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Performance graphs

You can include any data point or threshold from a monitoring template in a performance graph.

  1. From the navigation menu, choose ADVANCED > MONITORING TEMPLATES.
  2. In the left column, select the monitoring template in which you want to create a graph.
  3. In the Graph Definitions area, click Add.
  4. In the Add Graph Definition dialog box, enter a name for the graph, and then click Submit.

  5. Double-click the new graph name and enter information or select values to define the graph:

    • Name - Optionally edit the name of the graph. This name appears as the title of the graph.
    • Height - Enter the height of the graph in pixels.
    • Units - Enter a label for the graph's vertical axis.
    • Logarithmic Scale - Activate the check box to specify that the scale of the vertical axis is logarithmic. Deactivate the check box (the default) to set the scale to linear. Example use: Use Logarithmic Scale if the data being graphed grows exponentially. Only positive data can be graphed logrithmically.
    • Base 1024 - Activate the check box if the data that you are graphing is measured in multiples of 1024.
    • Min Y - Enter the bottom value for the graph's vertical axis.
    • Max Y - Enter the top value for the graph's vertical axis.
    • Description - Enter a description of the graph.
    • Has Summary - Activate the check box (default) to display a summary of the data's current, average, and maximum values at the bottom of the graph.

  6. Click Submit.

Graph points

Graph points represent each data point or threshold that is part of a graph. You can add any number of graph points to a graph definition by adding data points or thresholds.

From the Graph Definitions area of the Monitoring Templates page:

  1. From the Action menu, select Manage Graph Points. The Manage Graph Points dialog box appears.
  2. From the Add menu, add a data point, threshold, or custom graph point.
  3. Select values, and then click Submit. Note: Thresholds are always drawn before other graph points.

DataPoint graph points

DataPoint graph points draw the value of data points from the template on a graph.

Adding DataPoint graph points

To define a DataPoint graph point:

  1. From the Add menu on the Manage Graph Points dialog box, select Data Point. The Add Data Point dialog box appears.
  2. Select one or more data points defined in this template. On data point graph point is created for each data point you select from the list.
  3. Optional: Select the Include Related Thresholds option. If selected, then any graph points are created for any thresholds that have been applied to the selected data points as well.
  4. Click Submit.

Editing DataPoint graph points

Double-click the name of the graph point to go to its edit page. Enter information or select values to edit the graph point:

  • Name - This is the name that appears on the Graph Definition page. By default, it appears in the graph legend.
  • Line Type - Select Line to graph the data as a line. Select Area to fill the area between the line and the horizontal axis with the line color. Select None to use this data point for custom RRD commands and do not want it to be explicitly drawn.
  • Line Width - Enter the pixel width of the line.
  • Stacked - If selected, then the line or area is drawn above the previously drawn data. At any point in time on the graph, the value plotted for this data is the sum of the previously drawn data and the value of this data point now. You might set this value, for example, to assess total packets if measuring packets in and packets out.
  • Format - Specify the RRD format to use when displaying values in the graph summary. For more information about formatting strings, refer to its documentation.
  • RPN - Optionally enter an RPN expression that alters the value of the data being graphed for the data point. For example, if the data is stored as bits, but you want to graph it as bytes, enter an RPN value of "8,/" to divide by 8. For more information about RPN notation, refer to the RPN tutorial.
  • Limit - Optionally specify a maximum value for the data being graphed.
  • Consolidation - Specify the RRD function used to graph the data point's data to the size of the graph. Most of the time, the default value of AVERAGE is appropriate.
  • Color - Optionally specify a color for the line or area. Enter a six-digit hexadecimal color value with an optional two-digit hex value to specify an alpha channel. An alpha channel value is only used if 'stacked' is True.
  • Legend - Name to use for the data in the graph legend. By default, this is a TALES expression that specifies the graph point name. The variables available in this TALES expression are here (the device or component being graphed) and graphPoint (the graph point itself).
  • Available RRD Variables - Lists the RRD variables defined in this graph definition. These values can be used in the RPN field.

Editing threshold graph points

Threshold graph points graph the value of thresholds from the template.

To edit a threshold graph point, double-click it in the list.

You can edit values for Name, Color, and Legend for a threshold graph point.

Re-sequencing graph points

To re-sequence graph points, drag a graph point row in the Manage Graph Points dialog box. (Click-and-drag from an "empty" part of the row.)