RAM monitoring in Windows

vashthestampede · November 15, 2023, 2:50pm

I’m trying to create, since I can’t find it, a configuration for telegraf that gives basic information on using the machine.
I’m having a lot of problems regarding RAM (actually also on the GPU but let’s tackle one problem at a time).
The parameters that can be monitored via Performance Monitor are the following:
Available Bytes
Cache Bytes
Committed Bytes
Commit Limit
Free & Zero Page List Bytes
Free System Page Table Entries
Modified Page List Bytes
Pool Nonpaged Bytes
Pool Paged Bytes
Pool Paged Resident Bytes
Standby Cache Core Bytes
Standby Cache Normal Priority Bytes
Standby Cache Reserve Bytes
System Cache Resident Bytes
System Code Resident Bytes
System Code Total Bytes
System Driver Resident Bytes
System Driver Total Bytes
I think a lot of this data are superfluous but the biggest problem is that I can’t find a way to get the system’s RAM.
Can anyone help me?

jpowers · November 15, 2023, 3:03pm

There is an example in the windows perf counters plugin for monitoring those very memory counters:

github.com

influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/plugins/inputs/win_perf_counters/sample.conf#L141-L160


      
          ## Example counterPath where the Instance portion must be removed to get
          ## data back, such as from the Memory object.
          # [[inputs.win_perf_counters.object]]
            # Measurement = "win_mem"
            # ObjectName = "Memory"
            ## Use 6 x - to remove the Instance bit from the counterPath.
            # Instances = ["------"]
            # Counters = [
            #   "Available Bytes",
            #   "Cache Faults/sec",
            #   "Demand Zero Faults/sec",
            #   "Page Faults/sec",
            #   "Pages/sec",
            #   "Transition Faults/sec",
            #   "Pool Nonpaged Bytes",
            #   "Pool Paged Bytes",
            #   "Standby Cache Reserve Bytes",
            #   "Standby Cache Normal Priority Bytes",
            #   "Standby Cache Core Bytes",
            # ]

vashthestampede · November 15, 2023, 3:30pm

I probably explained my problem poorly.
The problem is that I can’t find a way to get the system’s RAM.

jpowers · November 15, 2023, 4:23pm

Heh I’m not sure that adds any more details of what you are after.

vashthestampede · November 17, 2023, 4:46pm

I don’t want more details but to know how to interpret the data.
The two most important values to know are the total amount of RAM in the system and how much is occupied.
Both are not present, I think they can be obtained from the data it offers but, despite my efforts, I was unable to find them.

dragsliv · November 17, 2023, 5:17pm

I’ve been looking for it for some time as well. I’m amazed that this basic information is missing. It seems to me, that this plugin is simply incapable of getting both the actual amount of RAM and its usage. Those two are primary counters everyone needs when monitoring.
Are there any other plugins we could get those counters from?

jpowers · November 17, 2023, 5:26pm

Rather Windows does not provide or offer a performance counter for those items. The plugin, windows performance counters, knows nothing about memory and only reads what you tell it to read based on what Windows exposes.

total amount of RAM in the system
how much is occupied.

We have an entire memory plugin available that provides these:

github.com

influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/plugins/inputs/mem/README.md

# Memory Input Plugin

The mem plugin collects system memory metrics.

For a more complete explanation of the difference between *used* and
*actual_used* RAM, see [Linux ate my ram](http://www.linuxatemyram.com/).

## Global configuration options <!-- @/docs/includes/plugin_config.md -->

In addition to the plugin-specific configuration settings, plugins support
additional global and plugin configuration settings. These settings are used to
modify metrics, tags, and field or create aliases and configure ordering, etc.
See the [CONFIGURATION.md][CONFIGURATION.md] for more details.

[CONFIGURATION.md]: ../../../docs/CONFIGURATION.md#plugins

## Configuration

```toml @sample.conf
# Read metrics about memory usage

This file has been truncated. show original

vashthestampede · November 17, 2023, 5:54pm

Definitely better!
Thank you!!!

EDIT:
Now I want to replace all inputs.win_perf_counters.object with direct telegraf plugins!!!

dragsliv · November 18, 2023, 11:47am

Wait. Why doesn’t it say that it supports Windows? Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful that it does and I’m going to implement it right this moment, but really, why? All it would take is to add “Windows”, the way you did with Linux distros. I was searching for “Windows” and had no match there. This seems like an oversight.