In order to raise the value of IT services, the 24*7 availability  is an essential component.   MaxGauge is intent on maximizing the availability by providing pro-active monitoring techniques which serve to quickly recognize problems and help to prevent errors in advance. 

The quickest way to check the overall status of the database system is by looking at the trends of the  Main Performance Indicators.  In other words, it is absolutely necessary to check the trends such as the system CPU usage (%), the database I/O, SQL execution count, the number of current active sessions and  events in queue wait time, in order to monitor the database performance.  Furthermore, you must be able to easily check the sessions or SQL’s that are currently in progress or in queue from various perspectives.  To meet these needs, MaxGauge is able to provide the following information in real-time.

• All Performance Indicators Provided by the Oracle
• Active Sessions Count
• Lock Wait Sessions Count
• All Wait Events (Wait Class) Provided by the Oracle
• OS Main Resource Performance Data

• Active Session
• (Global) Lock Wait Session
• Parallel Query Process Session
• Remote Query Process Session
• OS Process
• SQL Response Time

MaxGauge is a web-based solution.  Therefore, to get started, you must first enter the address and the connection port of the Platform.JS installed equipment, which is one of the components of MaxGauge, into the web address bar.

Image 1-1. Enter the Code in the Address Bar for Connection with MaxGauge

Note:  Chrome is the recommended browser for using the MaxGauge Client.. 

Once connection is successful between MaxGague Client and Platform.JS, the following login screen will appear.

Picture 1-2. LOGIN Screen

To log in to MaxGauge, you must enter the password and the MaxGauge’s default passwords for each usernames are as follows.

Table 1-1. MaxGauge’s Usernames and Passwords

And permissions granted to each MaxGauge users are as follows.  By providing a various selection of users, it allows you to choose a user with the appropriate level of permissions.

Table 1-2. Permissions According to Each MaxGauge User

When you click the Select Menu icon, then the Select Menu will appear.  The Select Menu displays a list of  Tools and  Frames and you can also get a breif explanation for each item by putting the mouse over each item.

After entering the appropriate password in the LOGIN screen, the following Connection Manager screen will appear.  The Connection Manager screen displays the database list from which the user can select for monitoring.

Image 1-3. Connection Manager Screen

MaxGauge provides the user interface which is suitable for intuitively monitoring  the performance data, and this is called the Client.

In the upper part of the MaxGauge Client, the Views for real-time monitoring, the Connection Manager icon and the Select Menu icons can be found.

The difference between the tools and frames is whether it is possible for docking or not.  In general, the Frame items are considered frequently used items during monitoring, and docking is only available to the Frame items.

The MaxGauge Client provides an ideal monitoring View that is suitable for various environments by using the Frame docking function.

Adding a Frame

For example, you can add a Lock Tree Frame by following the steps below.

[Step 1]

From the Select Menu list, click on the Lock Tree Frame.

[Step 2]

The Lock Tree Frame will be generated at the center of the MaxGauge Client.

[Step 3]

By clicking on the Title Bar of the Lock Frame, you can drag it over to the desired position.  When you move the mouse over the arrow of the desired docking position, the docking area will become shaded in a different color.

[Step 4]

Once you release the mouse click, then docking is complete.

Removing a Frame

In order to change the position of the frame, you have to first remove the docked frame and repeat the docking process.  Removing a frame is very simple.  Put the mouse over the frame of interest, then two tabs will appear on the upper right corner, and you need to click on the left tab.

Re-inserting a Frame

To re-dock a frame that has been removed, double-click on the Frame Title.

Deleting a Frame

Deleting a frame is just as simple as removing a frame.  When you put the mouse over the frame  you want to delete, the two tabs will appear at the top, then you  can just click on the right tab.

Frame Toggle Button

Some of the MaxGauge frames can display two screens within a single frame by using the toggle button.  By using this feature, the user can choose the screens appropriate for his monitoring environment.  The frames that offer the toggle button feature are listed in the table below.

Table 1-3. Frames with Toggle Button Feature

The Toggle button provides the mouse-click and mouse-drag method of the user interface.  Let’s look at an example of a Group OS Frame.

In case you want to change the Group OS screen in a Group OS Frame to a Multi Monitor screen, then you can select either by clicking the desired area from within the Toggle Button or by clicking the Toggle Button and dragging it over to the far left side.

The MaxGauge sets the alarms by using the configuration function of the Select Menu.  For example, you can set the alarm for the “Active Session”, one of MaxGauge’s  performance indicators, by following the steps as follows.

[Step 1]

Click on the Configuration on the Select Menu.

[Step 2]

Click on “Alert Configuration” in the Navigation Bar of the Configuration Screen.

[Step 3]

Select the Instance set for alarm from the Instance List.

[Step 4]

Click on ADD from the Stat Alert Tab.

[Step 5]

Enter the required  information and then click the OK button.

The explanation on the required fields is as follows.

Table 1-4. Required Fields for Alarm Setting

[Step 6]

When all information has been correctly entered, then you will be able to see the following.

The database monitoring patterns for the database performance management can be categorized into three different types.

1. Monitoring for Multiple Databases
2. RAC Monitoring
3. Individual Database Monitoring

MaxGauge offers 3 views that are just right for these types of monitoring patterns.

• Trend View
• RAC View
• Single View

One of the essentials in cultivating a pro-active monitoring environment is alarm setting function.  MaxGauge provides the alarm function for various performance items and furthermore, it provides the SMS (Short Message Service) linking function as well.

The Trend View provides the most optimal view for simultaneously monitoring the performance of multiple databases.  In general, the following elements are required for simultaneous monitoring of multiple databases.

The Trend View contains all the elements for multi-instance monitoring and the basic screen configuration is as follows.

The Trend Views can be divided into 3 parts and the frames provided in each area are as follows.

Table 1-6. Trend View’s Frame List for each Area

Group OS Frame

The Group OS Frame provides the function for simultaneous monitoring the main OS resource usage rate of multiple database equipments.  As explained earlier in “Frame Toggle Button” section, the Group OS provides the Group OS and Multi Monitor screens by using the Frame Toggle Button.  From the Group OS screen, OS CPU and memory usage rate per database is provided.

(Sys, User, IO Wait, Idle) & Memory usage rate is provided.

Total Wait Frame

Total Wait Frame provides the wait time trends of multiple databases simultaneously, and moreover, it also provides the wait events list and the wait time for each database as well.

Trend Chart Frame

Trend Chart Frame provides the screen in which you can simultaneously monitor the activities of multiple databases.  With the Trend Chart Frame, you can monitor 6 main performance indicators, and you can even change to other performance indicators as desired according to system and task characteristics for monitoring.

To change the performance indicator from the Trend Chart Frame, click on the performance indicator and then use the Stat Change screen which appears next.

Alert Log History Frame

The Alert Log History Frame provides the status of alarm generation during the last ten minutes for multiple databases simultaneously.  It also provides the UI in graph or grid format by using the Toggle Button.

On the Graph screen, the size of the circle gradually increases with the number of alarm generation, and hence, you can intuitively monitor the alarm generation count per each minute during the last 10 minutes. When you put your mouse over the circle, you can review the details of alarms that were generated by the particular database at a particular time (minute).

The GRID screen provides information such as the database name, occurrence time, performance indicator, value, alarm level and etc. in a grid format.

Active Session Frame

The Active Session Frame provides a list of sessions that are currently active in the database.  The Active Session Frame provides the basic session information for each session, main performance indicator workload, wait events, OS CPU usage rate, SQL information and etc.

If you wish to change the target monitoring database, then you need to use the Instance Name combo box located at the top. And basically, the background process is not provided in the Active session list. In order to monitor the background processes, you must remove the check mark on “Exclude Background”.

The items basically provided in the Active Session Frame are as follows.

Table 1-7. Items basically presented in the Active Session Frame

SQL Elapsed Time Frame

SQL Elapsed Time Frame provides the UI through which you can check the execution time for all SQLs.  Each SQL represented by a dot, the distribution of all completed SQLs from all the databases currently being monitored can be easily confirmed.  And by dragging the target area for analysis, you can review the full execution details.

The full details of SQL history can be seen as follows.

The Single View provides a useful view for an intense monitoring on a single database.  The Single View’s main screen configuration is as follows.

The Single View’s Navigation Bar provides the important surveillance items for all the databases currently being monitored.  The surveillance items provided by the Navigation Bar are as follows.

Table 1-8. Surveillance Items Provided in the Navigation Bar

The items that can be set for alarm through MaxGauge are as follows.

• All performance indicators provided by the Oracle
• The Active Session Count
• Lock Wait Session Count
• All Wait Events provided by the Oracle
• Programs that use up too much resources
• SGA Free Memory
• OS Disk Usage Rate
• Table Space Usage Rate
• Oracle Alert Log
• DB and Listener Process Life or Death Surveillance

The Frames provided in the Single View main screen are as follows.

OS Frame

The OS Frame provides the OS CPU and the memory usage rate of a single database equipment.  The CPU usage rate provides each User, Sys, and IO Wait separately, and the Memory Information provides the Total Memory and the size of the Free Memory.

SGA Info Frame

The SGA Info Frame provides the size information of the main components for the SGA area.  The provided information are the Fixed Size, Variable Size, Database Buffers, and Redo Buffers.

Session Connection Info Frame

The Session Connection Info Frame allows you to roughly recognize the current database session’s access and execution status by providing the session quantity data for five items (Total Sessions, Active Sessions, Lock Waiting  Sessions, Dedicated Sessions, Long Idle Sessions)

Table 1-8. Surveillance Items Provided in the Navigation Bar

Recent Top Frame

The Recent Top Frame provides the Top-N Program, Module, SQL information and the recent most highly generated wait event class information regarding the recent time periods (10, 30, 60 minute) based on the Elapsed time, IO, Execution and etc.

The Recent Top Frame’s main screen displays the Top 5 Programs based on the recent 10 minutes Elapsed Time, which allows you to quickly identify the program with the longest wait time.

When you change the “Sort by” standard to “Logical Reads (Total” on the main screen, you can confirm the Top-N programs based on the Session Logical Reads standards.  Because Elapsed Time is one of the most important information for performance analysis, it is always provided regardless of which “Sort by” standard may be selected.

In order to check which SQLs’ execution times were the longest in the recent time period, you need to change the “Type” to SQL.  Once you change the “Type” to SQL, the recent Top-N SQLs based on the recent standards will be shown as follows.

RAC View additionally provides the performance items specialized in RAC, increasing the effectiveness of RAC monitoring.  The RAC View’s main screen configuration is as follows.

The Frames provided in the RAC View’s main screen are as follows.

The Frames provided in the RAC View’s main screen are as follows.

Global Lock Frame

The Global Lock Frame provides the number of wait events generated in the RAC nodes.  Enqueue, Library Cache Pin, and Library Cache Lock are provided by the Global Lock.

Image1-42. Global Lock Frame

Load Balance Frame

The Load Balance Frame provides a screen in which you can easily compare the workload in the RAC nodes for the main performance management items.  The items provided are CPU, Active Sessions, Session Logical Reads, and Free Memory, and you can change to the desired performance indicators by using the Stat Change function.

Image1-43. Load Balance Frame

Active Sessions Frame Designated for RAC View

For an effective monitoring in a RAC environment, it is necessary to simultaneously monitor the Active Sessions being executed by each nodes.  Therefore, the Active Sessions Frame within the RAC View provides the screen on which you can simultaneously monitor the RAC node’s active sessions.

Image 1-44. Active Sessions Frame within the RAC View

The most effective method for analyzing the database system’s performance degradation in real-time is investigating the root cause of performance degradation by using the Top-Down method.  In general, the rapid increase in the OS CP usage rate, the rapid increase in the number of Oracle Active Sessions due to bottleneck effect or increase in the number of Lock Wait Sessions may occur.  Therefore, the Top-Down method of real-time problem analysis, which recognizes the programs and SQL Levels causing issues by its workload and then easily investigates the problems, is necessary.  In other words, the Top-Down method of real-time problem investigating function like the following is necessary.

Image1-45. Top-Down Problem Investigating Method for Real-Time Performance Analysis

MaxGauge introduces the Top-Down problem investigating method which is appropriate for each situations through various means.   An example of MaxGauge’s Top-Down method is as follows.

Image 1-45. Top-Down Method for Each Problem Type by MaxGauge

Top OS Process Connection

In case of performance degradation occurs due to high OS resource (CPU and Memory), the Top OS Process using up the most amount of the current resources needs to be identified.  Besides, you also need to check whether the OS Process is an Oracle Server Process or not.

MaxGauge provides the function which connects the OS Resource related Indicator Screen within the Group OS Frame and Trend Chart Frame to the Top OS Process.  If you click on the box area like the one shown below, MaxGauge provides the Top OS Process according to each OS resource type (based on CPU or Memory).  And when the corresponding process is an Oracle Server Process, then it provides the Oracle SID to the SID column.

Image 46. Top OS Process Connection

Top Session Connection

In case the Oracle resource usage rate rapidly increases, you must identify the sessions that caused the corresponding resource to increase.  MaxGauge provides the function which allows you to connect to the sessions which have used the Oracle resource excessively by using the performance indicator screen within the Trend Chart Frame.  By clicking on the box area as shown below, you can review the Top Sessions according to each Oracle resource type.

Image 1-47. Top Session Connection

Lock Tree Connection

Even if one session waiting on the resource is generated, it will generate performance degradation in the corresponding transaction.  Therefore, MaxGauge allows you to immediately check whether there is any Lock sessions waiting on resource generated by providing a separate performance indicator called the “Lock Waiting Sessions”. Moreover, it also provides the function which quickly and accurately analyzes the relationship between the Lock Holder and the Waiter through the connection function with the Lock Tree Frame in the Trend Chart Frame’s Lock Waiting Session Performance Indicators, RAC View’s Global Lock Frame, and the Session Connection Info Frame’s Lock Tree Frame.

Image 1-48. Lock Tree Connection

Single View Connection

In case of monitoring multiple databases by using the Trend View, you may encounter a situation in which you will need to monitor a particular database more closely than others.  In this case, it is possible to connect to the Single View by clicking on the database name icon located at the top of the Trend View.

Image 1-49. Single View Connection

PA Connection

As explained earlier, Max Gauge provides a problem investigating method by using various Top-Down investigating method for the problem situations detected in real-time.  However, in a particular situation, it may be necessary to examine the root issues in a greater detail to quickly analyze the more accurate root cause of the problem by closely reviewing the recent execution performance  history.  Therefore, MaxGauge provides the function which allows you to analyze the corresponding  time period’s execution performance history in great details, by dragging the graph area within the Trend Chart Frame  and connecting it with the PA screen.

Image 1-50. PA Connection

Note.  When connecting from the Trend Chart Frame within the Trend View to PA, the corresponding performance indicator value connects to the highest database.

MaxGauge provides the function which allows you to connect from all the Frames in which the SID column exists, to the Session Detail screen. Just like the Active Session Frame, Lock Tree Frame, and Top Sessions (Top OS Processes) screens explained earlier, in case where the SID columns exist, if you click on the corresponding SID, you can connect to the Session Detail screen where you can monitor the corresponding session’s detailed information.
The Session Detail’s screen configuration is as follows.

Image 1-51. Session Detail Screen

Activity Monitoring Zone

In the Activity tab, the Session’s OS CPU usage rate, Session Logical Reads, Physical Reads, Redo Entries, Executions and Wait Time Trends information is provided. In other tabs, the session level and the system level information regarding the corresponding the performance indicators are simultaneously displayed. Through this, you can recognize the degree of influence by the corresponding session, from the total performance perspective.

Image 1-52. Session Detail Screen’s CPU Tab

Session Control Zone

The Session Control functions provided in the Session Detail screen are as follows.

Table 1-8. Surveillance Items Provided in the Navigation Bar

Note.  Whether Kill Session or Trace setting function can be used or not depends on the level of permission given to the user.  

Session Information Zone

Within the Session Information Zone, the Sigma, Delta, Session, and SQL Used tabs are provided, the information provided in each tab are as follows.

Table 1-9. Information Provided in Each Tab

Image 1-53. Information provided in the Sigma Tab

Image 1-54. Information Provided in the SQL Used Tab 

Image 1-54. Information Provided in the SQL Used Tab

When you click on the [View SQL] button on the Session Detail screen, you can confirm the corresponding SQL’s detailed information as shown below.

Image 1-55. SQL Detail Screen

SQL information provided in the SQL Detail screen are as follows.

• SQL Address
• SQL Hash Value
• Module Name
• First Load Time
• Optimizer Mode
• Version Count
• Elapsed Time and CPU Time
• Session Logical Reads and Main Performance Information
• Bind Variables and Values

Note. The information provided in the SQL Detail screen uses the SQL*Net method.