Utilization Collection with On-Prem Collectors
Overview
Block 64’s on-prem collectors do more than inventory, where the platform supports it, they also sample resource utilization: CPU and memory usage over time, and disk activity for supported sources. This is the data behind the sizing figures in the Cloud Sizing Compute report, such as 95th CPU % and 95th RAM %, and it is what allows a right-sizing recommendation for physical and virtual machines alike.
Three collection tools gather this data:
|
Tool |
Runs as |
Typical use |
|
Discovery Appliance (BlockBox) |
Hardened virtual appliance, agentless scanning |
Whole datacenters / subnets without installing anything |
|
Discovery Application |
Application installed on a Windows server |
Environments where a dedicated appliance isn’t practical |
|
Discovery Agent (remote devices) |
Lightweight agent on endpoints |
Machines outside scan reach, remote workers, branch offices |
If you already run any of these for inventory, utilization collection is part of the same deployment, there is nothing extra to install.
Discovery Appliance (BlockBox)
The appliance collects utilization agentlessly over your network. For Windows devices it uses WMI to poll CPU, RAM usage, and disk IOPS; support for other platforms varies, with IBM AIX reporting limited metrics. The BlockBox Technical Pre-Work article lists the ports and credentials this requires, WMI/RPC/SMB access with appropriate permissions is what powers the performance counters.
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Setup: Discovery Appliance Setup
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Pre-work: BlockBox Virtual Appliance: Technical Pre-Work & Prerequisites
Discovery Application
The Discovery Application collects utilization from the devices it scans, reporting the same CPU and memory percentiles to Insights. It is installed on a Windows server inside the environment and is a good fit where deploying an appliance is not practical.
Discovery Agent (Remote Devices)
Discovery Agents run directly on endpoints and report utilization from machines that appliance, or application-based scanning can’t reach, remote and home offices, for example. In Insights, devices collected this way show Agent as their collector type.
- Setup: Discovery Agent Deployment
Cost considerations
Privacy and footprint
Utilization collection gathers performance counters only — CPU, memory, and disk activity percentages. It does not inspect files, emails, or application content, and it does not install anything on the devices being measured beyond what your chosen collection method already uses.