Request metrics trace filters

When request metrics is active, trace filters control which requests get traced. The data is recorded to the system log file or sent through Application Response Measurement (ARM) for real-time and historical analysis.

Incoming HTTP requests

HTTP requests that arrive at WebSphere Application Server might be filtered based on the URI or the IP address or both of the originator of the request.

• Source IP address filters.

  Requests are filtered based on a known IP address. We can specify a mask for an IP address using the asterisk (*). If used, the asterisk must always be the last character of the mask, for example 127.0.0.*, 127.0.*, 127*. For performance reasons, the pattern matches character by character, until either an asterisk is found in the filter, a mismatch occurs, or the filters are found to be an exact match.

  Only addresses that are entered in one of the following addressing formats are acceptable as the source IP addresses:

  • The IPv4 addressing format:

    ^(\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.
    (\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])$
    

  • The IPv6 addressing format:

    ^([0-9a-fA-F]*[0-9a-fA-F]*[0-9a-fA-F]*[0-9a-fA-F]*:){1,7}([0-9a-fA-F]*
    [0-9a-fA-F]*[0-9a-fA-F]*[0-9a-fA-F]*)$
    
    

  • The IPv4 compatible IPv4 addressing format:

    ^([0]*[0]*[0]*[0]*:){1,7}((\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.
    (\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.
    (\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5]))$/<constant-value>
    
    

  • The IPv4MappedIPv6 addressing format:

    ^([0]*[0]*[0]*[0]*:){1,6}([fF][fF][fF][fF]:){1}((\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]
    \d|25[0-5])\.(\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.(\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.
    (\d{1,2}|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5]))$
    

  Note: If the client machine is a dual stack machine and its IP address is specified as the source IP address that is filtered by the request metrics filter, specify the IPv4 addressing format rather than the IPv6 addressing format. Only if the client machine is a single stack IPv6 machine, can we specify it as the IPv6 addressing format

• URI filters. Requests are filtered, based on the URI of the incoming HTTP requests. The rules for pattern matching are the same as for matching source IP address filters.
• Filter combinations. If both URI and source IP address filters are active, request metrics requires a match for both filter types. If neither is active, all requests are considered a match.

Incoming enterprise bean requests

Incoming enterprise bean requests

• Requests are filtered based on the full name of the EJB method. As with IP address and URI filters, the asterisk (*) might be used in the mask. If used, the asterisk must always be the last character of a filter pattern.

Because the ability to track the request response times comes with a cost, filtering helps optimize performance when using request metrics.

The web services filter and the Java Message Service (JMS) filter was added to the WAS, v6 product. The filter values for web services are a combination of a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) port name, operation name, and transport name. The filter value for JMS is the destination name.

Specify how much data to collect