Detecting High Processor Utilization

A storage controller overload can lead to unpredictable performance degradations in a disk array. To prevent such problems, administrators need to monitor the processor utilization on each controller to identify which one may potentially become a bottleneck.

1.	In the console, click the controller icon > ProcessorUtilization

Tree_Processor_Utilization

Selecting a Controller's Processor Utilization Parameter

2.	A graph is automatically displayed in the console's graph pane

GRAPH_Processor_Utilization

Viewing a Controller's Processor Utilization as a Graph

A processor utilization over 80% means that this controller is overloaded and that the controller constitutes a bottleneck for the disk array. Also, it is also usually considered that a processor average utilization above 50% on both controllers constitutes an important risk as one single controller would not be able to handle the entire load of the disk array in case of a controller fail over. That is the reason a warning threshold is set at 50%.

Verify the Transfer Data Processor Utilization.

1.	In the console, double-click the ProcessorUtilization parameter

Tree_Data_Transfer_ProcessorUtil

Controller's TransferProcessorUtilization Parameter

2.	A graph is automatically displayed in the console's right pane

GRAPH_Data_Transfer_ProcessorUtil

Controller's Transfer Processor Utilization

If this value stays low – while the overall processor utilization is high – it indicates that the controller is performing "non productive" tasks. It then may become critical to determine the source of activity that generates the high processor utilization.

By default, the ProcessorUtilization parameter will display a warning when reaching 50% and an alert when reaching 90 %.