MSDN / Documentation / Windows / Tools / Profilers / Performance Monitor / Creating Data Collector Sets

Creating Data Collector Sets

Data Collector Sets are used in Windows Performance Monitor to organize and manage the collection of performance data. They allow you to define what data to collect, from which sources, and how to store it. This guide will walk you through the process of creating and configuring these sets.

Why Use Data Collector Sets?

Organized Data: Group related performance counters and event logs.
Scheduled Collection: Automate data gathering based on time or system events.
Resource Management: Control the amount of data collected to avoid overwhelming your system.
Custom Configurations: Tailor data collection to specific diagnostic needs.

Steps to Create a Data Collector Set

1. Open Performance Monitor

You can open Performance Monitor by:

Pressing Win + R, typing perfmon, and pressing Enter.
Searching for "Performance Monitor" in the Windows search bar.

2. Navigate to Data Collector Sets

In the left-hand pane of Performance Monitor, expand Data Collector Sets.

3. Create a New Data Collector Set

Right-click on User Defined and select New > Data Collector Set.

4. Name Your Data Collector Set

Enter a descriptive name for your set in the "Create New Data Collector Set" wizard and click Next.

5. Choose the Creation Type

You have two primary options:

Create manually (Advanced): Allows you to define all aspects from scratch, offering maximum flexibility. This is the recommended approach for detailed control.
From a template: Use predefined templates for common scenarios (e.g., System Performance, System Diagnostic).

For this guide, we will focus on manual creation. Select Create manually (Advanced) and click Next.

6. Select Data Loggers and Editors

Choose the types of data you want to log:

Performance counter: Collects real-time performance metrics from various system components.
Event trace data: Captures detailed event logging from applications and system services.
Text file: Allows for custom text log entries.

Select Performance counter and Event trace data. Click Next.

7. Configure Performance Counters (If Selected)

Click Add... to select the performance counters you want to monitor. You can browse through different performance objects (e.g., Processor, Memory, Disk) and select specific counters.

Tip: Start with a few key counters to understand system behavior before adding too many. Common counters include:

Processor\% Processor Time
Memory\Available MBytes
Process(ProcessName)\% Processor Time

Once you have added your desired counters, click OK, then Next.

8. Configure Event Trace Data (If Selected)

Click Add... to select event trace providers. These are typically system services or applications that emit trace events. You can browse for providers or use specific names if you know them.

Click OK, then Next.

9. Configure Data Log Files

Specify the following for your data logs:

Log file type: Binary is recommended for performance data.
File name: The base name for your log files.
Base directory: Where the log files will be stored.
Maximum size: Set a limit to prevent logs from consuming excessive disk space.
When maximum size is reached: Choose to overwrite old data or create new files.

Click Next.

10. Finish and Save

Review your configuration. You can choose to:

Save and close: Creates the Data Collector Set, but you'll need to start it manually.
Save and start data collection: Creates the set and immediately begins logging data.

Click Finish.

Important: Ensure the directory where you choose to save your logs has sufficient free space. Large datasets can consume significant storage.

Managing Data Collector Sets

After creation, your Data Collector Set will appear under User Defined in the left pane.

Right-click on your set to start, stop, edit properties, or delete it.
Double-click to view the collectors within the set.

Advanced Configuration Options

Right-click on your Data Collector Set and select Properties for more advanced settings:

General: Description, owner, auditing.
Stop Condition: Define conditions under which the collector set should automatically stop (e.g., after a certain duration or when a log file reaches a specific size).
Schedule: Configure the set to start or stop at specific times or intervals.
Redundant Server: Specify a redundant server for data collection.
Alerts: Set up alerts based on performance counter thresholds.

By effectively creating and managing Data Collector Sets, you can gain valuable insights into your system's performance and troubleshoot issues more efficiently.