To enable the Database Agent to collect data, you must add and configure a Database Collector for each database that you want to monitor. The Database Collector is the process that runs within the Database Agent to collect performance metrics about your database instances and database servers.

Required Database Permissions

You must have the required permissions to monitor your databases. See Database Visibility Supported Environments. 

Cisco AppDynamics Permissions

To add, edit, and create collectors, users need a role with the proper permissions:

  • Can Create Collectors
  • Can Edit All Collectors
  • Can Delete All Collectors

See Database Permissions.

Add a Database Collector

When you create a Database Collector, the password is encrypted and saved in the database. When the password is saved, you cannot retrieve the saved password. Cisco AppDynamics uses the secure-credential-store-api internal library to encrypt passwords and the PKCS5 encryption algorithm.

  1. Click the Configuration tab in the left panel menu.
  2. Click the Collectors option.
  3. In the Collectors panel, click Add ( + ). 
  4. Complete each field of the Create New Collector dialog 

  5. If you want to add a sub-collector to be monitored, click Advanced >> +Add sub-collector to enter host and port details. 
    Sub-collectors are applicable only to relational database types.

  6. Click OK. Your database administrator can provide you with the necessary details.

After you have added a Database Collector, you can configure it for your database. You can also link a database on the application flow maps to a database instance monitored by Database Visibility.

Hardware Monitoring

For information on the fields to complete in order for the Database Agent to monitor the server hardware in addition to the database, see Configure the Database Agent to Monitor Server Hardware. 

Verify Collector Setup

Once the Database Collector is up and running, in just a short time you can start viewing the historical activity data. 

The Database Collector configuration window now has a collector icon. Click that icon to edit the details of the Database Collector. The Database Collector also appears in the list of databases shown in the left navigation menu. It might take a few minutes before the Database Collector and its metrics are reported.

From the left navigation menu, click Databases to see a high-level view of the activity of all the configured Database Collectors.

Click the name of the database to see more details of the metrics Cisco AppDynamics Database Monitoring has captured.

For information on using and interpreting the Database Collector windows, see Monitor Databases and Database Servers.

Edit a Database Collector

From the Collectors panel, you can edit any of the details of the Database Collector except the type of database platform to monitor. For more information on collector details, see the collector configuration page for your database.

Delete a Database Collector

From the Collectors panel, you can delete a Database Collector.

Export Database Collector Data

From the Collectors panel, you can click on Actions > Export Data to generate a CSV file containing the following data for each collector:

  • Collector name
  • Host name
  • Port number
  • Username
  • Database type
  • Agent name

View Database Agent Properties and Logs

Database Agent logs are required for debugging and troubleshooting. You can view these logs, and Database Agent properties and thread dumps, by accessing the Agent Dashboard. To access Agent Dashboard, click the agent name under Agent Name on the Collectors page. 

You can click Request Agent Log files to either download logs from a specific logger by setting a specific log level for a specific duration or download all logs. You can also click Request Agent Thread Dumps to download the required number of thread dumps. See Agent Log Files and Request Agent Log Files.

Troubleshoot Collector Problems

Collectors that have not been configured correctly, or that cannot connect to the database for any reason, will show an error on the Databases overview page and individual database dashboards. Hovering over the error icon displays the potential reason for the error. If your Collector isn't reporting any metrics after a few minutes, and you know the database is up and running with activity, check the Events panel. Agent Diagnostic Events can appear if the password is incorrect or communication errors have occurred. The message summaries on the Events panel can help you diagnose and troubleshoot Collector problems.

Check the collector configuration to ensure all the values you entered are correct.

Ensure that your Database Agent has network connection to the databases you want to monitor along with the required permissions. See Database Monitoring Requirements and Supported Environments.