About the task manager

The Sitecore Task Manager is a web based application which encompasses the features of the Windows Task Manager and the Windows Performance monitor. Use the Task Manager to monitor background processes such as indexing, scheduled tasks or publishing. You can also use the Sitecore task manager to view your servers performance counters, - e.g. for identifying problems with your installation or to identify potential CPU bottlenecks.

Using the Task Manager

Start the Task Manager by right clicking on the Sitecore process bar from within the Sitecore desktop.

Once you activate the task manager, it should look something like this:

Processes Tab

The processes in the list are jobs running as background threads by the server only. Unlike Windows Task Manager, it will not show other applications running, - e.g. the content editor. This is a natural consequence, as we can only show jobs we know for certainty are running on the server: We would not know if someone has closed their web browser (and therefore never sent an "application closed"), and therefore has no control if the content editor is running. However, jobs such as publishing or indexing are jobs controlled by the Sitecore web server, and can be shown directly in the list.

Performance Tab

The performance tab derives a bit from the Windows Task Manager, as it is not just showing the CPU usage load, but really the same as the Windows Performance Manager. This allows a developer or administrator to get detailed information about the server without the need to obtain physical (or virtual) access to the server:

It's easy to add processes to the tab. Click the Add button, and select the performance counter you wish to add to the graph:

You can add up to 3 performance counters to your monitor at a time. After adding counters, the result should look something like this:

Hints

Don't wait for the publishing to end

Try activating a full publishing. Most people using Sitecore does not know that the publishing is actually a background process, - and therefore the dialog you see when publishing can be closed safely! It will not affect the job itself, but naturally you can no longer see the status of your publishing. This is when the Task Manager excels! Close the publishing dialog, and then have a look at the publishing processes running in the background. It even shows you the current status of your publishing, and you may also continue working with your content…