Monthly Archives: June 2016

SCOM: Updated SQL Server Management Packs v6.7.2.0

After many iterations of community previews there is now a non-preview release of the SQL management packs they can be downloaded from the below locations:

Due to the many issues with some of the recent versions of the SQL management packs I would strongly advise extensive testing before deployment to production systems.

SQL Server 2016 v6.7.2.0 – here
SQL Server 2014 v6.7.2.0- here
SQL Server 2005 / 2008 / 2012 v6.7.2.0- here
SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services v6.7.2.0- here
SQL Server Dashboards v6.6.7.6 – here
SQL Server 2016 Replication v6.7.2.0- here
SQL Server 2014 Replication 6.6.4.0 – here
SQL Server 2012 Replication v 6.7.2.0 – here
SQL Server 2008 Replication v6.7.2.0 – here
SQL Server 2016 Reporting Services (Native Mode) v 6.7.2.0- here

Changes and Fixes

SQL Server Replication

  • Decreased database timeout value for some workflows to match new connection logic
  • Updated the visualization library

SQL Dashboards

  • Changed some stored procedures to improve Dashboards performance

SQL Server 2005 / 2008 / 2012 / 2014

  • Added rules for alerting when an Availability Replica changed its role and/or a Database Replica changed its role
  • Created a group for WOW64 SQL Server instances and disabled launching of some workflows for these instances
  • Added MP version line into MP’s events generated by the scripts
  • Fixed the display strings and Knowledge Base articles
  • Fixed issue: some scripts were not returning data when one of the few installed instances was stopped
  • Fixed issue: SPN configuration monitor used stale data
  • Fixed: mirroring monitoring scripts were failing when the instance was stopped

SQL Server 2016

  • Changed EventID for MP events generated by the scripts (became 4202 for the Always On scripts and 4211 for the others)
  • Disabled Memory-Optimized Data workflows for SQL Server 2016 Express
  • Added new performance rules for Always On Log Apply Pending/Ready Queue counters
  • Added rules for alerting when an Availability Replica changed its role and/or a Database Replica changed its role
  • Added MP version line into MP events generated by the scripts
  • Fixed the display strings and Knowledge Base articles
  • Fixed issue: some scripts was not returning data when one of the few installed instances was stopped
  • Fixed issue: SPN configuration monitor used stale data
  • Run As profiles are now presented in GPMP library and ready to become generic profiles for all SQL Server MPs starting with 2016
  • Fixed issue: mirroring monitoring scripts were failing when the instance was stopped

SQL Server Analysis Services and Reporting Services (Native Mode) 

  • Updated the visualization library
  • Run As profiles are now presented in GPMP library and ready to become generic profiles for all SQL Server MPs starting with 2016

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SCOM: Updated Exchange 2013 MP Documentation v15.0.666.20

The Exchange Server 2013 management pack  documentation has been updated and is available for download here.

New in this version

Updated supported configuration to include Exchange Server 2016.  References to Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 functionality in this guide apply equally to Microsoft Exchange Server 2016.

Note:  The management pack will not group or monitor servers running Exchange Server 2016 separate from Exchange Server 2013 in console UI elements, or reporting.

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SCOM: Understanding Optimized Collection

This posting is a follow on in my SCOM basics series.

Lets start with what is Optimized Collection?

Optimization for a collection rule only collects a value if it differs from the previous sample by a specified tolerance. This is used to reduce network traffic and the amount of data stored in the Operations Manager database.

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How does this affect me?

When viewing performance data you need to bear in mind that if the collection rule has optimization enabled then you may see gaps in your graphs if the value has not changed significantly for some time. The below image is an example of how this might look:

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Note: Optimization should be used for performance counters that are expected to only change gradually. For counters that are expected to vary significantly from one value to the next, optimized collection should be disabled.

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SCOM: Updated MP for Azure SQL Database v1.6.1.0

An updated version of the MP for Azure SQL Database v1.6.1.0 is available here.

Updates and Fixes

  • Added a number of new monitors and rules, including the following:
  • CPU Usage (%)
  • Workers Usage (%)
  • Log write (%)
  • Data I/O (%)
  • Sessions (%)
  • Count Failed Connection
  • Count Successful Connection
  • Count Connection Blocked by Firewall
  • Count of Deadlock
  • Count Throttling long transaction
  • Count Connection Failed
  • XTP Storage (In-memory OLTP Storage, %)
  • Deprecated Collect Microsoft Azure SQL Database Internal/External Network Egress/Ingress performance rules
  • Deprecated Federation and Federation member workflows
  • Implemented rebranding: the management pack and some workflow names have been changed

 

 

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SCOM: Preview MP for Windows Server 2016 Guarded Fabric v10.0.0.0

A preview has been released for the Windows Server 2016 Guarded Fabric management pack it is available for download here.

          The Windows Server 2016 Guarded Fabric Management Pack enables discovery and monitoring of guarded hosts and Host Guardian Service instances in your environment with System Center Operations Manager. The alerts surfaced by this management pack will help you quickly detect and remediate service availability issues with the Host Guardian Service and Hyper-V host misconfigurations that could prevent you from succesfully starting up shielded VMs. Please note that this is a preview release of the management pack and is not suitable for production deployments.

 

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SCOM: SQL Server MP (Community Technical Preview 2.1)

An update to the SQL management packs Community Technical Preview is now available here.

There have been additions for SQL Server 2016 SSRS and SSAS and minor improvements to the other existing management packs. Hopefully when this reaches public release it will avoid the issues of previous SQL mp versions.

Newly released
SSRS Native Mode 2016
SSAS 2016

Updates and fixes

SQL Server 2005/ 2008 / 2012 / 2014 / 2016

  • Updated the visualization library

SQL Server 2008 /2012 / 2014 / 2016 Replication

  • Updated the visualization library

Dashboards

  • Improved Dashboards performance.

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Management Pack Recap – May 2016 Wave

This is a summary of the wave of Management Packs that were released in May 2016. Information and download location in the links provided:

Exchange 2013 MP v15.0.666.20here
Microsoft Azure MP (Technical Preview) v1.3.18.0here
NiCE IBM PowerHA (HACMP) MP – here
SharePoint Server 2016 MPhere
Lync Server 2013 v8308.956 MPhere
SQL MP (Community Technical Preview 2) v6.7.0.0 – here
Windows Server MP v6.0.7310.0here

If you know of any other Management Packs that have been released recently that I may have missed leave me a note in the comments and I’ll add them

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