Foglight 6.0.0 - Administration and Configuration Guide

Working with Metric Thresholds

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. Each metric can have one threshold associated with it. A threshold is always associated with a threshold level. Threshold levels refer to a particular state of monitoring entities, such as agent states, alarm severities, and others. Each threshold level includes a unique set of threshold bound levels that are specific to that level. For example, the threshold level AgentState comes with several bound levels that relate to agent states, such as Running and Collecting Data.

Creating a threshold involves selecting a metric and defining values for threshold bounds. A bound level value can be a constant value, a registry variable, or another metric of the same topology type. As data is sampled, Foglight evaluates the metrics for which thresholds are defined, matching their run-time values with bound-specific values in pre-defined order, and performs actions when specific bound levels are reached.

You can create and manage thresholds using the Manage Thresholds dashboard. To access this dashboard, from the navigation panel, click Dashboards > Administration > Data > Manage Thresholds.

For more information, see the following topics:

Analyze Activity Levels with IntelliProfile

Foglight uses the IntelliProfile technology to estimate the system performance and help with system monitoring and planning. IntelliProfile uses data collected during a desired time period and generates a baseline operating range based on the collected metrics.

NOTE: You can only use this feature after installing a baseline cartridge that contains definitions for a selected metric property. Agent developers can write baseline cartridges. For more information about metric thresholds, see Working with Metric Thresholds.

A baseline establishes expected data patterns for a given time period. Baselines are periodically evaluated during IntelliProfile learning cycles, to reflect changes in data patterns.

During operating cycles, IntelliProfile compares incoming data for those metrics that have IntelliProfile threshold levels configured. Metric threshold states reflect the degree of deviation from the baseline, and can indicate potential performance bottlenecks. If there are any rule conditions that evaluate threshold states for such metrics, Foglight can generate alarms when a metric enters a certain threshold state.

IntelliProfile settings can be viewed and managed using the IntelliProfile dashboard. To access this dashboard, from the navigation panel, click Dashboards > Administration > Data > IntelliProfile.

For more information, see the following topics:

Working with Foglight Registry Variables

The Foglight registry is a collection of variables. Their values can be used for evaluation or comparison in monitoring entities and thus often determine evaluation outcome and triggered actions. The Foglight registry is not related to the host’s OS registry (for example, the Windows registry).

Rule conditions, for example, and their expressions can reference registry variables. 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. For example, your organization can have different administrators looking after different hosts. To configure Foglight to send host-related emails to appropriate recipients, scope the SYSADMIN variable to the monitored host instances and associate an email address with each host.

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.

You can create and manage registry variables using the Manage Registry Variables dashboard. To access this dashboard, from the navigation panel, click Dashboards > Administration > Rules & Notifications > Manage Registry Variables.

To find out the value of a registry variable for a particular topology type or object during a specific time period, use the Check Registry Value dashboard. To access this dashboard, from the navigation panel, click Dashboards > Administration > Rules & Notifications > Check Registry Value.

For more information, see the following topics:

Associate Metric Calculations with Schedules

A schedule consists of one or more schedule items. Each schedule item includes a start date, an end date or a time range during which it runs, a recurrence pattern, and the range of recurrence. A default Foglight installation includes a number of schedules, including Always, Business hours, Business week, and many others.

Rules, registry variables, derived metrics, and other Foglight components use schedules to initiate calendar-driven actions. For example, a registry variable can have multiple values, each associated with a specific schedule. If none of the existing schedules meet your needs, add a new schedule to the existing collection and associate it with the registry value.

You can create and manage schedules using the Manage Schedules dashboard. To access this dashboard, from the navigation panel, click Dashboards > Administration > Schedules > Manage Schedules.

NOTE: If you accidentally delete the Daily Database Maintenance schedule, the server will recreate it within 24 hours.

For more information, see the following topics: