Configure CPU usage in the Code42 console

Overview

You can change CPU usage settings in the Code42 console to specify the maximum amount of CPU processing time allocated to the Code42 agent on user devices. 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

Steps

  1. Sign in to the Code42 console.
  2. Select Administration > Environment > Organizations.
  3. Select the organization for which you want to change CPU usage.
  4. From the Actions menu, select Device backup defaults.
    The General tab appears. 
    Code42 console CPU settings
  5. If selected, deselect Use device defaults from parent.
  6. Change the following CPU usage settings:
    • When user is away, use up to
      Enter the maximum percentage of CPU time to devote to Code42 agent 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 agent processes when users are actively using their devices.
  7. Push or lock the setting:
    • Push Push icon
      Send the settings to devices in the organization, but still allow users to change the settings in the Code42 agent.
    • Lock Unlock icon
      Send the settings to devices in the organization, and lock the settings so that users are unable to change them in the Code42 agent.
  8. Select Save.

About CPU usage settings

Administrators can configure CPU usage in the General tab of the device backup default settings of the Code42 console with these settings:

  • When user is away, use up to __ % CPU
  • When user is present, use up to __ % CPU 

Setting When user is away to a higher setting than When user is present balances CPU usage so that more CPU processing time is dedicated to Code42 agent 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 agent 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 agent 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 agent to use, you are specifying that the Code42 agent 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 agent 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 agent 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 agent 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 agent is allowed to use up to 100% of the available instruction cycles when it requests them. 

External Resources

Wikipedia: Instruction cycle