How data is collected in Applications Manager for IBM WebSphere Application Server?

How data is collected in Applications Manager for IBM WebSphere Application Server?

In Applications Manager, we generally support monitoring for versions 5.x to 9.x, and data collection for each version may differ based on the version of the IBM WebSphere Application Server being monitored.
  1. For versions 6.x to 8.x - Data collection is supported through PerfServlet Application. This can be deployed on the target IBM WAS to be monitored. Kindly refer to this Documentation by IBM to find out more about the PerfServlet application.
  2. For versions 9.x and above - Data Collection is supported through the AdminClient interface that is provided by IBM server which performs JMX related operations. Read more about this here.

Data Collection using PerfServlet Application

For data collection using PerfServlet application, Applications Manger uses the perfServlet.ear application which can be found under <IBM_WAS_HOME>/installableApps directory in the IBM WAS installed machine. APM uses the endpoints provided by this application and collects PMI metrics from the target WebSphere Application Server.
Regarding the User credentials required for this mode of monitoring, if Application security is enabled (Check under Security > Global security > Application Security > Enable application Security), you might have to specify appropriate credentials that provides access to the deployed PerfServlet application.

Data Collection Using AdminClient interface

While collecting data using AdminClient interface, Applications Manager creates a secure connection using the AdminClient interface provided by IBM which is used to perform JMX Operations on the target Application server and collect PerfMBean metrics from the Application server. The following are the list if PerfMBeans/Performance MBeans that APM queries from the IBM Application Server for data collection:
  1. WebSphere:name=PerfMBean,type=Perf,*
  2. WebSphere:j2eeType=J2EEServer,type=Server,*
  3. WebSphere:*,type=WebModule,*
  4. WebSphere:*,type=SessionManager,*
  5. WebSphere:*,type=JVM,*
  6. WebSphere:*,type=TransactionService,*
  7. WebSphere:*,type=EJBModule,*
  8. WebSphere:*,type=JDBCProvider,*
  9. WebSphere:*,type=ThreadPool,*
Regarding using Credentials for the same, Applications manager requires credentials while monitoring in case Global security has been enabled(Check under Security > Global Security > Enable Administrative Security). User credentials with Admin privileges will have to be used while monitoring via AdminClient interface. This is because APM performs the following operations for updating the instrumentation levels for MBean and Stat attributes during data collection to fetch appropriate metrics from the IBM Application Server:
  1. setInstrumentationLevel()
In order to invoke the above mentioned operation, you will require privileges to modify the MBean objects.
Therefore you will need credentials with admin privilege to monitor the Application Server with AdminClient interface.

                  New to ADManager Plus?

                    New to ADSelfService Plus?