The first step in creating a performance counter input file is to decide which counters you want to monitor during the WCAT test. Which counters you choose depend on your particular interests or concerns about server performance.
There are several resources available to help you select counters:
· Supplement 1, Part II, “Optimizing IIS Server Performance,” suggests counters for monitoring different performance aspects of a server running Internet Information Server.
· Windows NT Workstation Resource Kit, Part 3, “Optimizing Windows NT Workstation,” suggests counters for monitoring processors, memory, disks, and the file system cache on any computer. This Windows NT Workstation Resource Kit part also suggests counters for monitoring multiprocessor computers.
· Counters.hlp is a Help file that lists and describes the Performance Monitor counters that come with Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation. Counters.hlp has been updated to include the counters for Internet Information Server. The newest version of Counters.hlp appears on the Supplement 1 CD-ROM.
· Server.pfc is a sample performance counter input file included with WCAT. Server.pfc is installed in the \Scripts directory on the WCAT controller when you install WCAT. You can use Server.pfc in any WCAT test or as a model to create your own performance counter input files.
The counters you list in the performance counter input file must be configured on the server computer. Note that some Performance Monitor counters are always available; others are available only when the application or service they monitor is running on the server computer. To check which counters are available, use the procedure “To test remote Performance Monitor monitoring,” earlier in this guide.