AppDynamics Custom Transaction Correlation

AppDynamics Custom
Transaction Correlation
AppDynamics Version 4.2

APPDYNAMICS CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY 2
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Objectives
Course Labs
Understand AppDynamics
Transaction Correlation
Facilitate discovery of missing
components in flow maps
Determining Entry and Exit Points
Configuring AppDynamics
for custom correlation
Review Transactions and Flow Maps
Finding Entry Points
Research relationship between
Entry & Exit Points
Configure Custom Correlation

Topic 1 What Is AppDynamics Transaction Correlation?
A.Transaction Correlation Basics
B. Exit Point Issues
C.Entry Point Issues
Topic 2 What Is AppDynamics Custom Correlation?
A. Custom Correlation Basics
B. Exit Point Configuration
C.Entry Point Configuration
AppDynamics Custom Transaction Correlation
Agenda

• Detected transactions rely on AppServer
Agent decorating requests with GUID
• GUID = Global Unique Identifier
• Same GUID assigned by Agenton each
tier involved in the requestchain
• GUIDs posted to Controller,which
reconciles GUID-labelled events
• Controller derives Business Transaction
flow map from comparing individual
requestchains
Transaction Correlation Basics
• Correlation relies on ability ofAgents
to decorate and read GUIDs
• Automatic correlation breaks down ifGUID
cannotbe set, or cannotbe read
What works and doesn’t work

Transaction Correlation Basics
AppServer Agent Behavior

At the pointin code where call out to other componenthappens,
Appserver Agenttries to decorate the outbound requestwith the GUID.
This is during what’s called the Exit Point – adding the GUID relies
on Agent being aware ofthe code as an Exit Point.
On any monitored component,the ability to read the GUID embedded
in a requestrelies on Agentability to understand the technology.
Entry Point is AppDynamics term for a pointin the code which
processes an incoming requestthatthe Agentsuccessfully notices.
Setting & Reading The GUID

A. Transaction Correlation Basics
B.Exit Point Issues
Agenda

Exit Point Issues
Tiers missing from Flow Maps
Inability to successfully detect
an Exit Point means GUID is not set.
From AppDynamics perspective,
the Business Transaction does not
continue any further!
Looking at the flow map, this may be
why Tiers appear to be missing!

Agenda

Entry Point Issues
Tier appears as Back End
Inability to successfully detect an
Entry Point will mean GUID is not read
The Business Transaction will notinclude
this Tier in its flow map (though may show
up in the flow map as a Back End)

Is Custom Correlation Necessary?
Various factors can also prevent correlation
The absence of the expected Tier on a Transaction Flow
Map could be due to an Agentissue
Rule outAgent as the cause of the issue by checking:
• Agent installed and configured correctly?
• Agent up and running?
• Does the Tier show up in the Flow Map
of other Transactions?

Lab 1
Review Movieztream & Login.htm Transaction
URL <<your IP address>>/controller
Username admin
Password admin
Scenario
While AppDynamics managed to detectthe
/movieztream_ui/login.htm transaction withoutany
difficulty, it appears not to be aware that when users
log in to Movieztream there is a call made to the
ProfileStore Tier, as this is not showing on the flow
map.
This exercise is designed to familiarize the student
with the application,flow maps and transactions.

How BTs Are Tracked
AppDynamics successfully automatically correlates transactions
where various technologies are employed

Correlation In HTTP
Adding Custom Headers to carry
transaction information is safe if
•You don’tuse any well-understood
header names like ‘Accept-Language’
•The content of the header value
is ‘HTTP-safe’
Method | URL | Version Request Line
Header Field-Name Header Value
Header Field-Name Header Value
Headers
•Extensible by definition
•Does not Contain
Application Data
Body Request Body

Correlation In HTTP
AppDynamics Byte Code Interceptor
on The HTTP transport layer – adds
a safe header which uniquely identifies
this transaction.The controller reconstructs
the flow.
AppDynamics Byte Code Interceptor
on the servlet– reads the header with
the information.

Correlation In JMS
Adding Custom Message
Properties to carry transaction
information is safe if
•You don’toverwrite any existing
property names and choose
a unique name
•The content of the property
value is valid content
JMSPriority…
Property Name Property Value
Property Name Property Value
Message Properties
•Extensible by definition
Body Message Body
JMSDestination
Headers
•Not Extensible
•Predefined

Correlation In JMS
AppDynamics Byte Code Interceptor on The JMS
Message sender – adds a safe header which uniquely
identifies this transaction.
AppDynamics Byte Code Interceptor on the Message
Receiver– reads the header with the information.

A.Custom Correlation Basics
Agenda

Exploring Untracked Functionality
1
ConfiguringAppDynamics to reveal unmonitored running code
1. How do we ‘see’
what we can’t ‘see’?
2. Appdynamics Agents
can reveal method calls
being executed which
are outside of any tracked
Business Transactions
3. This provides us with
potential Entry Points
Activated by setting a
specific Agent’s find-
entry-points property
to true
2
3

Find Entry Points Output
Where to view unmonitored running code that AppDynamics has detected
Activity is recorded in
BusinessTransactions
log file
Retrieve either through
Controller or from logs
directory on server
As the property adds
a small overhead to Agent
performance, recommended
to disable once done with
investigations
[main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:51,565 INFO - ############################################################
[main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:51,565 INFO - Logging request stack for Thread main
>>com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.ProfileServiceThread.<init>(ProfileReceiver.java
[main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:51,565 INFO - 0. POJO com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.Pro
com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.ProfileServiceThread <init>
 [main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:51,565 INFO -END request stack for Thread main [main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:51,
[main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:53,837 INFO - ############################################################
[main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:53,837 INFO - ############################################################
################################################################# 
ain] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:54,102 INFO - 0. POJO com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.Profi
main [main] 07 Nov 2016 17:10:54,103 INFO - ########################################################
################################################################# 

Lab 2
Finding Entry Points
Scenario
While AppDynamics managed to detectthe
/movieztream_ui/login.htm transaction without
any difficulty, it appears notto be aware that when
users log in to Movieztream there is a call made
to the ProfileStore Tier, as this is not showing on
the flow map.
This exercise is designed to configure AppDynamics
to discover potential missing flow map components.

Custom Correlation
Custom Correlation is Agent
level configuration
Achieved by adding specific
definitions to the file custom-
activity-correlation.xml
under Agentconf directory
No source code changes,
totally non-invasive approach
Mistakes in the XML will result
in correlation failure or simply
unexpected results in transaction
Flow Map – check agentlog file
for details
<activities>
<producer>

<instrumentation>
<class-name>com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.ui.reporting.ProfileFinder</class-name>
<method-name>sendProfile</method-name>
<match-type>MATCHES_CLASS</match-type>
</instrumentation>

<identifiers>
<identifier name="ProfileFinder">
<data-gatherer-type>INVOKED</data-gatherer-type>
<getter-chain>this</getter-chain>
<user-defined-name>ProfileFinder</user-defined-name>
<transformer-type>USER_DEFINED_NAME</transformer-type>
</identifier>
</identifiers>

<correlation>

<instrumentation>
</instrumentation>

<payload-pointer>
<data-gatherer-type>POSITION</data-gatherer-type>
<position>0</position>
<transformer-type>GETTER_METHODS</transformer-type>
</payload-pointer>

<payload-operation>
<access-type>method</access-type>
<access-method>put</access-method>
<param-types>java.lang.Object, java.lang.Object</param-types>
</payload-operation>
</correlation>
</producer>
<consumer identify-transaction="true">

<instrumentation>
<class-name>com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.ProfileServiceThread</class-name>
<method-name>receiveProfile</method-name>
</instrumentation>
<correlation>

<payload-pointer>
</payload-pointer>

<payload-operation>
<param-types>java.lang.Object</param-types>
</correlation>
</consumer>
</activities>

Topology of the XML
Root elementis <activities>
multiple <producer>
and <consumer> elements
are allowed
<producer> is the Exit Point
<consumer> is the Entry Point
<correlation> defines
where to get the GUID and how
<activities>
<producer>
<correlation>
.......
</correlation>
</producer>
<consumer>
<correlation>
.......
</correlation>
</consumer>
</activities>

What Custom Correlation Requires
Exit Point detail
Classpath,method
Exit Point payload details
The code is sending request
to other component.Can we
append the GUID somehow?
Entry Point details
Classpath,method
Entry Point payload details
The code is accepting the
request. Can we extract
the GUID from it?
Investigating details for Exit and Entry Points
<activities>
<producer>

<instrumentation>
</instrumentation>

<identifiers>
</identifier>
</identifiers>

<correlation>
<instrumentation>
</instrumentation>

<payload-pointer>
</payload-pointer>
<payload-operation>
</correlation>
</producer>

<instrumentation>
<class-name>com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.ProfileServiceThread</class-name>
</instrumentation>
<correlation>

<payload-pointer>
</payload-pointer>

<payload-operation>
</correlation>
</consumer>
</activities>

1
What Custom Correlation Requires
Assembling the Details
A. At this stage you should try to check the source code.
B. Although in many cases it will be possible to identify
Exit and Entry Points, the payload may not be
so easy, e.g.
C. Payload on Exit Point cannot be modified (technical
limitation)
D. Payload on Exit Point cannot be modified due
to security reasons
E. Payload on Entry Point cannot be read (not in scope)
F. Payload on Entry Point cannot be read
(technical limitation)
G. Without ability to set and get the payload,
Custom Correlation will not work!
A
B
C
D

Lab 3
Research Entry and Exit Point Details
Scenario
Reviewing source code is frequently the best option
if you want to understand whatthe functionality is
actually doing,in the event that transaction correlation
does not seem to be working automatically.
This exercise is designed to show how and where to
review code for configuring custom correlation entry
and exit points.

APPDYNAMICS CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY
2
8
Sample Exit Points
Is this acceptable Exit Point code?

Sample Exit Points
Is this acceptable Exit Point code?

<activities>
<producer>
<consumer>
<identifiers>
<correlation>
<validator-config>
<naming-config>
<excludes>, <includes>
Defining Custom Correlation XML
Key XML Tags overview

Attributes available to support various
scenarios, e.g.
• Prioritization of multiple Producers
that potentially detect same Exit Point
• If resolution to a Tier is NOT desired
for the defined Exit Point
• Ability to instrument multiple payloads
based on there being
a split at the Exit Point
• Ability to instrument threaded activities
and asynchronous queues
Must define code we want to instrument
based on knowing at least one of the
following
• Class name, interface, superclass,
class annotation
Must define method name, and
parameters of method signature
if method is overloaded
Producer
Instrumentation
<activities>
<producer>

<instrumentation>
<class-name>
com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.ui.reporting.ProfileFinder
</class-name>
</instrumentation>
</producer>
</activities>

Specify identification and
registration of Custom Exit Point
Naming can be user-defined
literal,or derived based on
current object,method return
object, or method parameter
Producer
Identifiers
<activities>
<producer>

<identifiers>
</identifier>
</identifiers>
</producer>
</activities>

May be necessary to add GUID
to single payload objector all
objects in a collection (in split
exit scenario)
Can have GUID applied at
a differentmethod from that
of the Exit Point
Specify <payload-pointer>
to indicate precise payload object
we wantto decorate with GUID
Specify <payload-operation>
to declare how to decorate the
payload objectwith GUID
Producer
Correlation
<activities>
<producer>

<correlation>
<instrumentation>
<class-
name>com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.ui.reporting.ProfileFinder</class-name>
</instrumentation>

<payload-pointer>
</payload-pointer>
<payload-operation>
</correlation>
</producer>
</activities>

Consumer has attributes to control
scenarios as follows
• Transaction should be instrumentedon
basis of the first iteration of a loop in
the code, terminating whencode hits
next iteration
• Identifiers permit the specification of
more than 1 Custom Exit Point based
on a single particular method of a class
• Demarcation of activity to differentiate
between identification of Entry Point
and separate block of codelater on
where correlation occurs
Must define code we want to
instrument based on knowing
at least one of the following
• Class name, interface, superclass,
class annotation
Must define method name, and
parameters of method signature
if method is overloaded
Consumer
Instrumentation
<activities>

<instrumentation>
<class-name>
com.ecetera.appdynamics.movieztream.service.util.ProfileServiceThread</c
lass-name>
</instrumentation>
</consumer>
</activities>

Can read GUID from a
downstream method different
from what specified at Consumer
Instrumentation level
Specify <payload-pointer>
to indicate precise payload object
we wantto read GUID from
Specify <payload-operation>
to declare how to read the GUID
from the payload object
Consumer
Correlation
<activities>
<correlation>

<payload-pointer>
</payload-pointer>

<payload-operation>
</correlation>
</consumer>
</activities>

The Naming Config
Applicable when correlating
asynchronous activities,e.g.
Thread/Callable/Runnable
or Queue-based
Provides a means to define
re-usable instrumentation
identification criteria
<activities>

<naming-config>
<naming-rule>
<data-gatherer-config>
<name>FQCN</name>
<getter-chain>getClass, getName</getter-chain>
</data-gatherer-config>
</naming-rule>
</naming-config>
</activities>

The Validator Config
Ability to filter correlation based
on checking for data values
Applicable on Producer
or Consumer
Allows you to perform
custom correlation ONLY
when specific value present,
e.g. Customer Type == GOLD
<activities>
<validator-config>
<validator match
type="STARTSWITH|ENDSWITH|CONTAINS|EQUALS|REGEX|INLIST|NOTEMPTY”
class-match
type="INHERITS_FROM_CLASS|IMPLEMENTS_INTERFACE|MATCHES_CLASS|HAS_CLASS_ANNOTATI
ON" match-pattern="">
<data-match-config>
<data-gatherer-type>

</data-gatherer-type>
<position>

</position>
<getter-chain>

</getter-chain>
<transformer-type>
<!-- TO_STRING|SIMPLE_CLASS_NAME|FIELD_NAME|USER_DEFINED_NAME|GETTER_METHODS -
->
</transformer-type>
</data-match-config>
</validator>
</validator-config>
</activities>

When instrumentation
configuration setup to match
multiple possible classes (e.g.
interface/superclass/annotation
based matching),you can
specifically exclude groups
or individual classes from
being matched.
Include back in any sub-groups
or specific classes which
have been lost through
the exclude rules.
Defines naming rules for
Consumer instrumentation
points to aid in distinguishing
individual processes.
Excludes & Includes
<activities>

<naming-config>
<naming-rule>
<data-gatherer-config>
<name>FQCN</name>
<getter-chain>getClass, getName</getter-chain>
</data-gatherer-config>
</naming-rule>
</naming-config>
<excludes filter-type="STARTSWITH" filter
value="java/,javax/,com.sun/,sun/,org/"/>

<excludes filter-type="STARTSWITH" filter-
value="com.bea/,com.weblogic/,weblogic/,com.ibm/"/>

Lab 4
Configure Custom Correlation XML
Scenario
Having now researched suitable Exitand Entry Points,
and identified whatwe think can work as the payload
that can carry the GUID, it is now time to configure the
Custom Activity Correlation XML.

We have outlined the principles oftransaction
correlation and how AppDynamics mostly succeeds
in correlating automatically.
This course has explored why correlation does not
always work and how it may appear in the Flow Map.
You have explored how to research
and set up Custom Activity Correlation for yourself.
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AppDynamics Custom Transaction Correlation

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