Microfocus OBM - Polling Interval of OA Agent in OBM

The Operations Agent (OA) is an essential component within the Operations Bridge Management (OBM) framework, responsible for collecting and processing data from monitored systems. One critical configuration within the OA is the polling interval, which determines how frequently the agent collects data from the target systems. The polling intervals in OA are defined for two main categories: process data and global data.

Default Collection Intervals

By default, the OA uses the following polling intervals:

• Process Data: The default collection interval is set to 60 seconds.
• Global Data: The default collection interval is set to 300 seconds.

These intervals are defined in the OA configuration file, specifically within the oacore process, which handles data collection and transmission to OBM.

Customizing Collection Intervals

These default polling intervals can be customized by adjusting the collection interval parameter in the parm file. Customizing the intervals allows for better alignment with the specific requirements of your environment and use case. However, certain rules and restrictions apply to ensure data integrity and optimal system performance.

Constraints on Collection Interval Values

1. Process Data Collection Interval:

   • The process data collection interval can be configured between 5 to 60 seconds, with increments of 5 seconds.
   • The configured process interval must be a multiple of the subprocinterval, which controls the frequency of sub-process data collection.
   • Furthermore, the process collection interval must divide evenly into the global collection interval.

2. Global Data Collection Interval:

   • The global collection interval can be set to one of the following values: 15, 30, 60, or 300 seconds.
   • The global collection interval must be equal to or greater than the process data interval and must also be a multiple of the process data interval.
   • The global interval applies to global metrics and all non-process metric classes, such as filesystem and application metrics.

Best Practices for Interval Configuration

• Reducing the Process Collection Interval: While you can reduce the process collection interval below the default value of 60 seconds, it is generally not recommended unless necessary for specific use cases, such as high-frequency process monitoring. Reducing the interval too much may lead to higher system resource usage and less optimal performance.

• PROC_INTEREST Parameter: This parameter provides a string that explains why a particular process or thread is of interest based on the thresholds defined in the configuration file. If you plan to modify the process collection interval, especially for logging the current PROC_INTEREST, it is suggested to avoid reducing the interval below the default value of 60 seconds unless absolutely necessary.

Documentation and Additional Resources

For further details about the OA agent's configuration, data collection intervals, and how to optimize these settings for your environment, it is recommended to consult the official documentation and key concepts:

• Operations Agent 12.26 - Key Concepts:
  Key Concepts Documentation

• Operations Agent 12.26 - Metrics Definition:
  Metrics Definition Documentation

These resources provide comprehensive information on agent functionality, metrics, and configuration best practices.