---
name: "pmdadbping"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pcp"
version: "7.2.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pmdadbping"
---

# pmdadbping(1)

database response time and availability PMDA

## NAME

**pmdadbping** - database response time and availability PMDA

## DESCRIPTION

**pmdadbping** is a database response time measurement PMDA.

**pmdadbping** runs [**dbprobe**(1)](/dbprobe/1.md), and exports the performance measurements it makes available as PCP metrics.

[**dbprobe**(1)](/dbprobe/1.md) should be configured to use the type of DBI appropriate for the local database, which includes: RDBMS flavour, user/password, delay between "ping" requests, and the SQL statement to use.

## INSTALLATION

Configure [**dbprobe**(1)](/dbprobe/1.md) - it uses a configuration file from (in this order):

- •

  /etc/pcpdbi.conf

- •

  `$PCP_PMDAS_DIR`/dbping/dbprobe.conf

This file can contain overridden values (Perl code) for the settings listed at the start of *dbprobe.pl*, namely:

- •

  database name (see **DBI**(3) for details)

- •

  database user name

- •

  database pass word

- •

  SQL statement to measure (probe)

- •

  delay between probes

Once this is setup, you can access the names and values for the dbping performance metrics by doing the following as root:

```
# cd $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/dbping
# ./Install
```

To uninstall, the following must be done as root:

```
# cd $PCP_PMDAS_DIR/dbping
# ./Remove
```

**pmdadbping** is launched by [*pmcd*(1)](/pmcd/1.md) and should never be executed directly. The Install and Remove scripts notify [*pmcd*(1)](/pmcd/1.md) when the agent is installed or removed.

## FILES

- **$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/dbping/dbprobe.conf**

  probe configuration file for [*dbprobe*(1)](/dbprobe/1.md), used indirectly by **pmdadbping**

- **$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/dbping/Install**

  installation script for the **pmdadbping** agent

- **$PCP\_PMDAS\_DIR/dbping/Remove**

  undo installation script for the **pmdadbping** agent

- **$PCP\_LOG\_DIR/pmcd/dbping.log**

  default log file for error messages from **pmdadbping**

## PCP ENVIRONMENT

Environment variables with the prefix **PCP\_** are used to parameterize the file and directory names used by **PCP**. On each installation, the file **/etc/pcp.conf** contains the local values for these variables. The **$PCP\_CONF** variable may be used to specify an alternative configuration file, as described in [*pcp.conf*(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md).

## SEE ALSO

[**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), [**pmcd**(1)](/pmcd/1.md), [**dbprobe**(1)](/dbprobe/1.md) and **DBI**(3).