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).

Performance Co-Pilot                                   PCP                                            PMDABCC(1)