Plugins: Obtain a Process Snapshot from a Host

[STiAT]

Since naming in the dynatrace UI seems not consistent with the actual process instance names reported in Plugins, is there a way to get a proper process snapshot to copy into simulator_plugin.json from a certain host to make proper testing of the plugin activation possible?

[skrystosik]

I think this API may be helpful for you:

https://www.dynatrace.com/support/help/dynatrace-api/environment-api/topology-and-smartscape/process...

Sebastian

[STiAT]

Sorry, this does not help, it does not output a json for the simulator, not even the required information to build a json which could be used (executabe properties are missing).

[Mike_L · Accepted solution]

Go to C:\ProgramData\dynatrace\oneagent\log\plugin\pluginDevLoggerPluginEngineDefault.log or the equivalent log directory on Linux and search for _update_latest_snapshot

You'll find lines that look like this (the process snapshot):

2021-02-12 16:15:21,762 DEBUG 29988(MainThread) - [_update_latest_snapshot] Latest process snapshot: ProcessSnapshot(host_id=1850212188241764429, entries=[ProcessSnapshotEntry(group_id=6772456763978972123, node_id=0, group_instance_id=9498283671383834280, process_type=11, group_name='MicrosoftSearchInBing.exe', processes=[ProcessInfo(pid=6264, process_name='MicrosoftSearchInBing.exe', properties={'ExePath': 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Search in Bing\\MicrosoftSearchInBing.exe', 'ParentPid': '944', 'WorkDir': 'C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\'})], properties={'Technologies': 'DotNet,DOTNET,CLR'}), ProcessSnapshotEn [and so on, and so on]

You might have to deploy a custom extension first before this log entry starts being written, but it depends on your OneAgent version.

Mike

[STiAT]

Thanks, I found that, but that's quite some work to get the proper processes out there and form into a json as a whole to see what works and what does not. REally no easier way to get a simulator snapshot?

[Mike_L]

I'm sorry but this is currently the best way. We're working on a new extension framework (as was announced during the Perform conference last week), which will iron out some of the tedious bits of the existing framework.

[lawrence_cuneaz]

To get a process snapshot you can enable automatic process snapshots that run based on any of these triggering events or you can run a snapshot manually by selecting ... in the Process Snapshots section on a specific host page.

• High host CPU usage
• High host memory usage
• High packet drop rates
• High NIC utilization rates
• High number of NIC errors
• Process availability events

https://www.dynatrace.com/support/help/shortlink/host-monitoring-new#snapshots