If you recall my previous tutorial about Getting Started with vFabric tc Server. We have three sections for our consideration to get vFabric tc Server.

1. Binaries for vFabric tc Server
2. vFabric Hyperic Server and Agent
3. vFabric Spring Insight Operations

We already covered the point 1. Now is the turn for the point 3. Therefore in this tutorial, I am going to teach you now how install, configure and use Spring Insight Operations.

Overview: Spring Insight Operations

Be aware that we have available two versions of Spring Insight. These are:

1. Spring Insight Developer
2. Spring Insight Operations

For the moment just consider Spring Insight Developer when you are working in your Web application for a development and testing environments.

Now about Spring Insight Operations consider it for production environment.

Like VMware vFabric Documentation Center wrote Spring Insight Operations is intended for operations teams and developers who use Spring Insight Operations to monitor and tune Web applications running on tc Server application servers in production environments.

Note:

Before to start with the tutorial, be aware, I am going to use the
/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2 directory like my root directory.

Step 01: Getting vFabric Spring Insight Operations

From our previous tutorial about Getting Started with vFabric tc Server, I am showing again the section where you can get Spring Insight Operations

Figure 01: vFabric Spring Insight Operations

Do realize yourself we have here two types of installer available, these are:

• Agent
• Dashboard

The latest current release while I am writing this tutorial is 1.5.1. Proceed to download both files. These are.

• insight-vfabric-tc-server-agent-1.5.1.SR3.zip
• insight-vfabric-tc-server-dashboard-1.5.1.SR3.zip

Once you got these files, proceed to move them to the Desktop directory.

Figure 02: vFabric Spring Insight Operations installers on Desktop directory

Proceed to unzip both files into the Desktop directory. You must get these new two directories

• insight-agent
• insight-dashboard

Figure 03: vFabric Spring Insight Operations directories on Desktop directory

Spring Insight Dashboard and Spring Insight Agent are themselves Web applications, easily added to a tc Server Runtime instance working closely with tc Server templates directory.

Step 02: Installing Spring Insight Dashboard

The purpose of the Spring Insight Dashboard is to let you to connect it to view the Spring Insight user interface.

Note: is important know that Spring Insight Dashboard must be installed in just one tc Server Runtime instance. Therefore Spring Insight Dashboard must only run in a unique tc Server Runtime instance.

OK, to start, move the insight-dashboard directory to
/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/templates directory.

Figure 04: moving insight-dashboard directory into vFabric tc Server templates directory

Open your new First Terminal and go to the /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2 directory. Then consider the follow script execution structure.

prompt$ ./tcruntime-instance.sh create myDashboard -t insight-dashboard -p insight-dashboard.dashboard.jms.bind.uri=tcp://myDashboardServer:21234

Looks a little complex, therefore let’s analyse its parameters for a better understanding.

• -t : it is used to indicate what template must be used to create the instance of the dashboard, in this case we are going to use the insight-dashboard directory. Where it is already located within the vFabric tc Server templates directory.
• -p : it assigns an URI to the insight-dashboard.dashboard.jms.bind.uri parameter. This URI is very important since the unique Spring Insight Dashboard instance uses it to communicate with each Spring Insight Agent onstance. Be aware, this parameter’s name starts with insight-dashboard, how you perhaps did realize it is the same directory named and located within the vFabric tc Server templates directory. Let’s analyse the three part of this URI

1. The Procotol : in this case we are going to work with tcp.
2. The Hostname or IP number : here was used for example myDashboardServer. I am going to use a IP number instead.
3. The Port Number : explanatory by itself. Be sure to keep this port open through your firewall to let each Spring Insight Agent instance to connect with our Spring Insight Dashboard.

Note: be aware, this URI must be the same to be used for each Spring Insight Agent‘s instance installation process. Later it is going to be covered.

With the previous explanation for this script execution with its respective parameters and since we are already located in the root directory mentioned, therefore, I am going to use the follow version.

./tcruntime-instance.sh create dashboardmanolito -t insight-dashboard -p insight-dashboard.dashboard.jms.bind.uri=tcp://192.168.1.33:21234

Be sure that all this be written or pasted in a single line. Below the result output.

[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$ ./tcruntime-instance.sh create dashboardmanolito -t insight-dashboard -p insight-dashboard.dashboard.jms.bind.uri=tcp://192.168.1.33:21234
Creating instance 'dashboardmanolito' ...
  Using separate layout
  Creating bin/setenv.sh
  Applying template 'base'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'context-fragment.xml' to 'conf/context.xml'
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
    Applying fragment 'web-fragment.xml' to 'conf/web.xml'
    Applying fragment 'tomcat-users-fragment.xml' to 'conf/tomcat-users.xml'
    Applying fragment 'catalina-fragment.properties' to 'conf/catalina.properties'
  Applying template 'base-tomcat-7'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
    Applying fragment 'web-fragment.xml' to 'conf/web.xml'
    Applying fragment 'catalina-fragment.properties' to 'conf/catalina.properties'
  Applying template 'insight-dashboard'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'context-fragment.xml' to 'conf/context.xml'
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
    Applying fragment 'tomcat-users-fragment.xml' to 'conf/tomcat-users.xml'
  Configuring instance 'dashboardmanolito' to use Tomcat version 7.0.22.A.RELEASE
  Setting permissions
Instance created
Connector summary
  Port: 8080   Type: Auto-Switching HTTP 1.1   Secure: false
[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$

If you check your root directory, you going to find a new directory named dashboardmanolito

Figure 05: dashboardmanolito directory within vFabric tc Server 2.6.2

Let’s see the content of the dashboardmanolito directory.

Figure 06: dashboardmanolito’s directory content

Step 03: Starting Spring Insight Dashboard

Just execute the follow script with the follow parameter ./tcruntime-ctl.sh dashboardmanolito start in your first terminal.

[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$ ./tcruntime-ctl.sh dashboardmanolito start
INFO Instance name:      dashboardmanolito
INFO Script directory:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO tc Runtime location:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Instance base:      /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Binary dir:         /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Runtime version:    7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Script version:     2.6.2.RELEASE
Using CATALINA_BASE:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/dashboardmanolito
Using CATALINA_HOME:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE
Using CATALINA_TMPDIR: /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/dashboardmanolito/temp
Using JRE_HOME:        /home/Section1/whiteroom/sun/jdk/jdk1.6.0_29
Using CLASSPATH:       /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE/bin/bootstrap.jar:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE/bin/tomcat-juli.jar
Using CATALINA_PID:    /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/dashboardmanolito/logs/tcserver.pid
[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$

Be aware, is not necessary have running the tc Server runtime instance.

Step 04: Shutdown Spring Insight Dashboard

Just execute the follow script with the follow parameter ./tcruntime-ctl.sh dashboardmanolito stop in your first terminal.

[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$ ./tcruntime-ctl.sh dashboardmanolito stop
INFO Instance name:      dashboardmanolito
INFO Script directory:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO tc Runtime location:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Instance base:      /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Binary dir:         /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Runtime version:    7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Script version:     2.6.2.RELEASE
Instance is running as PID=2035, shutting down...
Instance is running PID=2035, sleeping for up to 60 seconds waiting for shutdown
Instance shut down gracefully
[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$

Step 05: Installing Spring Insight Agent

The purpose of the Spring Insight Agent running on a tc Server Runtime instance is collect information to be send it to the tc Server Runtime instance where hosts and is running the Spring Insight Dashboard. Thus the information can be processed and then displayed through Spring Insight Dashboard. Recall that Spring Insight Dashboard let you view the Spring Insight user interface.

Furthermore do realize yourself we have two tc Server Runtime instances, one for the Agent and other for the Dashboard. Thus, is logic in be thinking in two PC machines.

Note: consider do the follow step instruction in each tc Server Runtime instance where the Spring Insight Dashboard is not installed.

For this step instruction, I am going to use my other PC, refered how PC-B and for this PC where I have already installed the Spring Insight Dashboard going to be refered how PC-A. For your information PC-B has the same configuration settings like PC-A about Operative System and Java. And of course the same directories structure.

Note: Starting from here to forward when I do reference to Spring Insight Dashboard it means I am working with the PC-A, and when I do reference to Spring Insight Agent it means I am working with the PC-B.

Read and do the steps instructions shown on Getting Started with vFabric tc Server into the PC-B to let us install the Spring Insight Agent. If you did realize we have servermanolito directories that represent our tc Server Runtime instances into two PCs.

Once installed our second tc Server Runtime instance into the PC-B, proceed to move the insight-agent directory to
/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/templates directory or simply move the insight-vfabric-tc-server-agent-1.5.1.SR3.zip file to the PC-B‘s Desktop directory and unzip this file and move the generated insight-agent directory to /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/templates directory.

Figure 07: moving insight-agent directory into vFabric tc Server templates directory

Open a new First Terminal into the PC-B and go to the
/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2 directory. Then consider the follow script execution structure.

prompt$ ./tcruntime-instance.sh create MyInstanceN -t insight-agent
-p insight-agent.dashboard.jms.connect.uri=tcp://myDashboardServer:21234

Looks a little complex, therefore again, let’s analyse its parameters for a better understanding.

• -t : again, it is used to indicate what template must be used to create the instance of the agent, in this case we are going to use the insight-agent directory. Where it is already located within the vFabric tc Server templates directory.
• -p : again, it assigns an URI to the insight-agent.dashboard.jms.connect.uri parameter. This URI is very important since each Spring Insight Agent instance uses it to communicate with the unique Spring Insight Dashboard instance. Be aware, this parameter’s name starts with insight-agent, how you perhaps did realize it is the same directory named and located within the vFabric tc Server templates directory. Let’s analyse the three part of this URI

1. The Procotol : in this case we are going to work with tcp.
2. The Hostname or IP number : here was used for example myDashboardServer. Due to my previous configuration settings for Spring Insight Dashboard‘s installation process, therefore, for each Spring Insight Agent instance it must use the same IP number used or declared for the Spring Insight Dashboard.
3. The Port Number : explanatory by itself. Be sure to keep this port open through your firewall to let each Spring Insight Agent instance to connect with our Spring Insight Dashboard. And again, for each Spring Insight Agent instance it must use the same Port Number used or declared for the Spring Insight Dashboard.

Therefore how this URI must be the same than the used for Spring Insight Dashboard instance. I am going to use the follow.

./tcruntime-instance.sh create agentmanolitoinstance01 -t insight-agent -p insight-agent.dashboard.jms.connect.uri=tcp://192.168.1.33:21234

Be sure that all this be written or pasted in a single line. Below the result output.

[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$ ./tcruntime-instance.sh create agentmanolitoinstance01 -t insight-agent -p insight-agent.dashboard.jms.connect.uri=tcp://192.168.1.33:21234
Creating instance 'agentmanolitoinstance01' ...
  Using separate layout
  Creating bin/setenv.sh
  Applying template 'base'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'context-fragment.xml' to 'conf/context.xml'
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
    Applying fragment 'web-fragment.xml' to 'conf/web.xml'
    Applying fragment 'tomcat-users-fragment.xml' to 'conf/tomcat-users.xml'
    Applying fragment 'catalina-fragment.properties' to 'conf/catalina.properties'
  Applying template 'base-tomcat-7'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
    Applying fragment 'web-fragment.xml' to 'conf/web.xml'
    Applying fragment 'catalina-fragment.properties' to 'conf/catalina.properties'
  Applying template 'insight-agent'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'context-fragment.xml' to 'conf/context.xml'
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
  Applying template 'bio'
    Copying template's contents
    Applying fragment 'server-fragment.xml' to 'conf/server.xml'
  Configuring instance 'agentmanolitoinstance01' to use Tomcat version 7.0.22.A.RELEASE
  Setting permissions
Instance created
Connector summary
  Port: 8080   Type: Blocking IO   Secure: false
[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$

If you check your root directory, you going to find a new directory named agentmanolitoinstance01

Figure 08: agentmanolitoinstance01 directory within vFabric tc Server 2.6.2

Let’s see the content of the agentmanolitoinstance01 directory.

Figure 09: agentmanolitoinstance01′s directory content

Step 06: Starting Spring Insight Agent

Just execute the follow script with the follow parameter
./tcruntime-ctl.sh agentmanolitoinstance01 start in your first terminal.

[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$ ./tcruntime-ctl.sh agentmanolitoinstance01 start
INFO Instance name:      agentmanolitoinstance01
INFO Script directory:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO tc Runtime location:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Instance base:      /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Binary dir:         /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Runtime version:    7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Script version:     2.6.2.RELEASE
Using CATALINA_BASE:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/agentmanolitoinstance01
Using CATALINA_HOME:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE
Using CATALINA_TMPDIR: /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/agentmanolitoinstance01/temp
Using JRE_HOME:        /home/Section1/whiteroom/sun/jdk/jdk1.6.0_29
Using CLASSPATH:       /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/agentmanolitoinstance01/bin/insight-bootstrap-tcserver-1.5.1.SR3.jar:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/agentmanolitoinstance01/lib/aspectjweaver-1.6.11.SR1.jar:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE/bin/bootstrap.jar:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE/bin/tomcat-juli.jar
Using CATALINA_PID:    /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/agentmanolitoinstance01/logs/tcserver.pid
[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$

Step 07: Shutdown Spring Insight Agent

Just execute the follow script with the follow parameter
./tcruntime-ctl.sh agentmanolitoinstance01 stop in your first terminal.

[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$ ./tcruntime-ctl.sh agentmanolitoinstance01 stop
INFO Instance name:      agentmanolitoinstance01
INFO Script directory:   /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO tc Runtime location:/home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Instance base:      /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2
INFO Binary dir:         /home/Section1/whiteroom/vmware/vfabrictcserver/2.6.2/tomcat-7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Runtime version:    7.0.22.A.RELEASE
INFO Script version:     2.6.2.RELEASE
Instance is running as PID=2515, shutting down...
Instance is running PID=2515, sleeping for up to 60 seconds waiting for shutdown
Instance shut down gracefully
[Section1@localhost 2.6.2]$

Final Notes: Congratulations!!!. You have learned how get, how install, how configure and use the two components of vFabric Spring Insight Operations. These are Spring Insight Developer and Spring Insight Operations. Each one of these components has been installed in a dedicated PC.

In the next tutorial you are going to learn how to work with insight-agent and insight-dashboard.

Home