AWS FSx for Windows File Server Test
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides fully managed Microsoft Windows file servers, backed by a fully native Windows file system which is integrated with the rest of AWS. Amazon FSx helps administrators launch and run high-performance Windows file systems while avoiding tasks like provisioning hardware, configuring software or taking backups.
The AWS FSx for Windows File Server test is capable of monitoring the file systems launched by AWS FSx and reports a host of performance metrics which is collected through Cloud Watch API. The resource utilization of each file system is monitored and the file system that is consuming excessive resources are identified. The Disk I/O operations of each file system is monitored and the file system with maximum IOPS is determined. The storage capacity of each file system is periodically monitored, and the redundant storage space saved as part of deduplication process is reported. By closely analyzing these metrics, administrators can figure out the efficiency of each file system.
Target of the test: Amazon Cloud
Agent deploying the test : A remote agent
Outputs of the test : One set of results for each Windows file server created using AWS FSx service on the target AWS Cloud being monitored.
First-level descriptor: AWS Region
Second-level descriptor: File system ID
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Test Period |
How often should the test be executed. |
Host |
The host for which the test is to be configured. |
Access Type |
eG Enterprise monitors the AWS cloud using AWS API. By default, the eG agent accesses the AWS API using a valid AWS account ID, which is assigned a special role that is specifically created for monitoring purposes. Accordingly, the Access Type parameter is set to Role by default. Furthermore, to enable the eG agent to use this default access approach, you will have to configure the eG tests with a valid AWS Account ID to Monitor and the special AWS Role Name you created for monitoring purposes. Some AWS cloud environments however, may not support the role-based approach. Instead, they may allow cloud API requests only if such requests are signed by a valid Access Key and Secret Key. When monitoring such a cloud environment therefore, you should change the Access Type to Secret. Then, you should configure the eG tests with a valid AWS Access Key and AWS Secret Key. Note that the Secret option may not be ideal when monitoring high-security cloud environments. This is because, such environments may issue a security mandate, which would require administrators to change the Access Key and Secret Key, often. Because of the dynamicity of the key-based approach, Amazon recommends the Role-based approach for accessing the AWS API. |
AWS Account ID to Monitor |
This parameter appears only when the Access Type parameter is set to Role. Specify the AWS Account ID that the eG agent should use for connecting and making requests to the AWS API. To determine your AWS Account ID, follow the steps below:
|
AWS Role Name |
This parameter appears when the Access Type parameter is set to Role. Specify the name of the role that you have specifically created on the AWS cloud for monitoring purposes. The eG agent uses this role and the configured Account ID to connect to the AWS Cloud and pull the required metrics. To know how to create such a role, refer to Creating a New Role. |
AWS Access Key, AWS Secret Key, Confirm AWS Access Key, Confirm AWS Secret Key |
These parameters appear only when the Access Type parameter is set to Secret.To monitor an Amazon cloud instance using the Secret approach, the eG agent has to be configured with the access key and secret key of a user with a valid AWS account. For this purpose, we recommend that you create a special user on the AWS cloud, obtain the access and secret keys of this user, and configure this test with these keys. The procedure for this has been detailed in the Obtaining an Access key and Secret key topic. Make sure you reconfirm the access and secret keys you provide here by retyping it in the corresponding Confirm text boxes. |
Proxy Host and Proxy Port |
In some environments, all communication with the AWS cloud and its regions could be routed through a proxy server. In such environments, you should make sure that the eG agent connects to the cloud via the proxy server and collects metrics. To enable metrics collection via a proxy, specify the IP address of the proxy server and the port at which the server listens against the Proxy Host and Proxy Port parameters. By default, these parameters are set to none , indicating that the eG agent is not configured to communicate via a proxy, by default. |
Proxy User Name, Proxy Password, and Confirm Password |
If the proxy server requires authentication, then, specify a valid proxy user name and password in the Proxy User Name and Proxy Password parameters, respectively. Then, confirm the password by retyping it in the Confirm Password text box. By default, these parameters are set to none, indicating that the proxy sever does not require authentication by default. |
Proxy Domain and Proxy Workstation |
If a Windows NTLM proxy is to be configured for use, then additionally, you will have to configure the Windows domain name and the Windows workstation name required for the same against the Proxy Domain and Proxy Workstation parameters. If the environment does not support a Windows NTLM proxy, set these parameters to none. |
Exclude Region |
Here, you can provide a comma-separated list of region names or patterns of region names that you do not want to monitor. For instance, to exclude regions with names that contain 'east' and 'west' from monitoring, your specification should be: *east*,*west* |
AWSFSX FILTER NAME |
FSx for Windows File Server metrics use the FSx namespace and provide metrics for a single dimension, FileSystemId. You can select a file system's ID in the AWSFSX Filter Name drop down . A file system ID takes the form of fs-0123456789abcdef0. |
Measurement |
Description |
Measurement Unit |
Interpretation |
---|---|---|---|
Data reads |
Indicates the size of data for read operations for clients accessing this file system. |
MB |
|
Data writes |
Indicates the size of data for write operations for clients accessing this file system. |
MB |
|
Data read operations |
Indicates the number of read operations for clients accessing this file system. |
Number |
These are good indicators of the I/O load on a file system. If the value of one/more of these measures is very high, it can imply high workload. In such a circumstance, you can compare the value of these measures for that file system to know what is contributing to the load - read operations? write operations? or metadata operations?
|
Data write operations |
Indicates the number of write operations for clients accessing this file system. |
Number |
|
Metadata operations |
Indicates the number of metadata operations for clients accessing this file system. |
Number |
|
Client connections |
Indicates the number of active connections between clients and the file server. |
Number |
This is a good indicator of the workload of a file system. |
Network throughput utilization |
Indicates the network throughput for clients accessing this file system, as a percentage of the provisioned limit. |
Percent |
Compare the value of this measure across file systems to know which file system has the maximum network throughput. |
CPU utilization |
Indicates the percentage utilization of the file server’s CPU resources. |
Percent |
A value close to 100% is a cause for concern, as it implies that the file server is using CPU resources excessively. If the situation persists, the server may soon not have enough processing power to process requests to it. |
Memory utilization |
Indicates the percentage utilization of the file server’s memory resources. |
Percent |
A low value is desired for this measure. A high value or a consistently increasing value is a cause of concern, as it could indicate a gradual erosion of memory in the file server. In such cases, you may want to investigate the cause of memory erosion and find a way to arrest the memory erosion. |
File server disk throughput utilization |
Indicates the disk throughput between the file server and its storage volumes, as a percentage of the provisioned limit determined by throughput capacity. |
Percent |
|
File server disk throughput balance |
Indicates the percentage of available burst credits for disk throughput between the file server and its storage volumes. |
Percent |
This measure is valid for file systems provisioned with throughput capacity of 256 MBps or less. |
File server disk IOPS utilization |
Indicates the disk IOPS between the file server and storage volumes, as a percentage of the provisioned limit determined by throughput capacity. |
Percent |
|
File server disk IOPS balance |
Indicates the percentage of available burst credits for disk IOPS between the file server and its storage volumes. |
Percent |
This measure is valid for file systems provisioned with throughput capacity of 256 MBps or less. |
Disk reads |
Indicates the size of read operations that access storage volumes. |
MB |
By comparing the value of these metrics across storage volumes, you can quickly identify the storage volume that processes disk read and/or write requests slowly.
|
Disk writes |
Indicates the size of write operations that access storage volumes. |
MB |
|
Disk read operations |
Indicates the number of read operations for the file server accessing storage volumes. |
Number |
By comparing the value of these metrics across storage volumes, you can quickly identify the storage volume that processes disk read and/or write operations slowly.
|
Disk write operations |
Indicates the number of write operations for the file server accessing storage volumes. |
Number |
|
Disk throughput utilization |
Indicates the disk throughput between the file server and its storage volumes, as a percentage of the provisioned limit determined by the storage volumes (for HDD only). |
Percent |
|
Disk throughput balance |
Indicates the percentage of available burst credits for disk throughput for the storage volumes (for HDD only). |
Percent |
|
Disk IOPS utilization |
Indicates the disk IOPS between the file server and storage volumes, as a percentage of the provisioned IOPS limit determined by the storage volumes (for SSD only). |
Percent |
|
Free storage capacity |
Indicates the amount of available storage capacity in this file system. |
MB |
A high value is desired for this measure. |
Storage capacity utilization |
Indicates the used physical storage capacity by this file system as a percentage of total storage capacity. |
Percent |
A low value is desired for this measure. |
Deduplication saved storage |
Indicates the amount of storage space saved by data deduplication by this file system, if it is enabled. |
MB |
|