Monitoring Node Performance

Applies To: Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003

Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 provides two categories of performance objects:

• Compute Cluster: cluster-specific performance counters

• Compute Nodes: node specific performance counters

Compute Nodes and Compute Cluster performance objects are exposed on the head node only. Each performance object exposes a rich set of performance counters that can be used to monitor different characteristics of the cluster and nodes. All other operating system performance objects are exposed on all the nodes in the cluster.

The cluster administrator can monitor compute cluster and node performance from within the Compute Cluster Administrator by clicking Open System Monitor in Compute Cluster Administrator or by running a stand-alone copy of System Monitor (formerly called Performance Monitor) or any tool that can access System Monitor objects.

Counters can be added and customized views created using System Monitor within the Compute Cluster Administrator. Open System Monitor sessions and counters added to these sessions save saved on exit from the Compute Cluster Administrator.

To run System Monitor from the Compute Cluster Administrator

1. From the Node Management page of the Compute Cluster Administrator, right-click one or more nodes.

2. Select Open System Monitor.

3. The selected nodes are displayed beneath System Monitor on the navigation tree. The central details pane contains a standard System Monitor display. Basic information about each counter can be viewed by clicking the counter.

4. Eight predefined node counters are automatically displayed. These counters provide a quick look at node performance. These counters are:

   • Percentage processor time

   • Number of running jobs

   • Number of running tasks

   • Total number of processors

   • Number of processors in use

   • Number of processors idle

   • Number of serial tasks

   • Number of parallel tasks

5. You can add counters by right-clicking a counter in the lower pane of the central Details display and selecting Add Counters.

   • From the Add Counters dialog box, select the computer, the performance object, and the counters associated with that object that you want to add, and then click Add.

   • When finished, click Close. The selected counters are added to the counter display.

6. To stop monitoring a node, select the node beneath the System Monitor heading in the navigation Pane, and then click Close.

   If you want to alter the way that information is displayed, right-click the node being monitored in the navigation pane and select Properties. Make the desired changes and click OK.

   Note

   If you change display options or add object counters, these changes are not saved between sessions.

   If you are monitoring more than one node at a time, you can switch between sessions by selecting the node in the navigation pane.

Accessing compute cluster counters using System Monitor and other tools

You can view compute cluster counters by running Windows System Monitor as a stand-alone application or using any other tool that can access System Monitor objects. Windows System Monitor, called Performance Monitor in previous versions of Windows, is a tool you can use to monitor the resource utilization by system and application processes.

For additional information about using Microsoft System Monitor, see System Monitor overview (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=63635)

If you are using Microsoft Operations Manager 2005, you can also use the Microsoft Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 Management Pack to more easily manage your Windows compute cluster.

The Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 Management Pack monitors the performance, health, and availability of Windows compute clusters. This management pack includes rules that:

• Monitor critical Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 services.

• Capture operational errors.

• Collect important Windows compute cluster performance counters.

When using this management pack, you are alerted to problems with Windows compute clusters as error conditions occur. By collecting and providing useful views of important cluster, node, job, and task performance, this management pack increases your ability to monitor compute cluster performance and to take action quickly when problems occur.

To download the Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 Management Pack, see the Management Pack Catalog (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=77857).

See Also

Concepts

Compute Cluster Administrator Operations