Getting started with Agent Controller - AIX

This guide contains the following information:

Prerequisites
Configuring and starting Agent Controller
Querying Agent Controller version information
Agent Controller logging
Invoking the Java Profiler
Uninstalling Agent Controller

Prerequisites

Install the Java runtime (JRE) or Java development kit (JDK) 1.5 or 1.4.x
Remove or uninstall all existing installations of Agent Controller.

Configuring and starting Agent Controller

Notation
<ac_dir> = The absolute directory path where Agent Controller has been unzipped. For example, /opt/RAC.

Ensure that the files in the <ac_dir>/bin and <ac_dir>/lib directory are executable.
Run SetConfig.sh script from a command shell in the <ac_dir>/bin directory to generate the configuration file for the Agent Controller. The script requires that a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) be present in the PATH environment variable. Follow the prompts and enter the required parameters as appropriate. The configuration file <ac_dir>/config/serviceconfig.xml will be generated based on your inputs.
Start the Agent Controller by changing your working directory to <ac_dir>/bin and running ./RAStart.sh.
Add <ac_dir>/lib directory to the LIBPATH environment variable when running applications with TPTP agents (such as Profiling or Logging agents) from the command line.
Stop the Agent Controller by changing your working directory to <ac_dir>/bin and running ./RAStop.sh.

If you want to make changes to the configuration file that was generated in step 2, you may run the SetConfig.sh script again or you may manually edit the file according the rules outlined in the document Agent Controller configuration files. The Agent Controller must be restarted for the changes to take effect.

If you enable security during the configuration step (via SetConfig.sh), currently you need to start the Agent Controller using the root user id. Please refer to the Security Overview section of the Working with the Agent Controller document for more information on this topic.

Querying Agent Controller version information

Note that the fourth step in Configuring and Starting Agent Controller is required to query the version of the agent controller.

To display the version of Agent Controller change your working directory to <ac_dir>/bin in a command shell and run the following command:
RAServer -v
or
RAServer -version

The Agent Controller will display its version and terminate.

Agent Controller Logging

All Agent Controller log entries will be placed in <ac_dir>/config/servicelog.log.

Invoking the Java Profiler

The Java Profiler consists of a Profiling Agent packaged as a library. This profiling agent is started by the JVM when the JVM is started with the -Xrun option described below. The profiling agent interacts with the JVM to capture and record the Java application's behavior. The output from the profiling agent is in the form of XML fragments. The format of this fragment is described in this document titled "Event Specification for the Java Profiler".

You can profile a Java application by using the Eclipse TPTP workbench or manually by invoking the profiler from the command line.

Invocation of the Java Profiler from the Eclipse Workbench

The Java Profiler can be launched from the Eclipse TPTP workbench. From the Profiling and Logging Perspective of the Eclipse workbench you can launch applications using the Run > Profile menu or the toolbar button. A wizard will come up and follow the wizard to profile an application. Applications in the current Eclipse workbench's workspace or external Java applications located in the file system can be launched and profiled.

Invocation of the Java Profiler from the Command Line

Note that the fourth step in Configuring and starting Agent Controller is required for invoking the Java Profiler from the command line. The Java Profiler is invoked from a command line using the -Xrun JVM option as follows:

    -XrunpiAgent[:agent_parm[,agent_parm]*

where agent_parm may be:

server=[standalone | enabled | controlled | applicationControlled]
standalone

The Java Profiler is manually attached to a JVM instance and generates a stand-alone trace to a specified file based on the options and filters given on the command line. When this option is selected, the Java Profiler produces the enclosing traceRoot element to form a complete and valid XML document.

enabled

The Java Profiler is loaded, allows the application to run normally, but produces no trace until a Eclipse workbench attaches to the agent to give it instructions. When this option is selected, the Java Profiler only produces XML fragments instead of a complete XML document.

controlled

The Java Profiler is loaded, and the application is blocked from running until a client gives it instructions to continue. When this option is selected, the Java Profiler only produces XML fragments instead of a complete XML document.

applicationControlled
Profiling operations are controlled by the TPTP "Profiler" java class. The pluginconfig.xml file must be modified to use this mode. The pluginconfig.xml is located in the following directory:
```
<ac_dir>/plugins/org.eclipse.tptp.platform.collection.framework_<version>/config/pluginconfig.xml
```
The following modification is required:
```
<Agent client="DYNAMIC" configuration="default" dataChannelSize="64M" name="Java Profiling Agent" type="Profiler"/>
```
should be modified to
```
<Agent client="HEADLESS" configuration="default" dataChannelSize="64M" name="Java Profiling Agent" type="Profiler" logFile="<some_dir>/profile.trcxml"/>
```
Note that the Agent client attribute has been changed to "HEADLESS" and that the "logFile" attribute has been added.
The hcframe.jar file should also be included in the user's class path when profiling an application under this mode. For example:
```
 java -XrunpiAgent:server=applicationControlled -classpath .:<ac_dir>/plugins/org.eclipse.tptp.platform.collection.framework_<version>/hcframe.jar TestClass
```
filters=filename
NOTE: This parameter is only used when server=standalone is specified.
Specifies the name of the file that contains the initial class filter definitions to be used during the trace. The default is filters.txt in the current directory. The format of the file is as follows:
```
        <classpattern> <methodpattern> <mode> , where:
```
classpattern

is a string with no embedded blanks. The string may contain a single "*" either at the beginning of the string or at the end of the string. The "*" will match zero or more characters, thus making the pattern a generic prefix or suffix pattern. A single "*" can also be specified to represent all strings.

methodpattern

is a string with no embedded blanks. The string may contain a single "*" either at the beginning of the string or at the end of the string. The "*" will match zero or more characters, thus making the pattern a generic prefix or suffix pattern. A single "*" can also be specified to represent all strings.

mode

is one of INCLUDE or EXCLUDE. Filter patterns are processed in the order that they are specified until the first pattern match succeeds. If the class name does not match any of the specified filter patterns, the default is to INCLUDE the class.
file=filename
Note: This parameter is only used when server=standalone is specified.
Specifies the name of a file where the trace will be written. The default is trace.xml in the current directory.
help
Displays a list of available agent options to standard out.

Uninstalling Agent Controller

To uninstall the Agent Controller:

Stop the Agent Controller by changing your working directory to <ac_dir>/bin and running ./RAStop.sh.
Remove the <ac_dir>.
Remove the <ac_dir>/lib directory from the LIBPATH environment variable, if needed.