Agents play an important role in the Unicenter TNG architecture. Agents are specialized software used by Unicenter TNG to monitor managed objects, which include network resources such as database servers, workstations, routers, and other devices.
Agents monitor their assigned object and report to the Distributed State Machine (DSM) using Unicenter TNG shared services. Common services include the SNMP Administrator Service, the SNMP Gateway Service, the Object Store Service, and the Distributed Services Bus Service. Based on triggers, constraints, or schedules, agents report to the DSM what is happening in the monitored environment.
You can configure proxies using the proxy view (accessed from the node view), the MIB browser, or by creating a configuration group containing the initial management information base (MIB) settings.
Computer Associates (CA) and other companies have developed agents to monitor a variety of resources. Some agents are installed with the base product, and others are available as options from CA or third-party developers. You also have the ability to create your own agents using the Unicenter TNG Software Development Kit.
database agents
Database agents monitor a wide range of database parameters and alert you – via the event console and through different browsers, including WorldView interface maps – when problems occur or may occur. Agents monitor thresholds and other conditions to identify and report potential problems. By managing policy and events, you can direct them to automate corrective actions.
SQL Server Agent
The Microsoft SQL Server Agent is installed automatically with the Windows NT version of Unicenter TNG. By default, the SQL Server Agent is configured to monitor file systems and SQL Server processes. You can also configure the proxy to monitor resource usage, databases, transaction logs, locks, and tables.
SQL Server Agent monitors the following:
>SQL Server resource usage, including CPU and I/O usage, and cache hit ratio
>Databases, tables, and file systems
>Transaction records
>SQL Server is locked
>I/O packets
>disk activity
>SQL Server Operations
>database devices
>Ingres Agent
Ingres Agent helps you manage multiple Ingres databases, monitor key parameters, and flag problems before they disrupt performance.
Ingres Agent monitors database activity on Windows NT and UNIX machines. To assess the state of the resources, the agent compares the conditions with the MIB attributes and the threshold values specified in the configuration and profile settings.
Ingres Agent monitors items such as the following:
>Database servers, tables, and file systems
>cache
>record space
>performance and configuration
>Oracle agent
The Oracle proxy works similarly to the Ingres proxy (see the previous section), monitoring key parameters and alerting you to problems before they crash the service.
As with the Ingres agent, you can use the Oracle agent to monitor multiple Oracle database instances. When Oracle Agent is installed, it automatically detects all database instances.
By default, Oracle Agent monitors database table space, disks, files, and licensing information. You can also configure the proxy to monitor database tables and sequences, and anything else you can think of.
DB2 operator
DB2 Agent is an exciting little agent that integrates DB2 database management with other resources distributed throughout the enterprise. This agent does important things like:
Constantly monitor events, states, and configuration information for DB2 subsystems.
Monitor DB2 address space, CPU usage, I/O usage, registry state, lock state, and other performance areas.
CA-Datacom agent
This wacky little agent does just what you would expect it to do — and then some. The CA-Datacom agent monitors the performance of multiple CA-Datacom databases on OS/390 and notifies Unicenter TNG when things are not as they should be.
Monitored resources include CPU and I/O usage, buffer pool, transaction logs, lock, workload, and other metrics.
CA-IDMS agent
Use the CA-IDMS agent to administer CA-IDMS databases from Unicenter TNG. You might also consider creating an IDMS piñata as a thrill for your DBAs, who would enjoy pounding the little papier-mâché agent until it spills its goodie-filled interior.
As you may surmise, the IDMS piñata agent watches over all the CA-IDMS resources you tell it to watch, such as CPU, I/O, buffer pool, logs, locks, workload, network resources, and memory.
Other database agents
You also can deploy INFORMIX agent, Sybase agent, and any-other-database-you-can-think-of agent.
Each of the database agents monitors key parameters and sends a message to the event console when a potential problem exists. Depending on the problem and the policy defined, Unicenter TNG can automatically fix the problem, open a problem ticket, or alert the administrator.
Operating system agents
Operating system (OS) agents help ensure ongoing system availability through continuous monitoring of enterprise resources. Resources include servers, workstations, networks, and applications. The OS agents collect statistics, predict problems, automate action, and ply your mailbox with bargain-basement marketing pitches.
Agents alert you if monitored processes stop running (or start to run), if an expected condition fails to exist, if a disk fills up, and any number of other scenarios you deem important enough to hear about.
Unicenter TNG management tools are used to examine and configure OS agents. Management tools include:
Node view: Managed objects are displayed as a tree structure, and you can see at a glance the overall status of the node (critical, warning or normal state), and the status of monitored resources, managed objects, and individual agents.
Agent view: This application lets you examine the various agents you have deployed. Using Agent view, you can see which resources an agent is monitoring and the overall status of each resource.
DSM view: The DSM view lets you view managed objects according to the agents that are monitoring them. You can view the attributes of a managed object and edit its properties.
Windows NT System agent
The NT System agent monitors Windows NT system resources. The agent alerts you to system disruptions, such as the cessation of a critical process, security violation attempts, or conditions that appear to suggest a potential problem.
By default, the NT System agent monitors:
>> Memory load
>> Swap space
>> Physical memory
>> CPUs
The NT System agent also can be configured to monitor:
>> Files and file systems
>> Processes
>> NT services
>> Event logs
>> Printers
>> Registry values
OS/390 System agent
The OS/390 System agent monitors OS/390 systems. OS/390 System agent supports:
>> Viewing and administering event messages
>> Job monitoring
>> Performance monitoring
>> Tracking the status of multi-platform applications
>> Setting thresholds for stuff like CSA, JES2, UICA, LPAR, SQA, and other funky acronyms that only the mainframe-minded know what they mean
>> Other agents, such as ones monitoring CICS, DB2, MQSeries, and other applications