3.3 Using the PEM Web Client

You can use the Postgres Enterprise Manager web client in your browser of choice to maintain your PostgreSQL and Advanced Server databases. The PEM web client can help preserve security on monitored servers by providing access to statistical and status information about objects that reside on a monitored server without requiring an actual connection to each server.

Please note that the PEM web client displays information gathered by the PEM agents, rather than displaying a current view from system catalogs on the monitored servers.

The web client is distributed with, and installed by the PEM server installer. To open the PEM web client, navigate through the Applications menu (on the Linux OS menu) or the Start menu (on the Windows OS menu) to the Postgres Enterprise Manager menu; select PEM Web Client from the pull-aside menu.

The Postgres Enterprise Manager Web Login window (shown in Figure 3.2) opens:

Figure 3.2 - The PEM Web Login page.

Use the fields on the PEM Web Login window to authenticate yourself with the PEM server:

•	Provide the name of a PEM user in the Username field.

•	Provide the password associated with the PEM user in the Password field.

•	Check the box next to Show system objects? to instruct PEM to display the contents, properties and statistics of system databases (such as template0) and system schemas (such as public) in the tree control.

After providing your credentials, click Login to connect to PEM. The main window of the PEM web client opens, displaying the Global Overview Dashboard as shown in Figure 3.3.

Figure 3.3 - The Global Overview dashboard, displayed in the web client.

Like the full-featured PEM client, the left panel of the web client displays a tree control that provides access to information about the database objects that reside on each server. The tree control expands to display a hierarchical view of the servers and objects that are monitored by the PEM server.

Menu selections displayed across the top of the tree control panel allow access to PEM features and functionality:

•	Use options on the File menu to add and drop servers, drop PEM agents, change your PEM server password, or log out of the PEM web client.

•	Use options on the Management menu to invoke PEM wizards and manage PEM features.

•	Use options on the Help menu menu to access help text for PEM or PostgreSQL, or to review version information about PEM and supporting software.

The main panel of PEM web client displays a set of tabs; each tab displays a different collection of information about the object currently selected in the tree control.

•	Open the Properties tab to display the properties of the item currently highlighted in the tree control.

•	Open the Statistics tab to display usage statistics (if applicable) for the object currently highlighted in the tree control.

•	Open the Dashboard tab to access information presented on PEM dashboards. Dashboards display statistical information about the objects monitored by the PEM server.

Navigation menus displayed in the dashboard header provide easy access to other dashboards. Menus are organised hierarchically; only those menus appropriate for the object currently highlighted in the tree control are available:

•	Select Global Overview from any dashboard to return to the Global Overview dashboard.

•	Select the name of an agent from the Agents menu to navigate to the Operating System Analysis dashboard for that agent.

•	Select a server name from the Servers menu to navigate to the Server Analysis dashboard for that server.

•	Select a database name from the Databases menu to navigate to the Database Analysis dashboard for that database.

•	Use the Dashboards menu to navigate to informational dashboards at the global level, or for the selected agent, server or database.