Creating a memory dump

You can create a memory dump to examine problems with exhausted memory.

About this task

Perform this task from the Administration interface, and from the file system of the server where Spotfire Server is installed.

Note: When a memory dump is created, the Java Virtual Machine halts for a short period.

Note: The instructions below do not apply to subprocesses on the Spotfire Server, such as Information Services. However, it is possible to get a memory dump for Information Services with third-party tools, for example, Java Development Kit tools.

Before you begin

You must be a member of the Administrator group. It is not sufficient to be only a member of the Diagnostics Administrator group.
You must have write access to the server's file system where Spotfire Server is installed.

Procedure

Log in to the Spotfire Server web administration pages and click Monitoring & Diagnostics.
On the Overview page, locate the Spotfire Server for which to create the memory dump.
Click the menu button at the end of the server's row and select Create memory dump.

Attention: Because memory dumps contain the entire state of the running server, they can contain sensitive information. Therefore, you must prove that you have access to the server.

You are prompted to create a "proof file" in a specific location and with a specific name, and then to return to the Administration interface to resubmit your request.
In the server file system where the Spotfire Server is installed, create the specified proof file.
The file does not need to contain content; it merely demonstrates that you are an Administrator with write access to the file system on the server. The memory dump cannot proceed until the file exists.
Note: A new name is generated every time the server is restarted or when a memory dump is made.
After you create the proof file as instructed, return to the web administration interface.
The name of the proof file should appear on the page.
Click Refresh, and then repeat Step 3.
- A memory dump file is created. This process can take some time.
- Any previous dump file is overwritten.
- When it is completed, the path to the file in the server's file system is displayed.
Return to the server file system to retrieve the file.
There is no download functionality on the page.
After you have analyzed and solved the memory problem, delete the dump file.
The dump file can contain sensitive information.
Note: On normal termination of the server, the generated heap dump file is deleted automatically.