PM for Power Systems

IBM i operating system

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• Data collection FAQ (AIX)

How can I tell if data is being collected? 
The PM Agent uses Collection Services to collect the data. You will see three jobs active under the QSYSWRK subsystem. One PM job and two Collection Services jobs. The Q1PSCH is the PM scheduler job. The QYPSPFRCOL job collects the data. The CRTPFRDTA job creates the database files with the data. At times you will see additional Q1P* jobs running as the data is processed and then transmitted.

What if there are problems with old performance data at any release? 
It may be necessary to convert data from a previous release to the format needed for processing by the current release. You should follow the CVTPFRDTA instructions to do this. If you see the QYPSPFRCOL and CRTPFRDTA jobs running at the new release you do not need to do this or it has already been done. If you are NOT interested in keeping the data from the previous release, the data library can be cleared and no convert will be needed. Go to the GO PM400 menu, work with customization to see which Performance data library you need to either convert or clear.

V5R3M0 CVTPFRDTA (further instructions on System i and i5/OS Information Center)
or
CLRLIB if you do NOT want the data from the previous release and want to clear it (delete the data).

What are the instructions for saving the raw performance data library with Collection Services running? 
Please follow the following for saving the raw performance data library:

1. HLDJOBQ QMPGLIB/Q1PSCHQ (V4R4 or V4R5) or HLDJOBQ QSYS/Q1PSCHQ (V5R1)
2. CALL PGM(QYPSENDC) PARM('*PFR      '   X'00000000')
   Note: There are two parameters used here, the first one must be 10 characters and the second one is 8 characters long. Also, the *PFR used in the first parameter must be in upper case. After entering this command, the QYPSPFRCOL job will end almost immediately and then a couple minutes later the CRTPFRDTA job will end. If you are putting this in a CL program, you will want to also use a DLYJOB command before your SAV??? command. Also, you will need to end the subsystem Q1PGSCH, otherwise PM400 could restart collection services before your backup is completed.
3. WRKACTJOB SBS(QSYSWRK)
   Verify QYPSPFRCOL and CRTPFRDTA jobs are not active. If they are still active, do an ENDJOB *IMMED to end them.
4. Save the library
5. RLSJOBQ QMPGLIB/Q1PSCHQ (V4R4 or V4R5) or RLSJOBQ QSYS/Q1PSCHQ (V5R1) - Within the hour the PM Agent will have the collections up and running again automatically.

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What does the V5R1 PTF SI02609 do? 
This PTF will enable the automatic collection and retention of performance data on your system. This data will not be transmitted to IBM until you choose to activate PM for Power Systems. The reason for collecting this data prior to activation is to help you obtain a PM for Power Systems report more quickly should you decide to activate at a later time.

If you have already activated the PM Agent, prior to this PTF, there will be no change in your collecting and transmitting if you do apply the PTF.

If you have previously inactivated the PM Agent (through the Q1PENDPM API), this PTF will have no effect on your system as no data will be collected. If you later change your mind and want to activate the PM Agent, go to "How do I install and activate the PM Agent section".

If you are collecting your own performance data, you can still use the PM Agent on IBM i for automating the collecting. Refer to 'How do Collection Services and the PM Agent work together?' below.

NOTE: Running Collection Services and creating the database files will require a small increase in CPU and disk resources on your system. 60 days of summarized performance data at 15 minute intervals will require an additional 1.1MB.

If the collection library (QMPGDATA by default) contains files that were created on a previous release of the operating system, you must convert those files and data to the current operating system release level. Use the CVTPFRDTA command to convert the data.

If you have applied this PTF and you want to stop the PM Agent, run the Q1PENDPM API. This will stop the PM Agent from collecting and also from transmitting data. The PM Agent will no longer start or change Collection Services and no data for PM for Power Systems and WLE will be collected.

How do Collection Services and the PM Agent work together? 
The PM Agent automates the collection of performance data by triggering Collection Services. Even if you are collecting your own performance data, you can still use the PM Agent.

The PM Agent will make the following changes to Collection Services:

1. By default Collection Services will be started after IPL and configured to create the performance database files (QAPM*) during collection. You can run your tools against these files or you can do your own CRTPFRDTA against the collection object.
2. By default the collection library will be changed to the QMPGDATA library. Both collection objects and files will be created into this library. You can modify the library that the PM Agent uses by GO PM400, 'Work with PM for System i Customization' option, Performance Data Library. Changing this library value will change where the PM Agent instructs Collection Services to write the database files and where PM for Power Systems will look for the data.
3. Since the PM Agent for System i is initiating the collecting of the data, PM for Power Systems will also remove the data from the QAPM* database files. The number of days of data that is kept defaults to 0, which is the current day's data. If you want to keep more data for your own use, this purge value can be changed by GO PM400, 'Work with PM for System i Customization' option, Performance data purge days.
4. The PM Agent will collect data with the *STANDARDP category by default. The Collector Definition *ENHCPCPLN will also be allowed. If Collection Services is set to a Collector Definition of something other than *STANDARDP or *ENHCPCPLN, the collector definition will be changed to *STANDARDP. This is required to get a complete set of data that will be useful to PM for Power Systems and WLE.
5. The PM Agent will not change the Collection Services Interval Value or any other collection attributes. The default and recommended value is 15 minutes. Intervals less than 15 minutes are allowed and will result in more space being used on your system.

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