Unicenter NSM Tips & Tricks Release r11.x

Unicenter NSM Tips & TricksRelease r11.xRevised September 26, 2006

CA Confidential – Covered by NDA Development Buddy Summit 2006Copyright ©2006 CA. All rights reserved. All trademarks, trade names, services marks and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies.

Abstract

- The presentation provides Tips and Tricks that may help you overcome a few of the day-to-day r11 challenges.

- It is not intended to be a replacement for Support or Documentation


What is the “Best Practices Page”?

- The r11 Implementation Best Practices page (formerly the “Implementation CD”) is a collection of best practices and customization tips (i.e., "cookbooks") developed both in-house and in the field.

- Its purpose is to provide a set of additional guidelines for planning for, installing and deploying CA software solutions - notably Unicenter NSM and its associated options.

- It is available to clients on SupportConnect and, due to frequent (often weekly) updates, is not currently available as a CD


How can I access r11 Best Practices ?

- Available through CA Technical Support website (http://supportconnect.ca.com). Direct link is:

- http://supportconnectw.ca.com/premium/impcd/r11/starthere.htm

- Free to all Unicenter Users – though login to SupportConnect is required

http://supportconnect.ca.com/

http://supportconnectw.ca.com/premium/impcd/r11/starthere.htm

http://supportconnectw.ca.com/premium/impcd/r11/starthere.htm

DIA Tips


DIA Cgene

I have configured Agent technology to use DIA protocol.

How can I verify the communication?


Agent Communication Configuration

- Configuration file

- %AGENTWORKS_DIR\SERVICES\CONFIG\

atservices.ini

- Section -> [SNMP]

- Parameter -> UseSnmp

- 0 – DIA only

- 1 – SNMP only

- 2 – DIA to CA-Agents (Enterprise OID 791), SNMP otherwise

- 3 – either DIA or SNMP depending on target machine

- Defaults to 3


aws_orb DIA communication

- On Agent Technology Node1

- Execute cgrecv

- On Agent Technology Node2

- Execute cgsend <node1> <message text> <count>

- This is to similar to cci send and receive tests


cgsend & cgRecv


Cginqy Inquiry

This shows AT DIA protocol is active


DIA Debug

How do I turn on debugging for DIA?


DIA Debugging

- Update ukb.cfg and change Log_Level option

- Update dna.cfg and change Log_Level option


Update ukb.cfg


Update dna.cfg


Ukb.cfg


dna.cfg


UKB log file


dna log file


DIA UKB

How do I display the UKB list?


What is UKB?

- Unicenter Knowledge Base (UKB) is a component of DIA and is installed when a NSM manager component is installed.

- If NSM manager component is NOT installed, it may just install DNA

- Acts as a broker between data consumers (e.g., UMP, MCC, etc.) and data providers (e.g., MDBcells, wvcell, EventCell , etc.)

- Master Knowledge Base (MKB) contains the list of all UKB and is responsible for zone management as defined in ukrule.xms


diaTool

- diaTool is a utility for administering DIA and DNA cells on all servers

- To launch diatool - cd “C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\CCS\DIA\dia\ukb\bin”

- Execute diatool %computername%


UKB List


DIA UKB

How do I ascertain the master UKB?


Master UKB

- Launch diatool

- Click on Grid Table


UKB Master


Review of Debug LogFile


DIA UKB

What is the selection process for the Master UKB?


Master UKB Selection Process

- Checks dna.cfg to see if OverrideSRV option is specified. If so, that will take the precedence

- If dna.cfg is not updated, it will then check for SRV record for Master UKB.


OverrideSRV


SRV


SRV Lookup


SRV Lookup


DIA

How do I check the state of DNA cells?

Furthermore, if I have problems with DIA, how can I clean up my DIA Setup?


DIA Setup Cleanup

- Review NSM r11.0 “DIA Tips and Troubleshooting” document (available from SupportConnect) for description of cleanup procedures

- DNA config directory include some key files. If any of these files are deleted, it will prevent the DNA cells from functioning correctly. For example if skf12aes.dia file is deleted, it will require DNA cells to be re-registered. So, only delete files listed in the above document


DNA Cells States

- To check the status of DNA cells, launch diatool and select the machine in question

- DNA Running status is listed in right hand pane


DNA Cells States

- An exclamation point icon next to the state indicates a problem. Review NSM r11.0 “DIA Tips and Troubleshooting” document for tips on resolving these errors

Ingres & SQL MDB Tips


Ingres User ID creation

I want to create another Ingres Database user ID to administer Ingres MDB maintenance.

What Ingres commands are required to do this?


Ingres user ID creation

In this example the “ateam” user ID was created with full privileges. Command must be executed with Ingres install user ID. In this case, NSM r11 was installed from administrator user ID and the current login ID is administrator as well


ckpdb using new admin userid


Ingres MDB

How do I determine the number of active connections?

This is to ensure that it does not exceed the maximum allowed, which can then kill Netserver process


Ingres Server


Ingres Client


Ingres Startup

I manually started Ingres using ingstart command.

Now Agent Technology is unable to update MDB.

Why?


WorldView Severity Propagation Service

- Severity Propagation is dependent on Ingres service for Ingres MDB

- Agent Technology is dependent on Severity propagation registration

- If Ingres was started by ingstart command without using –service option, Ingres service will not start and this will prevent Severity Propagation from starting

- Agent Technology will continue to wait for Severity propagation registration


Resolution

- Use ingstart –service option to start the Ingres service as well

- If the Severity Propagation service is not started, then start the service after starting Ingres Service


MDB

What housekeeping maintenance should be performed on MDB?


MDB Housekeeping

- MDB section on Implementation Best Practices Page includes several presentations on MDB “care and feeding” – day to day maintenance.

- Ingres MDB- MDB Care and Feeding of SQL MDB

- R11 Ingress MDB Backup and Recovery

- SQL MDB- MDB Care and Feeding of SQL MDB

- Oracle MDB- MDB Care and Feeding of Oracle MDB


Migration

I am migrating from NSM 3.x to r11. Even though the install does not allow me to select Ingres Server or Ingres client, it then complains that I am missing the Ingres client.

Why?


Ingres not selectable?

Does not allow any of the Ingres options to be selected despite Managers selected.


Ingres not selectable?

- This results in following message


Non-standard Host Name

- If NSM 3.x server has a non- standard computer name (“USCC06T2_NSM31” in this case), then Ingres will not be a selectable option during migration


NSM Hostname Check

Install Tips


MDB

I want to install WV Manager on a remote MDB but the install process does not permit me to select it. Why not?


Local MDB

- WV Manager must be installed on the local MDB only

- The WorldView Severity Propagation service can only run on the local MDB


Installing from a Remote Session

If I want to install Unicenter NSM from a Remote session what considerations do I have to keep in mind?


Installing from a Unicenter Remote Control Session

- You can not install Unicenter NSM from a Unicenter Remote Control session if the host on which you are installing is a Unicenter Remote Control "managed host“

- This is because Unicenter Remote Control "managed hosts“ use the CA Message Queuing Service (CAM) and the install process shuts this down during NSM install


Installing from Terminal Services Session

- Installing from a mapped drive while in a Terminal Services session on Windows 2000 is not supported

- If installing on Windows 2000, install from a local logon session or use the full universal naming convention (UNC) path instead of a mapped drive

- This is due to a Microsoft bug. Review Microsoft MSDN Knowledge Base article Q255582 for more information.


Application Services Catalog

The AIS local catalog is corrupted.

How can I recreate it?


Recreate AIS local catalog

- Createcat Y

- Tndaddnsp

- Tndmastercat <mastercat server> <logfile name>

- tndpublish


Create AIS Catalog


Missing AIS Catalog

I have installed MDB on a dedicated server with just WorldView Manager but the AIS local catalog is missing. Why?


Missing AIS Catalog

- You must select at least one provider for the local catalog to be created.

- If no providers are selected, the install process determines that there is no requirement for a local catalog.


MCC Considerations

- If you install MCC without any providers, it will create an AIS catalog but there will be no DNA cells available

- As a result, MCC will not launch correctly.


MCC without Providers


PathSize

NSM install process will compute the estimated size of the System Path Entry based on the components selected.

If this exceeds the maximum size, the install process will not continue. What options are available when multiple products are installed?


System Path Length

- Install process verifies the system path length will not exceed 1024 bytes once the path is updated to include the selected NSM r11 components

- If the length is likely to exceed the maximum allowed, the install process will insist on shortening the length or revising list of selected components.


System Path Length


Multiple Products Install

- If Multiple Products are installed on the same server, path length is likely to exceed 1024 bytes.

- If USD, DSM and NSM components are installed on the same server, it will exceed the path length

- Options include:

- Shortening directory path name. Default NSM location is- \Program Files\CA\Shared Components\CCS\WVEM

- Reduce number of components selected

- See “Path Length Considerations for Unicenter NSM r11.x” document on Implementation Best Practices page for more details and a tool for estimating path length


System Path Entry

- If you are uninstalling NSM, it is important to take a backup of Path entry.

- path >mypath_backup.txt

- Unicenter NSM includes the CA Dylan Socket Adapter, which adds a directory to the system PATH similar to "C:\PROGRA~1\CA\SHARED~1\Dylan\bin."

- If any PATH entries are appended after this entry, when the Dylan uninstall runs it will be unable to remove its PATH entry. Intermittently, it may drop non-NSM entries, which may result in some Windows Path entries being dropped as well.

- This is an InstallShield issue


Continuous Discovery

How can I change the continuous discovery polling cycle?.


Continuous Discovery Polling Cycle

- By default, the Continuous Discovery agent has a one hour polling cycle (i.e., agent status is updated once per hour). If you need to change this polling interval, edit the following registry key and restart the Continuous Discovery services:

Hkey_local_machine\software\computerassociates\discovery\SharedComponents\AgentService\AgentHandler\poll_interval


Continuous Discovery Registry


Component Dependency List

How can I identify what dependent components will be selected when I install a specific NSM r11 component?


Component Dependency List


Default Common Components

- Java RunTime Environment- C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\JRE.ccs size 50246

- License- C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\CA_LIC size 4510

- Common Application Services

- C:\Program Files\CA\CA_APPSW size 48188

- Dylan Socket Adapter

- C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\Dylan size 26420

- Distributed Intelligence Architecture- C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\CCS\DIA size 16163

- High Availability Service- C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\CCS\HAS size 519

- These common components will be installed when any NSM component is selected

Field Developed Utilities(FDUs)

Perl Extension Library


Perl WV library

We would like to integrate one of our applications with Unicenter World View. We are familiar with ActiveState Perl programming.

Where can we get a copy of the WV Perl extension ?


Perl Interface

- Provides Perl WV library to execute WorldView commands from Perl

- Simplifies WV integration

- Next slide shows how to create WV objects and inclusions from an ASCII file and demonstrates simple WV integration for voice over IP (VOIP)


emPerl Interface

- Provides WorldView, Event and Event External Perl extensions. It supports the current Perl Active State release


Perl Interface


Where can I get this?

- Available from Field Developed Utilities section of the Implementation Best Practices page (formerly the “Implementation CD”) on SupportConnect

- http://supportconnectw.ca.com/premium/impcd/r11/FieldDevUtilities/FieldDev_Frame.htm

http://supportconnectw.ca.com/premium/impcd/r11/FieldDevUtilities/FieldDev_Frame.htm

http://supportconnectw.ca.com/premium/impcd/r11/FieldDevUtilities/FieldDev_Frame.htm

WorldView Debug


WorldView Problem

I’m having a problem with WorldView where it recreates an object as soon as I delete it.

Where can I get timestamp information and other stats to help me diagnose the problem?


wvsCheck

- Run wvsCheck FDU to generate a log of all WorldView adds, updates and deletes. This utility also writes stats at the specified interval to Event Management console


wvsCheck


wvsCheck LogFile


Event Interface

Extended cawtologforward


Challenge #1

We want to integrate one of our applications with Unicenter.

As part of this integration, we want to generate event messages on the Unicenter Console pertinent to our application. This requires us to set node name, station name, user name and few other fields.

Can you help?


Challenge #2

As part of our lab testing, we want to simulate several events. CAWTO sets the user ID value to the user who executed the command and the node name to the server from which it was executed

How can we override these and other fields for true simulation?


What is LogForward?

- A Windows field developed utility, similar to cawto, that is used to generate Event Messages.

- LogForward includes options to override most of the message fields – with the exception of Workload BinData and Process Information


cawto


logforward

Event Management Scalability


Event Scalability

How scalable is the r11.x Event Management Component?


Event Management Scalability

- Many tests were conducted in the CA Stress Lab to determine the scalability of various components

- Following slides summarize the results of these tests for Event Management


EM Setup

Server_229 Server_230

Server_405

Central Server

Event Agent Event Agent


Scalability Tests

- Generate a message storm of half million events and analyze the impact on SendOper MRA

- Determine the number of events that can be forwarded to a central console from each server


Message Storm – SendOper MRA

250,000 Events

Latency 74 seconds50,000 Events

Latency 21 seconds


Conclusion

- 2495 events per second for local node MRA processing with exception of Forward, Alert or command

- On average, 220 events per second can be forwarded from each node without any significant delay

- Message storm of 50,000 events caused no significant delay

- 250,000 events storm is handled with latency of approx 74 seconds.

- 500,000 message storm is handled with latency of approx 2 mins on the last event

MDB Performance Considerations


Performance Considerations- Given adequate CPUs, memory, and disks, a dedicated server is not required for installing Microsoft SQL Server

- Network latency between the application and a separate SQL server may, in fact, degrade application performance

- It is best practice to always run SQL Server on the same box as a mid-tier manager (e.g., Desktop Management Domain manager should run on the same box as its MDB, and a mid-tier NSM local Core/MDB will often be faster)

- For the enterprise tier you may wish to run the MDB on a dedicated SQL Server box – depending on the number of enterprise components and the peak load


Manage Memory – see Notes- Set Reserve Physical Memory for SQL server and specify an amount. For a 4GB box we suggest reserving at least 2GB (monitor memory usage to determine if more memory can be reserved for SQL)


Manage Memory – see Notes- Set minimum memory for SQL 2005 – on a 4GB box we suggest reserving at least 2GB (monitor memory usage to determine if more memory can be reserved for SQL)


Performance Considerations

- Store MDB data and log directories on separate disk drives for improved performance (keeping logs on a separate disk can be a significant tuning benefit)

- The same applies to TEMPDB (TEMPDB on a separate disk can be a significant tuning benefit)

- SQL data on striped disks is a major tuning benefit – if you have limited drives available and must chose between separate log/data disks or one striped drive, the striped drive is usually best option – the more drives in a stripe set the better (see notes)

- RAID 0 or RAID 10 offer the best performance – RAID 5 is not generally the best performance option

TEMPDB


TEMPDB

- SQL Server uses the tempdb database as a scratch area for MDB temporary tables, sorting, subqueries, ...

- TEMPDB should be on its own drive away from other DBs whenever possible (default is SQL install disk)

- Increase the size of the TEMPDB database based on available disk space and expected usage

- SQL Server adjusts the size incrementally over time, but each adjustment causes a performance hit

- You may need to set the original size of the TEMPDB database files to a reasonable size to avoid constant growth

Logging Considerations



- Install SQL Server on a disk with sufficient available space – this is the default log location

- SQL Server allows transaction log files to exist on multiple devices - this improves logging system performance by allowing it to write to multiple disks

- MDB Transaction Log automatically grows by 10% and its growth is unrestricted

- Monitor log space – growth can occur even with auto shrink



- In some situations the Transaction Log may become very large, leading to the following situations:

- Run out of space

- Transactions may fail and may start to roll back

- Transactions may take a long time to complete

- When that happens, shrink it with DBCC SHRINKFILE: DBCC SHRINKFILE(mdb_log, TRUNCATEONLY)

- For recovery purposes, immediately execute BACKUP DATABASE

- IMPORTANT: shrinking the transaction log every day may impact the performance of your database!


Questions and Answers

Any questions?Any questions?

Documents

Unicenter NSM Tips & Tricks Release r11.x