Introduction to CrystalBridge^® Monitoring

CrystalBridge® Monitoring is based on a centralized location where information is collected from remotely monitored systems called satellite systems. The collected information is known as KPIs.

The monitoring of remote systems and self-monitoring is started on a monitoring system known as the central monitor. The central monitor is a tool for monitoring and managing multiple SAP systems from a single location, while the central system is a specific SAP system. For each monitored system, CrystalBridge® Monitoring collector jobs are defined, and each collector job is periodically scheduled.

During the execution of the collector jobs, runtime collectors are called on the monitored system. These collectors send back the required information, known as KPIs, as well as additional detailed information that is used for analysis purposes. All the information is stored in the database on the central system.

After the initial analyses for benchmarking, a collector job can notify you about critical statuses and values that are identified on the monitored system. All the collected information is represented in real-time in the CrystalBridge® Monitoring Cockpit. This interface allows you to control all processes and change the setup via customizing.

Collector Jobs

A collector job represents a monitoring process for a specific system with a specific setup. The setup of collector jobs is described in their profiles. A collector job can be scheduled so that it is executed in a different time period.

For each collector job, only one background job exists on the central system. The statuses of the monitored system(s) and their servers are controlled within this background job. The system then collects and stores the necessary information in order to perform analysis centrally and to notify you about critical statuses and values.

Profiles

A profile is a simple set of customizing data that determines which KPIs must be collected and in which way. For example, the DB profile is defined for monitoring database-specific KPIs, and the BW profile can be configured for monitoring only KPIs that are relevant to BW system performance. All predefined KPIs are assigned to profiles such as these by default. You can start these profiles automatically by clicking Start default monitoring.

CrystalBridge® Monitoring administrators can customize the creation of profiles and allow the definition of customer-specific monitoring that focuses on particular KPIs.

Standard profiles are delivered with the CrystalBridge® Monitoring installation and are ready for use right away. 

KPIs

KPIs, short for key performance indicators, are the base unit of information that the CrystalBridge® Monitoring Cockpit works with. 

From an abstract level, a KPI can be any kind of measurable information, for example the CPU utilization or CPU load, memory size, number of network packets, short dumps, active users, conversion speed, or the time of DSO activation in NetWeaver BW. 

A KPI is calculated in a satellite system or in the central system by collectors, which are described in the next section.

Collectors

Collectors are responsible for the collection of data for KPIs. Technically, a CrystalBridge® Monitoring collector is a specific implementation of logic that is designed for gathering data and that uses the same standardized communication interface as any other implemented collectors. 

Within each collector, the process of getting and measuring data for one or more KPIs is implemented. 

As an additional function, collectors can receive certain parameters or inputs and send detailed and structured information back.