Module 2 — System Monitoring & Diagnostics

Overview

This module covers the essential tools and commands used to monitor, diagnose, and troubleshoot OpenVMS systems. Topics include SHOW commands, MONITOR utilities, error log analysis, process states, and basic SDA usage.

Exam: Multiple‑Choice Questions

1. Which command displays I/O, CPU, and process information for devices?





2. Which utility provides low-level system analysis and crash dump examination?





3. Which command provides a rolling view of system performance metrics?





4. Which command displays recent hardware and system error log entries?





5. Which type of image is typically used for performance monitoring tools?





Hands‑On Exercises

Exercise 1 — Inspect System Devices

  1. List all devices on the system:
    SHOW DEVICE
  2. Identify:
    • Mounted volumes
    • Tape drives
    • Virtual devices
    • Offline devices

Exercise 2 — Monitor System Performance

  1. Run the system monitor:
    MONITOR SYSTEM
  2. Observe:
    • CPU usage
    • Process count
    • Interrupt rate
    • Balance between kernel/user mode

Exercise 3 — Examine Processes

  1. Display all processes:
    SHOW SYSTEM
  2. Display full details of a specific process:
    SHOW PROCESS/FULL <pid or name>
  3. Identify:
    • Current state
    • Priority
    • CPU time
    • Working set size

Exercise 4 — Review Error Logs

  1. Display recent system errors:
    SHOW ERROR
  2. Extract error log to a file:
    ANALYZE/ERROR/OUTPUT=ERR.TXT
  3. Identify:
    • Disk errors
    • Network errors
    • Hardware faults

Exercise 5 — Use SDA for Basic Inspection

  1. Enter SDA:
    ANALYZE/SYSTEM
  2. Run:
    • SHOW PROCESS
    • SHOW LOCKS
    • SHOW SUMMARY
  3. Exit SDA:
    EXIT

Scenario‑Based Troubleshooting Challenges

Scenario 1 — High CPU Usage

Users report the system is slow.
You must identify the process consuming CPU.

Expected approach:

  • MONITOR SYSTEM
  • SHOW SYSTEM
  • SHOW PROCESS/FULL

Scenario 2 — Disk Errors

A volume is intermittently failing.
You must confirm whether hardware errors are occurring.

Expected approach:

  • SHOW ERROR
  • ANALYZE/ERROR
  • SHOW DEVICE/FULL

Scenario 3 — Hung Process

A batch job appears stuck.
You must determine why.

Expected approach:

  • Check process state (LEF, HIB, CUR)
  • Check locks via SDA
  • Check I/O wait via SHOW PROCESS/FULL

Answer Key

The answer key for this module is located at:
answers/module2-answers.md

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