PMDABCC(1)

NAME
pmdabcc - BCC PMDA

DESCRIPTION
pmdabcc is a Performance Metrics Domain Agent (PMDA) which extracts live performance data from extended BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) programs by using BCC (BPF Compiler Collection) Python frontend.

pmdabcc itself provides no PCP metrics or BPF code; instead it loads and acts as a bridge for any number of configured, separate PCP BCC PMDA Python modules running BPF programs. Existing BCC Python tools and programs should be possible to be utilized with PCP BCC PMDA modules with reasonable effort.

See the BPF and BCC documentation for detailed description of both.

INSTALLATION
pmdabcc reads a mandatory ini-style configuration file

    •   $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc/bcc.conf

This file contains in its [pmda] section values for the following PMDA options:

    •   modules
    •   prefix

pmdabcc reads module-specific configuration for each module listed in the comma-separated list of modules (mandatory). By default, all metrics from the modules will appear under the bcc Performance Metrics Name Space (PMNS) tree, prefix (optional) can be used to change this generic prefix.

For each listed module a corresponding [module] section must be defined containing at least the following options:

    •   module
    •   cluster

module defines the actual Python module file name to be loaded during PMDA startup under the modules subdirectory of the PCP BCC PMDA installation. cluster specifies the cluster ID for the metrics provided by the module under the PMNS path. Optionally, prefix can be defined to override the generic value described above. All modules accept but not necessarily use the boolean debug option.

Modules may also support additional module-specific configuration options, refer to each module for their supported options.

Once the needed setup is ready, you can install the PMDA to load the configured modules and the BPF programs they utilize. To install, do the following as root:

    # cd $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc
    # ./Install

To uninstall, do the following as root:

    # cd $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc
    # ./Remove

pmdabcc is launched by pmcd(1) and should never be executed directly. The Install and Remove scripts notify pmcd(1) when the agent is installed or removed.

FILES

$PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc/bcc.conf
    configuration file for the pmdabcc agent

$PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc/modules/*.{py,python}
    PCP BCC PMDA Python modules available for the pmdabcc agent

$PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc/Install
    installation script for the pmdabcc agent

$PCP_PMDAS_DIR/bcc/Remove
    undo installation script for the pmdabcc agent

$PCP_LOG_DIR/pmcd/bcc.log
    default log file for messages from the pmdabcc agent

PCP ENVIRONMENT
Environment variables with the prefix PCP_ are used to parameterize the file and directory names used by PCP. On each installation, the file /etc/pcp.conf contains the local values for these variables. The $PCP_CONF variable may be used to specify an alternative configuration file, as described in pcp.conf(5).

SEE ALSO
PCPIntro(1), bcc(1), bpf(1), and pmcd(1).