There are two main types of collectors:
Default collectors create usually the default KPIs and are delivered to you with Insights. Delivered collectors start with the /DVD/MON prefix and are pre-configured.
Custom collectors aren't part of Insights, but they enable you to create a custom KPI. You can create them in ABAP language (They start with Z* or Y*). However, these collectors should be created only by users with advanced knowledge of ABAP.
Default collectors (with the /DVD/MON prefix) are further divided into:
- Default collectors with non-adjustable settings – collect data necessary to build the default KPIs without the possibility to change the settings.
- Default collectors with custom settings – these collectors include an Input table, which enables you to change the settings of these collectors.
These collectors are further divided into:- Collectors with a custom rule – you may change which data is collected into the default KPIs assigned to this collector and thus influence the resulting value of a default KPI. For more information, see the chapter Collectors with a Custom Rule.
- Collector for user defined SQL – a special case of default collector. You may create a custom KPI and set the rules for the KPI's data collection in this collector. For more information, see the chapter Collector for user defined SQL.
- Collectors with a custom KPI – include the same functionality as "Collectors with a custom rule" plus you may create a custom KPI and set the rules for the KPI's data collection in this collector. For more information, see the chapter Collectors with a Custom KPI.
- Collectors with a custom rule – you may change which data is collected into the default KPIs assigned to this collector and thus influence the resulting value of a default KPI. For more information, see the chapter Collectors with a Custom Rule.
You may assign several KPIs to one collector, but you shouldn't assign one particular KPI to more than one collector. So, one particular KPI shouldn't be defined in more collectors. The reason is that collectors can be executed at once, but one KPI can be monitored at a specific time only once for a particular system. For more information about starting the monitoring, see the chapter (DI-2005) Schedule the Monitoring of KPIs.
For the Custom collectors and the Collector for user defined SQL, you may additionally define a Detail table. For more information, see the chapter (DI-2111) KPI Details Displayed in a Detail Table
Some collectors have defined parameters that values can be adjusted. For more information, see the chapter (DI-2111) Parameters of Collectors.