Performance Data Collector V2.2-108 available

[clarklk]

Performance Data Collector for HP OpenVMS (TDC) Version 2.2-108 is available at URL http://www.hp.com/products/openvms/tdc.

TDC Version 2.2-108 is a maintenance and limited-functionality update to the product. The download kit contains runtime software for OpenVMS Versions 7.3-2, 8.2, 8.2-1, and 8.3 as well as a Software Developers Kit (SDK).

This release addresses several issues discovered in TDC Version 2.2-105, as well as some issues discovered with TDC_RT Version 2.2-107 after it was submitted for inclusion with the OpenVMS Version V8.3 kit.

Note that a change has been made to the TDC data file format; as a result, data files created with this software can only be read using TDC(_RT) Version 2.2-108 or later (TDC V2.2-108 can, however, read files created by earlier releases). This change does not require an update to software that utilizes TDC(_RT).

Notes below highlight some material of general interest from the updated documentation (TDC_*.TXT) files (README, RELEASE_NOTES, SDK_RELEASE_NOTES, COMPLETE_INSTALL_GUIDE): download; installation; MultiNet/TCPware; ECP; OVPA; OpenVMS field test; SDK. Be sure to review the documentation files for details of all updates included in this release.


Download notes:

The kit is provided on the download web site in two formats.

If you are downloading onto an Alpha system, download the .EXE format, which contains a .PCSI file in compressed form; running the executable will expand the .PCSI file for installation with the PRODUCT command.

If you are downloading onto an Integrity system, download the .PCSI$COMPRESSED format for installation with the PRODUCT command.

The contents of the kits provided by the two download formats are identical in all respects: there is no need to download both formats.

The kits are not digitally signed at this time; signed kits may be posted for future releases.


Installation notes:

You should plan installation for a time when you can conveniently shut down any software applications, such as the OpenView(R) Performance Agent for OpenVMS or TDC data collectors, that utilize the TDC software. The new software will not be fully functional until after those applications have been stopped. The applications can be restarted as soon as the installation completes.

The release notes provide an update to the working set quota recommendations for TDC data collectors: 6000 pagelets on Alpha systems and 7000 pagelets on Integrity systems. These more accurately reflect real-world operating conditions than did the previous guidelines.

Depending on your system configuration, the TDC Version 2.2-108 installation procedure may allow you to install TDC runtime software for an OpenVMS version other than the one currently running on your system. If you plan to upgrade OpenVMS to a newer version, you can either install the TDC runtime software for that OpenVMS version prior to performing the actual OpenVMS upgrade, or you can reinstall TDC after performing the OpenVMS upgrade.

A system reboot is NOT required after installing the TDC software.


MultiNet and TCPware sites:

For various MultiNet and TCPware environments, the release notes (TDC_RELEASE_NOTES.TXT) describe how to download a plug-in data provider module from Process Software that will enable collection of internet (INET record) metrics in those environments. Those metrics can then be processed by other software, such as the OpenView(R) Performance Agent for OpenVMS. The necessary plug-in module is available from Process Software now.


HP Enterprise Capacity and Performance (ECP) sites:

TDC Version 2.2-108 data files can be processed by ECP Version 5.6A and later. If you are using TDC with ECP Version 5.5A, you should continue using TDC Version 2.1-84 until you are ready to update your ECP software.


OpenView(R) Performance Agent (OVPA) sites:

Runtime software provided with TDC Version 2.2-108 supersedes any TDC runtime software distributed with OVPA versions 4.0-31 and earlier. Be sure to stop OVPA prior to installing TDC V2.2-108, and restart OVPA after installing TDC V2.2-108 and running the TDC$STARTUP.COM startup file.


OpenVMS Version 8.3 field test sites:

The TDC Version 2.2-108 kit includes runtime software for OpenVMS Version V8.3. That runtime software will NOT function correctly until OpenVMS Version F8.3 has been updated to the final V8.3 release.

You can safely install the TDC Version 2.2-108 runtime software for OpenVMS Version V8.3 before performing the actual OpenVMS update. Once the system has been rebooted after the update, the TDC startup file (TDC$STARTUP.COM) will select the TDC V2.2-108 runtime software for use rather than the TDC_RT V2.2-107 runtime software installed with OpenVMS V8.3.


Software developers:

This release adds a number of new metrics to the network-interface (NTI), system (SYS), and CPU (CPU, CPUCFG) records as described in the release notes (TDC_SDK_RELEASE_NOTES.TXT) that accompany the included Software Developers Kit (SDK). Application code need not change as a result of these updates, unless use of the new metrics is required.

The SDK has also been updated with sample code that can be used to build a fully functional data provider (XLKI producer processor module) whose records can be incorporated into TDC data files.

Lee Clark
OpenVMS Engineering

[Richard Whalen]

The MultiNet kit is available from
ftp://ftp.multinet.process.com/patches/multinet051/tdc_multinet010.zip

The TCPware kit is available from
ftp://ftp.process.com/support/57_2/tdc_tcpware010.zip

After TDC and the appropriate kit have been installed you may begin data collection. There is no need to reboot or restart MultiNet or TCPware.

Richard Whalen
Process Software

[clarklk]

ECP V5.6A is now available for download from http://www.hp.com/products/openvms/ecp

It will work with TDC V2.1-84 (latest and, hopefully, final TDC V2.1 release) and with TDC V2.2 (V2.2-108 is the current V2.2 release).

Lee Clark
OpenVMS engineering

[clarklk]

As suggested in another thread, a link to provide feedback on TDC V2.2 has been added to the TDC V2.2 software-download page, near the bottom of the page (below the links to download to Alpha and Integrity systems).

This link is appropriate for asking questions and for requesting functionality, including new capabilities, or additional data records, and/or changes to existing data records, etc.

Please do NOT use the feedback link to report bugs -- they should be reported through formal support channels if at all possible, since that's the only way to initiate formal tracking of a problem through to resolution.

Lee Clark
OpenVMS Engineering