IBM Tivoli Monitoring > Version 6.3 Fix Pack 2 > Installation Guides > Agent Installation Guides > IBM i Agent Installation Guide
IBM Tivoli Monitoring, Version 6.3 Fix Pack 2
Overview of the agent
The Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS provides you with the capability to monitor and perform basic actions on IBM i operating systems. IBM Tivoli Monitoring is the base software for the Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS.
IBM Tivoli Monitoring overview
IBM Tivoli Monitoring provides a way to monitor the availability and performance of all the systems in the enterprise from one or several designated workstations. It also provides useful historical data that you can use to track trends and to troubleshoot system problems.
You can use IBM Tivoli Monitoring to achieve the following tasks:
- Monitor for alerts on the systems that you are managing by using predefined situations or custom situations.
- Establish your own performance thresholds.
- Trace the causes leading to an alert.
- Gather comprehensive data about system conditions.
- Use policies to perform actions, schedule work, and automate manual tasks.
The Tivoli Enterprise Portal is the interface for IBM Tivoli Monitoring products. You can use the consolidated view of your environment as seen in the Tivoli Enterprise Portal to monitor and resolve performance issues throughout the enterprise.
Features of the Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS
The Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS offers a central point of management for IBM i OS systems. It provides a comprehensive means for gathering exactly the information you need to detect problems early and prevent them. Information is standardized across all distributed systems so you can monitor and manage hundreds of servers from a single workstation.
Use the Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS to collect and analyze IBM i OS-specific information, such as:
- Operating system and CPU performance
- Installed License Program Products and Program Temporary Fixes
- IBM i OS disk information and performance analysis
- Network performance and information, such as topology and status
- Virtual and physical memory statistics
- Disk and database capacity
- Paging information and swap statistics
- Historical data collection for trend analysis and capacity planning
Table 1 lists the tasks that you can accomplish using the Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS alone, in a network, and in combination with the Tivoli Enterprise Portal.
Examples of Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS Tasks
Task Monitor Agent for IBM i OS User Action Tivoli Enterprise Portal Detect library growth ✓ Detect auxiliary storage pool growth ✓ Detect security violations ✓ Detect bad response time ✓ Send alerts when specified system conditions are detected ✓ Delete unused files ✓ ✓ Prioritize local jobs ✓ ✓ Limit local use to users temporarily ✓ Control local job flow ✓ ✓ Take backup on a scheduled basis ✓ Provide real-time graphical display of resource utilization problems ✓ Distribute situations and policies ✓ View and edit a situation graphically ✓ Specify user action to be taken ✓ Start a situation from the central site ✓ ✓ Manage remote jobs ✓ ✓ Check the Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS log ✓ Automate remote configuration changes ✓ ✓ Verify remote fix levels ✓ ✓ Centralize monitoring of network conditions ✓
The Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS provides the following benefits:
- Simplifies application and system management by managing applications, platforms, and resources across your system.
- Increases profits by providing you with real-time access to reliable, up-to-the-minute data that allows you to make faster, better informed operating decisions.
- Enhances system performance because you can integrate, monitor, and manage your environment, networks, console, and mission-critical applications. The Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS alerts the Tivoli Enterprise Portal when conditions in your environment meet threshold-based conditions. These alerts notify your system administrator to limit and control system traffic. You can view data that is gathered in reports and charts, informing you of the status of managed resources.
- Enhances efficiency by monitoring diverse platforms and networks. Depending on the Tivoli Enterprise Portal configuration, you can collect and monitor data across platforms. The Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS gathers and filters status information at the managed resource rather than at the Hub, eliminating unnecessary data transmission and sending only data that is relevant to changes in status conditions. The Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS helps you monitor and gather consistent, accurate, and timely information that effectively perform your job.
- New in this release
For version 6.3 Fix Pack 2 of the monitoring agent, enhancements include:
- Components of the monitoring agent
After you install and set up the Monitoring Agent for IBM i OS (product code ka4 or a4), you have an environment with a client, server, and monitoring agent implementation for IBM Tivoli Monitoring.
- User interface options
Installation of the base IBM Tivoli Monitoring software and other integrated applications provides a variety of interfaces that you can use to work with your resources and data.