AIX 4.1 through 4.3.2 PERFORMANCE DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
---------------------------------------------------------

  Note:   The act of collecting performance data will
          add load on the system.  HACMP users may
          want to extend the Dead Man Switch timeout
          prior to collecting perfpmr data.


  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  -----------------
       I.   INTRODUCTION

      II.   HOW TO OBTAIN AND INSTALL THE TOOLS ON AN IBM RISC SYSTEM/6000.

     III.   HOW TO COLLECT DATA FOR AN AIX PERFORMANCE PROBLEM

      IV.   HOW TO SEND DATA TO IBM





 I.   INTRODUCTION

      This package contains a set of tools and instructions for
      collecting the data needed to analyze a AIX performance
      problem.  This tool set runs on AIX versions 4.1.5, 4.2.1,
      and 4.3.2.


 II.  HOW TO OBTAIN AND INSTALL THE TOOLS ON AN IBM RISC SYSTEM/6000.


      A. OBTAINING THE PACKAGE

           The package will be distributed as a compressed
           "tar" file available electronically.

            From the internet:
            ==================
            'ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/aix/tools/perftools/perfpmr'


 

      B. INSTALLING THE PACKAGE

           The following assumes the tar file is in /tmp and named
           'perf41.tar.Z'.

           a. login as root or use the 'su' command to obtain root
              authority

           b. create perf41 directory and move to that directory (this
              example assumes the directory built is under /tmp)

              # mkdir /tmp/perf41
              # cd /tmp/perf41


           c. extract the shell scripts out of the compressed
                tar file:

              # zcat /tmp/perf41.tar.Z | tar -xvf -

           d. install the shell scripts

              # sh ./Install



 III. HOW TO COLLECT DATA FOR AN AIX PERFORMANCE PROBLEM


      A. Purpose:

           1. This section describes the set of steps that should be
              followed to collect performance data.

           2. The goal is to collect a good base of information that
              can be used by AIX technical support specialists or
              development lab programmers to get started in analyzing
              and solving the performance problem. This process may
              need to be repeated after analysis of the initial set
              of data is completed and/or AIX personnel may want to
              dial-in to the customer's machine if appropriate for
              additional data collection/analysis.


      B. Collection of the Performance Data on Your System

           1. Detailed System Performance Data:

              Detailed performance data is required to analyze and
              solve a performance problem. Follow these steps to
              invoke the supplied shell scripts:

              NOTE:  You must have root user authority when executing
              these shell scripts.


                a. Create a data collection directory and 'cd'
                   into this directory. Allow at least 15MB of unused space in
                   whatever file system is used.  Use the 'df' command
                   to verify the filesystem has at least 30000 blocks
                   in the 'Free' column (30000 512 byte blocks = 15MB).


                   For example using /tmp filesystem:

                   # mkdir /tmp/perfdata
                   # cd /tmp/perfdata

                b. HACMP is prone to false failovers when performance
                     data is being collected.  Recommend HACMP
                     deadman switch interval be lengthened
                     while performance data is being collected.


                c. Collect our 'standard' PERF41 data for 600 seconds
                    (600 seconds = 10 minutes).  Start the data collection
                    while the problem is already occurring with the command:

                     'perfpmr.sh 600'

                   The perfpmr.sh shell provided will:
                   - immediately collect a 5 second trace (trace.sh 5)
                   - collect 600 seconds of general system performance
                      data (monitor.sh 600).
                   - collect hardware and software configuration
                      information (config.sh).

                   In addition, if it finds the following programs available
                   in the current execution path, it will:
                   - collect 60 seconds of tprof information (tprof.sh 60)
                   - collect 60 seconds of filemon information (filemon.sh 60)
                   - collect 60 seconds of netpmon information (netpmon.sh 60)
                   - collect 60 seconds of iptrace information (iptrace.sh 60)

                   NOTE:
                   Since a performance problems may mask other
                   problems, it is not uncommon to fix one issue and
                   then collect more data to work on another issue.

                d. Answer the questions in the text file called
                    'PROBLEM.INFO' in the data collection directory
                    created above.  This background information
                    about your problem helps us better understand
                    what is going wrong.


 

 IV. HOW TO SEND THE DATA TO IBM.

      A. Combine all the collected data into a single binary 'tar' file
          and compress it:

           Put the completed PROBLEM.INFO in the same directory
           where the data was collected (ie. /tmp/perfdata in
           the following example).  Change to the parent
           directory, and use the tar command as follows:

           # cd /tmp/perfdata   (or whatever directory used
                                  to collect the data)
           # cd ..
           # tar -cvf perfdata.tar perfdata
           # compress perfdata.tar
           The resulting file will be named 'perfdata.tar.Z'.


      B. Submission of testcase to IBM:

           Internet 'ftp' access:
           ----------------------
             The quickest method to get the data analyzed is
             for the customer to ftp the data directly to IBM.
             Data placed on the server listed below cannot be
             accessed by unauthorized personnel.
             Please contact your IBM representative for the
             PMR# and BRANCH#.  IBM uses both PMR# and
             BRANCH# to associate your data with your
             problem tracking record.

               'ftp testcase.software.ibm.com'
                Userid:  anonymous
                password:  your_internet_email_address
                           (ie. smith@austin.ibm.com)
               'cd aix/toibm'
               'bin'
               'put perfdata.tar.Z PMR#.BRANCH#.tar.Z'
                  (ie. 'put perfdata.tar.Z 1234x.060.tarbin.Z'
               'quit'

             Notify your IBM customer representative you have
             submitted the data.  They will then update the
             defect report to indicate the data is available
             for analysis.


           Allow IBM to dial in to retrieve the data
           -----------------------------------------
             The second quickest option is to allow your IBM
             representative to dial into your machine to
             retrieve 'perfdata.tar.Z'.  They will then forward it
             as described above.
             The IBM representative will need a guest userid,
             password capable of accessing the data,
             modem telephone number, and the modem settings
             (ie. 28800 baud, 8 bit data, 1 stop bit, no parity).
             A phone call is the best method to pass the
             login information to the IBM representative.
             Do not EMAIL it via the internet or append it
             to the PMR.



           Submitting physical media
           -------------------------
             If the above options are not viable,
             save your data to tape or diskettes and mail it
             to IBM.

              Note the following on the media label:

                - the PMR# and BRANCH#
                    (contact your local IBM service representative)
                - the date that the data was gathered
                - the command to be used to extract the data
                  from the media (such as tar), including
                  any required command flags (such as blocksize, etc)

              Here's one way to put the data on a formatted diskette:
                 'tar -cvf /dev/fd0 PMR#.BRANCH#.tar.Z


              Mailing address for United States customers:
              --------------------------------------------
                IBM Corp. / Zip 9551 / Bldg 905
                Attn: AIX Testcase Dept. H8TS
                11400 Burnet Road
                Austin, Texas 78758-3493 USA


              Mailing address for World Trade customers:
              ------------------------------------------
                Please contact your local IBM representative for the
                closest address.

              This data will then be transferred electronically
              to AIX Development by 'ftp'.
              IBM Software Service in the geography should inform
              the Austin AIX Support Center when the performance
              data has been sent to Austin by updating the PMR.

                'ftp' address:
                      testcase.software.ibm.com

                  (use the procedure for internet ftp access described above)




