requirements for a guideline on calculating the amount of disk space required.
  
   
• The Datalog module generates XML datalog files from the test results received from Internet Service Monitors.
  
  Datalog files store the monitor data generated for a profile element over a 24-hour period.
  
   
• Datalogs are located in subdirectories in $ISMHOME/datalogs on the local host.
  
  The datalogs are grouped by profile and profile element name.
  
  For example:
  /opt/IBM/ITM/TMAITM6/ism/datalogs/Plants/http_Proxyism_blog_com_9080_PlantsByWebSphere_NONE_guicli_1335858257562_2458_2432
  
  Datalog filenames have the format YYYYMMDD.xml, where YYYYMMDD represents the monitoring period.
  
  The format of the monitor data in the datalog files is defined by a set of default datalogs.
   

The following example expands on the high level steps described above and explains how to enable data logging for the ISM http monitor. The same steps can be applied to any ISM monitor.

Before starting, heed these great words of wisdom....  "Always make backup copies of files you're about to amend"
 

1. Enable the Datalog module
   
   Make sure the Datalog module is connected to the Databridge.
   
   This step is the same for any monitor that requires data logging and only needs to be performed once.
   
   The file associated with the Datalog module is the libSMModuleDatalog library file.
   
   Add the following entries to the Databridge properties file $ISMHOME/etc/props/bridge.props:
   Module1PropFile        : ""
   Module1SharedLib       : "libSMModuleDatalog"
   
   The Datalog module does not have a properties file, so the entry for the properties file has the value "".
   
   For more information, see Connecting modules
   
    
2. Define DatalogFormat
   
   The DatalogFormat property is used to define the elements you want data stored for in the datalog file.
   
   For our example, edit $ISMHOME/etc/props/http.props
   
   The  "DatalogFormat" parameter is a list of elements separated by the pipe "|" character.
   
   Everytime the monitor runs the results are written to the datalog file.
   
   The current time ($time) and the time taken ($totalTime) are logged, followed by the elements defined in this property.
   
   The default entry in http.props is a commented line with these elements:
   # DatalogFormat         :       "$lookupTime (seconds)|$connectTime (seconds)|$responseTime (seconds)|$downloadTime (seconds)"
   
   You should copy this line and use it to create a new "uncommented" line that meets your specific needs.
   
   For example, you might want to add hostname, port, and page data.
   
   The resulting entry would look like this:
   DatalogFormat         :       "$lookupTime (seconds)|$connectTime (seconds)|$responseTime (seconds)|$downloadTime (seconds)|$host (host)|$port (port) |$page (url))"
   
   The above example uses the same format of the default commented entry found in the http.props file where each element is followed by bracketed content. This bracketed content is optional which means the following example would also be valid:
   
   # DatalogFormat         :       "$lookupTime|$connectTime|$responseTime|$downloadTime|$host|$port|$page"
   
   Data written to the datalog file would look something like this:
   
   <datalogelement>1407924237|3.43750|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|1.98438|0.68750|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407924533|0.28125|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|0.09375|0.06250|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407924833|0.20313|1|Default status|0.00000|0.01563|0.06250|0.09375|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407924901|11.32813|2|totalTime GT 10|0.00000|0.00000|3.04688|7.12500|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>
   <datalogelement>1407925189|0.23438|1|Default status|0.00000|0.01563|0.14063|0.04688|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407925465|10.29688|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|2.25000|6.93750|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>  
   <datalogelement>1407925753|0.67188|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|0.48438|0.12500|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407926053|0.39063|1|Default status|0.01563|0.00000|0.14063|0.17188|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407926179|9.73438|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|3.67188|5.00000|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407926469|0.35938|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|0.03125|0.25000|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere|OK</datalogelement>    
   <datalogelement>1407926648|3.50000|1|Default status|0.00000|0.00000|0.78125|1.79688|ism.blog.com|9080|PlantsByWebSphere</datalogelement>          
   
   Elements that can be included in this parameter are listed and described in the Common monitor elements table and the elements table of the appropriate monitor, in this example the HTTP monitor elements table.
   
   For other monitors, access the appropriate monitor page listed in the Internet Service Monitoring monitors in detail section of the Administrators Guide then select the "Monitor elements" link.
   
   For example, access the SNMP Monitor page and select the Monitor elements link
   
    
3. Enable data logging
   
   Set the Datalog property in the monitor's properties file to 1
   
   For our example, edit $ISMHOME/etc/props/http.props
   
   Add the following line:
   Datalog               :       1
   
    
4. Restart the ISM agent to implement these changes.
    

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