IBM ACE Parser Statistics Test

A parser is a program that interprets the physical bit stream of an incoming message, and creates an internal logical representation of the message in a tree structure. The parser also regenerates a bit stream for an outgoing message from the internal message tree representation. A parser is called when the bit stream that represents an input message is converted to the internal form that can be handled by the broker; this invocation of the parser is known as parsing. The internal form, a logical tree structure, is described in Logical tree structure. It is described as a tree because messages are typically hierarchical in structure; a good example of this structure is XML. The way in which the parser interprets the bit stream is unique to that parser; therefore, the logical message tree that is created from the bit stream varies from parser to parser.

The parser that is called depends on the structure of a message, referred to as the message template. Message template information comprises the message domain, message set, message type, and physical format of the message. Together, these values identify the structure of the data that the message contains.

A parser is also called when a logical tree that represents an output message is converted into a bit stream; this action by the parser is known as writing. Typically, an output message is generated by an output node at the end of the message flow. However, you can connect more nodes to an output node to continue processing of the message.

The message domain identifies the parser that is used to parse and write instances of the message. The remaining parts of the message template, message set, message type, and physical format, are optional, and are used by model-driven parsers such as the MRM parser.

For each message flow parser type, this test reports the largest bit stream that is parsed/written. In addition, this test reports the processing rate of each parser type in terms of parses and writes. This way, administrators may be alerted to processing bottlenecks, if any.

Target of the test : An IBM App Connect Enterprise

Agent deploying the test : An internal/remote agent.

Outputs of the test : One set of results for each Execution group:message flow parser of the IBM App Connect Enterprise that is to be monitored

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameters	Description
Test period	How often should the test be executed.
Host	The host for which the test is to be configured.
Port	The port on which the specified host listens. The default is 2414.
QM Host	By default, the eG agent collects the performance metrics from the target IBM App Connect Enterprise and stores the metrics in the queue manager of the IBM WebSphere MQ server that is loosely coupled with the target IBM App Connect Enterprise. To store the performance metrics, the eG agent should be aware of the host name or IP address of the queue manager. For this, specify the host name or the IP address of the queue manager in the QM Host text box.
QM Port	Specify the port number on which the queue manager is listening for client connections. The default is 2414.
QM User	If you want to login as a specific MQ user to execute this test, then specify a valid user name in the User text box. The test will fail if an invalid user name is specified here. If no such authentication is required, then this parameter can be set to 'none'. If the user belongs to an Active Directory group, then, specify the user name in the following format: <username>@<domain name>. For example, if the user belongs to eginnovations/john, then, your specification should be: john@eginnovations.com.
QM Password	If a specific User is entered, then the password of that user has to be specified in the Password text box.
Confirm Password	Confirm the password by retyping it in the Confirm Password text box.
SERVERCONNCHANNEL	The name of the server connection channel for the WebSphere MQ server. The default value is "SYSTEM.DEF.SVRCONN". If you prefer not to use this default server connection channel for monitoring purposes, then you can create a custom channel in the WebSphere MQ server and use it for monitoring. The steps for achieving this have been detailed in Creating a Custom Channel topic.
SSL Cipher Spec	This parameter is applicable only if SSL-enabled channel is used for communication to the target IBM App Connect Enterprise, if not, set this parameter to none. A cipher suite is a set of cryptographic algorithms that are used before a client application and server exchange information over an SSL/TLS connection. It consist of sets of instructions on how to secure a network through SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security). In this text box, provide the cipher suite that is allowed for SSL/TLS connection to the target server. By default, this parameter is set to none. To know if SSL-enabled channel is used for communication, refer to Enabling One-Way SSL Communication on the Channel topic.
Two Way SSL	This parameter is applicable only if SSL-enabled channel is used for communication to the target IBM App Connect Enterprise, if not, set this flag to No. If two-way SSL authentication is used then set this flag to Yes. Set this flag to No if one-way SSL communication is used.
Truststore	This parameter is applicable only if SSL-enabled channel is used for communication to the target IBM App Connect Enterprise, if not, set this parameter to none. Truststore is used to store certificates from Certified Authorities (CA) that verify and authenticate the certificate presented by the server in an SSL connection. Therefore, the eG agent should have access to the truststore where the certificates are stored to authenticate and connect with the target server and collect metrics. For this, first extract the certificates from the server into the following default location /opt/egurkha/jre/lib/security/egmqsslstore.jks. To know how to create and extract the certificate into the truststore, refer to Configuring the eG Agent to Monitor the Queue Manager. Then, provide the truststore file name in this text box. For example: egmqsslstore.jks. However, if you are using a different location to store the certificate then, provide the full path to this file in this text box. By default, none is specified against this text box.
Truststore Password	This parameter is applicable only if SSL-enabled channel is used for communication to the target IBM App Connect Enterprise, if not, set this parameter to none. If a Truststore File name or file path is provided, then, in this text box, provide the password that is used to obtain the associated certificate details from the Truststore File.
Confirm Password	This parameter is applicable only if SSL-enabled channel is used for communication to the target IBM App Connect Enterprise, if not, set this parameter to none. Confirm the password by retyping it in this text box.
Keystore	This parameter is applicable only if two-way SSL authentication is used, if not, set this parameter to none. Keystore contains the private keys for the certificates that the client can provide to the server upon request. eG agent requires access to the keystore where client certificate is stored to send that to the server so that the server validates the certificate against the one contained in its trustore. For this purpose, first create the client certificate in the following default location /opt/egurkha/jre/lib/security/egmqsslstore.jks. To know how to create the certificate, refer to Configuring the eG Agent to Monitor the Queue Manager. Then, provide the keystore file name in this text box. For example:egmqsslstore.jks. However, if you are using a different location to store the certificate then, provide the full path to this file in this text box. By default, none is specified against this text box. If you are using one-way SSL authentication, this parameter is set to none.
Keystore Password	This parameter is applicable only if two-way SSL authentication is used, if not, set this parameter to none. If a Keystore File name or file path is provided, then, in this text box, provide the password that is used to obtain the associated certificate details from the Keystore File.
Confirm Password	This parameter is applicable only if two-way SSL authentication is used, if not, set this parameter to none. Confirm the password by retyping it in this text box.
Queue Resource Stats	Specify the name of the local queue that you have created for storing the Resource statistics. To know more about how to create a local queue, refer to Creating a Local Queue.
Queue Flow Stats	Specify the name of the local queue that you have created for storing the Message flow statistics. To know more about how to create a local queue, refer to Creating a Local Queue.
Timeout	Specify the duration (in seconds) within which the query executed by this test should Timeout in this text box. The default is 120 seconds.

Measurements made by the test
Measurement	Description	Measurement Unit	Interpretation
Threads	Indicates the number of message flow threads that contributed to the statistics of this message flow parser type accumulation during the last measurement period.	Number
Memory utilization	Indicates the approximate amount of user data-related memory used for this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	KB	The value of this measure cannot be calculated exactly.
Maximum read bit stream	Indicates the largest bit stream parsed by this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	KB
Maximum written bit stream	Indicates the largest bit stream written by this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	KB
Reads	Indicates the rate at which parses were completed successfully by this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	Reads/sec	Comparing the value of this measure across the parser types will help you identify the parser type that is busy processing the parses.
Failed reads	Indicates the rate at which parses failed in this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	Reads/sec	A low value is desired for this measure. A sudden/gradual increase in the value of this measure indicates processing bottlenecks.
Writes	Indicates the rate at which writes were completed successfully to this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	Writes/sec	Comparing the value of this measure across the parser types will help you identify the parser type that is busy writing the messages.
Failed writes	Indicates the rate at which parses failed to be written to this message flow parser type during the last measurement period.	Writes/sec	A low value is desired for this measure. A sudden/gradual increase in the value of this measure indicates processing bottlenecks.