Overview |
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Tasks |
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Included with |
Tivoli Problem Management |
Counters and counter caches |
Counters are the values that Tivoli Problem Management uses to determine unique record IDs for many of the tables in the Tivoli Problem Management database. Caching is the process by which a batch of counter numbers is stored in memory, or cached, on a client workstation. When the database server returns a batch of counter numbers, as requested by a client workstation, this is called a counter cache. (A list of the available counter caches is displayed in the Counters tab of the Application dialog box.) |
How Tivoli Problem Management uses counter caches |
You can configure Tivoli Problem Management to
retrieve a batch of counter numbers and store them in memory. When a user creates a new
record, the next number in the counter cache is used as the record ID, then the number is
removed from the counter cache. When the cache is empty, Tivoli Problem Management
retrieves a new batch of counters from the database server. Because Tivoli Problem Management does not need to access the database server each time the user creates a new record, counter caching significantly decreases the time spent communicating with the database server, and increases overall performance. Records created using counter caches may have record IDs that are not based on the time they are assigned. These record IDs do not represent the system-wide order in which the records were created. For example, assume you have two users who are both creating new problem records. The first client workstation issues a GetNextNumber command to the database server. The database server returns counters with a problem ID of 1 through 50 to the first client. When the second client calls the server, it gets counters 51 through 100. If these two users are working simultaneously, the first would use counter 1 while the second is using counter 51, and so on. |
Edit Counter dialog box |
Change the size of a counter cache
at the Edit Counter dialog box so that client workstations do not need to request counter
caches too often. Counter caching significantly decreases the time spent communicating
with the database server, and increases overall performance. For more information, see Editing a counter cache size. To access the Edit Counter dialog box:
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View Counter dialog box |
View the current size of any counter cache
in the View Counter dialog box. For more information, see Viewing a counter cache size. To access the View Counter dialog box:
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Determining optimal cache values |
The cache values for counters vary in size. You
should pick a cache value large enough so that your users do not need to request counter
caches very often. To determine the cache value, you need to know how many new records of
each type are created over a period of time. The following procedure describes one method
for getting this information. To determine the optimal cache value:
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Here is a table of some of the actions most often used in Tivoli Problem Management, the counters used during the action, and the number of times the counter is used during the action. |
Action | Counters Used | Times Used |
Register a Call | CALL | 1 |
PROBLEM | 1 | |
PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 | |
Freeze a Problem | PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 |
ESCALATION LOG | 1 | |
Resume a Problem | PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 |
Transfer Call | ALARM | 1 |
ESCALATION LOG | 1 | |
DISPATCH | 1 | |
PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 | |
Transfer Problem | PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 |
WORK HISTORY | 1 | |
ESCALATION LOG | 1 | |
ALARM | 1 | |
Pickup Call | PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 |
Pickup Problem | PROBLEM HISTORY | 1 |
Editing a counter cache size |
Any change made to
counter cache sizes affects all Tivoli Problem Management users the next time they start
Tivoli Problem Management. You do not need to set counter cache sizes at each workstation
for each user. To edit a counter cache size:
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Viewing a counter cache size |
Check the settings
for a counter cache at either the View Counter dialog box.
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