Performance tool architecture

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Performance tool architecture

Various architectural levels of the Windows Server 2003 family support the operation of System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts. For example, these performance tools obtain data by default by means of the registry. You can optionally collect performance data by means of the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) interface for hardware resources or applications installed on the system. The Performance Data Helper dynamic-link library (DLL) acts as an intermediary between the WMI and the performance tools to format the data and make calculations, where necessary, to convert raw data for display or reporting. For information about configuring performance tools to collect data using WMI, see Collect performance data using WMI.

DLLs supplied by the operating system provide counters for monitoring the behavior of resources such as memory, processors, disks, and network adapters and protocols. In addition, many services in the Windows Server 2003 family provide their own DLLs that install counters that you can use to monitor their operation.

System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts use the Remote Registry service process that manages user logon and logoff operations for remote monitoring connections. The Messenger service in the Windows Server 2003 family sends users alert notification. This service must be running for alert notifications to be received.