Overview of Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista

Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that provides tools for analyzing system performance. From a single console, you can monitor application and hardware performance in real time, customize what data you want to collect in logs, define thresholds for alerts and automatic actions, generate reports, and view past performance data in a variety of ways.

Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor combines the functionality of previous stand-alone tools including Performance Logs and Alerts (PLA), Server Performance Advisor (SPA), and System Monitor. It provides a graphical interface for the customization of Data Collector Sets and Event Trace Sessions.

Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor consists of three monitoring tools: Resource View, Performance Monitor, and Reliability Monitor. Data collection and logging is performed using Data Collector Sets.

To launch Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor

  • Click Start, click in the Start Search box, type perfmon, and press ENTER.

Resource View

The home page of Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor is the Resource View screen. When you run Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor as a member of the local Administrators group, you can monitor the usage and performance of CPU, disk, network, and memory resources in real time. More detail, including information about which processes are using which resources, is available by expanding the four resources.

Performance Monitor

Performance Monitor provides a visual display of built-in Windows performance counters, either in real time or as a way to review historical data. You can add performance counters to Performance Monitor by dragging and dropping, or by creating custom Data Collector Sets. It features multiple graph views that enable you to visually review performance log data. You can create custom views in Performance Monitor that can be exported as Data Collector Sets for use with performance and logging features.

Reliability Monitor

Reliability Monitor provides a system stability overview and trend analysis with detailed information about individual events that may affect the system's overall stability, such as software installations, operating system updates, and hardware failures. It begins collecting data at the time of system installation.

Access to Reliability and Performance Monitor features

Members of the local Administrators group, or equivalent, may use all the features of Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor. The list below summarizes which features are accessible to members of other groups:

Members of the Users group

  • Can open log files for viewing in Performance Monitor, and can change the Performance Monitor display properties while viewing historical data.

  • Can use Reliability Monitor.

  • Cannot create or modify Data Collector Sets, use Resource View, or view real-time performance data in Performance Monitor.

Note

You cannot configure a Data Collector Set to run as a member of the Users group.

Members of the Performance Monitor Users group

  • Can use all the features that are available to the Users group.

  • Can view real-time performance data in Performance Monitor, and can change the Performance Monitor display properties while viewing real-time data.

  • Cannot create or modify Data Collector Sets or use Resource View.

Note

You cannot configure a Data Collector Set to run as a member of the Performance Monitor Users group.

Members of the Performance Log Users group

Note

If you are a member of the Performance Log Users group, you must configure Data Collector Sets that you create to run under your own credentials.

  • Cannot use the Windows Kernel Trace provider in Data Collector Sets or use Resource View.

Additional references