Statistics retrieval methods

Functional description

You can collect statistics data using the following methods:

registerLogToFile—to continually collect accounting and performance statistics. Use this method for creating accounting and performance statistics export files for specific class types. The NFM-P exports the statistics data to a file after it retrieves the data from an NE, and saves the file in a specified directory on a main or auxiliary server. The NFM-P sends a LogFileAvailableEvent when a file is created using the registerLogToFile method, which is asynchronous. See Statistics retrieval using registerLogToFile for more information about retrieving statistics using the registerLogToFile method.
findToFile—to occasionally collect specific accounting or performance statistics. Use this method for infrequent, low-volume transfers of statistics data from the NFM-P database. The findToFile method can save statistics for multiple NEs on one file. The NFM-P sends a FileAvailableEvent each time that a file is created using the findToFile method. See Statistics retrieval using findToFile for more information about retrieving statistics using the findToFile method.
using JMS to monitor statistics events and on-demand statistics collection—see Statistics monitoring using JMS for more information about statistics monitoring using JMS.

Statistics retrieval using the registerLogToFile or findToFile method requires a RHEL user account on each main or auxiliary server from which statistics are to be collected. Such a user account requires FTP or SFTP access, depending on whether TLS is enabled on the XML API. See Configuring FTP and SFTP access for OSS clients for the specific requirements and best practices for creating OSS client user accounts.

Note: It is recommended that you use the registerLogToFile file method to minimize collection latency and to reduce system load. The findToFile method can be used when less than 400 000 statistics records are retrieved in 15 minutes, and when greater collection latency is acceptable.

Note: AA Cflowd statistics are not available via the XML API, however an external target file server can obtain the statistics from the NSP Flow Collectors. See Collecting Application Assurance (AA) accounting statistics for more information.

Configuring FTP and SFTP access for OSS clients

Each OSS client that retrieves data files from a main or auxiliary server using FTP or SFTP requires a RHEL user account on the server.

An OSS client user account on a main or auxiliary server has the following requirements.

The user home directory must be the export directory of the statistics or OAM result files, and is one of the following:
- on a main server:
  
  statistics—/opt/nsp/nfmp/server/xml_output
  
  OAM result files—/opt/nsp/nfmp/server/xml_output/oam
- on an auxiliary server—/opt/nsp/nfmp/auxserver/xml_output
The user requires read permissions on the export directory, so must belong to the RHEL nsp user group.

It is recommended that you observe the following best practices when creating an OSS client user account on a main or auxiliary server.

Apply the same credentials to an OSS client user account that you create on multiple servers.
For an SFTP user, restrict the RHEL system access to SFTP using the ForceCommand option in the RHEL system configuration for SSH. See the RHEL OS documentation for information.
For statistics collection, assign a separate directory below export_directory/performanceStats and export_directory/accountingStats to each OSS client, where export directory is one of the following:
- on a main server—/opt/nsp/nfmp/server/xml_output
- on an auxiliary server—/opt/nsp/nfmp/auxserver/xml_output
  
  Note: An OSS client that retrieves both performance and accounting statistics has read access to the statistics files of other OSS clients.
For OAM result file collection, assign a separate directory below the OAM result export directory to each OSS client.

Use subject to agreed restrictions on disclosure and use.