Performance explorer collects more detailed information about a specific application, program or system resource, and provides detailed insight into a specific performance problem. This includes the capability both to perform several types and levels of traces and to run detailed reports.
Performance explorer is a data collection tool that helps the user identify the causes of performance problems that cannot be identified by collecting data using Collection Services or by doing general trend analysis. Two reasons to use performance explorer include:
The collection functions and related commands of performance explorer are part of the i5/OS® licensed program. The reporting function and its associated commands are part of the base option in the Performance Tools for iSeries™ licensed program and therefore, are available with either the Manager feature or the Agent feature. The AS/400® Performance Explorer Tips and Techniques book provides additional examples of the performance explorer functions and examples of the enhanced performance explorer trace support.
Performance explorer is a tool that helps find the causes of performance problems that cannot be identified by using tools that do general performance monitoring. As your computer environment grows both in size and in complexity, it is reasonable for your performance analysis to gain in complexity as well. The performance explorer addresses this growth in complexity by gathering data on complex performance problems.
Performance explorer is the tool you need to use after you have tried the other tools. It gathers specific forms of data that can more easily isolate the factors involved in a performance problem; however, when you collect this data, you can significantly affect the performance of your system.
This tool is designed for application developers who are interested in understanding or improving the performance of their programs. It is also useful for users knowledgeable in performance management to help identify and isolate complex performance problems.
Related concepts
User-defined transactions