Reports Server

The reports server stores data in a database for use in reports. Use the Reports Server panel, available from the Server Configuration section of the Server Settings panel, to specify the amount of data you want to store in the database.


Setting up the Reports Server

If Intermapper DataCenter is running on the same host machine as Intermapper server, the reports server is automatically configured and you can start collecting data as soon as you start it.

If Intermapper DataCenter is installed on another host machine, you need to configure Intermapper to use that server.

To open Intermapper DataCenter and configure the reports server:

Click Configure. For more about configuring the reports server, see Configuring Intermapper DataCenter for more information.

Starting Data Collection

You can start and stop data collection on the reports server.

To start or stop collecting Intermapper data:

  • Click Start (Data collection for Reports).
  • Click Stop.

Specifying an Intermapper Reports Server Connection

If Intermapper DataCenter is running on a different host than the Intermapper server, you must specify the server, port, and an account login for the database you want Intermapper to use.

To configure the Intermapper Reports Server connection:

From the Reports Server panel of the Server Settings window, click Use Remote Reports Server and enter the information in the Intermapper Reports Server Settings window as shown.

Collecting Current Data  

Every minute, the Intermapper reports server sends a request for a certain number of rows of current data to insert into the database. The request contains a start and end time, where the start time is the oldest data desired, and the end time is the newest (generally, the present time).

The response from Intermapper server contains the rows to insert into the database, as well as the time of the next row to request. Intermapper reports server uses this information to update its notion of the current time, and the subsequent requests use that time.

The number of rows in the request is automatically adjusted so that the insertion process uses approximately half of the (one minute) time interval. Typically, 500 rows are requested for events and 25,000 rows are requested for data points.

If the time of the next row in the response is less than the requested end time, Intermapper reports server can tell that there is more data available.

Collecting Pre-Existing Data

In parallel, the Intermapper reports server retrieves historical data by working backwards (from newest to oldest), requesting data from the Intermapper server. It does this by making requests for a set of data rows older than a particular time.

The Intermapper server responds with those rows and the Intermapper reports server inserts them and updates the time of the next (oldest) row. Subsequent requests start at this time and retrieve still older data rows.

Select one of the following in the Collection Profile menu to specify the rate at which Intermapper reports server requests the historical data:

  • Now - attempts to retrieve the historical data as fast as possible. It uses most of the remainder of the one-minute time interval (the time left after retrieving the current data) to request historical data. The Intermapper reports server adjusts the number of rows in its request so that it finishes inserting in time to start the next current data request.
  • Gradually - retrieves historical data between every other polls for current data.
  • Nightly - only retrieves historical data between the hours of 01:00 and 03:00. During this time period, it uses the Now profile.
  • Weekend - retrieves historical data between the hours of 01:00 and 23:00 on Saturday and Sunday. During this time period, it uses the Now profile.
  • Never - never retrieves historical data.

What Data is Collected?

Certain variables for probes are recorded automatically when data is collected from a device by Intermapper reports server. You can also specify other variables you want to record when data for a device is stored.

For all probes, the following data is recorded:

  • response time (in msec)
  • long-term packet loss (%)
  • input byte rates for all visible interfaces.
  • output byte rates for all visible interfaces.

For built-in probes, Fortra selected default values that make sense to record for each probe.

For custom probes, you can specify which variables is recorded. The syntax for this is described in Recording Probe Data in the Developer Guide.