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  hIOmon FAQs - Automated Monitoring Config Setup Script

The following help information provides simple "Quick Start" instructions that show you how to use the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script", which is only available with the hIOmon I/O Performance Monitor software package.  Please refer to the hIOmon User Guide for a full explanation of the "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" along with detailed descriptions of the various displays, control commands and other advanced facilities supported by the hIOmon software.  

IMPORTANT NOTE:  The "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" can optionally be run as part of the Windows® Installer installation process for the hIOmon software (please refer to "question 1" within the "Installation FAQs" or to the "Installation Process" section of the hIOmon User Guide for more information).

Quick Step-by-Step

The hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" is a VBScript that you can use to easily and quickly: 

  1. Create and activate a new Filter Selection that specifies the particular files that you want monitored by hIOmon along with the respective types of I/O operation metrics to be collected by hIOmon;

  2. Optionally define and activate a new hIOmon Manager Export File to which selected I/O operation metrics of interest can be exported in real-time and within a CSV (or Intel NASPT) file format.

  3. Configure the hIOmon software in accordance with the hIOmon Add-Ons; that is, perform both steps above as required and applicable to the hIOmon "Device and File I/O Performance Analysis Add-On", "Process I/O Performance Analysis Add-On", "Intel NASPT Support Add-On", or the "Fragmented File I/O Operation Metrics Analysis Add-On".

The use of the "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" requires that both the hIOmon Manager and the hIOmon I/O Monitor be currently running; this should be the case if you successfully completed the installation of the hIOmon software (as described within the "Installation FAQs" or the "Installation Process" section of the hIOmon User Guide).  You can verify the current status of both the hIOmon Manager and the hIOmon I/O Monitor by using, as examples,  the hIOmon WMI Browser "View - Status" menu option or the hIOmon Presentation Client "Action - Start/Stop Monitor" menu option.

Please also note the following:

  1. This script can optionally be run as part of the Windows Installer installation process for the hIOmon software.  Please refer to "question 1" within the "Installation FAQs" or to the "Installation Process" section of the hIOmon User Guide for more information.

  2. This script can also be run manually by clicking upon the Windows "Start -> Programs -> hIOmon -> Getting Started Help -> hIOmon Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup" shortcut (that was added to the Start Menu by the Windows Installer as part of the hIOmon software installation process).

  3. This script supports the creation/modification of a single Filter Selection; one or more hIOmon Manager Export Files can optionally be created by this script.

  4. The Filter Selection options that you can specify using this script are restricted to those allowed by the hIOmon Licensed Features.  For example, the Filter Selection option to collect "I/O Trace" operation information is not supported by the script if the hIOmon "I/O Trace Data Licensing Option" is not licensed.

  5. This VBScript makes use of the hIOmon WMI Support.  The hIOmon WMI Support also provides additional VBScript examples that can be used to perform solely a particular configuration function (e.g., to just create a hIOmon Manager Export File).  See the hIOmon WMI Sample Index for additional information.

Running the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" results in a series of interactive prompts that request applicable parameter options related to the Filter Selection and hIOmon Manager Export File being created (e.g., the name of the Filter Selection to be created).

IMPORTANT NOTE:  As shown below, the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" provides six basic hIOmon software configuration setup options:

  1. Device and File I/O Performance Analysis (in support of the hIOmon "Device and File I/O Performance Analysis Add-On").

  2. Process I/O Performance Analysis (in support of the hIOmon "Process I/O Performance Analysis Add-On").

  3. SSD I/O Performance Analysis (in support of the hIOmon "Solid State Disk I/O Performance Analysis Add-On").

  4. Fragmented File I/O Performance Metrics (in support of the hIOmon "Fragmented File I/O Operation Metrics Analysis Add-On").

  5. Intel® NAS Performance Toolkit (in support of the hIOmon "INASPT Support Add-On").

  6. Custom Setup (which enables you to create/activate a new Filter Selection and optionally define/activate a new hIOmon Manager Export File based upon limited input parameters).  The "step-by-step" instructions provided immediately below are applicable to this configuration setup option.

Step 1: Select the "Custom Setup" Configuration Setup Option

Step 2: Select the particular files that are to be monitored

Defining a Filter Selection

The hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" next requests the name of the Filter Selection to be created (or modified).  Files that are to be monitored by hIOmon are identified through the use of a "Filter Selection".

A "Filter Selection" consists of one or more file path names representing those particular files that are to be monitored (or specifically excluded from being monitored) by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.  Each of the individual file path names is considered to be a "filter".  That is, each file path name represents a filter in that the hIOmon I/O Monitor will match the name against the file I/O operations it observes to determine whether or not the I/O operation is to be monitored (i.e., whether or not I/O performance information is to be collected for the I/O operation, and if so, the type of performance information that is to be collected).  An asterisk ("*") can be used as a wildcard character in your specification of the file path name (that is, "filter").  Be sure that the associated device letter is entered as well.  Several examples are shown below:

Filter Examples:

         C:\Program Files\*

         C:\Program Files\myProgram.exe

         C:\junk.*

         D:\*

Adding Filters to the Filter Selection

After requesting the name of the Filter Selection in the initial prompt, the script issues a series of prompts that allow you to add specific Filters to the named Filter Selection.  Once again, each of these Filters represents a particular file that is to be monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.

For each Filter to be added to the named Filter Selection, the script will prompt for:

  1. The full path name of the file to be monitored (e.g., "C:\Program Files\*").  Note that when you are done adding Filters to the Filter Selection, simply click on the 'Cancel' button in response to the prompt for the full path name of the next file to be monitored.

    Instead of entering the name of a file to be monitored, you can enter either:

    a)  BROWSE - to browse for the full path name of a file to be monitored.  This brings up a Windows® "Choose File Browser" dialogue box.  Navigate to the particular file that is to be monitored, then click on the 'Open' button; the full path name of the selected file will then be placed into the prompt box.

    b)  LIST - to display a list of the file names that have already been specified to be added to the Filter Selection.

  2. Whether the specified file is to be specifically excluded from being monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor.

  3. The time period associated with the periodic offload of the summarized I/O operation metrics.  Note that the script by default automatically specifies for each Filter added that summarized I/O operation metrics are to be collected (unless the Filter represents an exclusion or the hIOmon "Summarized Data Licensing Option" is not licensed).  In addition, the script will also automatically create a "Device Summary" Filter requesting summarized I/O operation metrics upon the same time period basis as that specified for the associated File Filter. 

  4. The particular I/O operation types that are to be monitored for the specified file (i.e., Read, Write, Read/Write, or Read/Write/Control).

  5. Whether an "I/O Trace" is to be collected for the specified file.  Note that the script will prompt for this option only if the hIOmon "I/O Trace Data Licensing Option" is licensed.

    We generally recommend that you enter "0", which indicates that you do not want an I/O Trace to be collected for the specified file.  Requesting an I/O trace can result in an enormous amount of I/O trace data being collected by the hIOmon I/O Monitor and can adversely impact system performance.  Instead, we recommend that you take a "top-down" approach and first make use of the     summarized I/O operation metrics (which will automatically be collected; see step 3 above).

  6. Whether "Physical Device Extended Metrics" are to be collected for the specified files, and if so, whether or not an "I/O Trace" for the associated Physical Device should also be collected.  Note that the script will prompt for the "Physical Device Extended Metrics" option only if the hIOmon "Raw Device Extended Feature" is licensed; similarly the script will prompt for the respective "I/O Trace" option only if the hIOmon "I/O Trace Data Licensing Option" is licensed.  In addition, the script will also automatically create a "Device Summary" Filter for the Physical Device requesting summarized I/O operation metrics upon the same time period basis as that specified for the associated File Filter.

NOTE:  Please be sure that you do not add any Filters that represent floppy, CD, or DVD lettered drive paths (otherwise you will encounter an error message when the hIOmon I/O Monitor tries to "Load" the Filter Selection; "Loading a Filter Selection" is further described below).

Default Filter Selection

After you have completed adding Filters to the named Filter Selection, the script will automatically make the Filter Selection the new ‘default’ Filter Selection.  The "default" Filter Selection is that Filter Selection which will automatically be loaded into the hIOmon I/O Monitor when the hIOmon Manager "AutoStart" option (to automatically activate file I/O operation monitoring by the hIOmon I/O Monitor when the hIOmon Manager is started) is enabled.

Loading the Filter Selection

After making the named Filter Selection the new "default", the script will issue a prompt allowing you to create a new hIOmon Manager Export File (see step 3 below).

Once you are done creating any new hIOmon Manager Export Files, the script will as a final step automatically load the named Filter Selection if no Physical Device Extended Metrics were requested (or if requested, but all respective Physical Devices have already been attached by the hIOmon I/O Monitor when the hIOmon I/O Monitor was boot started); otherwise, a message is issued indicating that the system must be rebooted so as to complete the requested Filter Selection configuration. 

As a result of the Filter Selection "load" operation, the hIOmon Manager will pass the Filter Selection to be loaded down to its associated hIOmon I/O Monitor; consequently, the loaded Filter Selection will be used by the hIOmon I/O Monitor when file I/O monitoring is activated within the hIOmon I/O Monitor.

Note that as a result of the Installation Default Settings (see the hIOmon User Guide for more information), the hIOmon Manager will normally have automatically activated the collection of file I/O operation performance information by the hIOmon I/O Monitor when the hIOmon Manager is started.

However, if you need to manually activate the collection of I/O operation performance information by the hIOmon I/O Monitor, you can use the "enable file I/O operation monitoring" option provided by the hIOmon WMI Browser "Modify - I/O Monitor" display.  For the hIOmon Presentation Client, select the "Actions -> Start/Stop Monitor" menu item and then click on the "Start" button located to the right of the "current I/O Data collection" status field (which indicates whether or not the hIOmon I/O Monitor is enabled to actually monitor and collect file I/O operation performance information based upon the loaded Filter Selection).

In Summary

In summary, the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" enables you to easily and quickly specify the particular files to be monitored by the hIOmon I/O Monitor through:

  1. Creating (or modifying) a Filter Selection that contains one or more Filters representing the particular files that you want monitored, the type of information to be collected (e.g., I/O operation types), and the particular time period in which the collected summarized I/O operation metrics are to be offloaded to the hIOmon Manager.

  2. Automatically making the Filter Selection the new "default" Filter Selection (so that it will automatically be loaded by the hIOmon Manager when it is started).

  3. Automatically loading the Filter Selection into the hIOmon I/O Monitor so that it is immediately used by the hIOmon I/O Monitor in determining which particular files are to be monitored along with the types of I/O operation information to be collected.  If it cannot automatically load the Filter Selection (due to system reboot requirements), then the script will issue a message noting that the system must be rebooted to complete the Filter Selection configuration setup. 

The hIOmon Presentation Client "Edit -> Filters" menu option can be used to create, modify and load Filter Selections.  Likewise, the hIOmon WMI Browser "Modify - Filter Selection" display can also be used to create, modify and load Filter Selections; the "View - Filter Selection" display can be used to view the contents and current status of Filter Selections.

NOTE:  Please note that, depending upon the number and type of files selected to be monitored (along with the actual amount of associated I/O activity), the quantity of I/O trace information collected by the hIOmon I/O Monitor can vary and sometimes become quite large.  As a first step, we recommend that you consider the use of the hIOmon filters and summary capabilities to begin your observations of I/O operation performance from the overall perspective (i.e., a "top-down" approach); the Alert options, along with the ability to display the summarized I/O operation performance information in a sorted order based upon a selected performance metric, can be especially helpful in this regard.  Then, based upon the I/O operation performance information results provided by hIOmon, drill-down as necessary to the particular files/devices of interest.  (The more advanced features of hIOmon, such as the support for "replay" mode and the ability to configure hIOmon I/O Monitor memory usage, do allow you to completely capture, if necessary, the entire I/O trace information for highly accessed files/devices). 

Step 3: Defining and starting a new hIOmon Manager Export File

After you have completed adding Filters to the named Filter Selection (step 2 above), the script will issue a series of prompts allowing you to create one (or more) new hIOmon Manager Export Files.

A hIOmon Manager Export File is a CSV (or INASPT) format disk file into which the hIOmon Manager can directly save/export in real-time the summarized I/O (or I/O trace) operation performance information that it has retrieved from its associated hIOmon I/O Monitor.  Moreover, you can optionally specify the particular types of performance metrics that are to be included within the CSV-format hIOmon Manager Export File; this option enables you to restrict the contents of the export file to only your particular metrics of interest. 

Defining a new hIOmon Manager Export File

The hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" will:

  1. First request the name of the new hIOmon Manager Export File to be created.  Click on the "Cancel" button if you do not want to create a new (or another) hIOmon Manager Export File.

  2. Request the "content type" associated with the respective hIOmon Manager Export File.  A hIOmon Manager Export File can contain either "I/O Trace" operation data or "I/O Summary" (i.e., summarized) operation metrics, but not both.  Note that the content type options allowed to be requested are dependent upon the particular hIOmon Feature Options that are licensed (e.g., the "I/O Trace" content type option is allowed only if the hIOmon "I/O Trace Data Licensing Option" is licensed).  Note that this option only applies to the CSV-format hIOmon Manager Export Files.

  3. Request the name of the particular metric type that is to be exported to the respective hIOmon Manager Export File.  Simply enter "ALL" to have all metric types defined for a particular content type included within the hIOmon Manager Export File.  Click on the "Cancel" button when you are done entering the names of those particular metric types to be included within the respective hIOmon Manager Export File.  Note that this option only applies to the CSV-format hIOmon Manager Export Files. 

    To only include specific metric types, enter the respective names of these metric types individually at each script prompt for a metric type name.  For example, enter "SequenceID" to include the "SequenceID" field within the hIOmon Manager Export File whose content type is "I/O Trace".  Similarly, enter "ReadIOPCount" to include the "ReadIOPCount" field within the hIOmon Manager Export File whose content type is "I/O Summary".

    The hIOmon WMI Browser "Help -> hIOmon CIM/MOF Classes" menu option can be used to display all of the available metric types for the "hIOmon_ExportFileIOtrace" and "hIOmon_ExportFileSummary" content types of the hIOmon Manager Export File.  The hIOmonSetMgrExportFile.vbs script can also be used to display the available metric types associated with a particular content type.  Appendix A of the hIOmon User Guide provides a description of the various metric type fields for both the I/O Trace (see "File I/O Operation Trace Export") and I/O Summary (see "File I/O Performance Summary Export") content types.

  4. Automatically configure the newly created hIOmon Manager Export File to be a "default" hIOmon Manager Export File (so that the hIOmon Manager will automatically begin saving the requested export metrics to the hIOmon Manager Export File when the hIOmon Manager is started; note also that the script will also automatically configure the appropriate hIOmon Manager "AutoStart" options for this to occur).    

Activating the hIOmon Manager Export File

After you have completed creating the hIOmon Manager Export File(s), the script will automatically activate the newly created hIOmon Manager Export File(s) so that the hIOmon Manager will immediately begin saving/exporting to the Export File(s) those metrics that it subsequently retrieves from the hIOmon I/O Monitor as a result of loading the Filter Selection. 

That's it!  Getting started using the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script" to quickly create a simple Filter Selection (which, moreover, will automatically be loaded) along with one or more hIOmon Manager Export Files to which the I/O operation metrics collected by hIOmon will be exported in real-time and within a CSV (or INASPT) file format is as easy as:

  1. Specifying the particular files that you want monitored by hIOmon along with the respective types of I/O operation metrics to be collected by hIOmon;

  2. Optionally defining a new hIOmon Manager Export File to which selected I/O operation metrics of interest can be exported in real-time and within a CSV-file format.

hIOmon provides a variety of means to display the I/O operation metrics that have been collected by hIOmon, including the hIOmon Presentation Client, the hIOmon WMI Browser, the hIOmon CLI Support, and the hIOmon Performance/System Monitor Support.  See the "Getting Started" help for more information about these hIOmon clients. 

Once again, please refer to the hIOmon User Guide for further information about the hIOmon "Automated Monitoring Configuration Setup Script".

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