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HP Systems Insight Manager Technical Reference Guide

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  Administering Systems and Events  |  Data Collection   

Data Collection

»Table of Contents
»Index
»Notices
»Introduction
»Product Overview
»Getting Started
»Discovery and Identification
»Users and Authorizations
»Networking and Security
»Monitoring Systems, Clusters, and Events
»Storage Integration
»Managing with Tasks
»Tools that Extend Management
»Partner Applications
»Reporting
»Administering Systems and Events
»Events
»Examples of Event Tasks
»Status Polling
»WMI Mapper Proxy
»Protocols
Data Collection
»Creating a Data Collection Task
»System Properties
»Version Control Repository
»PMP Administrative Options
»Setting Up Managed Systems
»Managing SSH Keys
»Backing Up and Restoring the Database
»Configuring SSH Bypass Properties
»Audit Log
»Troubleshooting
»Reference Information
»Printable version
»Glossary
»Using Help
» Append New Data Set (for Historical Trend Analysis)
» Overwrite Existing Data Set (for Detailed Analysis)
» Initial Data Collection
» Bi-Weekly Data Collection
» Related Procedure
» Related Topics

Data collection is used to gather data that can be used for reporting. There are two ways that this data can be collected and stored in the database. You can choose to maintain only the most recent data, enabling you to run reports, or compare different systems to each other using Snapshot Comparison. Additionally, you can store all of the data collected over time, which enables you to use Snapshot Comparison to view trends on a single system

Data collection uses SNMP, Desktop Management Interface (DMI), Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM), or a combination of the three protocols to gather information, which ensures you a comprehensive dossier on a system. Typically, DMI is instrumented on Windows-based desktop computers and laptops and on HP-UX systems. SNMP is instrumented on Windows-based servers, Linux systems and other networking systems, and can be used to interrogate Windows-based desktops. The WBEM protocol is used to collect data from storage systems such as arrays, tape libraries, Fibre Channel switches, and HBAs. Data can be collected from any storage system with an SMI-S provider that complies with the Storage Networking Industry Association's Storage Management Initiative Specification. Refer to the HP Systems Insight Manager Installation and User Guide at http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/infolibrary.html for more information about SMI-S providers.

After HP Systems Insight Manager (HP SIM) collects data initially, you can schedule a Data Collection task to specify systems and run the task with different schedules. In addition to the default Initial and Bi-Weekly Data Collection tasks built into HP SIM, you can set up new data collection tasks targeting specific managed systems. If you are scheduling to Overwrite existing data set (for detailed analysis), formerly known as Single Instance Data Collection task in Insight Manager 7, having it run once per week (smaller networks) to once per month (larger networks) should be adequate. If you are scheduling to Append new data set (for historical trend analysis), formerly known as Historical Data Collection task in Insight Manager 7, it might be beneficial to run it more frequently, perhaps once per hour for your most important systems, realizing it consumes database storage space.

To create a Data Collection task from the toolbar, select OptionsData Collection.

The Data Collection Report does not display CPU information for Netware systems.

To enable data collection to collect data from any of the aforementioned instrumentation protocols, the corresponding protocol must be enabled, and the appropriate protocol settings must be specified, globally or for the specific target system. Refer to Protocols - Setting Global Protocols for more information on setting global protocol settings and Protocols - Setting Protocols for a System or Groups of Systems for more information on setting single system protocol settings.

To enable collection of DMI data from a DMI-instrumented HP-UX system, be sure that the name of the server that the HP SIM runs on is added to the /var/dmi/dmimachines file of the target system.

To enable collection of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) data from WMI-instrumented systems, a WMI Mapper Proxy must have been set up and specified through OptionsProtocol SettingsWMI Mapper Proxy. Refer to WMI Mapper Proxy - Adding a WMI Mapper Proxy for information on setting up a WMI Mapper Proxy.

Append New Data Set (for Historical Trend Analysis)

The Append new data set (for historical trend analysis) option maintains trend information in separate historical entries. You can use the historical perspective for trend and usage analysis because records change over time. Information gathered by data collection is used in Snapshot Comparison and reports and can be used as criteria in system collections. With Append new data set (for historical trend analysis), data detailing the system history is collected. Use Append new data set (for historical trend analysis) conservatively and sparingly to track problem systems or problem usage times. Do not overuse this task because it can create considerable amounts of data to be stored.

Do not delete the standard data collection task without replacing it with a substitute task that achieves a similar result. For example, removing the Data Collection task removes the capability for historical analysis and updating any information shown in reporting tables. You must refresh the page to see new data in reports.

Overwrite Existing Data Set (for Detailed Analysis)

The Overwrite existing data set (for detailed analysis) option overwrites any previous information collected. The Overwrite existing data set (for detailed analysis) is useful as a snapshot at the current time because it overwrites old information with the current value.

You can view the current data set report from the System Page, which you can reach by selecting a system in a collection. Refer to Tools that Extend Management - System Page for information on the System Page.

Running data collection consumes noticeable network resources. Proper scheduling might be appropriate.

Multiple instances of the same Status Polling or Data Collection tasks do not run simultaneously.

Initial Data Collection

The Initial Data Collection task is used to collect information from many systems that have DMI, SNMP, or WBEM running, for example, serial numbers and model numbers. This task is set to run by default when a new system or event meets the search criteria. You can view the Data Collection Report for a system after data has been collected by selecting it from the system table view page. This action displays the System Page, where you can select the Data Collection Report link from the Tools & Links tab. Other report formats are available from the Reporting tool. Refer to HP Systems Insight Manager Technical Reference Guide - Reporting for more information on reporting.

Bi-Weekly Data Collection

The Bi-Weekly Data Collection task runs the Overwrite existing data set (for detailed analysis) option on all of the systems in the system default collection. The default schedule is to run every two weeks on Saturday at 12:00 am. You can view the Data Collection Report for a system after data has been collected by selecting it from the system table view page. This action displays the System Page, where you can select the Tools & Links tab and then click Data Collection.

Related Procedure

» Data Collection - Creating a Data Collection Task

Related Topics

» HP Systems Insight Manager Technical Reference Guide - Discovery and Identification
» Administering Systems and Events - Protocols
» HP Systems Insight Manager Technical Reference Guide - Reference Information
» Tools that Extend Management - System Page
» HP Systems Insight Manager Technical Reference Guide - Reporting