The
ARM API is an application programming interface that a vendor, such as SAS, can implement
to monitor the availability and performance of transactions in distributed or client/server
applications. The ARM API consists of definitions for a standard set of function calls
that are callable from an application.
You determine the transactions
within your application that you want to measure. To log specific
SAS subsystem transactions, simply use the ARMSUBSYS= system option
to turn on the transactions that you want to log.
You insert performance macros at strategic points in the application's code where
you want
transaction response times and other statistics collected. The performance macros generate calls
to the ARM API function calls within the
ARM agent. The SAS program accepts the function call parameters, checks for errors, and passes
the ARM data to the ARM agent to calculate the statistics and to log the records.
Typically, an ARM API function call occurs just before a transaction is initiated
to signify the beginning of the transaction. Then, an associated ARM
API function call occurs in the application where the transaction is known to be completed.
Basically, the application calls the ARM agent before a transaction starts, and then
calls again after it ends, enabling the transaction
to be measured and monitored. The transaction's response time and statistics are routed
to the ARM agent, which logs the information.
In addition to the ARM API, SAS implemented several key elements that create the ARM
environment. These
key elements include:
ARM macros
are macros that are placed strategically in SAS programs to create and manage ARM
transactions. You must create the user-defined metrics and correlators. See
ARM Macros.
ARMSUBSYS= system option
enables you to collect ARM data on internal SAS components, such as procedures and
DATA steps. See
ARMSUBSYS= System Option.
default correlators
are correlators that are collected in ARM transaction details using the performance
macros. See
Default Correlators.
performance macros
are macros that are placed strategically in SAS programs to create and manage ARM
transactions. Default user metrics and correlators are included in the performance
macros. See
Using Performance Macros.