(DI-1711) Insights Core setup

This chapter describes the Insights setup and maintenance. When setting up Insights Core to monitor the system landscape, start by adding the systems to the monitoring pool and the setup of Monitoring Profiles.

Once the profiles have been created, they can be assigned to each system and monitoring can be started. The first run of the Insights Monitor will have an empty monitoring system pool.

Add a new system

To add your systems to the Monitor, follow these steps:

1. In the main application toolbar, click on the  Add new system for monitoring button or press (Shift + F1). A popup for adding a new system will appear.

2. Select the main system type.

_{Select system type}

3. In the Destination field, type the name of the RFC destination. For creating a new RFC destination, click on the Maintain RFC button and the system opens the Display and maintain RFC destinations transaction for this purpose.

4. After typing in the RFC destination field, click on the Check RFC button. The system checks the connection to the remote system. If the connection is present, the system displays additional information about the remote system in the fields below. If there are connection problems or if the remote system does not have the Insights collectors package installed, the system displays an error message.

_{Adding a new system}

5. If the connection is correct, then choose a System type.

6. In the Maximum time for RFC PING in the seconds field the user can set up a maximum time for RFC PING. If the remote system does not respond after the maximum time that is set, then it is highlighted that the system is not accessible with a red light icon in the monitoring pool.

7. Check whether all the information is correct. Finally, click on the green button Add system or press F8 function key. The new system will be added to the monitoring system pool.

_{New system in the monitoring system pool}

Once the system is added, you should start the monitoring. You can start this by clicking on the 'Start default monitoring'.

Delete a system from the monitoring pool

This step will remove a monitored system from the monitoring pool as well as all its Collector jobs and will delete all collected data including saved intervals. Before deletion you should stop the Collector jobs linked to the monitored system.

_{Removing a monitored system from the monitoring pool}

_{Warning if Collector jobs are not stopped before deletion}

_{User confirmation before final removal}

Create a Collector job (for monitoring)

For the monitoring of a remote system it is necessary to run a Collector job for monitoring. This Collector job is scheduled and periodically run as a background job. To create a Collector job follow these steps:

• In the main menu click on the  Create new Collector job button or press the function key F9.

The system displays a popup window known as a Collector Job Manager. This will have two sections namely Monitoring plan (for creating/ editing Collector jobs) and Running collector jobs (providing an overview of already created/running Collector jobs).

_{Collector job Manager}

To create a new Collector job, the user should define the following:

• Definition: Here the user provides the System ID to be monitored and assigns a KPI profile.
• Execution: The user may choose to run the Collector job immediately after the Collector job is (re)started or choose a time and date indicating when to begin.
• Period: The user defines the time interval between the Collector job runs.
• Retention time: Determines how long data will be stored on the Central monitoring system. After the retention time has elapsed data will be deleted. The only exception is data which was saved with a time stamp that belongs to a time interval specified by the user.

When the Collector job has been created/ edited, the user should click the (Re) Start Collector job button. A notification will appear in the bottom right-hand corner.

_{Successfully started monitoring Collector job}

System settings maintenance

When you click on the  System settings button in the main menu or press Shift + F5, the system displays the systems definition maintenance screen. In System maintenance category, you can change only RFC destination and response time.

System maintenance:

_{System maintenance}

Correct setup of response time is important in cases where there is a slow connection between systems. If response time is exceeded, then system is marked as offline or inaccessible.

Setup of response time

Server list category is for displaying list of servers for selected system. Here, it is possible to specify which server(s) are to be monitored.

_{Server list}

Assign a monitoring area to a satellite system

When a satellite system is successfully added to the list of monitored systems, assignment of the monitoring area is done automatically. In special cases (e.g. upgrade to a new Insights version with new monitoring areas) we need to assign the monitoring area manually by following these steps:

1. Go to 'System Settings' (Shift + F5).
2. Select the system that you would like to assign as a monitoring area.

   

3. Double click on 'System mon. areas' in the dialog structure tree. 
4. Click on New Entries'(F5) button. 
5. Add the new Monitoring area.

6. Press Enter and save changes.

With the assignment of the new monitoring area to a monitoring system it will be possible to collect area specific KPIs.

System groups:

Allows you to group Systems, based on common attributes such as, production, development systems, geographic location etc. Note that one system can be placed in multiple groups.
If a system is allocated to multiple groups, when you check or uncheck the system in one group, then this will also be reflected in the other groups to which the system is allocated.

 _{System groups}

In system group list category, it is possible to specify which system(s) will belong to group.

 _{System group list}

_{Example of graphical distribution of groups in system tree}

Configuration parameters:

Here, it is possible to customize the behavior for some predefined properties:

Max. runtime for execution of collecting BG jobs in seconds
Determine maximum runtime for collector BG job execution. If BG job runtime reach this limit then it is aborted. Each such Default value is 600 seconds (10 minutes). 
Allow use KILL WP for long-running collecting BG jobs
Allow to use low level function KILL Work-Process to terminate collecting BG job which cannot be aborted with standard functionality. Works only if previous configuration parameter "Max. runtime for BG job agent..." is not initial. Set this parameter to 'X' to turn it on. Default value is initial. 
Max. limit for BG work-processes consumption in same time
Specify a limit as to how many background work-processes can be used for collecting BG jobs in same time. Set number less then maximum of BG work-processes defined on central system. Default value is initial which means no limit for BG WP.
Priority class for execution of collecting BG jobs 
Set BG job priority class for execution of collecting BG jobs. Three priority classes are allowed: 'C'-lowest priority, 'B'-medium priority, 'A'-highest priority. BG jobs with highest priority class are executed firstly if exist more BG jobs waiting for free BG work process. Default value is 'C' or initial (has same meaning).
Server group for executing collecting BG jobs
Specify a name of server group for executing of collecting BG jobs. Server group can be created in SAP transaction SM61 and determines specific list of application servers where BG job can only run. Default value is initial (no specific server group is used). 
WARNING: If server group name is set incorrectly (not exist in SM61) then execution of collecting jobs will fail. 
User ID used for execution of collecting BG jobs
Set user ID which will be used for executing of collecting jobs. Each execution of collecting jobs and all actions of monitoring on central system are performed under this user ID. If no user ID is defined (default value) then logon user who triggers execution of collecting BG job will be used.
It is recommended to create such user of system type on central monitoring system and setup it with limited authorizations defined in role /DVD/MON_ADMIN.
External storage ID in Datavard Storage Management
This setup allows to store monitoring results in different (external) transparent storage via Datavard Storage Management [DVD SM]. Storage ID has to be defined in DVD SM via transaction /DVD/SM_SETUP. Monitoring results stored on external storage are protected against retention deletion. Only transparent storages are supported. For more information about DVD SM contact Datavard's consultant. Default value is initial (no external storage for monitoring results).
Maximum allowed percentage of used ARFC resources
Insights checks system and server availability via asynchronous processes [ARFC] as safety way against communication hanging issue. Each system has limited number of dialog work processes (75% is system default value, check transaction SARFC) to be used for ARFC. This setup determine maximum limit from those ARFC resources which can be used by Insights availability checks. If Insights requests ARFC resource which is out of setup limit then it waits when ARFC resources are available again. Wait time is setup in next configuration parameter. If wait time is exceeded then availability check is not performed and error message is written to log. This setting should be applied only in case that Insights central instance runs on system with limited resources or system which uses ARFC by other transactions. Default value is initial. 
Max. waiting time to check available ARFC resources 
Define waiting time in seconds to check if ARFC resources are available for Insights availability check. Parameter works only with previous configuration parameter. Default value is initial (no waiting time, availability check and collecting job are canceled when no ARFC resources are available, error message is written to log).
E-mail address used for sender of notification
Email address which will be used as sender in notification emails. Default value is canarycode@do_not_reply.com (same email address is used in a case if initial value). 
WARNING: Wrong address (against email address RFC standards) can lead to dysfunctional of notification mechanism and no emails will be sent.
Display popup for user in different time zone.
Use a pop up for making user aware that there are differences between time zones of system and user (default 'X' value). If parameter is initial then popup will not be displayed. If parameter is set to 'Y' then popup is displayed and access to the Insights monitoring cockpit is terminated.

 _{Configuration setup}

For each value of property, there is possibility to set up restriction for system and profile.

_{Property configuration}

 Restriction in monitoring:

This enables the user to turn off the monitoring during a specific time interval, i.e. because of system maintenance. Restriction is possible to set up for specific system, server or profile.

_{Restriction in Monitoring Overview}

When creating a new entry, the user should specify the following:

• The Restriction Name: Describes the reason for switching off monitoring.
• Restriction rule is valid from: Here, the user can specify the time validity of the rule (i.e. the date range in which this rule is valid for)
• Time of occurrence: The user should specify the exact time in which this rule should be enforced, and has the option to choose a repetition of this rule.
• Apply restriction only on (combination allowed): Here, the user can specify the System ID, Server name and monitoring profile. The user can utilize a combination of all of these. If all fields are empty by default, monitor for all systems will then be stopped during the specified restriction time.

 _{Restriction in Monitoring Input Screen}

Time intervals:

The user may save time intervals in order to maintain a historical reference of issues that may have happened in the system landscape. If there were any time intervals saved, then they would be displayed in this section. 

 _{Time intervals}

 _{Time intervals in monitoring main screen}

Message groups:

In Message groups, the user can adjust or create categories of messages and with these groups; the message list is adjusted or created. The user can view the messages generated by monitoring activities in the message tab.

 _{Messages groups}

 _{Messages list}

Message notification:

The user can create notifications to be sent to users/distribution lists whenever a notification occurs.

 _{Message notification}

User List

Here you can define what the user can view in the Insights cockpit. It is possible to define for each user, a filter on the level, system, the list of profiles that are accessible and the KPIs that they can see.

 _{User List settings}

 <sub>Setting up User Filter for System ID's 


Setting up User Filter for KPI groups</sub>

_{Customized view in Insights cockpit}

Monitoring settings maintenance

When you click on  Monitoring settings button in the main menu or press Shift + F2, the system displays the monitoring settings maintenance screen. 

_{Monitoring settings}

KPI Collectors:

The user can view the central list of collectors. These are the collectors used by Insights to monitor the central and remote systems. List of collectors that are remote or on the system that can be called. Delivered collectors start with the /DVD/MON prefix and are preconfigured. These could be adjusted by the user, by adjusting KPI's, parameters etc. Users can create their own collectors under the Z* Y* namespace and it is mandatory to register each collector here before being used.

_{Collectors maintenance}

Collector's KPI:
It is the list of the KPIs associated to the selected collector, here can be adjusted or new ones created. The user may adjust or set up the additional parameters for these KPIs to suit requirements.

_{Collector's KPI}

Collector's setup:

Here, the user can change or define new behaviours of the collectors:
The user can determine the Destination of the collector whether it will be run on the central or remote instance, to suit system differences, as not all behaviours may be required, or the user can collate information and post processing, i.e. post processing of remote systems in the central system.

_{Collector's setup}

Other behaviours could be required in certain instances where Collectors are monitoring systems on a regular basis, for example, every 5 minutes. In such instances, execute it in a separate dialog and set a time limit in order to avoid an overlap of data collected. 
This setup is not necessary in standard cases.

Collector's parameters:

Some collectors are created to measure durations taken when a system or server are performing certain operations, this is where the user could use the parameters to set / adjust benchmarks for the KPI's. In this case, values are deleted and the default values provided with the collectors will be used.

_{Collector's parameters}

Collector's inputs:

These are customizing tables, which contains reference information for the collector, in relation to the type of KPI's that are needed to be collected. The user can customize these tables to watch out for specific requirements.

_{Collector's inputs}

The user can change these inputs by pressing the edit button.

 _{Collector inputs edit}

KPI Definitions:

A KPI is registered by creating the definition, setting parameters for this KPI and assigning it to a collector, which will collect the KPI. 

_{KPI Definitions}

KPI Definitions include the following parameters:

_{Maintenance KPI definition}

• Definition
  • KPI name: unique name of a KPI
  • KPI description: description that will be used in charts and other outputs as the KPI label
• Properties
  • Unit: % MB, KB dependent on KPI.
  • Num. of decimals: how the value is displayed in the charts – KPIs are stored as integer numbers and not as real numbers
  • Monitoring area: determines system type specific to KPI. The KPI will be collected only for a specific system type like ERP, BW, CRM, SRM and others
• Collection
  • KPI collector: determines which collector will collect the KPI
  • Collected on: states where the KPI will be collected or calculated. Possible values are Remote system and Central system
  • Collected for: determines KPI orientation. Values are either system or server
  • Server specification: information can be collected on any server, only application server, only database server, only external server
• Calculate KPI from another KPI(s)
  • See Automatic calculation below.
• Chart settings
  • Lower/Upper limit mode:
    • Limit is calculated from minimum/maximum values
    • Limit is fixed value
    • Limit is calculated from fixed and minimum/maximum values
  • Lower/Upper limit value: value for displaying KPI series in charts
  • Chart line type: simple line, spline, discrete
  • Logarithmic Y scale: Y axis labels are values of common logarithm (decimal)
  • Don't display KPI in charts: KPI won't be displayed

_{Long description}

 Automatic calculation

In this block, it is possible to define the method in which the KPI will be calculated without any coding. With customizing, the user can define a new KPI (e.g. new percentage value), which will be calculated from already calculated KPIs defined in source fields. The calculation is setup in "Calculation function" field and source KPIs are defined in three fields below:

• "KPI source for calculation"
• "2^nd KPI source for calculation "
• "3^rd KPI source for calculation".

_{Automatic calculation}

Usage of these fields depends on the chosen calculation function. It is possible to use following calculation functions by default:

• Minimum from all servers – new system KPI will be calculated as minimum from KPI's values of all servers defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current run.
• Maximum from all servers – new system KPI will be calculated as maximum from KPI's values of all servers defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current run.
• Averages from all servers - new system KPI will be calculated as average from KPI's values of all servers defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current run.

_{Example for average calculation for 
KPI DISK_RESPONS_SYS - Average disk response time (all servers)}

• Sum from all servers - new system KPI will be calculated as sum of KPI's values of all servers defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current run.
• Minimum from collected KPIs - new system/server KPI will be calculated as minimum from KPI's values of all system/server defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current and previous runs.
• Maximum from collected KPIs - new system/server KPI will be calculated as maximum from KPI's values of all system/server defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current and previous runs.
• Average from collected KPIs - new system/server KPI will be calculated as average from KPI's values of all system/server defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current and previous runs.
• Percentage from all servers - new server KPI will be calculated as percentage from KPI's values of all servers defined by KPI name in first source field and are collected in current run. Percentage is calculated from KPI's value in server as base of sum of KPI's values of all servers.
• Percentage of one KPI from other KPI - new system/server KPI will be calculated as percentage from KPI's value of server/system defined by KPI name in first source field in current run and in base of KPI's value of server/system defined by KPI name in second source field and which are collected in current run.

Example for percentage calculation for 
KPI ENQ_ENTR_P - Usage of SAP lock table

• Delta between last and current KPI value - new system/server KPI will be calculated as delta between KPI's value of server/system, defined by KPI name in first source field and collected in current run and previous run.
• Absolute delta between last and current KPI value - new system/server KPI will be calculated as absolute value of delta between KPI's value of server/system defined by KPI name in first source field and collected in current run and previous run. Result KPI's value is always positive.
• Speed of increasing of KPI value from last run in minutes - new system/server KPI will be calculated as delta between server/system KPI's value of server/system defined by KPI name in first source field and collected in current run and previous run. Result value will be divided by time between both runs.
• Calculate difference between two KPIs - new system/server KPI will be calculated as difference between KPI's value of server/system and defined by KPI name in first source field and server/system KPI's value defined by KPI name in second source field.

The user can use the third field to facilitate the calculation of more complex KPI. Allows the users to avoid coding and to create simple calculations of KPI by only customizing/defining – how to interpret/compare values and for these to be displayed in graphical format.

KPI Groups category with KPI Group list subcategory defines only the categorizing and displaying of KPI's charts on KPI tab. It is possible to customize the views so you can adjust which KPI groups are visible for you in the Insights cockpit; this can be done in the "Filter for KPI" group as well as in the "Filter for Profile".

 _{Filter for KPI group}

Detail tables:

This section displays the table names where the data from the collectors is collated/ stored. It is visible in the details tab of the Insights cockpit.

_{Detail tables}

Profiles definition:

The user may create new profiles or maintain existing profiles. These profiles are required before starting the monitoring of Collector jobs.

_{Profile definition}

By selecting a profile, the user may customize KPIs, Alerts, Collector's parameters and Collector's setups associated with the profile. Using these profiles, you can define the KPIs which will be collected in the monitored system. Only existing KPIs can be associated with specific profiles.

_{Association of KPIs to profile}

If you want to monitor a certain KPI for a specific profile, you can also set alerts. Only created and KPI-specific alerts can be set up in this method.

_{Alerts created for profile-dependent KPI}

In this subcategory, you can define a profile to determine which alert will be monitored with specific setup for a specific KPI. For detailed information about alerts, refer the next section Alert definition.

Alert definition:

_{Alert definition}

Here you can create new alert definition.

_{Created alert}

This definition consists of:

• Alert type – describes the type of alert and determines the icon to be displayed if the alert occurs. Possible values are:
  • Success – 
  • Warning – 
  • Issues – 
  • Error - 
• Period time – the frequency that specifies how often the alert is rechecked.
• Alert description – this description will be used as the label in outputs.

For every alert created, it is necessary to define associations to the KPI and to the Profile. This can be done in the Alert association category of this screen. The following fields should be filled:

• Monitoring profile – alert will be checked only for this profile under running Collector job.
• KPI name – alert will be checked only for the value of this KPI.

Comparison operator – determines in which case a KPI value causes an alert to occur.

_{Comparison operator}

• Threshold – determines the limit value for a KPI. This alert will occur if the KPI exceeds its defined threshold of associated alert.
• Unit – determines the unit of measurement to be used, i.e. %, MB etc.
• Duration start – how long can a KPI value exceed the threshold (in grey area) before an alert will occur (starting delay for alert).
• Duration end – how long a KPI value has to be outside of the threshold area (in grey area) before an alert will be stopped (ending delay for alert).

_{Event association}

Each alert occurrence can be notified by email or by message in SAP Business Workplace. That can be done in the Alert notification category of this screen. The following fields should be filled:

• Monitoring profile.
• Recipient address – the email address or username from SAP system can be specified.
• Type of notification – determines the notification method. Possible values are:
  • E-mail – notification will be sent to the email specified in "Recipient address" field.
  • SAP Office message – notification will be sent to the SAP Business Workplace for user who is specified in "Recipient address" field.
  • Private distribution list – notification will be sent to all addresses defined in SAP Private Distribution List (transaction SO15 or button "Distribution list" in Insights toolbar).
  • Shared distribution list– notification will be sent to all addresses defined in SAP Private Distribution List (transaction SO15 or button "Distribution list" in Insights toolbar).
• BAdI ID – [optional] ID, which will be used for filtering of BAdI call. You can create your own BAdI for notification using BAdI implementation /DVD/MON_BADI_DEF_EVENT. Each BAdI implementation has to define the filter, which is also used for determining explicit call of the BAdI for processing of notification. Default BAdI implementation used for notification has initial BAdI ID.
• Alert notification – determines the period for sending of notifications. Possible values are:
  • At first occurrence – notify when alert occurs first time
  • At next occurrence – notify each occurrence of alert
  • At end of alert – notify when alert is completed

Alert notification

User settings

Users could set up their own GUI of Insights by clicking on the  "User settings" button in the main menu. The system displays a pop up window with two tabs:

• "General" tab contain basic settings.
• "Charts" tab contain settings related to customizing of charts.

General settings

General settings:

Ping system on refresh – The user may check this option and by doing so, on each refresh of the Monitor, the connection to each monitored system in the system pool will be tested. Checking of this option may slow down the response of GUI because all connections will be tested; however, the system displays real time information about statuses of the monitored systems.
Ping application server on refresh – similar to 'ping system on refresh' but it is carried out on application server level; wherein on each refresh of the Monitor, the system will test the connection to each application server in system pool. Checking of this option may slow down the response of GUI because all connections will be tested; however, the system displays real time information about statuses of the monitored application servers.
Set last time interval on startup – if you check this option, then on each run of Monitor, the time interval from last run will be set.
Do not use user's local time zone – If this field is checked, then the user will view all time fields in the monitor in the system time zone of the central monitoring instance.
Hide unused KPI from KPI groups/ KPI Groups – If these are checked, then all unused KPIs/KPI groups will be hidden from the KPI Group tree view on the bottom left of the monitor.
Hide non-monitored servers from pool tree – If this is checked, then all servers which are marked as "Don't monitor" will be hidden in the system pool tree view on the top left of the monitor.

Search Tool bar for System Pool tree and KPI pool tree

A new search bar has been introduced for System pool tree and KPI groups. This is switched off by default; however, you can turn this on via the user settings. The Search bar enables you to navigate to a node of the tree by entering the description/name, for example, in the KPI "CPU" and this will display all KPIs that have CPU within the name.

_{Quick search for SIDs, SERVERs, KPIs}

 Chart settings:

_{Chart settings}

Use java script jqCharts – by checking this option, you will enable new powerful charts, which are implemented via Java Scripts. Using new charts allow more interaction and faster display of huge amount of data in charts. In addition, the charts are clearer and the User can view detailed descriptions of KPIs.

_{JavaScript Charts}

Stretch series – if you check this option, then all displayed charts will be stretched to measured time intervals. This option is possible to use only with new Java Scripts charts. 

Display legend in charts – if you check this option, then in all charts there will be displayed legend. This option is possible to use only with new Java Scripts charts. 
After changing of settings, the user should click on  "Save setting (F8)" save button and all changes will be immediately reflected. If the user closes the Insights cockpit, then all settings with composition of layout, checked systems and selected KPIs will be automatically saved for that particular user and it will be restored in next run of Insights. 
If saved settings are no longer suitable, then click on  "Reset to default settings (F2)" button.