Reviewing Replication Performance over Time

From the Management Center, you can access the Dashboard (Statistics Tab) to analyze performance of replications associated with a specific metadata. The Dashboard uses data stored in the Metadata and history files or database to provide a series of charts with performance information including:

• Total number of processed records

• Total number of failed records

• Total number of records

• Total number of replication sessions

• Total number of processed records by all replications per unit of time.

• Average time it took to replicate specified records.

The Dashboard provides tools for you to select replications to analyze and charts to review data on replication performance.

Take the following steps to set up and use the Dashboard.

1. Enable history logging to a database

Dashboard data is obtained from the history log, which is not enabled by default. Additionally, if you are planning to analyze large amounts of data, it is better to save history data to a database rather than a file (the default.) To set up the history log:

1. In the Management Center Metadata Explorer, select the server containing the metadata and replications you want to analyze. (The default server is called local.)

2. From the right mouse button menu, choose Replication Agent Options.

3. In the Replication Agent Options dialog, click the Log tab.

4. In the Write Log To field, from the drop-down list, choose Database.

5. Set up a connection to the metadata database.

6. Set a limit on the number of messages saved, if desired. Bear in mind that the Dashboard tools show performance over time, so limiting the number of messages reduces the amount of data you will be able to see.

7. Check the Activate Log History option.

8. Click OK to close the dialog.

9. Stop and restart the Replication Agent to begin logging history data.

2. Run replications for a period of time

With the history log enabled, run replications for enough time to collect a useful amount of data for your needs. The Dashboard charts can show records processed hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly.

3. Open the Dashboard and review the data

1. In the Management Center Metadata Explorer, select the metadata containing the replications you want to analyze. (The default metadata is called "metadata".)

2. From the right mouse button menu, choose Show Dashboard.
   A new tab named Statistics opens in the Management Center.

3. In the Selected Time Interval area, use the down arrow button and the horizontal scrollbar to adjust the time period you want to analyze.
   
   
   

4. In the Replication Groups area, click on the sections of the pie chart containing groups with replications you want to analyze. Note that replications not included in a group are in the section <ungrouped>.
   
   
   

5. In the Selected Replications area, use the checkboxes to select all the replications to analyze.

6. Use the Overview and Throughput charts to analyze the replications. For details on these charts see the Dashboard topic.