Windows Server Performance Monitor - Data Collector Sets and Alerts
Performance Monitor Data Collector Sets
and Alerts
This page will show you how to design a Data Collection Set, this is the
new name for Performance Monitor Alerts.
An alert is like a guard that rings an alarm bell when an interesting event
occurs. Alerts are a great way of troubleshooting those intermittent
problems when 'Mr Nobody' is around to see what actually happened.
If you take the time to design Alerts or Collection Sets, then you will be rewarded with
advance knowledge of problems. As you research the triggers and
actions, so you will learn more about how a healthy operating system
functions.
Keep an eye out for similarities and differences between Logs and Alerts.
For example, Alerts show up in the Application Event Log where as log
counters are displayed in the Monitor. Also remember that you can
schedule Alerts and Collection Sets in thee same way that you can schedule Logs.
Window Server 2008 introduces 'Data Collector Sets',
which you can employ to a create data set containing performance
counters. Historically, the problem with Performance Monitor in
Windows has been its complexity. To help you cut through the maze
of settings Microsoft has introduced Data collector sets. The idea
is to supply pre-defined templates to tackle a specific area.
Windows Server 2008 supplies two main types of template, diagnostics or
performance.
From
the custom data set you can configure alert activities for when the
performance counters are exceeded. Naturally, once you have
defined the Data Collector Set, you must configure the actions that
Windows Server 2008 will undertake when the alert thresholds are
reached.
Detailed Instructions How to Create Alerts in Server
2008
Actually, it often makes more sense to employ Vista or
Windows 7
to collect data.
Key question: Which template do you want, a System
Diagnostics, a System Performance template, or one of your own design?
Assuming you have launched the Windows Reliability and
Performance Monitor (Perfmon):
Expand Data Collector Sets, right-click User Defined
Choose New, and click Data Collector Set.
Make sure you select the 'Create manually option and click Next.
Crucial step, see screenshot:
Select the Performance Counter Alert
Now add the counters you wish to monitor.
From the list of Performance counters, select the counter to
monitor and trigger an alert.
Check the logic if whether to alert when the performance counter
value is above, or below the limit.
Trap: The Data Collector Set must run as a user
who is a member of the Performance Log Users group, alternatively, they
can run as a member of the Administrator's group.
Other Considerations: You could schedule the Data
Collection Set to run at a certain time. It's often helpful to set
a 'Stop condition'. Both strategies are to prevent you being
swamped with data.
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Solarwinds'
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indicate whether the root cause is a broken link, faulty equipment or
resource overload.
Perhaps the NPM's best feature is the way it suggests solutions to network
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Our goal is to set an performance monitor alert when the processor reaches 70%. The method and screen shots are taken from Windows Server 2003, however the principles are valid for earlier Microsoft
operating systems.
Our first step is to launch the Performance Monitor. Perhaps you have added Performance Monitor to your MMC? Or else you can type perfmon in the run box. (See
Getting Started if you are stuck
Once Performance Monitor opens, make sure that you click Alerts in the left pane, if necessary expand the
Performance Logs and Alerts, see Diagram 1.
Click on the Add button,
choose the default object Processor % Processor time. So far the
procedure is similar to setting a System Monitor trace, but now comes the
crucial difference. Find the Limit box and enter 70.
Observe that the adjacent box is set to 'Over', and now click Close, then
OK; see Diagram 2.
The Alerts have an extra Action tab, check the
default setting is, "Log an event in the application event log".
Later we will visit the Event Viewer and find the Alerts.
Unless the processor is under stress, you are unlikely to get any
Alerts.
Test machines will not reach the 70 limit without a little help.
So, open a program like Word, the initial execution should fire the
alert. If you still do not get any Alerts, reduce the Limit to 30
and then try again. As a last resort, change the alert from
Over 70 to Under 70.
Needless to say, if the Alert is red then it is stopped and to start
it right click and select start. Now the Alert will be green.
With Windows Server 2008, Vista and Windows 7 Microsoft has made it much
easier to configure alerts by providing Data Collection Sets. These
pre-defined templates contain all the counters you would need to tackle a
project such as Wireless network performance.
Monitoring Alerts is particularly for intermittent problems with Windows Server 2003. Set an alter to trigger when the counter reaches a suitable threshold. Knowing what values to set is a
mystery at first, but if you persevere then you will soon see what worked and what values need adjusting.
At first you wonder where the successful alerts are to be found, but you soon realize the
answer: launching the Event Viewer and examining the Application Log.
If you like this page then please share it with your friends
Learn
the secrets of which counters to monitor. Master performance monitor
logging,
develop your skills with structured exercises and examples. Print
out a copy to read, while you design logs and alerts to detect network
bottlenecks.
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Guy Recommends: Orion's NPM - Network Performance Monitor
Orion's performance monitor is designed for detecting network outages. NPM makes it easy to see what's working, and what needs your attention.
This utility guides you through creating network maps. It also helps troubleshooting by indicating whether the root cause is faulty equipment, or resource overload.
Learn
the secrets of which counters to monitor. Master performance monitor
logging,
develop your skills with structured exercises and examples. Print
out a copy to read, while you design logs and alerts to detect network
bottlenecks.
