Enterprise Edition - Probe Server

Enterprise Edition allows you to configure independent Applications Manager installations to monitor various resources and then collectively view the data from all these independent Applications Manager installations, known as Probe Servers, from a single master server known as Central Server.

During installation, you need to select 'Enterprise Edition'. Next, select the installation type as 'Probe Server'. Consequently, you need to enter the HostName, SSL & webserver port of the Central Server, to which the Probe Server is going to be connected. Probe Server's function is similar to that of a standalone Applications Manager, with the user configuring the various monitors, thresholds, and alarms. HTTPS mode of communication is used for communication with the Central Server.

Using the Jump To link in the Central Server (just above the toolbar), you can view the Probe Server web console.

• Probe Server Configuration
• Probe Server Actions
• FAQ

Probe Server Configuration

The Probe Server automatically gets registered with the Central Server when it starts up. In case you want to edit the configuration, go to Settings tab. Click on the Probe Servers link. This will take you to the Probe Server page from where you can configure the Probe Servers. Alternatively, this can be done by clicking on the Probe Servers link just below the main tabs.

Steps to Add a Probe Server

• Click on the Add New link, it opens up the Add New Probe Server form
• Enter the Host Name of the Probe Server
• Enter the Web Server Port number, the port at which the web client is to be connected
• Enter the SSL port number, the port at which secure communication is to be made between the Central and Probe Server.
• Enter the Server ID, the ID present under Installation Information table under Settings tab -> Tools -> Support of the Probe Server
• Enter the Admin Password for the Probe Server. (Note: This password should be the same as that of the Admin role password of that probe server. If the user changes that password in the Probe server, then the user has to manually update the same in the central server)
• Click on Add Probe Server, and the Probe Server gets added. It is displayed under the Probe Servers link along with the details of the number of monitors, status, load factor, etc.

The following probe server details are displayed in the table:

• Server ID - The ID of the probe server.
• Display Name - The display name of the probe server.
• Probe Server Group - The probe server group to which the server belongs.
• Monitors Status - The health status of the monitor
• Load Factor - The Load Factor of the server.
• Last Polled at - The time last polled at.
• Syncing - The syncing status of the probe server (completed or in progress)
• Download - The status of the Service pack download.
• Upgrade - The upgrade status of the Service Pack.

You can select one or more Probe Servers and click the Download Now link at the bottom of the table to download the Service Pack and the Upgrade Now link to upgrade the Service Pack.

Note: To find out if a particular Applications Manager installation is heavily loaded, you can use the Load Factor, which is provided in the 'Support' tab under the 'Applications Manager Installation Information' category. The load factor follows the format x.y, where 'x' represents load on the Applications Manager Server, while 'y' represents the load on the Database used by Applications Manager. A value of zero represents the least loaded, while a value of nine represents the most loaded. Hence, Load Factor can take values from 0.0 to 9.9 (heavily loaded). The Load Factor of each of the Probe Servers is also displayed in the Central server under the "Probe Servers" option, and you can use the same to distribute load evenly among the Probe Servers.

Note:
The Load Factor can be denoted by x.y, where x represents the Probe server polling load factor, and y represents the Probe server database load factor
The Maximum value of x,y can be configured in the AMServer.properties file of the Central server:
x - am.mas.polling.max.loadfactor - default value 5
y - am.mas.database.max.loadfactor - default value 5

Probe Server Actions

Fetch Data: There is an option to fetch the data from the probe servers at the given instant instead of waiting for the poll to happen.

Edit: You can edit the probe server details using this option.

Enable/Disable Sync: You can enable/disable data collection in the Probe Server. Note that when you disable, data collection will still take place; you only stop syncing with the probe server.

Push Auth Key: Allows you to push the auth key to selected Probe server(s), which is used to authenticate the sync between the Central server and selected Probe server(s).

Admin Email Settings: An EMail can be configured to be sent once a Probe Server goes down and also once every 24 hours until the Probe Server is up again. The Email setting is available in the Admin Email Settings" option under the Settings tab. The option to enable/disable this EMail is available in the "Edit" option of the respective Probe Server.

Proxy Probe Server request through Central Server: When you log in to the Central console, Graphs and images displayed for a monitor are retrieved directly from the corresponding Probe Server itself and are displayed in the Central console. These graphs/images cannot be retrieved if the Central Server is accessible from a particular machine/over the Internet and the Probe Server is not accessible.

In this case, select the "Proxy Probe Server request through Central Server" request option. This will result in the images/graphs being fetched to the Central Server from the Probe Server first, and then the image from the Central Server is viewable in the Web Browser.

E.g., Central Server is running as part of IDC and accessible via the Internet (From a machine, say "ClientMachine"), but the Probe Servers are not accessible (from "ClientMachine"). This option should be enabled.

Note: In case of a proxy server configured in the network, make sure to configure the proxy server for both Central and Probe servers.

User Management: In the Enterprise setup, the User Management module functions independently in the Central Server and Probe Server. Hence, a user-based view assigned in the Probe Server will not be reflected in the Central Server and vice versa. Since you will be viewing the data collectively from the Central Server, you need to assign owners to the various Monitor Groups of the Probe Server in the Central Server. Of course, if it is assigned to the Probe Server, it will function independently. Also, in the Manager Console (SLA Management console), you can assign SLAs and associate actions to be invoked for SLA violation to the Monitor Groups in the Central Server.

Probe Server Access

Click on the Jump To link in the Central Server just above the toolbar, which brings down a list of the Probe Servers. Clicking on any of the Probe Server names in the list will take you to the web console of the respective Probe Server in a separate browser Window.

Note: The ENTERPRISEADMIN role is used for logging into the Probe Server from the Central Server for data synchronising. The username for this role is systemadmin_enterprise, and the password is the regular ADMIN role password. This role is not exposed in the UI; it will be used internally.

Important: Visit Enterprise Edition FAQ for details on when and how to set up the Enterprise Edition.

FAQ - How is the Probe server selected by APM using load factor?

The following two things are used to select the probe server automatically.

Load Factor (x.y) where,
x represents Probe server polling load factor
y represents Probe server database load factor
Max. value of x,y can be configured in the AMServer.properties file of the Central server
x - am.mas.polling.max.loadfactor - default value 5
y - am.mas.database.max.loadfactor - default value 5

Maximum monitor allowed per Probe server
The value can be configurable in AMServer.properties. The key is am.max.monitorcount.mas and the default value is 500.
The Condition for choosing a probe server is,
x < maxAllowedValueOfPollingLoad (and)
y < maxAllowedValueOfDatabaseLoad (and)
n < maxMonitorAllowed

If the condition is not matched, then we show the "No Probe server is available" message to the user.