Configure CPU usage for backup in the Code42 console

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Overview

You can change CPU usage settings in the Code42 console to specify the maximum amount of CPU processing time to be allocated for backup in the Code42 app. You can set CPU usage for when users are present at their devices or away from their devices. This article explains the CPU settings and how to configure them.

Considerations

If administrators do not lock the CPU settings in the Code42 console, Code42 app users on Windows and Mac devices can change the CPU settings in the Code42 app.
On Windows and Mac devices, users' away or present status is determined by mouse and keyboard activity. On Linux devices, the users' status is always set to away. For more information, see How does the Code42 app detect away and present settings?

About CPU usage settings

Options in the Code42 console

As an administrator, you can specify the following device backup default settings for CPU usage for backup:

When user is away, use up to __ % CPU (80% by default)
When user is present, use up to __ % CPU (20% by default)

The default settings balance CPU usage so that more CPU processing time is dedicated to Code42 app requests when users are away from their devices than when users are using their devices.

Why the settings do not match CPU usage shown in devices

CPU settings apply to the amount of CPU processing time dedicated to Code42 app work, not to total CPU processing capacity. Therefore, while % CPU may be set at 20, for example, a system monitor may show that 70% of CPU capacity is used for the Code42 app at a particular point in time.

The processing time of the CPU is measured in instruction cycles. When you set the maximum percent CPU for the Code42 app to use, you are specifying that the Code42 app is allowed use as much of the CPU capacity as it needs for up to X% of the available cycles. For example, if When user is present, use up to is set at 20 % CPU, the Code42 app can use the CPU up to 100% capacity, but only up to 20% of the time it sends requests to the CPU. The remaining 80% of the time, other process requests use the CPU. This allows the Code42 app to work as efficiently as possible when it requests CPU resources, but limits the amount of time it ties up the CPU.

If you set the maximum allowed percentage of CPU time to 100%, the Code42 app can use all the CPU capacity for 100% of the time it sends requests. Other processes can still make requests and have them processed by the CPU when it has available instruction cycles, it's just that the Code42 app is allowed to use up to 100% of the available instruction cycles when it requests them.

Steps

Sign in to the Code42 console.
In the left navigation menu, select Organizations > Active.
Select the organization for which you want to change CPU usage.
From the action menu in the upper-right corner, select Device Backup Defaults.
Deselect Use device defaults from parent.
Change the following CPU usage settings:
- When user is away, use up to
  Enter the maximum percentage of CPU time to devote to Code42 app processes when users are not actively using their devices.
- When user is present, use up to
  Enter the maximum percentage of CPU time to devote to Code42 app processes when users are actively using their devices.
Push or lock the setting:
- Push
  Send the settings to devices in the organization, but still allow users to change the settings in the Code42 app.
- Lock
  Send the settings to devices in the organization, and lock the settings so that users are unable to change them in the Code42 app.
Select Save.

External Resources

Wikipedia: Instruction cycle