Automic Workload Automation

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  • 1.  Ringtrace (new capability added in AE v12)

    Posted Sep 29, 2017 04:49 AM
    AE v12 adds a new capability called ringtrace that appears to work like this: it caches a specific amount of trace data all the time, and if an error occurs that forces the writing of a trace, these cached trace data are included in the trace. This makes it possible to capture (for root cause analysis) trace data from before the problem occurred. When a forced trace is written, the following message will appear in the log:
    20170929/042347.986 - U00015006 System forced memory trace dump.
    Here is an example from a trace file written in this way:
    20170929/033219.114 -  Flush ringtrace:
    20170929/033219.114 -  ------------------------------------------
    20170929/033219.114 -  Maxsize        : 67108864
    20170929/033219.114 -  Size           : 67952832
    20170929/033219.114 -  Number of items: 316184
    20170929/033219.114 -  ------------------------------------------
    ...
    Trace data appear here
    ...
    20170929/042347.986 -  U00015006 System forced memory trace dump.
    20170929/042347.986 -    STRT UCUMELD        OPC: 00001 user-idnr=0000000001 client=00000 MSGNR=0000015006 MSG-INSERT='' quelle=0000000000 kategorie=0000000000 art=0000000000
    20170929/042347.986 -      STRT UCUMEM       OPC: 00004 Addr='0000000000000000' Len='0000000000' Cache:'/' Purpose:''
    20170929/042347.986 -      EXIT UCUMEM       RET: 0000000000  TIME: 0000,00001  RETTEXT=''
    20170929/042347.989 -  U00015006 System forced memory trace dump.
    20170929/042347.989 -    EXIT UCUMELD        RET: 0000000000  TIME: 0000,00298  RETTEXT=' '
    20170929/042347.989 -  End of ringtrace

    AE v12 adds new capabilities related to tracing. Some of the options related to these capabilities are visible in the properties window for AE server processes.
    45hhve5o8pz8.png
    The :SET_UC_SETTING command was updated to support modifying these settings. The documentation does not clearly describe the new syntax, but I wrote up my [DEAD LINK https://community.automic.com/discussion/comment/32103/#Comment_32103]best guess based on the examples provided. One of the new options is memory buffer size. The default value appears to be 64 MB, and this corresponds to the 67108864 value (in bytes) mentioned at the top of the trace excerpt. This suggest that the memory buffer size setting might be the one that specifies the size of the ringtrace buffer.

    I could find no mention of ringtrace in the documentation, support site, release notes, or community.

    Would someone from Automic care to comment and provide details?



  • 2.  Ringtrace (new capability added in AE v12)

    Posted Jan 25, 2018 08:32 AM
    Does anyone have new information about the ringtrace function?


  • 3.  Re: Ringtrace (new capability added in AE v12)

    Posted Jun 14, 2018 05:30 AM

    Would someone from CA possibly be able to provide a response?



  • 4.  Re: Ringtrace (new capability added in AE v12)

    Posted Jun 14, 2018 09:29 PM

    Hey Michael,

     

    I took a look at the original post regarding those field highlighted in red and have look at the manual section that you mentioned and it appear that there is a section explaining what those syntax value mean:

     

    Trace Target

    Target traces are written into.

    Format: AE name, script literal or script variable

    For SET_TRACE:

    • FILE: Traces will be written into a file.

    • MEMORY: Traces will be written into the agent's or server processes' internal memory.

    Memory Buffer Size

    Size of memory provided to be written.

    Format: AE name, script literal or script variable

    For SET_TRACE:

    • Buffer size in MB.
    Search Text

    Text to be searched for within the traces.

    Format: AE name, script literal or script variable

    For SET_TRACE:

    • Search text.

    (granted some of the name doesn't quite match screenshot, but they seem to match up) and I do think these info should be added to the Diagnostic Tools section of the manual 

     

    In addition, it look like in agents (for certain Agent Type, it have similar options: Advanced Agent Options )



  • 5.  Re: Ringtrace (new capability added in AE v12)

    Posted Jun 14, 2018 05:58 AM

    Hi Michael

     

    as far as I remember, that was introduced as memory trace a.k.a. memtrace. I thougt there was more info in documentation as it was used is support sometimes.... but I personally never used it.

     

    I did only find the chapters about trace and trace dump as well but no more info.

     

    Basically you can enter a keyword and the trace is active until this keyword appears in the trace file(s).

     

    cheers, Wolfgang



  • 6.  Re: Ringtrace (new capability added in AE v12)

    Posted Jun 14, 2018 07:31 PM

    Hi Michael, 

     

    as the link in the original post show as dead, I have posted the content of it here for now, for reference of its content:

     

    Original content created by Michael Lowry on the:  [DEAD LINK https://community.automic.com/discussion/comment/32103/#Comment_32103]


    The syntax description for :SET_UC_SETTING should be updated to reflect the new trace options added in v12.

     

    Specifically, the page should be split into two parts, one for each syntax format.

     

    1. The current syntax format,

    :SET_UC_SETTING Setting, Component, Value

    applies to the following keywords:

    • WORKLOAD_MAX = Maximum number of resources provided by the agent for file transfers and jobs.
    • WORKLOAD_MAX_FT = Maximum number of resources provided by the agent for file transfers.
    • WORKLOAD_MAX_JOB = Maximum number of resources provided by the agent for jobs.
    • SERVER_MODE = Type of server process.


    2. The new second format,

    :SET_UC_SETTING SET_TRACE, AE_component_name, Trace_flags [, [Trace_target] [, [Memory_buffer_size] [, [Search_text] ] ] ]

    applies only to the SET_TRACE keyword:

    • SET_TRACE = Trace options for the work processes of an AE system or an agent.

    The possible values for AE_component_name should also be described:

    • &$SYSTEM# or the AE System name: changes trace settings for all work processes
    • The name of a CP: changes trace settings for the specified communications processes (CP) only

    Also, the default values of the new trace options should be described. These are the default values I was able to glean from testing:

    • Trace target: FILE
    • Memory buffer size: 64 MB
    • Search text: blank (no filtering of trace data)

    Finally, I suggest that the page be updated to include several new examples, including these:

    • Turn on TCP/IP level 2 and DB level 4 tracing for all WPs:
      SET_UC_SETTING SET_TRACE &$SYSTEM# "2400000000000000"
    • Turn off tracing for all WPs:
      SET_UC_SETTING SET_TRACE &$SYSTEM# "0000000000000000"
    • Turn on TCP/IP level 2 and DB level 4 tracing for one particular CP: 
      SET_UC_SETTING SET_TRACE AE_DEV#CP001 "2400000000000000"
    • Turn off tracing for one particular CP: 
      SET_UC_SETTING SET_TRACE AE_DEV#CP001 "0000000000000000"