hIOmon™ Disk I/O Ranger Display Help Information

Brief help information for the following topics related to the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application (HTA) is provided below:

Background Information

The hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application can be used to display the hIOmon "Performance Threshold Range Metrics", which are a selected set of summarized I/O operation performance metrics that are specifically focused upon the ranges of I/O operations per second (IOPS), megabytes-per-second (MB/s) data transfer rates, response time (RT), and I/O operation queue depths/lengths actually observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor for individual files, devices, and processes.

These metrics are automatically included within the summarized I/O operation performance information that can be collected by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.  They can be displayed by the hIOmon Presentation Client, the hIOmon CLI, and the hIOmon WMI Browser, all of which are included within the "hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor" software package from hyperI/O.  These metrics are also accessible via the hIOmon WMI Support.

The hIOmon “Performance Threshold Range Metrics” can also be directly exported to a CSV-formatted "hIOmon Manager Export File", which is another feature that is included within the "hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor" software package.

In addition, the hIOmon Presentation Client can be used to display these metrics within a “Bar Chart” graphic format similar to that shown by the hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application.

Please note that the hIOmon "Performance Threshold Range Metrics” reflect the actual I/O operation activity observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.  For instance, the "IOPS < 100" Range Count for read I/O operations reflects the number of one-second intervals during which the hIOmon I/O Monitor actually observed a total number of monitored read I/O operations that was less than 100 read I/O operations.

Similarly, the "MBS 100 < 200" Range Count for write I/O operations reflects the number of one-second intervals during which the hIOmon I/O Monitor actually observed a total amount of data transferred by write I/O operations that was 100 000 000 bytes (i.e., 100 megabytes) or more, but less than 200 000 000 bytes (i.e., 200 megabytes).

Also note that the hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application displays the selected Performance Threshold Range Metrics in real-time.  That is, the current summarized values of these metrics (as maintained by the hIOmon I/O Monitor) are retrieved by the hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application from the hIOmon I/O Monitor and then displayed.  This display is repeatedly refreshed (i.e., the latest values are retrieved from the hIOmon I/O Monitor and then displayed) upon a user-selected periodic basis (e.g., every five seconds). 

The hIOmon "Performance Threshold Range Metrics" provide a quick and easy way to assess the actual "speeds and feeds" I/O performance of your particular files, devices and applications in everyday, normal usage!
 

The hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application also supports the display and export of the hIOmon "DataTransferred/Time Index" metric, which provides a "high-level" means for relative comparison of I/O performance, where basically "higher is better"; that is, the "higher" the Index number, the better the performance - as in more data transferred and/or less required response time (i.e., application wait).  It resembles the "fuel economy" index for an automotive vehicle (i.e., "miles-per-gallon" or "kilometres/litre") as an overall measure of "performance efficiency"

The hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application is run as a Microsoft Windows HTML Application (HTA).  The metrics displayed are those currently collected by the hIOmon I/O Monitor, which must be properly configured to collect the particular types of metrics displayed by the hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application.  See the section immediately below for the configuration requirements.

Configuration Information

The hIOmon software must be properly configured in order to collect the "Performance Threshold Range Metrics" for display by the hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application.  This proper configuration includes an active/loaded hIOmon "Filter Selection".  The hIOmon "Filter Selection" specifies the particular files/devices that are to be monitored by the hIOmon software as well as the specific types of I/O operations to be monitored and the types of I/O operation performance metrics to be collected.  Moreover, the collection of I/O operation performance metrics generally begins when the Filter Selection is loaded/activated (these metrics are also reset to zeros when a Filter Selection is re-loaded/activated).

More specifically, the active Filter Selection must be configured to request the monitoring of read I/O operations (if "Read Range Counts" are to be displayed) and/or write I/O operations (if "Write Range Counts" as to be displayed) along with the collection of "summary" metrics (including "Device Summary" metrics)  for the particular files and logical devices, physical volume(s), and/or physical device(s) of interest.

Please note that the "summary" metrics collected by hIOmon are summarized I/O operation performance metrics that are automatically aggregated by the hIOmon I/O Monitor at the time that it observes the individual I/O operations.  Moreover, the collection of these "summary" metrics does not require the collection of "I/O operation trace" data (which is a separate option also provided by the "hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor" software package).  The "summary" metrics are an unique feature of the hIOmon software.

The hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application provides a simple and quick way to display a selected subset (specifically the "Performance Threshold Range Metrics") within the large, comprehensive set of summary metrics that can be captured, displayed, and exported by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.

Please note that this application also provides a limited means to configure the hIOmon software so as to collect the summary metrics required for display.  Additional information is provided within the "Getting Started" section below.

In addition, a hIOmon client (e.g., the hIOmon Presentation Client, the hIOmon WMI Browser, etc.) can be used to configure more specifically the hIOmon software in accordance with particular monitoring requirements; please note that these clients are included with the "hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor" software package.

The various hIOmon "Add-Ons" that are included with the "hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor" software package can also be used to quickly and easily configure the hIOmon software so as to meet particular configuration requirements.  For example, the hIOmon "SSD I/O Performance Metrics Analysis Add-On" uses a series of interactive input prompts that allow you to simply specify the particular physical volumes and/or physical devices for which the hIOmon software is to collect SSD TRIM-related metrics (and optionally summary metrics for read and write I/O operations, including the "Performance Threshold Range Metrics").  Based upon your selected input parameters, this hIOmon Add-On will then automatically configure the hIOmon software; please note that a restart/reboot of the computer system might be required in order to activate the required hIOmon configuration changes.

Installation Information

The hIOmon “Disk I/O Ranger Display” application can be found in the “hIOmonDiskIORanger” folder within the “..\hyperIO\hIOmon\Support\AddOns\” directory where the hIOmon software was installed; this applies to both the "hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger" and the "hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor" software products.

A "hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger” icon is placed upon the desktop along with the “Start -> Programs -> hIOmon -> hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger” shortcut (both of which are added by the Windows Installer as part of the hIOmon software installation process).

Getting Started

To use/run the hIOmon "Disk I/O Ranger Display" application, simply double-click upon the "hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger” desktop icon or use the the “Start -> Programs -> hIOmon -> hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger” shortcut.

You can also run the hIOmon “Disk I/O Ranger Display” application by simply double-clicking upon the "hIOmonDiskIORanger.hta" file located within the “hIOmonDiskIORanger” folder as noted above within the "Installation Information" section.

When first run after the installation of the hIOmon software package, the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application will by default determine whether there is an existing Filter Selection that is currently active, which should not be the case if you have not yet used any of the hIOmon clients (e.g., the hIOmon Presentation Client, the hIOmon WMI Brower, etc.) or a hIOmon Add-On to configure the hIOmon software.

If no active Filter Selection is found, then the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application will automatically perform the following steps:

  1. Create a Filter Selection (named "IORangerFS" by default) that will include a single filter specifying that both read and write I/O operations for all files upon the "C:" logical drive are to be monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor and that "summary" I/O operation performance metrics are to be collected for the monitored files.

  2. In addition, "Device Summary" metrics will also be collected for the "C:" logical drive; these "Device Summary" metrics reflect the combined totals for all of the monitored files that reside upon the C: logical disk and for which the hIOmon I/O Monitor observed read and/or write I/O operations.

  3. Will display an input prompt asking whether you also want both read and write I/O operations to be monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor for the physical disk associated with the "C:" logical drive.  If you enter a response indicating "Yes", then an additional filter for this physical disk will be included within the created Filter Selection; this filter will specify that "summary" I/O operation performance metrics are to be collected by the hIOmon I/O Monitor for both read and write I/O operations to the physical disk.

  4. After successfully creating this "IORangerFS" Filter Selection, the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application will then load/activate this Filter Selection.  The hIOmon I/O Monitor will immediately begin monitoring I/O operations for files residing upon the C: drive and collecting summary metrics; please note that no reboot of the system is required in this case since the hIOmon I/O Monitor will not be monitoring I/O operations at either the physical volume level or physical device level within the Windows OS I/O stack.

    Please note that no reboot of the system will be required unless you requested (in step 3 above) that I/O operation performance metrics are also to be collected for the physical disk associated with the C: drive.  If you did request that physical device metrics also be collected, then you will need to restart the system in order to complete the configuration of the hIOmon software; the hIOmon I/O Monitor will be able to monitor I/O operations at the physical device level within the Windows OS I/O stack after the system has been restarted.  If you do not restart the system in this case, then an error message will be shown when you try to display I/O operation performance metrics for the physical device.

  5. The hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application will then make the "IORangerFS" Filter Selection the "default" Filter Selection.  The hIOmon Manager software component loads the "default" Filter Selection (if any) automatically each time the system is started.

The hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application is initially configured so that only the combined "Read/Write" IOPS, MBS, QD (Queue Depth), and Response Time (RT) metrics are displayed, with the display refreshed with the current metric values upon a five-second periodic basis.

Please note that all of the above configuration settings for the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application can be changed by using the "Settings" button/option at the bottom of the "Main Display".

Main Display

The Main Display includes the detailed display of four basic "Performance Threshold Range Metric" groups (i.e., the IOPS, MBs, Queue Depth (QD), and Response Time (RT) Range Counts) along with important contextual information:

The "Settings" button at the bottom of the Main Display can be used to select a different monitored item to be displayed.

Also please note the following:

  1. All of the above metrics reflect the total, cumulative values that have been automatically accumulated by the hIOmon I/O Monitor during the indicated Observation Period.   

  2. Note that the first "one-second interval" begins with the first monitored read (in the case of the read and the combined read/write metrics) or write (in the case of the write and the combined read/write metrics) I/O operation observed by the hIOmon I/O Monitor for the respective file, device, or process.

  3. The metrics are displayed upon a individual monitored item basis (i.e., for a single file, process, logical disk, physical volume, or physical device).  The "Settings" button/option can be used to select a different monitored item for which the metrics are to be displayed.

  4. The display of the metric values is periodically refreshed/updated automatically to the current values.  You can view the refresh time interval by clicking on the "Settings" button/option; the "Settings" options can also be used to select a different refresh time interval.

  5. An error indication will be displayed near the bottom of the Main Display in the event that the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application encounters an error.  Click on the "Settings" option/button to view additional details about the error.

  6. If a Filter Selection change is made while the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application is active (i.e., is running), then the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application will subsequently display the selected metrics for the new Observation Period.

  7. You can invoke/run more than one instance of the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application.  Each instance can be configured to display the current metrics for a different monitored item (i.e., file, process, logical disk, physical volume, or physical device).

Settings Display

The Settings Display includes the following display information and configuration options:

Error Messages

The following error messages can be displayed by the hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger Display application:

This can also occur if the summary I/O operation performance metrics for the monitored item have been offloaded to the hIOmon Manager service and there has been no subsequent monitored I/O operation activity to the monitored item.  Please note that in this case, summary I/O operation performance metrics will again be available for display upon the subsequent resumption of I/O operation activity to/by the monitored item.

When the hIOmon Manager has detected that the expiration date has been reached, it will write an entry (Event ID 499, Source hIOmonGr) to the Application Event Log noting that the trial use of the hIOmon software has expired; the hIOmon Manager will then terminate its processing.

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