Advanced Server includes multiple tools that can be used to assess the operational status of the server at any given time. As a server administrator, frequent assessment of server status will improve your ability to notice a problem or trend quickly.
Periodic review of server status will provide a fairly stable basis for understanding how a normal problem-free server appears. Over time, information that deviates from the norm will be an indication that something has changed and warrants your attention.
Tools for assessing the status of the server include the following.
A number of events related to the daily operation of the server can be tracked using Event Viewer. These events are maintained in one of three event logs: system, security, and application. Administrators should develop and implement an event logging policy and include a review of event logs as a regular part of troubleshooting activities.
Administrators will find it particularly useful to characterize the typical use of the server by manipulating event log data using a spreadsheet or word processing program. This approach can be used to generate a standard operating profile of the server and can be used to predict trends in server usage.
For information about Event Viewer, see Advanced Server Concepts and Planning.
Note
Event logs also can be viewed using the elfread command. For more information, type man elfread at the Advanced Server command prompt.
Advanced Server maintains detailed statistics about its current usage as well as cumulative usage over a particular period of time. It is always helpful to review these statistics on a regular basis as well as when a server problem is encountered.
To view data about current server use, use Server Manager. This provides details about current client-server sessions and the resources being used by those sessions.
To view cumulative server usage data, use the net statistics command at the Advanced Server command prompt. This command provides cumulative totals for a variety of server activities. Administrators who review the server statistics provided by using this command on a regular basis will find it easier to recognize and address changes in server operation.
The following statistics are maintained for the Advanced Server:
|
Statistic |
Description |
|
Statistics since |
Tells when this set of statistics began (either at the last server startup or the last time the statistics were cleared). |
|
Sessions accepted |
Tells how many times users connected to the server. |
|
Sessions timed-out |
Tells how many user sessions were closed because of inactivity. |
|
Sessions errored-out |
Tells how many user sessions ended because of error. |
|
Kilobytes sent |
Tells how many KBytes of data the server transmitted. |
|
Kilobytes received |
Tells how many KBytes of data the server received. |
|
Mean response time (msec) |
Tells the average response time for processing remote server requests. This always will be 0 for UNIX system servers. |
|
System errors |
This does not apply to UNIX system servers. |
|
Permission violations |
Tells when a user attempts to access resources without the required permissions. |
|
Password violations |
The number of incorrect passwords that were tried. |
|
Files accessed |
The number of files that were used. |
|
Comm devices accessed |
Not supported on Advanced Server. |
|
Print jobs spooled |
The number of print jobs were spooled to printer queues on the server. |
|
Times buffers exhausted |
The number of shortages of big and request buffers. Always set to 0 for UNIX system servers. |
Administrators can display and control sessions between clients and the server. This information can be used to gauge the workload on a particular server.
To display session information from a Windows NT Workstation computer or a Windows client computer using Server Manager
2. Select the Advanced Server about which you want to view session information.
3. Click on the USERS button.
You also can display session information using the net session command at the Advanced Server command prompt.
Note
You may see sessions displayed that do not show user names. The sessions are a result of administrative activity and should not be deleted.
An administrator can disconnect a user from the server at any time. Closing a user session does not prevent the user from reconnecting.
To disconnect a user session from a Windows NT computer or from a Windows client computer using Server Manager
2. Select the Advanced Server about which you want to view session information.
3. Click on the USERS button.
4. Highlight the user and select the Disconnect button.
You also can disconnect a user session by using the net session command at the Advanced Server command prompt.
When a user uses a shared file, the file is open. Sometimes a file will be left open, perhaps even with a lock on it, because of an application program error or some other problem. Such files will remain open and unavailable to other users. Administrators can close these files.
To close an open resource from a Windows NT computer or a Windows client computer using Server Manager
2. Select the Advanced Server about which you want to view data.
3. Click on the IN USE button.
4. Highlight the open resource and select the Close Resource button.
You also can close an open resource by using the net file command at the Advanced Server command prompt.
Advanced Server maintains a separate print log for each printer share and each UNIX system printer it uses. These log files record any message generated because of a printer fault or print job error.
An administrator should check these log files periodically to determine whether any such errors are occurring. The logs can be accessed from a client computer by linking to the PRINTLOG shared resource.
The logs also can be accessed from the server. They are in the following directory: /var/opt/lanman/shares/printlog.
Advanced Server provides an SNMP-compliant monitoring service that can be used to monitor Advanced Servers from remote locations.
If you are an administrator involved with an Advanced Server network that spans multiple locations, you may want to take advantage of this service.
