NAME
afsmonitor - Monitors File Servers and Cache Managers
SYNOPSIS
afsmonitor [initcmd] [-config <configuration file>]
[-frequency <poll frequency, in seconds>]
[-output <storage file name>] [-detailed]
[-debug <debug output file>]
[-fshosts <list of file servers to monitor>+]
[-cmhosts <list of cache managers to monitor>+]
[-buffers <number of buffer slots>] [-help]
afsmonitor [i] [-co <configuration file>]
[-fr <poll frequency, in seconds>]
[-o <storage file name>] [-det]
[-deb <debug output file>]
[-fs <list of file servers to monitor>+]
[-cm <list of cache managers to monitor>+]
[-b <number of buffer slots>] [-h]
DESCRIPTION
The afsmonitor command initializes a program that gathers and displays
statistics about specified File Server and Cache Manager operations. It
allows the issuer to monitor, from a single location, a wide range of
File Server and Cache Manager operations on any number of machines in
both local and foreign cells.
There are 271 available File Server statistics and 571 available Cache
Manager statistics, listed in the appendix about afsmonitor statistics
in the IBM AFS Administration Guide. By default, the command displays
all of the relevant statistics for the file server machines named by
the -fshosts argument and the client machines named by the -cmhosts
argument. To limit the display to only the statistics of interest, list
them in the configuration file specified by the -config argument. In
addition, use the configuration file for the following purposes:
· To set threshold values for any monitored statistic. When the value
of a statistic exceeds the threshold, the afsmonitor command
displays it in reverse video. There are no default threshold
values.
· To invoke a program or script automatically when a statistic
exceeds its threshold. The AFS distribution does not include any
such scripts.
· To list the file server and client machines to monitor, instead of
using the -fshosts and -cmhosts arguments.
For a description of the configuration file, see afsmonitor(5).
CAUTIONS
The following software must be accessible to a machine where the
afsmonitor program is running:
· The AFS xstat libraries, which the afsmonitor program uses to
gather data.
· The curses graphics package, which most UNIX distributions provide
as a standard utility.
The afsmonitor screens format successfully both on so-called dumb
terminals and in windowing systems that emulate terminals. For the
output to looks its best, the display environment needs to support
reverse video and cursor addressing. Set the TERM environment variable
to the correct terminal type, or to a value that has characteristics
similar to the actual terminal type. The display window or terminal
must be at least 80 columns wide and 12 lines long.
The afsmonitor program must run in the foreground, and in its own
separate, dedicated window or terminal. The window or terminal is
unavailable for any other activity as long as the afsmonitor program is
running. Any number of instances of the afsmonitor program can run on a
single machine, as long as each instance runs in its own dedicated
window or terminal. Note that it can take up to three minutes to start
an additional instance.
OPTIONS
initcmd
Accommodates the command’s use of the AFS command parser, and is
optional.
-config <file>
Names the configuration file which lists the machines to monitor,
statistics to display, and threshold values, if any. A partial
pathname is interpreted relative to the current working directory.
Provide this argument if not providing the -fshosts argument,
-cmhosts argument, or neither. For instructions on creating this
file, see the preceding DESCRIPTION section, and the section on the
afsmonitor program in the IBM AFS Administration Guide.
-frequency <poll frequency>
Specifies in seconds how often the afsmonitor program probes the
File Servers and Cache Managers. Valid values range from 1 to 86400
(which is 24 hours); the default value is 60. This frequency
applies to both File Servers and Cache Managers, but the afsmonitor
program initiates the two types of probes, and processes their
results, separately. The actual interval between probes to a host
is the probe frequency plus the time required for all hosts to
respond.
-output <file>
Names the file to which the afsmonitor program writes all of the
statistics that it collects. By default, no output file is created.
See the section on the afsmonitor command in the IBM AFS
Administration Guide for information on this file.
-detailed
Formats the information in the output file named by -output
argument in a maximally readable format. Provide the -output
argument along with this one.
-fshosts <host>+
Names one or more machines from which to gather File Server
statistics. For each machine, provide either a fully qualified host
name, or an unambiguous abbreviation (the ability to resolve an
abbreviation depends on the state of the cell’s name service at the
time the command is issued). This argument can be combined with the
-cmhosts argument, but not with the -config argument.
-cmhosts <host>+
Names one or more machines from which to gather Cache Manager
statistics. For each machine, provide either a fully qualified host
name, or an unambiguous abbreviation (the ability to resolve an
abbreviation depends on the state of the cell’s name service at the
time the command is issued). This argument can be combined with the
-fshosts argument, but not with the -config argument.
-buffers <slots>
Is nonoperational and provided to accommodate potential future
enhancements to the program.
-help
Prints the online help for this command. All other valid options
are ignored.
OUTPUT
The afsmonitor program displays its data on three screens:
System Overview
This screen appears automatically when the afsmonitor program
initializes. It summarizes separately for File Servers and Cache
Managers the number of machines being monitored and how many of
them have alerts (statistics that have exceeded their thresholds).
It then lists the hostname and number of alerts for each machine
being monitored, indicating if appropriate that a process failed to
respond to the last probe.
File Server
This screen displays File Server statistics for each file server
machine being monitored. It highlights statistics that have
exceeded their thresholds, and identifies machines that failed to
respond to the last probe.
Cache Managers
This screen displays Cache Manager statistics for each client
machine being monitored. It highlights statistics that have
exceeded their thresholds, and identifies machines that failed to
respond to the last probe.
Fields at the corners of every screen display the following
information:
· In the top left corner, the program name and version number.
· In the top right corner, the screen name, current and total page
numbers, and current and total column numbers. The page number (for
example, "p. 1 of 3") indicates the index of the current page and
the total number of (vertical) pages over which data is displayed.
The column number (for example, "c. 1 of 235") indicates the index
of the current leftmost column and the total number of columns in
which data appears. (The symbol ">>>" indicates that there is
additional data to the right; the symbol "<<<" indicates that there
is additional data to the left.)
· In the bottom left corner, a list of the available commands. Enter
the first letter in the command name to run that command. Only the
currently possible options appear; for example, if there is only
one page of data, the "next" and "prev" commands, which scroll the
screen up and down respectively, do not appear. For descriptions of
the commands, see the following section about navigating the
display screens.
· In the bottom right corner, the "probes" field reports how many
times the program has probed File Servers ("fs"), Cache Managers
("cm"), or both. The counts for File Servers and Cache Managers can
differ. The "freq" field reports how often the program sends
probes.
Navigating the afsmonitor Display Screens
As noted, the lower left hand corner of every display screen displays
the names of the commands currently available for moving to alternate
screens, which can either be a different type or display more
statistics or machines of the current type. To execute a command, press
the lowercase version of the first letter in its name. Some commands
also have an uppercase version that has a somewhat different effect, as
indicated in the following list.
"cm"
Switches to the "Cache Managers" screen. Available only on the
"System Overview" and "File Servers" screens.
"fs"
Switches to the "File Servers" screen. Available only on the
"System Overview" and the "Cache Managers" screens.
"left"
Scrolls horizontally to the left, to access the data columns
situated to the left of the current set. Available when the "<<<"
symbol appears at the top left of the screen. Press uppercase "L"
to scroll horizontally all the way to the left (to display the
first set of data columns).
"next"
Scrolls down vertically to the next page of machine names.
Available when there are two or more pages of machines and the
final page is not currently displayed. Press uppercase "N" to
scroll to the final page.
"oview"
Switches to the "System Overview" screen. Available only on the
"Cache Managers" and "File Servers" screens.
"prev"
Scrolls up vertically to the previous page of machine names.
Available when there are two or more pages of machines and the
first page is not currently displayed. Press uppercase "N" to
scroll to the first page.
"right"
Scrolls horizontally to the right, to access the data columns
situated to the right of the current set. This command is available
when the ">>>" symbol appears at the upper right of the screen.
Press uppercase "R" to scroll horizontally all the way to the right
(to display the final set of data columns).
The System Overview Screen
The "System Overview" screen appears automatically as the afsmonitor
program initializes. This screen displays the status of as many File
Server and Cache Manager processes as can fit in the current window;
scroll down to access additional information.
The information on this screen is split into File Server information on
the left and Cache Manager information on the right. The header for
each grouping reports two pieces of information:
· The number of machines on which the program is monitoring the
indicated process.
· The number of alerts and the number of machines affected by them
(an alert means that a statistic has exceeded its threshold or a
process failed to respond to the last probe).
A list of the machines being monitored follows. If there are any alerts
on a machine, the number of them appears in square brackets to the left
of the hostname. If a process failed to respond to the last probe, the
letters "PF" (probe failure) appear in square brackets to the left of
the hostname.
The File Servers Screen
The "File Servers" screen displays the values collected at the most
recent probe for File Server statistics.
A summary line at the top of the screen (just below the standard
program version and screen title blocks) specifies the number of
monitored File Servers, the number of alerts, and the number of
machines affected by the alerts.
The first column always displays the hostnames of the machines running
the monitored File Servers.
To the right of the hostname column appear as many columns of
statistics as can fit within the current width of the display screen or
window; each column requires space for 10 characters. The name of the
statistic appears at the top of each column. If the File Server on a
machine did not respond to the most recent probe, a pair of dashes
("--") appears in each column. If a value exceeds its configured
threshold, it is highlighted in reverse video. If a value is too large
to fit into the allotted column width, it overflows into the next row
in the same column.
The Cache Managers Screen
The "Cache Managers" screen displays the values collected at the most
recent probe for Cache Manager statistics.
A summary line at the top of the screen (just below the standard
program version and screen title blocks) specifies the number of
monitored Cache Managers, the number of alerts, and the number of
machines affected by the alerts.
The first column always displays the hostnames of the machines running
the monitored Cache Managers.
To the right of the hostname column appear as many columns of
statistics as can fit within the current width of the display screen or
window; each column requires space for 10 characters. The name of the
statistic appears at the top of each column. If the Cache Manager on a
machine did not respond to the most recent probe, a pair of dashes
("--") appears in each column. If a value exceeds its configured
threshold, it is highlighted in reverse video. If a value is too large
to fit into the allotted column width, it overflows into the next row
in the same column.
Writing to an Output File
Include the -output argument to name the file into which the afsmonitor
program writes all of the statistics it collects. The output file can
be useful for tracking performance over long periods of time, and
enables the administrator to apply post-processing techniques that
reveal system trends. The AFS distribution does not include any post-
processing programs.
The output file is in ASCII format and records the same information as
the "File Server" and "Cache Manager" display screens. Each line in
the file uses the following format to record the time at which the
afsmonitor program gathered the indicated statistic from the Cache
Manager ("CM") or File Server ("FS") running on the machine called
host_name. If a probe failed, the error code "-1" appears in the
statistic field.
<time> <host_name> CM|FS <statistic>
If the administrator usually reviews the output file manually, rather
than using it as input to an automated analysis program or script,
including the -detail flag formats the data in a more easily readable
form.
EXAMPLES
For examples of commands, display screens, and configuration files, see
the section about the afsmonitor program in the IBM AFS Administration
Guide.
PRIVILEGE REQUIRED
None
SEE ALSO
afsmonitor(5) fstrace(8), scout(1)
COPYRIGHT
IBM Corporation 2000. <http://www.ibm.com/> All Rights Reserved.
This documentation is covered by the IBM Public License Version 1.0.
It was converted from HTML to POD by software written by Chas Williams
and Russ Allbery, based on work by Alf Wachsmann and Elizabeth Cassell.