Guide to VAX SPM

This document serves as a guide for using the VAX SPM (Software Performance Monitor) Version 3.3 on VAX/VMS Version 5.0 (or later) systems. VAX SPM is a comprehensive set of tools designed for system performance analysis, historical reporting, and billing for system usage.

The guide covers:

• Data Collection: Methods for collecting VMS performance data, including conventional commands and an automatic data collection procedure (SPM$MANAGER.COM).
• Performance Evaluation: Tools for analyzing system performance, such as reporting tuning data, on-line analysis from log files (using the Analyzer), interactive video graphics displays (Investigate and Resource), collecting and reporting system program counter data, analyzing file activity, analyzing disk space, and tracing internal VMS events. The Analyzer helps identify performance bottlenecks and offers recommendations.
• Historical Reporting: Facilities for archiving daily log files into history files, generating various types of reports and graphs (tabular, presentation quality) from historical data, and displaying historical information. This includes options for defining prime/nonprime hours and days, and trend analysis.
• System Tuning: A methodology for diagnosing and isolating resource limitations (memory, I/O, CPU) and applying corrections to improve system performance.
• System Usage Charging: The Charge facility processes VMS accounting data to produce detailed reports on monetary amounts charged for system resources.
• VAXcluster and Remote Node Support: Instructions for using VAX SPM to collect, archive, and evaluate performance data on VAXcluster systems (including workload balancing and disk contention isolation) and remote nodes.