Keeping your IBM Planning Analytics environment running efficiently is critical as models grow, data volumes increase, and user activity expands. In this edition of our IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks series, Lee Lazarow, IBM Planning Analytics Practice Leader at Revelwood, walks through how to use Performance Monitoring in Planning Analytics Workspace to better understand system usage and identify optimization opportunities.
Watch the Video
Prefer to see this tip in action? Watch the full video below to follow along step by step as Lee Lazarow demonstrates Performance Monitoring in Planning Analytics Workspace.
Whether you prefer to watch the video, read the walkthrough below, or do both, this tip will help you take a more proactive approach to monitoring and improving performance.
What Is Performance Monitoring in IBM Planning Analytics?
IBM Planning Analytics includes a built-in feature called Performance Monitor. When enabled, it collects statistics about your environment, such as memory usage and processing activity, and stores them in system control objects. These statistics provide valuable insight into how your databases and cubes are performing over time.
Performance monitoring is especially useful for:
- Conducting system health checks
- Identifying large or inefficient cubes
- Understanding memory consumption
- Spotting opportunities to optimize rules and feeders
How to Enable Performance Monitor
As Lee explains in the video, turning on Performance Monitor is quick and straightforward:
1. In Planning Analytics Workspace, right-click on the server name.
2. Select Performance monitor from the menu.
3. Confirm the prompt asking if you’re sure you want to enable it.
Because Performance Monitor records system statistics, IBM includes this confirmation step to acknowledge that there may be a slight performance impact. Once confirmed, simply save your selection and the Performance Monitor will begin running.
Understanding Control Cubes and Performance Statistics
After Performance Monitor is enabled, IBM Planning Analytics automatically creates a series of control objects, including several control cubes that store performance statistics.
To access them:
Expand your database
- Navigate to Control Objects > Control Cubes
- Look for cubes that begin with }StatsBy
These cubes capture performance data across different dimensions, such as by chore, client, rule, and cube.
Using }StatsByCube for Performance Analysis
One of Lee’s go-to tools during system health checks is the }StatsByCube control cube. This cube provides a clear view into how much memory each cube is consuming and why.
Within the default view, Lee focuses on three key metrics:
- Memory used for input data – how much space is taken up by loaded data
- Memory used for feeders – memory consumed by calculations and rule feeding
- Total memory used – the combined footprint of each cube
For easier analysis, Lee recommends formatting the view (for example, using commas) to clearly see large values at a glance.
Identifying Optimization Opportunities
To prioritize analysis, Lee sorts the cubes in descending order by size. This quickly highlights the largest cubes in the environment.
From there, you can start asking important questions:
- Is a cube large because it contains a lot of data?
- Or is it large because of inefficient rules or overfeeding?
- Are calculations driving unnecessary memory usage?
By comparing input data memory versus feeder memory, you can determine where optimization efforts will have the greatest impact—whether that’s redesigning rules, improving feeder logic, or adjusting data structures.
Why Performance Monitoring Matters
Performance Monitor isn’t just about visibility—it’s about actionable insight. By understanding where and how resources are being used, organizations can:
- Improve system efficiency
- Reduce memory consumption
- Enhance user experience
- Plan more effectively for growth
As Lee notes, Performance Monitor provides an excellent starting point for system optimization and ongoing performance management.
Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with more than 30 years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. We focus on solutions for the Office of Finance and have partnered with clients of all sizes across all industries to optimize, enhance and expand their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of PA experts with decades of experience, and we have been recognized via awards including IBM Champion status.
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Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:
Linking Textboxes in IBM Planning Analytics Workspace
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