The IBM® Support Assistant (ISA) is a free local software
serviceability workbench that helps you resolve questions and problems with IBM software
products.
About this task
Tools for IBM Support Assistant perform numerous functions from
memory-heap dump analysis and Java™ core-dump analysis to enabling remote
assistance from IBM Support.
All of these tools come with help and usage documentation that allow you to
learn about the tools and start using them to analyze and resolve your problems.
The following are samples of the tools available in IBM Support Assistant:
- Memory Dump Diagnostic for Java (MDD4J)
- The Memory Dump Diagnostic for Java tool analyzes common formats of memory
dumps (heap dumps) from the Java virtual machine (JVM) that is running
the WebSphere® Application
Server or any other standalone Java applications. The analysis of memory
dumps is targeted towards identifying data structures within the Java heap
that might be root causes of memory leaks. The analysis also identifies major
contributors to the Java heap footprint of the application and
their ownership relationship. The tool is capable of analyzing very large
memory dumps obtained from production-environment application servers encountering
OutOfMemoryError issues.
- IBM Thread and Monitor Dump Analyzer (TMDA)
- IBM Thread and Monitor Dump Analyzer (TMDA) provides analysis for Java thread dumps or javacores such as those
from WebSphere Application
Server. You can analyze thread usage at several different levels, starting
with a high-level graphical view and drilling down to a detailed tally of
individual threads. If any deadlocks exist in the thread dump, TMDA
detects and reports them.
- Log Analyzer
- Log Analyzer is a graphical user interface that provides a single point
of contact for browsing, analyzing, and correlating logs produced by multiple
products. In addition to importing log files from multiple products, Log Analyzer
enables you to import and select symptom catalogs against which log files
can be analyzed and correlated.
- IBM Visual
Configuration Explorer
- The IBM Visual
Configuration Explorer provides a way for you to visualize, explore, and analyze
configuration information from diverse sources.
- IBM Pattern
Modeling and Analysis Tool for Java Garbage Collector (PMAT)
- The IBM Pattern
Modeling and Analysis Tool for Java Garbage Collector (PMAT) parses IBM verbose
garbage-collection (GC) trace, analyzes Java heap usage, and recommends key configurations
based on pattern modeling of Java heap usage. Only verbose GC traces
that are generated from IBM Java Development Kits (JDKs) are supported.
- IBM Assist
On-site
- IBM Assist
On-site provides remote desktop capabilities. You run this tool when you are
instructed to do so by IBM Support personnel. With this live remote-assistance
tool, a member of the IBM Support team can view your desktop and share control
of your mouse and keyboard to help you find a solution. The tool can speed
up problem determination, data collection, and ultimately your problem solution.
Procedure
To install tools for the IBM Support Assistant Workbench on a Windows® or Linux® Intel® operating
system, go to the Update menu and select Tool Add-ons. A list
of all available tools appears, and you can select the tools that you would
like to install. You can install, update, or remove tools from
the IBM Support
Assistant Workbench at any time.