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Foglight for Databases 5.9.7 - Administration and Configuration Guide

Administering and Configuring Foglight Extending Your Monitoring Reach with Foglight Cartridges Administering Foglight Configure Rules and Metric Calculations to Discover Bottlenecks Customizing Your Foglight Environment with Tooling

Manage Thresholds

Foglight allows you to control access to thresholds. For each threshold you can grant or deny read, write, or control access to roles or users. For more information about security concepts in Foglight, see Managing Users and Security.

Foglight employs the following behavior when it comes to threshold permissions:

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, click Administration > Data > Manage Thresholds.
TIP: The Not Assigned icons in the Permissions columns indicate that the role does not have permissions assigned to it.
b
In the dialog box that appears, use the Read, Write, and Control check boxes to assign permissions as required, and click Save.
b
To edit permissions, ensure that Edit is selected and use the Read, Write, and Control check boxes as required.
c
Click Save.

You can delete thresholds that you no longer need. However, when a threshold is deleted, all references to that threshold in rule conditions or derived metric expressions become invalid. This may cause a rule to fail to evaluate. If this occurs, you must manually modify the rule condition or expression.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Thresholds.
3
Click Delete Selected.
4
In the Delete Threshold dialog box, click OK.
The Delete Threshold dialog box closes.

The Manage Thresholds dashboard lists all of the thresholds that exist in your monitoring environment. This includes the thresholds that come with the Foglight Management Server, any installed cartridges, and also any thresholds that you create.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Thresholds.
2
On the Manage Thresholds dashboard, click the Metric column of the row containing the threshold whose definitions you want to view.
The Edit Threshold view shows the topology type and its metric property for which the threshold is defined, the selected threshold level, modification date, and threshold bounds. Each threshold level comes with a unique set of pre-defined bound levels. For example, the threshold level for the agent state includes the bound levels that correspond to different agent states, such as Stopped, Started, Running, and others.
To edit the threshold bounds, use the Threshold Bounds table. For complete instructions, see Add bounds to threshold levels.

Threshold levels in metrics are useful in situations when you need to reference a specific metric value multiple times, for example in derived metrics or rules.

Different types of metrics can have different types of threshold levels such as the levels that refer to agent states, alarm severity, and others. Each threshold level comes with a unique set of pre-defined bound levels. For example, the agent state threshold level for the includes the bound levels that correspond to different agent states, such as Stopped, Started, Running, and others. A bound level value can be associated with a constant value, a registry variable, or another metric of the same topology type.

Some thresholds come included with Foglight and installed cartridges, including baselineAvailability. If the existing derived metrics do not meet your needs, you can create a new one and add it to the threshold collection.

On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Thresholds.
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Create Threshold.
On the Create Threshold dashboard, in the Step 1: Create Threshold—Select Metric area, click Topology Type and select the topology type from the list that appears.
Click Metric and select the metric from the list that appears.
Click Next.
4
In the Step 2: Create Threshold — Select Threshold Level area, click Threshold Levels and choose one of the following predefined threshold levels from the list that appears.
Click Next.

From here, you can proceed to Add bounds to threshold levels.

Each threshold level comes with a unique set of bound levels. For example, the threshold level for agent state includes bound levels that correspond to different agent states, such as Stopped, Started, Running, and others. A bound level value can be associated with a constant value, a registry variable, or another metric of the same topology object.

OK

Running Unexpectedly

Broken

Agent Info Not Present

Unknown

Stopped

Starting

Stopping

Running

Collecting data

Running but not collecting data

Fire

Clear

Acknowledge

UserDefined Data

Undefined

Normal

Fire

Warning

Critical

Fatal

Stopped

Stopping

Starting

Started

Failed

Destroyed

Created

Unregistered

Registered

Active

Inactive

Create

Close

Acknowledge

Modify

Delete

Normal

Critical

Fatal

Warning

smalestValue

Locale

You can have one or more types of threshold bounds in a threshold level.

Another metric

A registry variable

A baseline, defined in the baseline cartridge that contain one or more baseline patterns for the selected metric

A fixed value

Foglight evaluates threshold bounds in the order that they are listed, starting with the first one. Changing their order affects the output of actions that are associated with those threshold levels.

For example, if a threshold level includes several threshold bounds that reference standard Foglight severity levels in the ascending order such as Normal, Warning, Critical, and Fatal, and you change their order in the list to Normal, Critical, Warning, and Fatal, the Warning, the bound that is associated with the Warning level evaluates to True only after the evaluation of the Critical level.

The ranges of threshold levels are created by going over threshold bounds in the order form first to last (from top to bottom in the Threshold Bounds table) and assigning the threshold level of the bound to the range immediately above the threshold bound. In some cases, their ranges do not always follow a progression sequence. This can happen in cases where threshold bounds values are calculated during run-time. For example, a set of threshold bounds can include a mix of constant values and baseline values. As a result, the effective threshold ranges may be different at different time points. It is possible to have valid configurations when threshold ranges minimize to zero '0' or even overlap. When this happens, the default behavior causes the higher threshold level to be applied. To ensure that the appropriate threshold level is applied when their ranges overlap, you can either accept the default behavior, or define a precedence to override the level with a higher value. This can be done with the Override flag. When set for a threshold bound, this flag ensures that the threshold level associated with a particular threshold bound is applied to incoming data even though its value overlap with a higher threshold level.

There are no threshold level overrides set for any of the threshold bounds.

The Override flag is set for the Fatal threshold level (column four in the Threshold Bounds table on the left), causing it to take precedence over Warning.

The Override flag is set for the Normal and Fatal threshold levels, causing it to take precedence over Warning. In this case, Normal takes precedence over Critical, and Fatal takes precedence over Warning.

Click Level and select a threshold level from the list that appears.
2
Select the Metric Threshold Bound option.
3
Click Metric and select a metric from the list that appears.
In the Number of Standard Deviation box, type the standard deviation.
7
Click Add.
To bind a threshold level to a registry variable:
Click Level and select a severity level from the list that appears.
2
Select the Registry Variable Threshold Bound option.
3
Click Registry Variable Name and select a variable from the list that appears.
6
Click Add.
The newly-created registry variable threshold bound appears in the Threshold Bounds table.
Click Level and select a severity level from the list that appears.
2
Select the Baseline Threshold Bound option.
The Baseline Name and Baseline Bound boxes appear below the Bound Type options, allowing you to specify the baseline value to which you want to bind the severity level.
a
Click Baseline Name and select a baseline from the list that appears.
b
Click Baseline Bound and select a baseline value that you want to use as a threshold.
6
Click Add.
To bind a threshold level to a constant value:
Click Level and select a severity level from the list that appears.
2
Select the Constant Threshold Bound option.
In the Value box, type that value. This can be a positive or a negative value, depending on the metric range.
6
Click Add.
To move a threshold bound up or down, in the Threshold Bounds table, in the Info column, use the Move up this bound () or Move down this bound () buttons as required.
New thresholds. Click Add.

Manage Registry Variables and Check Registry Value

This dashboard is a starting point for any work made to the Foglight registry. It displays a list of all registry variables that exist in your environment, including the variables that come with the Management Server and any installed cartridges. It also provides an interface for creating and managing registry variables.

By default, the following columns are displayed:

Variable Name: The variable name.
Type: Shows the data type of the registry variable. Possible values include Double, Integer, Long, String, Boolean, Timestamp, and Password. For more information about these data types, see Step 3 in Getting started: create registry variables.
Cartridge Name: The name of the cartridge in which the registry variable is defined, if applicable. This column is blank for any registry variables that you create using this dashboard.
Global Default: The global default value assigned to the variable. If the global default points to another registry variable, it starts with the prefix Ref:, followed by the referenced registry variable name.
Scoped Default (TopologyObject): The value assigned to the variable when the variable is scoped to a particular type. To scope on a topology type, click Scope Filter and choose from the available types.
Scheduled: Indicates if a performance calendar is defined for the variable. For more information about performance calendars, see Using performance calendars in registry variable definitions.
Active Schedule: If performance calendars are defined, this column indicates the name of the current schedule, if applicable.

In addition to these columns, the following columns can also be displayed by clicking and selecting them from the Show Columns dwell that appears.

Cartridge Version: The cartridge version in which the registry variable is defined.
Last Modified: The date and time at which the registry variable was last modified.
The Add button starts the New Registry Variable Wizard flow that allows you to quickly add a variable to the existing collection.

For more information about the New Registry Variable Wizard, see Getting started: create registry variables.

For more information about these flows, see View and edit registry variable settings and Copy or delete registry variables.

Copying a registry variable is useful in situations when you need to quickly create a modified version of an existing variable. Instead of redefining the scope and performance calendars, simply copy a similar registry variable and edit its definitions.

If you have any registry variables that are no longer referenced in rule conditions, you can delete them from the list. When a registry variable is deleted, all references to that variable in rule conditions and expressions become invalid. This may cause the rule to fail to evaluate. If this occurs, you must manually modify the rule condition or expression. For details, see Writing conditional expressions for time-, data-, or schedule-driven rules and Write a conditional expression for an event-driven rule.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, click Administration > Rules & Notifications > Manage Registry Variables.
The Copy dialog box opens, prompting you to specify the name of the destination variable.
The dialog box closes and the Edit Registry Variable view appears in the display area.

From here, you can edit the newly copied registry variable to better suit your needs. For example, you can have its value change over time, or scope it to topology types or object instances. For further information, see Using performance calendars in registry variable definitions and Scoping registry variables to topology types or object instances.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, click Administration > Rules & Notifications > Manage Registry Variables.
3
Click Delete.
4
In the Registry Variable Confirmation dialog box, click Delete.
The Registry Variable Confirmation dialog box closes.

The Manage Registry Variables dashboard shows all of the registry variables that exist in your monitoring environment. This includes the variables that come with the Foglight Management Server, any installed cartridges, and any registry variables that you create.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, click Administration > Rules & Notifications > Manage Registry Variables.
The Edit Registry Variable view appears in the display area.
Name: The name of the registry variable.
Variable Type ClassName: The data type of the registry variable.
Description: A brief description of the registry variable.
Cartridge Name: If the registry variable is defined and included in a cartridge, this field contains the cartridge name in which the registry variable is defined. If you created this variable, this is indicated by the System Value setting that appears in this field.
Cartridge Version: If the registry variable is defined and included in a cartridge, this field contains the cartridge version in which the variable is defined. If you created this variable, this field is blank.
Global Default: The global default value. If the global default points to another registry variable, it starts with the prefix Ref:, followed by the referenced registry variable name.
Performance Calendars List: Shows a list of values that are associated with specific schedules. Having one or more entries in this list causes the registry value to change over time.
Registry Values: Shows a list of values scoped to specific topology types and their instances (if applicable). This causes the registry value to change in rules and derived metrics.

From here, you can edit the registry variable to better suit your needs. For example, you can have its value change over time, or scope it to topology types or object instances. For further information, see Using performance calendars in registry variable definitions and Scoping registry variables to topology types or object instances.

Many registry variables come included with Foglight and installed cartridges, including AvailabilityCritical, AvailabilityFatal, AvailabilityTarget, and many others. If the existing registry variables do not meet your needs, you can create a new one and add it to the registry variable collection.

Foglight registry variables can be used in rule conditions, expressions, and actions. A registry variable can have a global value that is available to all topology types and objects. It can also have one or more values associated with specific topology types or objects, or calendar dates.

The New Registry Variable Wizard takes you to the process of creating registry variables and setting its basic properties, such as the name, data type, and initial value.

The values that you assign to a variable in the wizard must be consistent with the data type that you specify at variable creation time. For example, if you selected the data type Integer, you need to provide a valid integer number when specifying the value.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, click Administration > Rules & Notifications > Manage Registry Variables.
The New Registry Variable Wizard dialog box opens.

A boolean value: true or false.

true

A decimal value between 2-1074 and
(2-2-52) * 21023. For example, valid values include 34.1234, 35e3 (meaning 35,000.0) or 1.2E-2 (meaning 0.012).

95.0

An integer value between -231 and 231 -1. For example, valid values include 235 and -10000.

6825

An integer value that is too large to fit the Integer data type. It can be in the range between -263 and 263- 1.

1099511627776

A password value. Prior to storing the value of the Password data type in the registry, Foglight encrypts it and saves the encrypted value in the database. This is useful in cases where you need to secure password values when passing it to command or remote command actions.

For example, you create a registry variable of the Password type, MyPassword, and set its value to demo123. Foglight encrypts the registry value, then stores it encrypted in the database (for example, 43-119-184-240-170-150-124-218-30-112-216-76-197-233-188-206). In a function call registry("MyPassword"), Foglight retrieves the registry value from the database in its encrypted form, which secures the password value.

demo123

A text string.

This message was generated by Foglight.

Contains a date and time. For example, valid values include 06/12/06, 2006-06-21 15:30:21.0, June 7, 2006 3:08:21 PM.

Invalid date or time formats cannot be saved to the database and any attempts to save them results in an error. If the time is not provided, or the values are invalid, Foglight treats the time as midnight.

Prior to saving the value of a variable that uses this data type, Foglight converts it to the following format and stores it in the database:

yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.ds

2008-08-10 23:15:16.0

b
Click Next. The New Registry Variable Wizard dialog box refreshes.
Name: The name of the variable. This is a required value. The registry variable name cannot be longer than 255 characters and must be unique. In addition, the name cannot be changed once the registry variable has been added. This is because registry variables are referred to by their names in rule conditions and expressions and changing them would invalidate these references. However, you can copy a registry variable and give it a different name.
Description: Comments about the variable or its usage. This value is optional.
To specify the Global Default value, click Next. The New Registry Variable Wizard dialog box refreshes.
The New Registry Variable Wizard dialog box closes.
The Edit Registry Variable view appears in the display area.
To specify a new, static value as the global default, select Static Value, and then enter the desired value.
To specify another registry variable as the global default, select Registry Reference, and then select the desired registry variable from the list that appears below.
The New Registry Variable Wizard dialog box closes.
The Edit Registry Variable view appears in the display area.
Name: The name of the registry variable you specified in Step 4.
Variable Type ClassName: The data type of the registry variable you specified in Step 3.
Description: The description of the registry variable you specified in Step 4.
Global Default: The global default value you specified in Step 6. If the global default points to another registry variable, it starts with the prefix Ref:, followed by the referenced registry variable name.
Performance Calendars List: Shows a list of values that are associated with specific schedules. Performance calendars are always associated with the global default. If the global default is not set, performance calendars cannot be added. When you first create a registry variable, this list is empty by default. Having one or more entries in this list causes the registry value to change over time.
Registry Values: Shows a list of values scoped to specific topology types and their instances (if applicable). When you first create a registry variable, this list is empty by default.Having multiple scoped values causes the registry value to change in rules and derived metrics.

From here, you can edit the newly created registry variable to better suit your needs. For example, you can have its value change over time, or scope it to topology types or object instances. For further information, see Using performance calendars in registry variable definitions and Scoping registry variables to topology types or object instances.

If you want the default value to change over time, add one or more schedules to the performance calendar and specify the value for each schedule.

For example, there is a simple rule that applies to the servlets in your application; an alarm fires if the request response time for a servlet exceeds a value set by the ResponseTimeTooLong registry variable that is scoped to the topology type J2EEServlet and with the default scoped value of eight seconds. However, you know that at certain times of day response times for servlet instances are expected to exceed this threshold. At these times, the acceptable response time can be as long as 15 seconds. To prevent alarms from generating as a result of false positives, leave the variable’s scoped value of eight seconds, and create a schedule that recurs daily at the times when it is acceptable for response times for the servlet instances to exceed eight seconds, and specify the alternative threshold of 15 seconds by associating this value with the schedule.

Foglight evaluates the schedules in the order they are listed in the performance calendar, starting with the first one. Changing their order affects the behavior of the actions that are associated with the variable whose value is set by the schedule-based entries in the performance calendar.

For example, if there are two schedule entries in the performance calendar that overlap in time but have two different values, the first entry listed takes precedence, causing one or more actions that are associated with that variable to make use of that entry for the duration of the schedule.

The Performance Calendar Wizard, accessible from the Performance Calendars List, allows you to associate a registry value with a schedule.

1
In the Edit Registry Variable view, in the Performance Calendars List, click Add.
The Performance Calendar Wizard dialog box opens, showing a list of all schedules that exist in your environment.
To create a new schedule, click New Schedule and follow the flow in the Simple New Schedule Wizard that appears. For more information, see Create a new schedule. When done, the Simple New Schedule Wizard closes and newly created schedule appears selected in the Performance Calendar Wizard.
The Performance Calendar Wizard dialog box refreshes.
To specify a new, static value, select Static Value, and then enter the desired value.
To reference another registry variable, select Registry Reference, and then select the desired registry variable from the list that appears below.
The Performance Calendar Wizard dialog box closes and the Performance Calendar List refreshes, showing the newly created calendar entry.
To change the order of schedules, use the Move Up or Move Down columns.

From here, you can proceed to Scoping registry variables to topology types or object instances.

A Foglight registry variable can have a global value that is available to all topology types and objects. It can also have one or more values associated with specific topology types or objects.

The way you define registry variables can help you to reduce the number of rules that need to be created and managed. For example, instead of creating multiple rules that follow the same logic to monitor different data types or object, you can create a single rule and reference a registry variable scoped to those entities.

1
In the Edit Registry Variable view, in the Registry Values view, click Add.
The Registry Value Wizard dialog box opens, showing a list of all schedules that exist in your environment.
2
In the Registry Value Wizard dialog box, select a type from the list and click Next.
The Registry Value Wizard dialog box refreshes.
The list contains instances of the selected topology type. For each object instance in the list, the Name and Domain Root columns indicate the instance name and its domain root.
TIP: Use the Customizer to display two additional columns that are hidden by default: Long Name and Monitoring Agent.
Long Name consists of the object name followed by its type name. For example:
Broken (AgentHealthState).
Monitoring Agent contains the name of the monitoring agent. This information is important if you have monitoring agents whose definitions include objects of the same type and name, like the legacy Cartridge for Operating Systems agents.
For more information about the Customizer, see the Foglight User Help.
3
Optional — narrow down your scope to a particular object. By default, All Objects is selected, meaning that the registry value is scoped to all instances of the selected type.
The Registry Value Wizard dialog box refreshes.
To specify a new, static value, select Static Value, and then enter the desired value.
To reference another registry variable, select Registry Reference, and then select the desired registry variable from the list that appears below.
The Registry Value Wizard dialog box closes and the Registry Values refreshes, showing the newly created registry value entry.

From here, to edit a registry value and associate it with performance calendars, click the registry value in the list.

A registry variable can have a global value that is available to all topology types and objects. It can also have multiple additional values associated with specific topology types or objects, or calendar dates. To find out what is the value of a registry variable for a particular topology type or object, and, if applicable, during a specific time period, use the Check Registry Value dashboard.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Rules & Notifications > Check Registry Value.
Variable Name: The name of the registry variable whose value you want to view.
Topology Type Name: The topology type with which the registry value is associated.
Topology Object: The object instance of the specified topology type with which the registry value is associated.
Registry Value: The value to which the variable is set during a specified date and time range. If there are multiple time ranges during which the registry value changes, the table shows the registry value for each range.
For example, look at the SYSADMIN variable that is scoped to two topology object instances and two different performance calendars.
a
In the View Registry Variable view, click Please select variable.
The Registry Variable list appears, showing the registry variables that exist in your Foglight environment. This includes any registry variables that came with the installation of the Foglight Management server, any installed cartridges, or any variables you previously created.
b
In the Registry Variable list, scroll down until you find a registry variable, and select that entry. For example, to select the SYSADMIN variable, select SYSADMIN.
a
In the View Registry Variable view, click Please select topology type.
The Topology Type list appears, showing all available topology types.
b
In the Topology Type list, select a type.
a
In the View Registry Variable view, click All Objects.
b
In the Topology Object list, select an object instance.
When you change the zonar, the Registry Value table refreshes, showing different registry values.
7
Optional — Reduce the number of columns that appear in the Registry Value table by clicking and selecting the columns that yo want to appear or hide.
For example, to display only the time at which the value was set and the value, ensure that Period Begin Time and Registry Value check boxes are selected, and clear Period End Time.
Click Apply.
In the Registry Value table, click and select one of the following options
Export as CSV, to export the table contents to a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file.
Export as PDF, to export the table contents to a PDF file.
Export as Excel, to export the table contents to an Excel file.
Export as XML, to export the table contents to an XML file.
The Registry Value table refreshes, showing the values scoped to the selected object instance and date and time range.

Some Foglight dashboards have reports associated with them. This allows you to run a report based on the current dashboard. You can generate the report using the Reports menu in the top-right corner.

The Manage Registry Variables dashboard is associated with the Registry Variable Report. Run this report by choosing Registry Variable Report from the Reports menu, and specifying the input parameters in the report wizard.

The report wizard provides more information about the Registry Variable Report and instructions on how to set the input values. For more information about reports in Foglight, see the Foglight User Help.

Manage Schedules

Foglight allows you to control access to a schedule. For each schedule you can grant or deny read, write, or control access to roles or users. For more information about security concepts in Foglight, see Managing Users and Security.

Foglight employs the following behavior when it comes to schedule permissions:

Use the Edit Permissions button () on the Manage Schedules dashboard to navigate to the Edit Permissions for Schedule area, that allows you to add or edit permissions to roles and users, as outlined below.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.
The Add Role Permission or Add User Permission dialog box opens.
b
In the dialog box, use the Read, Write, and Control check boxes to assign permissions as required, and click Save.
The dialog box closes and the selected entry refreshes, showing three check marks in the Permission columns, one for each of the read, write, and control permissions.
The Edit Role Permission or Edit User Permission dialog box opens.
b
To edit permissions, ensure that Edit is selected and use the Read, Write, and Control check boxes as required.
c
Click Save.

Copying a schedule is useful in situations when you need to quickly create a modified version of an existing schedule. Instead of re-creating all of the schedule settings, simply copy an existing schedule and edit the required schedule items.

When a schedule is deleted, all references to that schedule are removed as well. Any performance calendars that are based on that schedule are removed, and the deleted schedule is removed from the list of effective and blackout schedules for rules.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.
The Copy Schedule dialog box opens. Click OK.
The dialog box closes and the Edit Schedule view appears in the Manage Schedules dashboard.
1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.
3
Click the Delete Selected button at the bottom.
The Schedule Delete Confirmation dialog box opens. Click OK.
4
In the Schedule Delete Confirmation dialog box, click OK.
The Schedule Delete Confirmation dialog box closes.

A schedule contains one or more schedule items, each defining a time period and a recurrence pattern. Viewing schedule definitions allows you to find out the details about the items associated with a schedule.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.
2
On the Manage Schedules dashboard, click the Schedule Name column of the row containing the schedule whose definitions you want to view.
The Edit Schedule view appears in the Manage Schedules dashboard.
In the Edit Schedule view, click the View Schedule button in the upper-right corner.

You can edit an schedule by adding or removing one or more of its recurrence patterns. For example, if you have a schedule that runs indefinitely from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM daily and on the first day of the month from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, but you want to edit it to also run every Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM in May, add a schedule item for each of these time spans to the schedule.

Schedules consisting of multiple scheduled items must include a relevant start time. By default, the start time is the day the schedule is created. The start time of each schedule item must be specified to reflect the first run of the scheduled item.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.
The Edit Schedule view appears in the Manage Schedules dashboard.
3
The Edit Schedule -> Add Schedule Item view appears, allowing you to define another schedule item.
4
To delete a schedule item, select its entry in the Schedule Items list and click Delete Selected.
The Schedule Confirmation dialog box opens, asking you to confirm the delete operation.
The Edit Schedule view refreshes, no longer showing the newly-deleted schedule item in the list.

A default Foglight installation includes a number of scheduled, including Always, Business hours, Business week, and many others. Rules, registry variables, and derived metrics can make use of schedules. For example, a registry variable can have multiple values, each associated with a specific schedules. If none of the existing schedules meet your needs, you can create a new schedule and add it to the schedule collection.

A schedule can contain one or more items, each describing a recurrence pattern. For example, if you want a schedule to run indefinitely from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM daily and on the first day of the month from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and also every Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM in May, add a schedule item for each of these time spans to the schedule.

When you create a schedule, you have to specify at least one schedule item and its recurrence pattern. You can edit the schedule at a later time by adding or removing schedule items.

On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Schedules > Create Schedules.
On the Create Schedule dashboard, in the Schedule Name box, type the name that you want to assign to the schedule.
In the Description/Comments box, type the schedule description or comments as required. For example:
4
Click Next.
Step 2: Create Schedule—Details of Schedule view appears in the Create Schedule dashboard.
A schedule item describes a time period during which the schedule is active and its recurrence pattern. To add a schedule item, in the Step 2: Create Schedule—Details of Schedule view, specify the start date, end date and duration (if applicable), and the range of occurrence, as required, followed by clicking Add.
Step 3: Create Schedule—Schedule Added view appears in the display area.

There are six types of patterns that you can define in a schedule item.

Starts at a specified date and time, for a specified duration, and ends at a defined end date and time

To define a schedule item that occurs once:

Starts at a specified time and date for a certain duration, repeats at specified time periods, with or without a defined end date and time

To define a schedule item that occurs periodically:

Starts at a specified time and date, runs for a whole day or a fraction of a day, repeats at a regular interval of days, with or without a defined end date and time

To define a schedule item that occurs daily:

Starts at a specified time and date, runs for a whole day or a fraction of a day, repeats at a regular interval of weeks on one or more days of the week, with or without a defined end date and time

To define a schedule item that occurs weekly:

Starts at a specified time and date, runs for a whole day or a fraction of a day, repeats at a regular interval of months on one or more days of the month, with or without a defined end date and time

To define a schedule item that occurs monthly:

Starts at a specified time and date, runs for a whole day or a fraction of a day, repeats at a regular interval of years on one or more days of the year, with or without a defined end date and time

To define a schedule item that occurs yearly:

1
In the Recurrence Pattern area, ensure that the Once option is selected.
a
Use the End Date area to specify the day, month and year of the start date.
b
Use the End Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the end time.
New schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Add.
Existing schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Save.
The Schedule Items table refreshes, showing the newly-added schedule item.
1
In the Recurrence Pattern area, select Periodical.
a
Use the Start Date boxes to specify the day, month and year of the start date.
b
Use the Start Time [hh:mm] boxes to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
c
Use the Duration [hh:mm] boxes to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
In the Recurrence Pattern area, use the Every [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
IMPORTANT: The recurrence period must be longer than the duration specified in <Link>step 2.
For example, if the duration of the schedule item is three hours, the recurrence periods should occur at intervals that are longer than three hours.
To specify an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, ensure that End By Date is selected, and specify the end date and time using the End Date and End Time [hh:mm] areas.
To have the schedule item recurring at the recurrence pattern specified in Step 3 without an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, select No End.
The Range of Occurrence area refreshes.
New schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Add.
Existing schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Save.
The Schedule Items table refreshes, showing the newly-added schedule item.
1
In the Recurrence Pattern area, select Periodical.
Use the Start Date area to specify the day, month and year of the start date.
Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select End Time [hh:mm] and specify the hour and minute of the end time.
NOTE: The Duration [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the End Time [hh:mm] option.

The end time should occur after the start time.

or

Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select Duration [hh:mm] and specify the hour and minute of the duration time.
NOTE: The End Time [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the Duration [hh:mm] option.
The Start Time [hh:mm], End Time [hh:mm], and Duration [hh:mm] areas appear disabled.
In the Recurrence Pattern area, use the Every box to specify the number of days at which the schedule recurs.
TIP: The Every box accepts any positive values.
To specify an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, ensure that the End By Date option is selected, and specify the end date and time using the End Date and End Time [hh:mm] boxes as required.
To have the schedule item recurring at the recurrence pattern specified in Step 4 without an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, select No End.
The Range of Occurrence area refreshes, no longer showing the controls for specifying the end date.
New schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Add.
Existing schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Save.
The Schedule Items table refreshes, showing the newly-added schedule item.
1
In the Recurrence Pattern area, select Weekly.
Use the Start Date area to specify the day, month and year of the start date.
Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select the End Time [hh:mm] area and specify the hour and minute of the end time.
NOTE: The Duration [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the End Time [hh:mm] option.

The end time should occur after the start time.

or

Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select Duration [hh:mm] and specify the hour and minute of the duration time.
NOTE: The End Time [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the Duration [hh:mm] option.
The Start Time [hh:mm], End Time [hh:mm], and Duration [hh:mm] areas appear disabled.
In the Recurrence Pattern area, use the Every box to specify the number of weeks at which the schedule occurs.
TIP: The Every box accepts any positive values.
To specify an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, ensure that the End By Date option is selected, and specify the end date and time using the End Date and End Time [hh:mm] boxes as required.
To have the schedule item recurring at the recurrence pattern specified in Step 4 without an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, select the No End option.
The Range of Occurrence area refreshes, no longer showing the controls for specifying the end date.
New schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Add.
Existing schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Save.
The Schedule Items table refreshes, showing the newly-added schedule item.
1
In the Recurrence Pattern area, select Monthly.
Use the Start Date area to specify the day, month and year of the start date.
Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select End Time [hh:mm] and specify the hour and minute of the end time.
NOTE: The Duration [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the End Time [hh:mm] option.

The end time should occur after the start time.

or

Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select the Duration [hh:mm] area and specify the hour and minute of the duration time.
NOTE: The End Time [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the Duration [hh:mm] option.
The Start Time [hh:mm], End Time [hh:mm], and Duration [hh:mm] areas appear disabled.
To have the schedule occurring on a specified day of the month, at the rate of one or more months, in the Recurrence Pattern area, ensure that the By Date option is selected, and then specify the day of the month and the rate at which it occurs.
The Recurrence Pattern area refreshes.
TIP: The Every box accepts any positive values.
For example, to have the schedule occurring on the second Tuesday of every third month, click First and select Second from the list that appears. Then, select the Tuesday check box, and in the every box, type 3.
In the Recurrence Pattern area, use the Every box to specify the number of weeks at which the schedule occurs.
TIP: The Every box accepts any positive values.
To specify an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, ensure that End By Date is selected, and specify the end date and time using the End Date and End Time [hh:mm] boxes as required.
To have the schedule item recurring at the recurrence pattern specified in Step 4 without an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, select No End.
The Range of Occurrence area refreshes.
New schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Add.
Existing schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Save.
The Schedule Items table refreshes, showing the newly-added schedule item.
1
In the Recurrence Pattern area, select the Yearly option.
Use the Start Date boxes to specify the day, month and year of the start date.
Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select End Time [hh:mm] and specify the hour and minute of the end time.
NOTE: The Duration [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the End Time [hh:mm] option.

The end time should occur after the start time.

or

Use the Start Time [hh:mm] area to specify the hour and minute of the start time.
Select Duration [hh:mm] and specify the hour and minute of the duration time.
NOTE: The End Time [hh:mm] boxes appear disabled when you specify the Duration [hh:mm] option.
The Start Time [hh:mm], End Time [hh:mm], and Duration [hh:mm] areas appear disabled.
To have the schedule occurring on a specified day of the month, at the rate of one or more months, in the Recurrence Pattern area, ensure that By Date is selected, and then specify the day of the month and the rate at which it occurs.
To have the schedule occurring on a particular day of the week, in the Recurrence Pattern area, select the By Week option.
The Recurrence Pattern area refreshes.
For example, to have the schedule occurring every third Thursday in November, click First and select Third from the list that appears. Then, select the Thursday check box, and select November from the list that appears.
To specify an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, ensure that End By Date is selected, and specify the end date and time using the End Date and End Time [hh:mm] areas.
To have the schedule item recurring at the recurrence pattern specified in Step 4 without an end date, in the Range of Occurrence area, select the No End option.
The Range of Occurrence area refreshes, no longer showing the controls for specifying the end date.
New schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Add.
Existing schedules. In the lower-right corner, click Save.
The Schedule Items table refreshes, showing the newly-added schedule item.

Manage Retention Policies

While it is theoretically possible to create any retention policy that you desire in Foglight, the design of the system constrains the easy-to-accomplish retention policies to a narrow range of options. Specifically, the database design of Foglight provides a structure that is capable of holding data in three different buckets, called generations, that are defined in <Foglight_home>/config/storage-config.xml. Each generation has a predefined period of time in which it retains data.

Without modifying database generations, there are specific rules that you must follow when assigning retention policies, to ensure that you achieve the expected results. Any changes to the database generations in <Foglight_home>/config/storage-config.xml require a Management Server restart, in order for these changes to take effect.

This provides information on the key mechanisms involved in retention policies and rules for defining retention policies that work effectively with the default database configuration.

Generations refer to the database structures that hold long-term data. For any given metric, each generation can hold one aggregation level of data (for example, raw, hourly averages, 4 hour averages, and so on). Out of the box, there are three generations:

Generation 1: Holds data for 0 – 3 days
Generation 2: Holds data for 3 – 14 days
Generation 3: Holds data for indefinitely

Because the collected data is constrained to the above aggregation periods, retention policies are also constrained to a set of rules. In general, you can create retention policies that:

The data service periodically writes data from the short-term memory cache to Generation 1. The frequency in which data is written is defined in the first retention policy (for more information, see How retention policies interact with database generations). This interval should not exceed 15 minutes to prevent the Foglight Management Server memory from growing too large.

A nightly roll-up job aggregates data and writes that data to Generation 2 and Generation 3. The roll-up is only done once a day, according to the time set in the Daily Database Maintenance schedule. For more information about this and other schedules in Foglight, see Associate Metric Calculations with Schedules.

Both mechanisms for populating the repository (from memory to the database, database roll-ups) use the retention policies defined in the Retention Policies dashboard as the guidelines for how they store data.

A retention policy is the set of definitions, for a given object, that indicate how data is stored. Each definition within a policy contains two parameters:

Age: Specifies the age at which the data is eligible for a roll-up
Roll-up period: Specifies the period of time over which the data is aggregated

Policies can be set at an object level; however, retention policies also adhere to the object inheritance capabilities. If a policy has not been explicitly assigned to an object, it inherits a value from a higher level in the model. The top-level object is TopologyObject.

The policy that is applied to TopologyObject, and therefore any object which does not have explicitly assigned policies, is as follows:

15 minutes

After 15 minutes, store 15 minute aggregate data to Generation 1 (where they are stored for three days)

15 minutes

3 days

Data older than 3 days is eligible for roll-up to one-hour averages and persisted into Generation 2 (where they are stored for 14 days)

1 hour

14 days

Data older than 14 days old is eligible for Roll-up to four-hour averages and persisted into Generation 3 indefinitely

4 hours

Figure 101. The illustration below shows the interaction between the TopologyObject retention policy and the default generation definitions.

As indicated in the above diagram, any data whose retention policies include the purge settings is stored in the Generation 3 aggregation, from which it is purged in accordance with the purge settings. Purging from the last generation is done by recreating the tables to filter out the observations that are to be purged, and it occurs once a month for each configured purge setting. For example, if there are n policies that request a purge after 12 months and m policies that request a purge after 18 months, then at the start of the month, Foglight performs a single purge on the 12-month tables and a single purge on the 18-month tables. If your business requirements dictate that any data older than x months should be purged from the database, the most efficient implementation is to edit the Generation 3 setting in <Foglight_home>/config/storage-config.xml, whose default length is set to one hundred years, to x months. For example, the following code block illustrate a Generation 3 setting in storage-config.xml that dictates the purge of any data that is older than six months:

While the browser interface does not prevent you from setting policies that are in conflict with the generations, setting policies that are outside of these boundaries does not yield the expected results. Instead, the retention policy engine finds the most optimal scheme for your data (ensuring that the lowest granularity is written to Generation 1 and that longest duration data are written to Generation 3).

The table shows how to configure retention policies, at 1, 2 or 3 levels of aggregation, following the specifications below.

<= 15 minutes

<= 15 minutes

Data is persisted at the roll-up interval defined in the Level 1 policy for three days.

> 15 minutes and < 3 days

Any roll-up greater than Level 1

The age date for the Level 2 policy must be less than or equal to three days. Data is persisted at the roll-up interval defined in the Level 2 policy for 14 days.

> Level 2 setting and < 14 days

Any roll-up greater than Level 2

The age date for the Level 3 policy must be less than or equal to 14 days. Data is persisted at this roll-up interval indefinitely. A purge policy defines a minimum length of time that data must persist before it is truncated.

> Level 3 setting

Purge

Data is never purged from the system before the age value of the purge policy. Data may, however, be retained for longer than the setting as the system waits to find an acceptable time to purge data.

<= 15 minutes

<= 15 minutes

Data is persisted at the roll-up interval defined in the Level 1 policy for either three or 14 days, depending on the age of the Level 2 setting. If the age of the Level 2 setting is less than or equal to three days, then the data is persisted for three days. If the age of the Level 2 setting is between three and 14 days, the data is persisted for 14 days.

<= 14 days

Any roll-up greater than Level 1

The age date for the Level 2 policy must be less than or equal to 14 days. Data is persisted at this roll-up interval indefinitely. A purge policy defines a minimum length of time that data must persist before it is truncated.

> Level 2 setting

Purge

Data is never purged from the system before the age value of the purge policy. Data may, however, be retained for longer than the setting as the system waits to find an acceptable time to purge data.

<= 15 minutes

<= 15 minutes

Data is persisted at the roll-up interval defined in the Level 1 policy indefinitely. A purge policy will define a minimum length of time that data must persist before it is truncated.

> 15 minutes

Purge

Data is never purged from the system before the age value of the purge policy. Data may, however, be retained for longer than the setting as the system waits to find an acceptable time to purge data.

Use the Manage Retention Policies dashboard to view, edit, and create retention policies for topology types and properties of topology types. Each policy specifies one or more time periods after which the data is rolled up and the granularity of the roll-up.

In some cases your retention policies may cause an unacceptable increase in the database size, which typically happens if the granularity is high and the data is not frequently purged. Alternatively, the database size can be controlled by deleting specific topology objects and any metrics that they contain. This can be done through the Retention Policies dashboard. In addition to associating the default monitoring policies with data storage cycles, this dashboard allows you to inspect the topology objects and to delete them by applying specific retention policies to the collected data, or to purge specific data objects as required. For more information about this dashboard, see Monitor Server Performance.

On the Retention Policies dashboard, the Age column specifies the amount of time allotted for data collection. The roll-up period defines the granularity of the collection period. For example, if age is defined as one minute, and the roll-up period is defined as five minutes, any data older than one minute is eligible to be aggregated into the five-minute roll-up period.

For metrics, the aggregation retains the count, minimum, maximum, sum, average, and standard deviation of the aggregated values. For other observation types, aggregation is a sampling process that retains the latest value per time slice.

The default roll-up period is 15 minutes; therefore any raw data older than 15 minutes is rolled up to the next period.

If a topology type references the default data storage cycle, its retention policies cannot be modified or deleted. The default data storage cycle can be modified using the Retention Policies dashboard. For more information about this dashboard, see the Foglight User Guide. Any types descending from that type that inherit its retention policies can have their retention policies modified or deleted. This also applies to the descendants that have custom retention policies.

This prevents any accidental modifications of default observation life cycles through the Manage Retention Policies dashboard. For example, the retention policies of the TopologyObject super-type reference the default cycle, and as such, cannot be modified. The TopologyMergeRule type is a descendant of TopologyObject which inherits the retention policies of the ancestor type; those policies can be modified or deleted using the Manage Retention Policies dashboard. Modifying the TopologyMergeRule‘s retention policy, inherited from TopologyObject, creates a custom policy. The TaskManager type, also a descendant of TopologyObject, has a custom retention policy; this policy can be modified or deleted as required. The Manage Retention Policies dashboard indicates whether a type directly references the default storage cycle, inherits policies from another type, or has its own custom policies.

2
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Retention Policies.
In the Filter area, click By Cartridge and select the cartridge from the list that appears.

Use the Delete Selected button on the Manage Retention Policies dashboard to delete the retention policy associated with a particular topology object, as outlined below.

If a topology type directly references the default data storage cycle, such as the TopologyObject super-type, its retention policies cannot be deleted. The default data storage cycle can be modified using the Retention Policies dashboard. In addition to associating the default monitoring policies with data storage cycles, this dashboard allows you to inspect the topology objects and to delete them by applying specific retention policies to the collected data, or to purge specific data objects as required. For more information about this dashboard, see the Foglight User Guide.

Any types descending from TopologyObject that inherited its retention policies can have their retention policies deleted. This also applies to the descendants that have custom retention policies.

For example, the retention policies of the TopologyObject super-type reference the default cycle, and as such, cannot be modified. The retention policy of any TopologyObject descendants that inherit its default policy can be deleted after its conversion to a custom policy. Any custom policies are enabled for deletion by default.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Retention Policies.
2
Topology types with inherited retention policies only. Convert the inherited retention policy to a custom policy.
a
On the Manage Retention Policies dashboard, in the Topology Type—Property Name column, click the row containing the topology type that has inherited policies.
The Add Retention Policy dialog box opens.
b
In the Add Retention Policy dialog box, click Save.
The Add Retention Policy dialog box closes and the Manage Retention Policy refreshes, showing a set of check boxes on the right of each sampling period, allowing you to select them for deletion.
4
Click the Delete Selected button at the bottom.
5
In the Retention Policy Confirmation dialog box, click OK.
6
The Retention Policy Confirmation dialog box closes and the Manage Retention Policies dashboard refreshes, no longer showing the newly-deleted sampling periods.

Before you get started with editing retention policies, you need to identify the topology type whose retention policies you want to edit. Editing a retention policy for a topology type, causes its descendants to inherit the newly-edited retention policy.

The Manage Retention Policies dashboard lists all of the available topology types that exists in the database schema and their properties but does not provide information on their position in the schema, such as their ancestors, descendants, or object instances. To identify the descendants of a particular topology type, use the Schema Browser dashboard. In addition to topology type ancestors, the Schema Browser dashboard can show the properties, descendants, and instances for each topology type. For complete information about the Schema Browser dashboard, see the Dashboard Support Guide.

For more information about the Schema Browser, see the Foglight User Guide.

The Manage Retention Policies dashboard allows you to edit existing retention policy periods. If a topology type directly references the default data storage cycle, such as the TopologyObject super-type, its retention policies cannot be modified. The default data storage cycle can be adjusted using the Retention Policies dashboard. In addition to associating the default monitoring policies with data storage cycles, this dashboard allows you to inspect the topology objects and to delete them by applying specific retention policies to the collected data, or to purge specific data objects as required. For more information about this dashboard, see the Foglight User Guide.

Any types descending from TopologyObject that inherited its retention policies can have their retention policies modified. This also applies to the descendants that have custom retention policies.

For example, the retention policies of the TopologyObject super-type reference the default cycle, and as such, cannot be modified. The retention policy of any TopologyObject descendants that inherit its default policy can be modified after its conversion to a custom policy. Any custom policies are enabled for edits by default.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Retention Policies.
2
Topology types with inherited retention policies only. Convert the set of inherited retention policy to custom policies.
a
On the Manage Retention Policies dashboard, in the Topology Type—Property Name column, click the row containing the topology type that has inherited policies.
b
In the Add Retention Policy dialog box, click Save.
The Add Retention Policy dialog box closes and the Manage Retention Policy refreshes, showing a set of check boxes on the right of each sampling period, allowing you to select them for deletion.
The Edit Retention Policy Period dialog box opens.
In the Edit Retention Policy Period dialog box, in the After column, specify the duration and the measurement unit of the data sampling period. For example: 16 min.
In the Roll-up to column, specify the duration and the measurement unit of the roll-up period. For example: 1 hour.
9
Click Save.
The Edit Retention Policy Period dialog box closes and a message appears in the upper-left, indicating the success of the edit operation.

You can create new retention policies for the topology types listed in the table on the Manage Retention Policies dashboard.

The super-type, TopologyObject, has a set of default retention policies that directly reference the default data storage cycle. You cannot create additional policies for this type. The default data storage cycle can be adjusted using the Retention Policies dashboard. In addition to associating default monitoring policies with data storage cycles, this dashboard allows you to inspect the topology objects and delete them by applying specific retention policies to the collected data, or to purge specific data objects as required. For more information about this dashboard, see the Foglight User Guide.

Any types descending from TopologyObject that inherited its retention policies can have their retention policies modified. This also applies to the descendants that have custom retention policies.

For example, the retention policies of the TopologyObject super-type reference the default cycle. You cannot add new retention policies to that topology type. The retention policy of any TopologyObject descendants that inherit its default policy can be modified to include additional policies. However, adding a new policy to a set of inherited default policies converts all of the type’s policies to custom.

1
On the navigation panel, under Dashboards, choose Administration > Data > Manage Retention Policies.
2
On the Manage Retention Policies dashboard, click the topology type to which you want to add a new retention policy.
The Add Retention Policy dialog box opens.
3
Topology types with one or more inherited retention policies only. Ensure that the retention policy that you are about to create does not overwrite any inherited policies
In the Add Retention Policy dialog box, select Copy inherited retention policy is selected.
NOTE: This check box appears in the Add Retention Policy dialog box only if the selected type includes any inherited retention policies.
In the Add Retention Policy dialog box, in the After column, specify the duration and the measurement unit of the data sampling period. For example: 20 min.
In the Roll-up to column, specify the duration and the measurement unit of the roll-up period. For example: 1 hour.
7
Click Save.
The Edit Retention Policy Period dialog box closes and a message appears in the upper-left, indicating the success of the edit operation.

This section contains information on how to monitor, estimate, and manage the size of your database.

Foglight server comes with a rule, Catalyst Database Space Checking, which monitors the size of the database and triggers alarms at different severity levels. The following registry variables define the thresholds used by the rule:

DBSMon.MaxDatabaseSize (the intended maximum size of the database, in bytes)

You can optionally attach actions to the rule, such as sending out emails to a database administrator.

For more information about the Catalyst Database Space Checking rule, see Catalyst Database Space Checking rule.

Each topology type can be assigned a retention policy, which determines either the granularity at which the metric history data is rolled up or whether the data should be purged after reaching a certain age.

The default retention policy for the root topology type is to roll up to the granularity of 15 minutes after the data is 15 minutes old, to the granularity of one hour after the data is four hours old, and to the granularity of one day after the data is one week old. This policy is inherited by sub-types, unless it is overridden by non-default retention policies.

The retention policy is a useful tool for controlling the database size of the monitoring server. If a particular monitoring domain contains a large number of metrics, it would be helpful to apply a coarse-grained granularity to the retention policy of the top-level topology types, or to purge metric history data after a certain age, if appropriate.

In typical environments, metric history occupies most of the storage space in the Foglight database. However, some Foglight cartridges employ non-metric-based observations that are persisted in different ways than metric-based observations.

The following observation types are persisted in the obs_string_* tables:

Complex observations are persisted in the obs_binary_* tables.

To achieve a more accurate size estimation, you can factor in the space taken by both binary and string observation tables.

For example, if a cartridge has five complex observations and all of them are persisted in five-minute granularity for two weeks, more database space is needed, in addition to metric history.

You can check the typical record size of a table by looking at the database serviceability metrics in the browser interface. Select the Configuration > Data node in the navigation panel, and in the display area, expand the Foglight > All Data > FSMDatabases > <foglight_management_server_machine> > Tables node. You will see a list of sub-nodes that represent the tables used by Foglight.

Select and expand one of the obs_binary_* nodes and you will find several metric nodes. You can calculate the typical record size using the following formula:

(dataLength + indexLength) / numberRows

Assuming that the average record size is 1.1KB, you can get a good idea of how much space the complex observations will take using the following formula:

(1.1KB) * (# of complex observations) * (3600 / (granularity in seconds)) * 24 * (# of days) * (# of hosts)

This gives us the number of MB needed (approximately an additional 220MB) to monitor ten hosts for two weeks.

MySQL with innodb engine does not shrink the table space file, even after you truncate the tables.

3
Use mysqldump to dump all of your InnoDB tables:
NOTE: Substitute dbport, dbuser, dbpwd, and dbname with the correct port number, user name, password, and database name.
NOTE: Substitute dbport, dbuser, and dbpwd the correct port number, user name, password, and database name.

If you are using an external database, you may experience a situation where the database password for the Foglight database account has changed (for example, when password policies change). Use the following method to reconfigure Foglight to start up with the new database password. The password can be encrypted using the keyman command, and then updated in the external database and in the server.config file.

If the administrative password for the embedded database changes, use the same procedure, and update the server.database.embedded.password parameter in the server.config file.

Issue the keyman command using the following syntax:
bin/keyman encpwd "<new_password>" foglight.defaultkey
Where new_password contains the new password value.
a
Open the config/server.config file for editing.
c
Save the changes to the server.config file and restart the Foglight Management Server.

For more information about the keyman command, see the Command-Line Reference Guide.

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