Collecting performance metrics from java virtual machines

Embodiments include methods, and computing systems, and computer program products for collecting performance metrics from Java virtual machines. Aspects include: setting up a virtual storage structure of a collector on a computing system for collecting performance metrics data from one or more Java virtual machines, pushing, at each of Java virtual machines through a corresponding performance monitoring Java agent, performance metrics data collected by the Java virtual machine to the virtual storage structure of collector, pulling, at a performance monitoring system through a collector API, the performance metrics data collected by the plurality of Java virtual machines from the virtual storage structure of the collector, analyzing the performance metrics data pulled from the virtual storage structure of the collector by the performance monitoring system, and generating, at the performance monitoring system, a performance alert when the performance metrics data analyzed indicates one or more system abnormalities.