Getting Started
Supporting
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server version 4.3
Oct 2007
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Contents
Chapter 1 Product components and capabilities 15 16 16 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 24 26 28 30 31 31 33 34 38 38 38 39 40 40 41 41 42 44 46 46
5
Overview and intended audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Discovers SQL Servers automatically. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Provides global channel access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Supports and monitors clustered environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors cache-hit ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors page reads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors free buffers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors space used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors blocking locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors row-level locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors user connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors log space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitors error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Product components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Applications and icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Icon hierarchy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . InfoBoxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where to go from here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 2 Installing and migrating PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
Verifying installation requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing for installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installation prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Checking for product patches or fixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining how you should monitor a cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining whether to install locally or remotely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining the version of the installation utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining the PATROL security levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining how to upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining the roles that each computer performs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining where to install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Planning for the installation of a language pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing for the first time or upgrading over an existing installation . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents
Installing a language pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Upgrading and saving customizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Preparing to upgrade and migrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Migrating customizations with the PATROL Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . 51 Migrating customizations manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Creating an installation package of the migrated and merged KM . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 First-time installation using the Distribution Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Importing a CD or customized installation package into Distribution Server . . . 55 Installing with the Distribution Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Installing the online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Installing the UNIX version of the Help browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Setting environment variables for the browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Additional considerations for using online Help for UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Uninstalling PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Where to go from here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Chapter 3 Configuring PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server 63
Setting up and configuring PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Loading and unloading PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Verifying that the SQL Server is discovered and online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Configuring a SQL Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Configuring a SQL Server instance without an sa password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Accelerating discovery and reviewing error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Reviewing the default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 SQL Server Agent monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Error log monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Database monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Object monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 File and file group monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Replication monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 User and process monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Parameter defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Setting up PATROL in a clustered environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Determining how you should configure a cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Monitoring a cluster by using a virtual PATROL Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Installing and configuring a cluster with a virtual PATROL Agent . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Monitoring a cluster by using a PATROL Agent on each node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Installing and configuring a node-level cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events. . 90 Where to go from here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Chapter 4 Using PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server 95
Overview of PATROL Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Saving backups in PATROL Configuration Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Configuring for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Modifying PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server instances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Do not deactivate application classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
6 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server Getting Started
Do not modify configuration variables that are for internal use only . . . . . . . . . . 99 Modifying an instance and deploying the changes to other instances . . . . . . . . 100 Adding or modifying pconfig variables manually. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Deactivating parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Changing parameter polling cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Changing parameter thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Modifying parameter properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Verifying changes to configuration variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Where to go from here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Chapter 5 Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server 115 117 117 118 118 119 119 120 120 121 121 122 122 123 123 124 124 124 125 125 127 127 128 129 130 130 131 131 132 133 133 134 134 134 134 135 135
7
Monitoring SQL Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Excluding SQL Servers from monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping the monitoring of a SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping a SQL Server from PATROL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of a SQL Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about a SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the PATROL login account for a server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing a server instance name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling SQL Server instance discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring SQL Server Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling the monitoring of the SQL Server Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping the SQL Server Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the SQL Server Agent parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring the SQL Server Agent job failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Filtering SQL Server Agent job failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up SQL Server Agent jobs for monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling the monitoring of error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up error log monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about the error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of an error log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About the error log parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping the monitoring of databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Checking the consistency of a database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding the PATROL user to a database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of a database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling the monitoring of files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up the monitoring of objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of an object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents
Monitoring replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Enabling the monitoring of replication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Reviewing the status of Subscribers or Published Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Viewing reports about Subscribers and Published Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Using SQL commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Monitoring users and processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Changing the automatic monitoring of users and processes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Monitoring specific users and processes manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Using parameters to monitor specific users and processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Reviewing the status of a user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Viewing reports about users and processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Killing a process from PATROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Creating customized reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Accessing the predefined reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Adding customized reports to the predefined list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Working with parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Viewing parameter data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Activating and deactivating parameters and alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Clearing, snoozing, and blacking out parameter alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Refreshing parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Creating customized parameter charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Creating and managing parameter charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Accessing the predefined parameter charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Using automatic recovery actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Reviewing the ARA settings and parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Viewing the parameter recovery process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Using the ARA Settings menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Parameters affected in general user monitoring mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Parameters partially affected in a recovery action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Viewing SQL information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Viewing SQL commands with SQL Snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Managing the global channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Accessing the Global Channel menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Monitoring the Global Channel lock requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Where to go from here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Appendix A Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help 161
Accessing KM commands and InfoBoxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Accessing online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Appendix B Parameter definitions and defaults 165
Contents
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Figures
Window showing PATROL icons for an instance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server icon hierarchy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Collector application, parameters, and a graph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Server application menu in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 InfoBox for a Server application instance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Computer, SQL Server, and application icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Database application instance icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 SQL Server Instance Setup dialog box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Configure => Get command in PATROL Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Parameter recovery process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Figures
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12
Tables
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 System requirements for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Supported configurations for a clustered environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Choosing an installation procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 SQL Server Config Setup authentication mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Supported configurations for a clustered environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Variables that are for internal use only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 ARA options, their values, and the value of the araAction variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters with fixed thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Parameters that monitor the SQL Server Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Parameters that monitor the SQL Server and SQL Server Agent error logs . . . . . . 128 Database consistency menu options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Parameters affected in the general monitoring user mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Parameters partially affected in a recovery action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Tasks for displaying SQL for processes and users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Accessing KM commands and InfoBoxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Accessing online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Consumer-collector parameter dependencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Agent configuration variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Obsolete variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Tables
13
14
Chapter
1
16 16 17 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 18 19 19 20 20 20 24 26 28 30 31 31
15
Features
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server discovers SQL Servers automatically, provides global channel access to SQL Servers, and provides commands that allow you to perform SQL Server administrative functions directly from the PATROL consoles. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server also helps you to monitor and manage the following key features:
I I I I I I I I I I I I
global channel access clustered environments cache-hit ratio page-reads free buffers space used blocking locks row-level locking user connections log space files and file groups error logs
16
locks that synchronize access to the global channel automatic close and reopen feature to recover from global channel problems status of the global channel method for resetting the global channel
17
stored in cache memory. When this ratio drops below a predetermined low, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server triggers alarms and warnings. Once notified, administrators can improve database performance by adjusting the available cache or the amount of physical RAM used by SQL Server to optimize availability and throughput.
18
RIDLockAvgWaitTime provides the average amount of wait time (in milliseconds) that was caused by row ID lock requests. RIDLockRequestsPerSec provides the number of new row ID locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. RIDLockRequestWaitPercent provides the percentage of row ID lock requests that required a caller to wait.
19
Product components
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server provides functionality in the form of parameters, menu commands, and InfoBoxes that are organized and presented under application classes. Most application classes are represented by icons. The following sections describe each of these functional components of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server and how they are accessed.
Table 1 contains a short description of each application class and a graphic of the icon that represents each application class. See Icon hierarchy on page 24 for a description of how these icons appear in your interface.
20
For more detailed information about the application classes, see the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server and Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help. Table 1
Server
The MSSQL_SERVER_ADMIN (Administration) administrative application stores a second user ID and password that PATROL uses (This application does not display an to connect to the selected SQL Server. icon.) Administrative The MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT (Login Management) administrative application handles the security modes when you (This application does not display an configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. icon.) Login Management Availability The MSSQL_SERVER_AVAILABILITY (Availability) container application holds the parameters that pertain to the availability of the selected server. For more information about the Availability application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults. Cache The MSSQL_SERVER_CACHE (Cache) container application holds the parameters that pertain to the database cache for the selected server. For more information about the Cache application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults. Capacity The MSSQL_SERVER_CAPACITY (Capacity) container application holds the parameters that pertain to the capacity of the selected server, such as the number of user connections, the number of locks remaining, and the number of idle processes. For more information about the Capacity application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults. Collectors The MSSQL_SERVER_COLLECTORS (Collectors) container application holds the collector and the standard collector parameters that set the values for the majority of the consumer parameters. For more information about the Collectors application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults.
21
Table 1
Database
Disk
The MSSQL_SERVER_DISK (Disk) container application holds the parameters that pertain to the disk i/o for the selected server. For more information about the Disk application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults.
Error Log
The MSSQL_SERVER_ERROR_LOG (Error Log) functional application provides specific parameters, menu commands, and InfoBox items that pertain to the error log that the instance represents.
SQLErrorLog
Error log monitoring is partially enabled by default. To enable all of the functionality of error log monitoring, see Monitoring error logs on page 124. The MSSQL_SERVER_FILE (File) functional application provides specific parameters, menu commands, and InfoBox items pertaining to the file that it represents. File monitoring is disabled by default. For more information, see Monitoring files and file groups on page 133.
File
Filegroup
The MSSQL_SERVER_FILEGROUP (Filegroup) functional application provides specific parameters, menu commands, and InfoBox items pertaining to the file group that it represents. File group monitoring is disabled by default. For more information, see Monitoring files and file groups on page 133 and the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
Locks
The MSSQL_SERVER_LOCKS (Locks) container application holds the parameters that pertain to the locks for the selected server. For more information about the Locks application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults.
MSSQL_SERVER
The MSSQL_SERVER_SQLSERVER_SETUP (MSSQL_SERVER) container application holds the SQL Server instances discovered on a monitored host.
22
Table 1
Network
Objects
The MSSQL_SERVER_OBJECTS (Objects) application is a functional application that provides specific parameters and InfoBox items that pertain to the objects (tables and indexes) selected for monitoring.The Objects application icon does not display unless you select objects for monitoring. For more information, see Monitoring objects on page 134 and the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. The MSSQL_SERVER_PERFORMANCE (Performance) application is a container application that holds the parameters that pertain to the performance of the selected server. For more information about the Performance application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults.
Performance
Procedure Cache
The MSSQL_SERVER_PROC_CACHE (Procedure Cache) application is a container application that holds the parameters that pertain to procedure cache for the selected server. For more information about the Procedure Cache application parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults.
Published
The MSSQL_SERVER_PUBLISHED (Published) application is a functional application that provides specific parameters and InfoBox items that pertain to the articles published for replication. Replication monitoring is disabled by default. For more information, see Monitoring replication on page 135 and the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
Subscribers
The MSSQL_SERVER_SUBSCRIBERS (Subscribers) application is a functional application that provides specific parameters and InfoBox items that pertain to the database servers that subscribe to receive published articles in your SQL Server replication environment. Replication monitoring is disabled by default. For more information, see Monitoring replication on page 135 and the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
23
Icon hierarchy
Table 1
Users
The MSSQL_SERVER_USERS (Users) application is a functional application that provides specific parameters, menu commands, and InfoBox items to monitor the SQL Server users or processes. Users application icons do not display unless you select User Instance as a problem alert method in the Configure Auto User Monitoring dialog box, or you manually select specific users or processes for monitoring. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137 and the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
Icon hierarchy
Figure 1 displays the PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows Server (Developer mode) window.
NOTE
The SQL Server icon looks the same, but it is displayed by itself or with other applications in the PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition, PATROL Central Operator Web Edition, and PATROL Console for UNIX.
Figure 1
24
Icon hierarchy
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server provides a hierarchy of icons that groups all Server application icons under the MSSQL_SERVER application icon. When you double-click on a Server application icon, a window opens that contains other applications. Figure 2 displays all of the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server application icons to demonstrate the hierarchy of the applications. Figure 2 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server icon hierarchy
SQLErrorLog
Error Log application icon Database application icons
25
Parameters
Parameters
A parameter is a command that periodically obtains data on a monitored system resource. Parameter data values are collected, summarized, and stored on the computer where the PATROL Agent resides. The collected parameter information is available for review by a PATROL console. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server organizes parameters into application classes by function or by the objects that they monitor. PATROL uses several types of parameters and stores parameter history data in a file. See Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults, Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies,and the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server for more information about the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters. For more general information about parameters and their functions, see the PATROL user guide for your console.
Parameter types
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server uses the following types of parameters:
I
A collector parameter executes commands at regular intervals (poll times) to gather data that it sends to the consumer parameters. Collector parameters do not display the values that they collect, nor do they generate alarms or recovery actions. A standard parameter collects a single value of data as numeric or text and displays that value. Many of the standard parameters used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server have collector properties; they execute commands and gather the data that consumer parameters display. A consumer parameter displays a value that was collected by a collector parameter (or a standard parameter with collector properties) and can generate alarms or warnings and recovery actions if those values exceed predefined thresholds. Consumer parameters do not issue commands.
The use of standard parameters with collector properties (standard collectors) and consumer parameters enables PATROL to set an almost unlimited number of parameters with one data retrieval query to the server, creating an extremely efficient and flexible data retrieval system. The Collectors application contains all but two of the standard collectors used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. UserColl is found under the User application and ErrorLog Coll is found under the Error log application. Double-clicking the Collector application icon opens a window that contains all of the standard collector parameters and one standard parameter, CheckConfiguration.
26
Parameters
These standard collectors are represented by an icon that contains a check mark and an X. The check mark is green when the standard collector parameter is in an okay state and the X turns red when the standard collector parameter goes into an alarm state. (See the PATROL user guide for your console for detailed information on alarm states and icons.) These standard collector parameters go into an alarm state if a scheduled collection fails. Double-clicking on a standard collector icon opens a graph or timetable that displays a mark for each collection that the standard collector parameter completed. Standard collector parameters do not display the data that they collect, but display only information about their collections. The data collected by the standard collector parameters is distributed to related consumer parameters. Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies,provides a table that cross-references the consumer parameters with the standard collector parameter that sets its value. Disabling a standard collector parameter also disables the consumer parameters that it sets. Figure 3 shows the Collector Application icon, the parameters it contains, and an example of a graph that standard collector parameters use to display collection information. Figure 3 Collector application, parameters, and a graph
Double-clicking the Collector application icon displays the standard collector icons. Double-clicking on one of the standard collectors opens a graph or timetable for that standard collector parameter.
The timetable displays a mark for each data collection cycle that the standard collector parameter completed.
27
Menu commands
Menu commands
The PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server menu commands allow you to perform the following tasks:
I I I
define and manage PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server manage your SQL Servers from PATROL view reports about your SQL Servers
The Server application class provides the majority of the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server menu commands. The following application classes provide menu commands more specific to the objects that these application classes represent:
I I I I I I
28
Menu commands
Figure 4 shows a Server application icon, the PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows Servers menu, and the Server application menu. Right-clicking the Server application icon opens the console menu, and KM Commands is an option available from that menu. You can access the Database, Filegroup, Published, Subscribers, and Users menus from their respective application icons. Figure 4 Server application menu in Windows
Server application icon
console menu
The Server application menu shown in Figure 4 is at the top level of the menu tree hierarchy for the Server application menu. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help provides further details about menu commands. For information about how to access menu commands and online Help from the various PATROL consoles, see Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help.
29
InfoBoxes
InfoBoxes
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server uses InfoBoxes to provide attributes specific to the objects in your SQL Servers. InfoBoxes are tables of attributes accessed from the icons that represent parameters and application classes. The PATROL consoles and PATROL Agent populate all of the attributes that appear in the parameter InfoBoxes and some of the attributes, such as icon type or status, that appear in the application InfoBoxes. In each of the application InfoBoxes, the items generated by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server appear below the items generated by the PATROL console, and they are preceded by a check mark (PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows) or are separated from the console items by a horizontal rule (PATROL Console for UNIX). The PATROL Central Operator consoles differentiate between the items in a similar fashion. Figure 5 is an example of an InfoBox for a Server application instance. Figure 5 InfoBox for a Server application instance
Update button
The attributes that populate the InfoBoxes are gathered and updated periodically. Some of the attributes that appear in the application InfoBoxes remain static (for example, SQL Server Name) and some of the attributes change as your SQL Server environment changes (for example, Blackout End Time). Each InfoBox provides an Update button that you can use to force a refresh of the attributes in that InfoBox. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help provides further details about the application InfoBoxes. For information about how to access InfoBoxes and online Help, see Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help.
30
Related publications
Related publications
The PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help is installed with the product when you install from the Electronic Product Download (EPD) website. The following publications contain information about installing, migrating, and deploying PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server:
I I I
Distribution Server Getting Started Installation Utility Reference Manual PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide
For more detailed information about the PATROL Agent and consoles, see the documentation CDs provided with your PATROL Agent and console products and the online Help for those products.
how to install and migrate PATROL for Chapter 2, Installing and migrating PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft SQL Server on page 33 how to setup and configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server how to use PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server to change configuration variables or parameter properties how to use PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server functionality to monitor and manage SQL Servers Chapter 3, Configuring PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help Chapter 4, Using PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on page 95 Chapter 5, Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help
how to access the KM menu commands, Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help InfoBoxes, and online Help definitions and default values for parameters consumer and collector parameter dependencies detailed descriptions of the applications, menu commands, parameters, and InfoBoxes Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help
31
32
Chapter
2
34 38 39 40 40 41 41 46 46 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 57 57 59 59 60 60 61
This chapter presents the following topics: Verifying installation requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing for installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining how you should monitor a cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining whether to install locally or remotely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining the version of the installation utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining the PATROL security levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining how to upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Planning for the installation of a language pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing for the first time or upgrading over an existing installation . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing a language pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Upgrading and saving customizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing to upgrade and migrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Migrating customizations with the PATROL Configuration Manager. . . . . . . . . Migrating customizations manually. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating an installation package of the migrated and merged KM. . . . . . . . . . . . First-time installation using the Distribution Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing a CD or customized installation package into Distribution Server. . . Installing with the Distribution Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing the online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing the UNIX version of the Help browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting environment variables for the browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional considerations for using online Help for UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uninstalling PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . To uninstall PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server from a Windows environment To uninstall PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server from a UNIX environment. . . . Where to go from here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 2
33
NOTE
For specific version numbers for the products that are supported by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, refer to the release notes for the version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server that you are using.
Table 2
Resource
I I
at least one of the following PATROL consoles: PATROL Console for UNIX PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows Servers PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition PATROL Central Operator Web Edition PATROL Agent PATROL Console Server
34
Table 2
Resource
Comments See Determining the version of the installation utility on page 40. This product is required if you plan to monitor a clustered SQL Server. For more information, see Setting up PATROL in a clustered environment on page 85. For more information, see Chapter 4, Using PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
PATROL Configuration Manager PATROL Knowledge Module for Event Management You can use this product to distribute PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server throughout your enterprise. Fewer megabytes are required if you are installing only on a Managed System (37 MB), or only on a Console System (21 MB). For more information about the roles that each computer performs, see page 48. Install Netscape Navigator on the computer where the console resides. See Determining the PATROL security levels on page 41. If you do not have a permanent license, contact your BMC Software sales representative or the BMC Software Contract Administration department for licensing information.
Distribution Server
disk space 40 MB are required to install on a computer needed to install that is acting as a Managed System, Common System, and Console System
Netscape Navigator for UNIX and Red Hat Linux platforms. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server can operate at any of the security levels provided by PATROL You must have a valid demonstration license (typically good for 30 days) or a permanent license to run your PATROL products.
license
You must launch the installation utility from the command line and use the -serveronly command line option.
Chapter 2
35
Table 2
Resource accounts
Stand-alone workgroup servers must use a local user account. Servers that are trusted members of a domain can use either a local or domain account. The account on a domain controller must be a member of the domain Administrators group. The PATROL account must be a member of the local Administrators group of the computer where the PATROL Agent resides. If you use a domain account, no local account on that computer can have the same name. Do not use a built-in Administrator account.
Warning: If you use a built-in Windows domain or local Administrator account as the PATROL default account, files created by PATROL are owned by the Administrator, and security or file access problems can result. Note: If you are installing PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server in a cluster, verify that the account you are using to install PATROL has local administrator rights on each cluster node.
36
Table 2
Resource
accounts (continued)
The account .login, .profile, .cshrc, and .kshrc files should not contain any customizations such as aliases, nondefault prompts, or unmask settings other than 022. Do not use the root account. The account must have permission to create directories and write the installation logs to the $HOME and /tmp directories on the computer where you are installing products. The account must have ftp and telnet enabled. The account must have access to a root account on the computer where PATROL is installed. (recommended) Install PATROL on local partitions. If PATROL is installed on NFS-mounted partitions, the root account must have root access permissions on the NFS server.
I I
PATROL automatically uses the appropriate login for each function. PATROL uses the SQL Server or Windows account with system administrator privileges for the following functions:
I I I
a SQL Server login account with system administrator privileges when standard security is selected or a Windows login account with system administrator (sa) privileges when integrated security is selected a SQL Server login account with user privileges
PATROL uses the SQL Server user account for the following functions:
I I
Chapter 2
37
Installation prerequisites
Before you install, you should complete the following tasks:
I I I I I I I
check for product patches or fixes (see page 38) determine how you should monitor a cluster (see page 39) determine whether to install locally or by using an installable image (see page 40) ensure that you are using the correct version of the installation utility (see page 40) determine the PATROL security level (see page 41) determine which roles your computers perform (see page 42) determine whether to upgrade without saving any customizations or to upgrade and save your customizations (see page 41) plan for the installation of a language pack, if required (see page 46)
38
Configuration virtual PATROL Agentuse the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard to add the PATROL Agent resource to the cluster group(s) that contains the SQL Servers you want to monitor
Disadvantage You must run a virtual PATROL Agent on each cluster resource group that has a SQL Server to monitor.
No need to configure the SQL Server instances on each cluster node. Instead, you configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on the active nodes (that is, the virtual SQL Server) Parameter history and configuration settings are stored on a shared drive and are, therefore, available after failover the Failover parameter is available in this environment Only SQL Server instances belonging to the same cluster resource group as the virtual PATROL Agent are discovered Only one PATROL Agent runs on each node
Because PATROL configuration data and parameter history data are not shared between the PATROL Agents on the cluster nodes, the following disadvantages apply:
I
you must configure each SQL Server to which the instance can fail over you cannot view parameter history that was collected on another cluster node
BMC Software recommends that you use the virtual PATROL Agent configuration. If you choose the virtual PATROL Agent configuration, you must install and run a PATROL Agent and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on each cluster node, and use the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard to create a virtual PATROL Agent resource on each cluster group that contains a SQL Server that you want to monitor. The PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard defines the PATROL Agent environment variables that make the history data and configuration settings available upon failover. For more information about configuring the PATROL Agent as a resource in a cluster, see Setting up PATROL in a clustered environment on page 85.
Chapter 2 Installing and migrating PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server 39
BMC Software products installation directory account names passwords PATROL Agent port number security options
If you want to specify different settings for different computers, you must either create a separate image for each set of values that you want to implement or edit the variables in the control file for the installable image by using the ctltool. For more information about creating, distributing, and installing installable images, and about using the ctltool, see the PATROL Installation Reference Manual.
To determine the version of an installation utility 1 Open a command prompt. 2 Navigate to the directory where the installation utility is located. 3 Enter the command that is appropriate for your system:
Setup.exe -v (Windows) setup sh -v (UNIX)
40 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server Getting Started
To check the security level of a previously installed agent, console server, or console 1 From the command line, switch to the path on the computer that you want to
check: %BMC_ROOT\..\common\security\bin\OS (Windows) or $BMC_ROOT/../common/security/bin/OS (UNIX)
2 To display the security policy of the current computer, run the following
command:
esstool policy -a
For more information about PATROL security, see the PATROL Security User Guide.
new Knowledge Modules (.km files) that you created modified PSL code, whether it is embedded in .km or .psl files
Customizations that were applied by using PATROL Configuration Manager or operator overrides created with a PATROL Operator Console (unless you are upgrading from a PATROL console version 3.4.11 or earlier) are saved in the agent configuration database automatically. The customizations take effect automatically. For more information, see Chapter 4, Using PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
Chapter 2
41
Use Table 4 to determine whether you should upgrade and save your customizations or upgrade without saving any customizations, and use the appropriate procedure. Table 4
Situation
I
No customizations were made to your previous version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server One or more of the following customizations were made to your previous version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, but you plan to migrate those customizations manually:
I I
One or more of the changes or customizations listed above were made by using the PATROL Configuration Manager (in which case, they are saved in the Agent configuration file and applied to the new version automatically). You want to overwrite customizations with the default values of the new version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. The currently installed version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server is a version earlier than 2.1.00.
One or more of the following customizations were made to your Upgrading and saving currently installed version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server customizations on page 50 and you plan to save those customizations and migrate them to the new version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server manually:
I I
new Knowledge Modules were created PSL code was modified First-time installation using the Distribution Server on page 54
If you are using the Distribution Server to install and distribute PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server throughout your environment
42
applications such as consoles, user interfaces, viewers, and browsers. Select this option if the computer to which you are installing performs any of the following roles: monitors and manages on Windows by using a PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition console (PATROL 7.x architecture) monitors and manages on UNIX by using a PATROL Console for UNIX (PATROL 3.x architecture) monitors and manages on Windows by using a PATROL Console for Windows (PATROL 3.x architecture)
I
Managed Systems (also referred to as agent computers) host software that manages
the resources on the computer, such as a PATROL Agent, PATROL Knowledge Modules, and Service Reporting Retrievers. Select this option if the computer to which you are installing will perform any of the following roles: host a PATROL Agent 3.5 (works with both the PATROL 3.x and PATROL 7.x architecture) host KMs and components that contain the knowledge that PATROL uses to monitor the resources on this computer
I
Common Services (new with PATROL 7.x architecture) computer hosts services that
are shared among managed systems and console systems. You can install each of these common services on any computer in the network. Select this option if the computer to which you are installing will perform any of the following roles:
I I I
host the PATROL Central Operator Web Edition (PATROL 7.x) server host the PATROL Console Servers host the RTservers
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43
Additional information
For more information about the PATROL consoles and PATROL Console Server or RTserver, see the online Help systems for each product and the following documents:
I I I I I I
PATROL Central Operator - Web Edition Getting Started PATROL Central Operator - Microsoft Windows Edition Getting Started PATROL Console Server and RTserver Getting Started PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide PATROL Console for UNIX User Guide PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows User Guide - Understanding the Basics of PATROL, Volume 1
PATROL 3.x
In a PATROL 3.x environment, you must install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on the following computers:
I
Computers hosting the PATROL AgentSelect Managed Systems as the System Role in the installation utility when installing PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. This selection installs the files that run on the PATROL Agent. Computers hosting the PATROL Console for Windows or PATROL Console for UNIXSelect Console Systems as the System Role in the installation utility when installing PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on computers hosting the PATROL Console for Windows or PATROL Console for UNIX. This selection installs the files required by the console.
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PATROL 7.x
In a PATROL 7.x environment, you must install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on the following computers:
I
Computers hosting the PATROL Console ServerSelect Common Services Systems as the System Role in the installation utility. This selection installs the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server icons, Help files, and resource files that are used by PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition and PATROL Central Operator Web Edition.
NOTE
If you do not install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on the computer hosting the PATROL Console Server, and select Common Services Systems as the System Role in the installation utility, no PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server icons or Help files will be available for the PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition or PATROL Central Operator Web Edition consoles.
Computers hosting PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows EditionSelect Console Systems as the System Role in the installation utility. This selection installs PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files for use by PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition. Computers hosting the PATROL AgentSelect Managed Systems as the System Role in the installation utility. This selection installs PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files that run on the PATROL Agent.
When using PATROL Central Operator Web Edition, install KMs on computers hosting the PATROL Console Server using the Common Services Systems role and computers hosting the PATROL Agent using the Managed Systems role. If you are using older versions of the following components:
I I
PATROL Console Server prior to version 7.2.36 PATROL Central Operator Web Edition prior to version 7.1.10
You must also install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on the computer hosting the PATROL Central Operator Web Edition web server using the Common Services Systems role. For more information about the PATROL 7.x architecture, see the PATROL Infrastructure Planning Guide.
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you must install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server before you can install the language pack for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server you must make the same selections in the installation windows during both installations
To ensure that you make the same selections during both installations, you might want to note your selections and capture the Review Selections and Start Install window (step 9 on page 49).
create the PATROL default account before installing install (or upgrade, if required) PATROL Agent and console products before installing or upgrading PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server (If you are installing from a CD that contains Agents, consoles, and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, you can install them at the same time.) install on a limited number of computers in a test environment, test the installation thoroughly, and then install in your production environment
46
If you are upgrading, whether you plan to save your changes or not, take the following actions:
I
move the old PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server to a new directory that is different from PATROL_HOME remove PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files from PATROL_CACHE
WARNING
You must remove the current PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files from the PATROL_CACHE directory for the console. If you do not, old product files in PATROL_CACHE are loaded instead of the newly installed files from PATROL_HOME.
To back up the current installation and move files from PATROL_CACHE 1 Shut down any PATROL Agents, consoles, and related services that are currently
running.
2 Ensure that no one is accessing any PATROL files or directories. 3 Perform a full backup of the following directories where PATROL executables and
data are typically stored:
I I
PATROL_HOME for agent and console installation directories PATROL_CACHE for the console working cache
4 Remove all PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files with the following naming
patterns from PATROL_CACHE\knowledge and PATROL_CACHE\psl:
I I
MSSQL* RA1MSSQL*
To install for the first Time, upgrade without saving customizations, or upgrade and migrate customizations manually 1 From the installation CD or from an electronically downloaded (EPD) installation
image, start the installation utility by running setup.exe (Windows) or setup.sh (UNIX).
2 In the Welcome to the Installation Utility window, click Next. 3 In the Review License Agreement window, review the license agreement, select
Accept, and click Next to continue.
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4 In the Select Installation Option window, select one of the following options:
I
To install locally now, select I want to install products on this computer now and click Next to continue. To create an installable image that you can install locally and remotely later, select Create an image to be installed later, enter the directory where you want the installation image stored, and click Next to continue.
To help you determine which of installation options you want to select, see Determining whether to install locally or remotely on page 40.
5 In the Specify Installation Directory window, enter the directory where your
current BMC products are installed, if different from the default, or accept the default and click Next. The PATROL product directory that you specify in step 8 is appended to the path that you enter in this step.
6 In the Select System Roles window, select the roles to indicate the components that
you want to install and click Next. For help in determining which roles to select, see Determining the roles that each computer performs on page 42 and Determining where to install on page 44. For more information about the PATROL consoles, PATROL Console Server, or RTserver, see the online Help systems for those products and the following documents:
I I I
PATROL Console Server and RTserver Getting Started PATROL Console for UNIX User Guide PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows User Guide - Understanding the Basics of PATROL, Volume 1
7 In the Select Products and Components to Install window, select PATROL Solutions
for Databases => PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server and click Next.
NOTE
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server does not provide a QuickStart package.
8 In the Provide the PATROL 3.x Product Directory window, enter the directory in
which you want to install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. This product directory is appended to the BMC Products Installation Directory that you entered in step 5.
48
9 In the Review Selections and Start Install window, review the selections carefully,
and then, to make changes, click Back or, to start installing, click Start Install. A status window opens that contains current messages, current milestones, and percentage complete.
TIP
Capture the Review Selections and Start Install screen and save it for further reference. If you are planning to install a language pack, you can use this information to make sure that you make the same selections when installing from the language pack CD as you used to install using the product CD. Also, if you are installing PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on several computers, you can use this information to keep track of the selections that you made for each installation.
10 When the status window reports that the installation is 100% complete, click Next
to view the results window. (Next does not appear until the installation is 100% complete.)
11 In the results window, click View Log to review the details of the installation or
click Exit to close the installation utility.
NOTE
You must install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server before you can install a language pack for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
To install a language pack 1 From the language pack CD, run setup.exe. 2 The windows that display during this install are very similar to the windows you
used when installing PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. For each window, make the same choices in the language pack installation window as you did in the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server installation window.
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WARNING
You must remove the current PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files from the PATROL_CACHE directory for the console. If you do not, old product files in PATROL_CACHE are loaded instead of the newly installed files from PATROL_HOME.
To back up the current installation and move files from PATROL_CACHE 1 Shut down any PATROL Agents, Consoles, and related services. 2 Ensure that no one is accessing any PATROL files or directories. 3 Perform a full backup of the following directories:
I I
PATROL_HOME for agent and console installation directories PATROL_CACHE for the console working cache
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4 Remove all PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files with the following naming
patterns from PATROL_CACHE\knowledge and PATROL_CACHE\psl:
I I
MSSQL* RA1MSSQL*
If you have localized parameters or global parameters that have customized poll times or thresholds, use the AS_CHANGESPRING KM to migrate these customizations into PATROL Configuration Manager rulesets as described in the PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide and in Chapter 4, Using PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. If you have created custom recovery actions, follow these steps: 1. Ensure that you have made a record of your customizations and have backed up the customized files in the PATROL_HOME and PATROL_CACHE directories. 2. Uninstall the old version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. 3. Install the new version of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server as described in the section Installing for the first time or upgrading over an existing installation on page 46. 4. Ensure that you have made a record of your custom recovery actions. 5. Use the Recovery Action Event Management commands as described in the PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide to migrate your custom recovery actions to the PATROL Configuration Manager.
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To migrate customizations manually 1 Move the earlier PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server installation to a new directory
that is different from PATROL_HOME.
3 Incorporate your customizations to the new PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server by
performing the following steps:
A Restart the PATROL console. B Load the newly installed PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. C Using a PATROL Developer Console, enter the customizations that you
identified in step 2, one by one.
If you modified .psl files that were shipped by BMC Software, you must manually re-edit the PSL code in the new KM by using a PATROL Developer Console to reapply your changes. If you modified PSL code embedded in a KM, that code will be overwritten when you install a new version of the product. You must manually edit the new .km files by using a PATROL Developer Console to reapply your changes. If you created a new PSL file (not shipped by BMC Software) outside of a .km file, or if you created new PSL code (not shipped by BMC Software) and embedded it in a KM that was shipped by BMC Software, search your .km, .psl, and .ctg files for terms that you may have used that have since been adopted by BMC Software as PSL keywords. Rename any terms match existing keywords. Reapply your changes by using a PATROL Developer Console.
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NOTE
If you have customized a PSL library that was compiled with an earlier version of the PSL compiler than the version that was provided with PATROL 3.2.09i, you must manually recompile the library by using a PATROL 3.5 or later compiler.
1 Copy the entire contents of the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server CD to a
temporary directory on a hard drive on a server. You can delete this temporary directory after you have successfully created an installable image.
2 Navigate to the packaged_results directory for the merged package and open the
.ppf file with a text editor. Write down the file name in the first line of the .ppf file. This file name is the name of the directory that you will look for in the Products
3 Rename the packaged_results directory with the file name that you found in the .ppf
file in the previous step.
EXAMPLE
If pksckm/4.2.00/030107-233044 was listed in the first line of the .ppf file, you would use pksckm as the directory name.
4 Copy the renamed directory to the Products directory of the temporary directory
that you used in Step 1. You will be replacing the files there with the merged files that contain your customizations.
5 Copy the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server CD image to the server where you
plan to install PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
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Install, uninstall, upgrade, and reinstall products on remote systems from one central location. Create collections of products and system groups to distribute multiple products to multiple systems in one distribution. Schedule a distribution for a specific date and time. Maintain multiple product versions to be distributed. View reports to check distribution status, gather distribution data, and diagnosis problems.
To import PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server into the Distribution Server, perform the following tasks: Importing a CD or customized installation package into Distribution Server on page 55.
54
The customized installation packages that resulted from Creating an installation package of the migrated and merged KM on page 53 must be accessible to the Distribution Server. Ensure that you use Distribution Server version 7.1.01 or later.
To import components in to the Distribution Server 1 Using the Distribution Server Manager, connect to the Distribution Server. 2 In the Distribution Server tab area, click the Components tab. 3 In the list area, click the Import button. 4 Navigate to the location where the components are located and click Next. 5 Select the directory that contains the Products directory (do not select the Products
directory itself). If the components are not accessible on a local drive, you can specify them by using the NFS name and path.
EXAMPLE
Assuming that you copied the CD image into a directory called merged_CD and then, after migrating your customizations and creating a customized installation package, you copied the updated package to the directory containing the CD image, the resultant directory structure would resemble merged_CD\Products\pskchm. You would select the directory merged_CD.
6 Select the check boxes for the components that you want to import and click OK. 7 Click Import to import the selected components.
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To set up products 1 Import components into the Distribution Server repository on the Components tab
of the Distribution Manager.
3 Configure the collections on the Configurations tab of the Distribution Manager. To set up systems 1 Create accounts in the operating system of the computers to which you want to
distribute PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
2 Add accounts and create profiles for the systems on the Systems tab of the
Distribution Manager.
3 Add the systems and install the Distribution Client on the Systems tab of the
Distribution Manager.
4 Arrange systems in system groups on the Systems tab of the Distribution Manager. To distribute products 1 Distribute configurations of collections to system groups on the Distributions tab of
the Distribution Manager.
2 Run reports to review distributions on the Reports tab of the Distribution Manager.
For detailed instructions about how to perform remote installations with the Distribution Server, see the Distribution Server Getting Started Guide.
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LANG variable
You must set the UNIX LANG environment variable to C for Netscape Navigator to work properly. Otherwise, you could experience product failures.
Type of shell Bourne Korn C Export command for LANG variable LANG=C export LANG export LANG=C setenv LANG=C
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PATH variable
The PATROL user account PATH variable must contain the location of the directory containing the Netscape files. If the directory containing the Netscape files is not in the path, add the directory to the PATROL user account path. This requirement applies only to the PATROL user account on the PATROL console computer.
Type of shell Bourne Korn C Export command for PATH variable PATH=$PATH:/netscape_location export PATH export PATH=$PATH:/netscape_location setenv PATH=$PATH:/netscape_location
PATROL_BROWSER variable
When PATROL starts the Help browser, it uses the command in the PATROL_BROWSER environment variable. By default, the PATROL_BROWSER environment variable contains the following command:
Type of shell Bourne Korn C Export command for PATROL_BROWSER variable PATROL_BROWSER=netscape -display $DISPLAY -install -iconic export LANG export PATROL_BROWSER=netscape -display $DISPLAY -install -iconic setenv PATROL_BROWSER=netscape -display $DISPLAY -install -iconic
To use different arguments, set the value of PATROL_BROWSER to the appropriate string.
EXAMPLE
For Korn shell: export PATROL_BROWSER=/usr/local/bin/netscape -raise
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Netscape Navigator displays warning messages when it is invoked multiple times within the same user account because of its file-locking mechanism. It will, however, continue functioning. By default, when Netscape Navigator starts, it uses a private color map. As a result, you might experience color flashing on your workstation. If so, you can set the value of PATROL_BROWSER so that the colormap option is not specified. However, some subsequent color requests might fail and the online Help will be improperly displayed. The eXceed for Windows NT X Window Server product by Hummingbird Communication Ltd. may not always display the Help files properly.
Consult your Netscape Navigator documentation for specific platform requirements and restrictions.
To uninstall PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server from a Windows environment on page 60 To uninstall PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server from a UNIX environment on page 60
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NOTE
Before you can uninstall PATROL products, you might need to stop any PATROL processes that are running on the computers where you want to uninstall PATROL.
To uninstall PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server from a Windows environment 1 From the Uninstall directory in your BMC Software product installation directory,
double-click uninstall.exe to launch the installation utility in uninstall mode.
NOTE
As an option, you can launch the installation utility in uninstall mode by choosing Start => Settings => Control Panel => Add/Remove Programs and double-clicking BMC Software Tools in the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box.
2 In the Welcome window, click Next. 3 Select the installation directory from which you want to remove a product, and
click Next.
4 Select the product or products that you want to uninstall, and click Next. 5 Review your selections and click Uninstall.
After the uninstallation is complete, a window is displayed that tells you whether the uninstallation was successful.
To uninstall PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server from a UNIX environment 1 Change to the Uninstall directory in your BMC Software product installation
directory and enter the command ./uninstall.sh to launch the installation utility in uninstall mode.
2 In the Welcome window, click Next. 3 Select the installation directory from which you want to remove a product, and
click Next.
4 Select the product or products that you want to uninstall, and click Next. 5 Review your selections and click Uninstall.
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how to use PATROL Configuration Manager Chapter 4, Using PATROL Configuration Manager with PATROL for Microsoft SQL with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server to change configuration variables or parameter Server properties how to use PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server functionality to monitor and manage SQL Servers how to access the KM menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help Chapter 5, Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help
definitions and default values for parameters Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults consumer and collector parameter dependencies PATROL Agent configuration variables Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies Appendix D, Agent configuration variables
detailed descriptions of the applications, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online menu commands, parameters, and InfoBoxes Help
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Chapter
3
64 64 66 69 72 76 79 69 80 81 81 81 82 82 82 83 84 85 86 87 87 89 89 90 93
This chapter presents the following topics: Setting up and configuring PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loading and unloading PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unloading .km files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Verifying that the SQL Server is discovered and online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuring a SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuring a SQL Server instance without an sa password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accelerating discovery and reviewing error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saving the changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SQL Server Agent monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Error log monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Database monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Object monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File and file group monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replication monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . User and process monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parameter defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up PATROL in a clustered environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining how you should configure a cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring a cluster by using a virtual PATROL Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing and configuring a cluster with a virtual PATROL Agent . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring a cluster by using a PATROL Agent on each node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing and configuring a node-level cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events . Where to go from here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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load the files into the console (and unload unwanted files) verify that the SQL Server is discovered and online configure the SQL Servers accelerate discovery and review the error files save the changes
WARNING
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server requires the presence of all of its .km files to operate successfully. Load the MSSQL_SERVER.kml file and all of the .km files that it provides, and do not delete any of the .km files.
started a PATROL console started a PATROL Agent and SQL Server on each computer you want to monitor
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Before loading PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, consider the following options:
I
If you want PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server to start automatically whenever you open the console, load the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files and the configuration file for the agent on the computer where the PATROL Agent is installed. If you want to manually load PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server by using the console, load the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server files on the computer where your PATROL console resides.
To load .km files with PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition 1 On the Common Tasks tab of the taskpad, click the Load Knowledge Modules icon.
PATROL Central - Microsoft Windows Edition displays the wizard.
3 Select the check boxes for the computers on which you want to load KMs, and click
Next.
The wizard displays a list of available .kml files for each computer selected in the previous step. The MSSQL_SERVER.kml file is listed once for each computer.
4 Select the check boxes for each MSSQL_SERVER.kml and computer pair that you
want to load.
To load .km files with PATROL Central Operator Web Edition 1 From the Monitored Systems page, click the Load/Unload KMs button.
The Load KMs page opens, listing each computer on which a PATROL Agent has been installed.
2 Select the computers on which you want to load KMs, and click Next.
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The Load KMs page displays a list of available .km and .kml files. If you selected more than one computer, the only .kml files that are listed are the ones that have been installed on all of the selected computers. If a particular .kml file was installed only on one computer, you must choose that computer by itself to load the file.
NOTE
If you want to load a .km or .kml file that was not listed in Step 2, ensure that the KM is installed on the appropriate computer and select only that computer in Step 2.
To load .km files with the PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows Developer 1 From the PATROL Console for Windows menu bar, choose File => Load KM.
The Load KMs dialog box displays a list of available .kml files.
To load .km files with the PATROL Console for UNIX Developer 1 From the PATROL Console for UNIX menu bar, choose File => Load KM.
The Load KMs dialog box displays a list of available .kml files.
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To unload .km files with PATROL Central Operator Microsoft Windows Edition 1 On the Common Tasks tab of the taskpad, click the Unload Knowledge Modules
icon.
3 Select the check boxes for the computers from which you want to unload .km files,
and click Next. The wizard displays a list of application class names (that correspond to .km file names) for each computer selected.
4 Select the check boxes for the .km and computer pair that you want to unload, and
click Next and then click Finish. The console removes the selected .km files from the current management profile.
To unload .km files with PATROL Central Operator Web Edition 1 From the Managed Systems page, click the Load/Unload KMs button.
The Load KMs page opens, listing each computer on which a PATROL Agent has been installed.
2 Select the computers from which you want to unload .km files, and click Next.
The Load KMs page displays a list of .km files. Currently loaded .km files are highlighted in the list.
3 Cancel the selection of the .km files that you want to unload and click Finish.
The console removes the .km files that you specified. These .km files will no longer be in the current management profile.
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To unload .km files with the PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows Developer
Unloading a KM is referred to as deleting a KM in the PATROL Console for Windows.
1 From the KM tab of the tree view, right-click the application class name that you
want to delete and choose Delete from the pop-up menu. The console displays a dialog box that asks if you want to delete the selected application.
3 Repeat step 1 and step 2 until you have deleted all of the application classes
associated with the KM that you want to delete.
4 From the console menu bar, choose File => Save KM to save your changes.
If you do not save your changes, the .km files will reload the next time you start the console.
To unload .km files with the PATROL Console for UNIX Developer
Unloading a KM is referred to as deleting a KM in the PATROL Console for UNIX.
1 From the PATROL Main window, choose Attributes => Application Classes.
The console displays the List of Application Classes window.
2 Click the name of the application class that you want to delete.
The console highlights the application class name.
3 From the List of Application Classes menu bar, choose Edit => Delete.
The application class is removed from your cache directory and your console session file. The PATROL Console for UNIX removes the application class name from the List of Application Classes.
4 Repeat step 2 and step 3 until you have deleted all of the application classes
associated with the KM that you want to delete.
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5 From the List of Application Classes menu bar, choose File => Save KM to save
your changes. If you do not save your changes, the .km files will reload the next time you start the console.
the .km files that you loaded into the PATROL console are reloaded into the console each time that you start the console. the .km files that you unloaded are not reloaded into the PATROL console the next time that you start the console.
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The following PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server application class instance icons appear by default:
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
MSSQL_SERVER MSSQL_SERVER_AVAILABILITY MSSQL_SERVER_CACHE MSSQL_SERVER_CAPACITY MSSQL_SERVER_COLLECTORS MSSQL_SERVER_DB MSSQL_SERVER_DISK MSSQL_SERVER_ERRORLOG MSSQL_SERVER_LOCKS MSSQL_SERVER_NETWORK MSSQL_SERVER_PERFORMANCE MSSQL_SERVER_PROC_CACHE MSSQL_SERVER_SQLSERVER_SETUP MSSQL_SERVER_USER_DEF_CNTRS
The following PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server application class instance icons do not appear by default:
I I I I I I
The following PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server application classes are not represented by icons:
I I
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To verify that the objects are discovered 1 Double-click the PatrolMainMap to open the window that contains the
MSSQL_SERVER application instance icon.
Computer icon
The MSSQL_SERVER_ERRORLOG application icons appear under the MSSQL_SERVER icon when you have enabled error log monitoring. See Error log monitoring on page 81 and Monitoring error logs on page 124. The MSSQL_SERVER_SUBSCRIBERS and MSSQL_SERVER_ PUBLISHED application instance icons appear under the MSSQL_SERVER icon when you have replication defined and enabled. See Replication monitoring on page 82 and Monitoring replication on page 135. The MSSQL_SERVER_USERS application instance icons appear under the MSSQL_SERVER icon when you change the default settings for user monitoring. See User and process monitoring on page 83 and Monitoring users and processes on page 137.
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Figure 7
The name of the database the MSSQL_SERVER_DB application instance represents displays under each Database instance icon. The MSSQL_SERVER_FILE and MSSQL_SERVER_FILEGROUP application instance icons appear under the MSSQL_SERVER_DB application instance icon when you enable file and file group monitoring. See File and file group monitoring on page 82 and Monitoring files and file groups on page 133. The MSSQL_SERVER_OBJECT application instance icons appear under the MSSQL_SERVER_DB application icon when you select an object to monitor. See Object monitoring on page 82 and Monitoring objects on page 134. If the appropriate icons do not appear after two to three minutes, right-click the server icon and choose Show System Output Window.
open the SQL Server Instance Setup dialog box configure the login used by PATROL that has system administrator privileges configure the login used by PATROL that has user privileges verify the accounts and close the dialog box
72
loaded PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server verified that the SQL Server instance is discovered and online
73
Figure 8
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server automatically detects the security mode of the SQL Server and displays only the appropriate radio buttons in the SQL Server Instance dialog box shown in Figure 8.
I
If the SQL Server is configured for integrated security, only the Integrated radio button is displayed. If the SQL Server is configured for standard security, only the Standard radio button is displayed. If the SQL Server is configured for mixed security, both the Standard and the Integrated radio buttons are displayed.
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In the top half of the SQL Server Instance Setup dialog box is where you configure the login that PATROL uses for those functions that require a System Administrator (SA) privilege. In the bottom half of this dialog box, you configure the login that PATROL uses for those functions that require User privileges. For more information, see Verifying installation requirements on page 34.
To configure the login used by PATROL that has system administrator privileges 1 If your SQL Server is configured for mixed security, click either Standard or
Integrated as the security mode to use with this login.
2 Enter the user name for the system administrator (sa) account that PATROL for
Microsoft SQL Server needs to monitor your Microsoft SQL Server installation.
Click Yes in the Grant admin. privilege to this login? field if the Windows login account you entered in Step 3 does not already have the required sa privilege. Click No in the Grant admin. privilege to this login? field if the specified Windows login account you entered in Step 3 already has the sa privilege.
To configure the login used by PATROL that has user privileges 1 If your SQL Server is configured for mixed security, click either Standard or
Integrated in the Security mode to use with this login field.
2 Enter the user name for the PATROL account that PATROL for Microsoft SQL
Server needs to monitor your Microsoft SQL Server installation.
NOTE
If you chose Integrated security, the PATROL account must be a valid Windows login account.
If the specified sa account does not have the system administrator privilege, click Yes in the Grant login to MS SQL Server? field. If the specified sa account already has the system administrator privilege, click No in the Grant login to MS SQL Server? field.
5 To select whether you want PATROL to add a SQL Server login ID for the
PATROL account, click Yes or No in the Add this login to MS SQL Server? field. If you chose Standard security for the PATROL account in Step1, and if you clicked No in Step 5, you must have already added a SQL Server login ID for the PATROL account. If you chose Integrated security for the PATROL account in Step 1, and if you clicked No in Step 4, the PATROL account automatically maps to the default login account that you specified when you configured the SQL Server security options. In addition, PATROL is only able to monitor the databases that use that default login account.
To verify the accounts and close the dialog box 1 To verify whether the accounts are correct, display a confirmation message, and
keep the dialog box open, click Verify.
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NOTE
After you execute the KM Commands => KM Admin => SQL Config Set up menu command, the following message is displayed for a limited time in the system output window: close: bad channel number. You can ignore this message.
Table 5 lists the configuration status of the authentication mode used in the SQL Config Setup dialog box. Table 5 SQL Server Config Setup authentication mode
User login mode used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Admin login mode used by PATROL Server for Microsoft SQL Server Standarda Integratedb Standardc Integrated
a b c d d
configured configured
refers to a SQL Server login refers to a Windows user refers to a SQL Server login with admin privileges refers to a Windows user with SQL Server admin privileges
To configure a SQL Server using the standard security mode for the SQL Server admin and user logins 1 Open the SQL Config Setup dialog box by choosing KM Commands => KM Admin
=> SQL Config Set up.
2 In the Security mode to use with this login check box, select Standard. 3 Enter the SQL Server login name and password of the login who has admin
privileges.
4 In the Login used by Patrol for SQL KM Monitoring section, select Standard. 5 Enter the login name and password to use for general user monitoring.
If the login does not exist in the SQL Server, it will be created.
6 Click Verify.
A confirmation message is shown.
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To configure a SQL Server using the integrated security mode for the SQL Server admin and user logins 1 Open the SQL Config Setup dialog box by choosing KM Commands => KM Admin
=> SQL Config Set up.
2 In the Security mode to use with this login check box, select Integrated. 3 Enter the Windows user name and password for the user who has SQL Server
admin privileges.
4 In the Login used by Patrol for SQL KM Monitoring section, select Integrated. 5 Enter the Windows user name and password for the user who has SQL Server user
privileges. If the Windows user has not been registered in the SQL Server, it will be registered.
6 Click Verify.
A confirmation message is shown.
To configure a SQL Server using the integrated security mode for the SQL Server admin login and standard security mode for the user login 1 Open the SQL Config Setup dialog box by choosing KM Commands => KM Admin
=> SQL Config Set up.
2 In the Security mode to use with this login check box, select Integrated. 3 Enter the Windows user name and password for the user who has SQL Server
admin privileges.
4 In the Login used by Patrol for SQL KM Monitoring section, select Standard. 5 Enter the login name and password for general user monitoring.
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If the login does not exist in the SQL Server, it will be created.
6 Click Verify.
A confirmation message is shown.
To configure a SQL Server using the standard security mode for the SQL Server admin login and integrated security mode for the user login
The combination of using the admin login with standard security mode and the user login with integrated security mode is not supported. If you try to configure the SQL Server instance in this way, the CheckConfiguration parameter goes into an alarm state, and you cannot configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server for general user monitoring. If you want to use PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server in this security combination, use the KM Commands => KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => SQL Server Instance Setup menu command to configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. This configuration stores the SQL Server admin login password information in the pconfig file and disables the general user monitoring mode.
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To refresh parameters
From the pop-up menu accessed from the Server application instance, choose KM Admin => Refresh Parameters. Within one application discovery cycle (approximately 40 seconds), most of the discovered objects (instances) should change to the online state. The Database application discovery might take longer, based on the number of databases that are monitored.
SQL Server Agent monitoring(see page 81) error log monitoring (see page 81) database monitoring (see page 81) object monitoring (see page 82) file and file group monitoring (see page 82) replication monitoring (see page 82) user and process monitoring (see page 83) parameter defaults (see page 84)
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Database monitoring
By default, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server automatically monitors all databases and creates a Database application instance for each database that resides on the SQL Server. You can change the default at any time and specify only certain databases to monitor.
NOTE
PATROL does not monitor databases that contain unsupported characters or databases that it cannot access.
Use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Set DB Auto Discovery menu command from the Server application pop-up menu to change the default settings for monitoring databases. You can also use this command to exclude databases from monitoring.
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Object monitoring
For more information, see Monitoring databases on page 129. For step-by-step instructions, see the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
Object monitoring
By default, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server does not automatically monitor individual database objects (user tables and indexes). You can manually set up individual user tables or indexes to monitor. When you specify a monitored object, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server creates an Object application instance for that object. Use the KM Admin => Object Space Monitor command from the Server application pop-up menu to specify the database objects you want to monitor. For more information, see Monitoring objects on page 134. For step-by-step instructions, see the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
Replication monitoring
By default, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server does not automatically monitor published articles and SQL Servers that are subscribing to those articles. Subscribers and Published application instances appear only when the following conditions exist:
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You have enabled the monitoring of replication. The SQL Server you are monitoring is configured for replication. The current SQL Server is configured as the distribution server.
NOTE
PATROL does not allow you to create published articles or subscribers. You can create published articles and subscribers from the SQL Server Enterprise Manager sql.
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Use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup menu to enable the monitoring of replication. For more information, see Monitoring replication on page 135. For step-by-step instructions, see the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
Processes are blocking other processes (blocker processes). Processes are idle.
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server allows you to select a specific user or process for monitoring, and it then creates a Users application instance for the specific users or processes that you select. You can also change the automatic monitoring setup and exclude specific users from monitoring. To change the default settings for user and process monitoring, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin commands from the Server application pop-up menu. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137. For stepby-step instructions, refer to the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
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Parameter defaults
You can change the default blocked detection time or the default idle detection time for an individual user by choosing the Change Local Defaults command from the User application pop-up menu. You can also exclude a user from automatic monitoring of blocked processes or idle processes, respectively, by choosing one of the following commands from the Server application popup menu.
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KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Exclude Specific User from monitoring of Blocked Processes KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Exclude Specific User from monitoring of Idle Processes
NOTE
By default, the sa, probe, repl_publisher, and repl_subscriber logins are excluded from the Auto User Monitoring feature.
Parameter defaults
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server ships all of its parameters in the active mode. The active or inactive setting is just one of many property definition defaults contained in the Parameter Properties dialog box. PATROL also provides default automatic recovery actions for key parameters.
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execute an external recovery script ara_MSSQL.cmd annotate the parameter warning or alarm trigger an event in the PATROL Event Manager (PEM)
You can change these defaults at any time. For more information about automated recovery actions, see Using automatic recovery actions on page 149.
For instructions on how to determine which method you should use and how to set up your Microsoft SQL Server cluster for monitoring, see the following topics:
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Determining how you should configure a cluster on page 86 Monitoring a cluster by using a virtual PATROL Agent on page 87 Installing and configuring a cluster with a virtual PATROL Agent on page 87 Monitoring a cluster by using a PATROL Agent on each node on page 89 Installing and configuring a node-level cluster on page 89 Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events on page 90
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Configuration virtual PATROL Agent use the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard to add the PATROL Agent resource to the cluster group(s) that contains the SQL Servers you want to monitor
Disadvantage You must run a virtual PATROL Agent on each cluster resource group that has a SQL Server to monitor.
You do not need to configure the SQL Server instances on each cluster node. Instead, you configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on the active nodes (that is, the virtual SQL Server). Parameter history and configuration settings are stored on a shared drive and are, therefore, available after failover. the Failover parameter is available in this environment. Only SQL Server instances belonging to the same cluster resource group as the virtual PATROL Agent are discovered. Only one PATROL Agent runs on each node.
Because PATROL configuration data and parameter history data are not shared between the PATROL Agents on the cluster nodes, the following disadvantages apply:
I
You must configure each SQL Server to which the instance can fail over. You cannot view parameter history that was collected on another cluster node.
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For complete instructions on how to use the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard, see the PATROL for Microsoft Windows Servers Clustering Getting Started manual. This manual is available from the PATROL for Microsoft Windows Servers documentation CD or from the BMC Software website: http://www.bmc.com/ega. You will need a license and the user name and password provided to you by your sales representative.
PATROL Agent resources communication port for the PATROL Agent location to save history and configuration files
In order to configure PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server in a clustered environment you need the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard. The PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard is used to make the PATROL Agent service a clustered resource. This provides the PATROL Agent the ability to failover between nodes while keeping its configuration and history intact.
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To use the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard 1 Create a domain PATROL account with local administrator rights on all SQL
Server nodes in the cluster on which PATROL is installed:
2 Using the PATROL account created in step 1, install the following products on
each SQL Server cluster node:
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PATROL Agent PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard
3 Identify the SQL Server cluster groups into which you want to install a virtual
PATROL Agent. These groups must contain the following resources:
I
physical disk to store history and configuration datapreferably a standard cluster-shared disk. IP addressso that the virtual PATROL Agent can run from any node, even if that node does not own the cluster IP address. network namea name the virtual PATROL Agent uses to refer to the resources PATROL will monitor. Thus, the resources can failover to a node.
4 On each cluster node, run the PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard. To start the
wizard, use one of the following methods:
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from command prompt, type pcc.exe select Start => Programs => BMC PATROL => PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard.
This process involves adding the virtual PATROL Agent to the Disk Group that contains the Virtual SQL Server default and named instances that is, sql2k, sql2k\db1, sql2k\db2 etc. Each virtual PATROL Agent must be configured with a unique port number. For information about how the PATROL Agent supports an application in a cluster environment and what type of failover tolerance it provides, see the PATROL Agent Reference Manual. See your Microsoft SQL Server documentation for details about SQL Servers, clustering, and failovers.
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NOTE
You might want to perform this setup during regularly scheduled maintenance.
1 Install a PATROL Agent and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server on each node in
the cluster.
2 Start SQL_SERVER_A on node SERVER_ONE. 3 Connect the PATROL console to node SERVER_ONE. 4 Configure the SQL Server name for SQL_SERVER_A by using the KM Admin =>
Setup/Configure KM => SQL Server Name Used By PATROL command, from the SQL Server application pop-up menu. In the dialog box, enter the SQL server name in the form of <Virtual server name>\SQL_SERVER_A.
5 Configure the username and password entries for SQL_SERVER_A using the KM
Admin => Setup/Configure KM => SQL Server Instance Setup command from the
6 Fail over SQL_SERVER_A to the next node in the cluster (SERVER_TWO). (See
your SQL Server cluster administration documentation for instructions on how to fail over the SQL Server.)
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Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events
7 Connect the PATROL console to node SERVER_TWO and repeat steps 4, 5, and 6,
and then repeat the process for all other nodes to which the SQL Server is configured to failover.
If a cluster node owns the SQL Server resource group and the SQL Server is running, the SQL Server icon appears in online mode. If a cluster node owns the SQL Server resource group and the SQL Server is not running, the SQL Server icon appears in offline mode. If a cluster node does not own the SQL Server resource group, the SQL Server icon does not appear.
Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events
The following topics compare and describe how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server reacts to a SQL Server going down or coming online when it is not in a clustered environment and when it is in a clustered environment.
In a non-clustered environment
When a SQL Server goes down in a non-clustered environment, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server performs as follows: 1. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server discovery determines that the SQL Server is down. 2. The SQLServerStatus parameter (under the MSSQL_SERVER_ AVAILABILITY application) is updated by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server discovery and goes into alarm.
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Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events
3. After 5 seconds, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server puts the SQL Server instance in an offline mode. (The 5-second delay allows the recovery action for the SQLServerStatus parameter to complete.)
In a clustered environment
When a SQL Server resource group fails over from the current SQL Server to another SQL Server in the cluster, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server performs as follows: 1. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server discovery determines that the current SQL Server is down. 2. If you are using a PATROL Agent to monitor at the node-level, PATROL discovers the other SQL Server during full discovery and creates an instance for that SQL Server in the same way that PATROL discovers and creates an instance for a SQL Server in a non-clustered environment. 3. If you are monitoring a virtual PATROL Agent, the following occurs: A. The virtual PATROL Agent also fails over. Once the virtual PATROL Agent discovers on another node, by default the Failover parameter is set to 1 and is annotated with information about the node that failed. You can configure the Failover parameter to alarm by using the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup. If configured to alarm, the Failover parameter is set to 2 when the virtual PATROL Agent discovers on another node. The Failover parameter is only available from SQL Servers that are monitored using a virtual PATROL Agent. B. The SQLServerStatus parameter (under the MSSQL_SERVER_ AVAILABILITY application icon) is updated by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server discovery and goes into alarm. C. After five seconds, PATROL puts the SQL Server instance in an offline mode. (The five-second delay allows the recovery action for the SQLServerStatus parameter to complete.) D. The SQL Server instance is deleted (only in full discovery).
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Reviewing how PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server handles clustering events
In a non-clustered environment
When a SQL Server comes up or is brought online (it does not fail over from another cluster node), PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server performs as follows: 1. If no application instance exists for this SQL Server, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server creates one. This occurs during full discovery. 2. PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server changes the application instance to an online mode.
In a clustered environment
When a SQL Server fails over from another node in the cluster to the current node in the cluster, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server performs as follows:
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If you are using a PATROL Agent to monitor at the node-level, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server discovers the SQL Server during full discovery and creates an instance for that SQL Server in the same way that PATROL discovers and creates an instance for a SQL Server in a non-clustered environment. If you are using a virtual PATROL Agent to monitor, the virtual SQL Server instance you are monitoring goes offline and then comes back online. How long this take varies depending on your environment. It can take several minutes. You will not see the hardware failure that caused the failover, but once the failover is complete, you will see the Failover parameter. By default the Failover parameter is set to 1 and is annotated with information about the node that failed. You can configure the Failover parameter to alarm by using the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup. If configured to alarm, the Failover parameter is set to 2 when the virtual PATROL Agent discovers on another node. The Failover parameter is available only for SQL Servers that are monitored using a virtual PATROL Agent.
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Chapter 5, Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help
how to access the KM menu commands, Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help InfoBoxes, and online Help definitions and default values for parameters consumer and collector parameter dependencies detailed descriptions of the applications, menu commands, parameters, and InfoBoxes Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help
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4
This chapter presents the following topics: Overview of PATROL Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Saving backups in PATROL Configuration Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Configuring for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Modifying PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Do not deactivate application classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Do not modify configuration variables that are for internal use only . . . . . . . . . . 99 Modifying an instance and deploying the changes to other instances . . . . . . . . 100 Adding or modifying pconfig variables manually. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Deactivating parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Changing parameter thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Changing parameter polling cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Modifying parameter properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Verifying changes to configuration variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Where to go from here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
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You can maintain customizations outside PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, which makes upgrading easier. You can create different rules and rule sets files for each computer or for different purposes, which enables you to create customizations that are specific to a computer or to a group of computers.
This chapter assumes that you have successfully installed and configured the following products:
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PATROL Configuration Manager PATROL Knowledge Module (KM) for Event Management
This chapter also assumes that you know how to operate PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL KM for Event Management. However, before using PATROL Configuration Manager to change the configuration of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, BMC Software recommends that you ensure that PATROL Configuration Manager is set up to save or backup the configuration. See Saving backups in PATROL Configuration Manager on page 97. The general requirements for installing PATROL Configuration Manager and the PATROL KM for Event Management are set out in the PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide. For more information about general requirements for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, see Verifying installation requirements on page 34.
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To select the backup option in PATROL Configuration Manager 1 From the main menu, choose File => Configure to open the Configuration dialog
box.
2 Click the Archives tab to open the Backup Settings. 3 Ensure that Save Backup Before Apply is selected. 4 Click OK to save the settings and close the dialog box.
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Do not deactivate application classes on page 99 Do not modify configuration variables that are for internal use only on page 99
When you modify an instance by changing the rules and rulesets in PATROL Configuration Manager, no validations are performed, but PATROL Configuration Manager allows you to easily export those changes to many other instances. To take advantage of the validations performed by the KM and the deployment capabilities of PATROL Configuration Manager, BMC Software recommends using the following process for modifying SQL Server instances:
I
Make changes in one instance by using the menu commands. Test the changes in that instance to ensure that the changes operate as expected. Export the modified variables to PATROL Configuration Manager, where they are known as rules and rulesets. Deploy the modified variables or rules and rulesets to other instances through the PATROL Configuration Manager.
The following procedure shows you how you can modify SQL Server instances by using this process: Modifying an instance and deploying the changes to other instances on page 100. There are some pconfig variables that do not appear automatically. You must enter these variables manually. Also, if you plan to modify variables manually, see the following procedure: Adding or modifying pconfig variables manually on page 102. Whether you modify an instance by changing rules and rulesets in PATROL Configuration Manager or by changing the configuration variables in an instance, you must use the proper values or the change does not take effect. The following topics provide information about how to change the configuration variables or rules for blackout periods and automatic recovery actions.
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Modifying the blackout configuration variable on page 103 Modifying the automatic recovery action variable on page 103
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For a complete list of the PATROL configuration variables and the strings that they generate, see Appendix D, Agent configuration variables. For more detailed descriptions of the parameters, see the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
Do not modify configuration variables that are for internal use only
Some variables are created for internal use only. These variables are used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server and alteration of these variables can harm the operation of PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. Table 7 lists the configuration variables that are for internal use only, and that you should never delete or modify, whether through PATROL Configuration Manager or manually. If you do modify any of the these variables, you must restart the agent for the changes to take effect. For more infomation about these variables, see the PATROL Agent Reference Manual. Table 7 Variables that are for internal use only (Part 1 of 2) Description
indicates the account information used to execute the OS commands and external executable files indicates the account information used to execute the OS commands and external executable files
Configuration variable
/AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER.instance .OSdefaultAccount /AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER.instance .OSdefaultAccountAppliesToCmds
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Table 7
Configuration variable
/AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER_ADMIN.instance. defaultAccount /AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER_ADMIN.instance. OSdefaultAccount /AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER_ADMIN.instance. OSdefaultAccountAppliesToCmds /AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT. instance.defaultAccount /AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT. instance.OSdefaultAccount /AgentSetup/MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT. instance.OSdefaultAccountAppliesToCmds
To modify an instance of SQL Server 1 In a PATROL Developer console, modify the configuration of one instance of SQL
Server using the menu commands provided in PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server until the instance meets all of your specifications.
2 Test the instance over a period of time to ensure that the modified instance
performs to your satisfaction.
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The Configuration => Get command copies the pconfig variables from the instance, converts them into rules, and pastes them into the PATROL Configuration Manager in the following folder:
RuleSets\ChangeSpring\backup\agentHostName\instanceName\date-timestamp
Figure 9 on page 101 shows the Configuration => Get menu command in the left panel of PATROL Configuration Manager and an example of the rules that are displayed in the right panel after the Configuration => Get command finishes importing the configuration variables from the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server instance. Each rule in PATROL Configuration Manager contains a configuration variable or properties for a parameter; a ruleset is the entire set of rules for an instance. Figure 9 Configure => Get command in PATROL Configuration Manager
directory (use the one with the most recent timestamp at the bottom of the list).
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RuleSets\ChangeSpring\newFolder\timestamp\
8 Drag and drop the new rule set on the agentHostName. 9 Click the Apply Changes icon in the PATROL Configuration Manager menu bar. To deploy the configuration variables for a modified instance to other instances
Now that you have modified the configuration for the original instance, perform the following steps to distribute those same modifications to other instances.
1 Create a new folder under RuleSets\ChangeSpring. 2 Copy and paste the rules you created in To modify an instance of SQL Server on
page 100 into this folder.
3 Right-click the timestamp under this new folder, select Edit > Source from the
menu, and find and replace the SQL Server instance in the source with the name of the next agentHostName to which you want to apply the modified configuration.
4 Drag and drop this rule set on the agentHostName. 5 Click the Apply Changes icon in the PATROL Configuration Manager menu bar. 6 Repeat step 1 through step 4 for each agentHostName to which you want to apply
the modified configuration.
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Execute the ara_MSSQL.cmd script (active by default) Execute net send to specified Windows desktops Execute an SNMP trap (snmptrap command) Create an output file Annotate a parameter warning or alarm (active by default) Trigger an event in PATROL Event Manager (active by default)
Each option is given a value, and the value of the variable is the sum of the values for all of the options that are selected. Table 8 provides you with a list of the options and their values, and the value of the variable when the options marked with an X are selected. Find the row that contains an X below all of the options that you want to activate, and then use the value in the last column of that row as the value for the araAction variable. Table 8 ARA options, their values, and the value of the araAction variable (Part 1 of 3) Execute snmp trap=4 Create Output File=8 Annotate Trigger Parameter Event in alert=16 PEM=32 Value of variable
1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
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Table 8
ARA options, their values, and the value of the araAction variable (Part 2 of 3) Execute snmp trap=4 Create Output File=8 Annotate Trigger Parameter Event in alert=16 PEM=32
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Value of variable
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
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Table 8
ARA options, their values, and the value of the araAction variable (Part 3 of 3) Execute snmp trap=4
X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Value of variable
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
To add or modify a pconfig variable manually 1 Right-click on the host, and select Development => Agent Configuration. 2 From the main menu, select Edit => Add Variable. The Add Variable dialog box
opens.
3 In the Variable: text box, after /MSSQLServer/, enter the SQL Server Instance
name (if required) and then the variable. The following are examples of completed entries:
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4 In the Value: text box, enter the value you want to apply to the variable. For
information about valid values, see Appendix D, Agent configuration variables.
5 To save the configuration variable you created, select File => Save.
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Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
For instructions on how to add a variable or rule set using PATROL Configuration Manager, see the PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide.
In PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, you can enter a pconfig variable that disables the retrieval of the SQL query text by the recovery actions used by the above parameters. For instructions, see Adding pconfig variables manually on page 106. This pconfig appears as follows: /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName\\InstanceName/DBCC_PSS_Disabled For information about valid values, see Appendix D, Agent configuration variables.
Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
You can modify PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters by using the PATROL Configuration Manager or by using a PATROL Developer console to change the parameter properties in an instance. You can perform the following tasks:
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deactivate paramaters change parameter polling cycles change parameter thresholds modify parameter properties
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Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
However, you are restricted in the modifications that you can make to some PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters. These restrictions are described in the following topics:
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Parameters with their status set in code on page 109 Do not change parameters that have fixed thresholds on page 110
For a complete list of the parameters and their default values, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults. For more complete descriptions of the parameters, see the online Help for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
Deactivating parameters
To reduce the impact on your system resources and enhance performance, you can deactivate parameters that are not commonly needed. However, before deactivating a consumer parameter, consider the results:
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The icon for the consumer parameter disappears and no data is collected or stored. The collector parameter that sets the deactivated consumer parameter notates the System Output Window with an error each time that collector attempts to send information to the deactivated consumer parameter. Some collector parameters might also set off recovery actions if it cannot find a deactivated consumer parameter.
Instead of disabling consumer parameters, consider the results that occur when you perform one of the following actions:
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Disable only the alarms for a consumer parameter. The collector parameter continues to send data to the consumer parameter, and the consumer parameter continues to provide a view and history for that data. However, no alarms or warnings are displayed and no recovery actions are triggered for that consumer parameter.
Deactivate a collector parameter. The collector parameter stops collecting data for the consumer parameters it sets.
Deactivate monitoring of an application class. No parameters are displayed for an application class that is not set up for monitoring. For information on how to set up monitoring for application classes, see Chapter 5, Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server.
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RowCountEstimate, which is found under Objects application class instances, is deactivated by the ObjectSizeColl collector parameter when the Objects application class instance represents an index. SQLAgentStatus, which is found under Availability application class instances, is set to inactive unless SQL Server Agent monitoring is enabled. SQL Server Agent monitoring is disabled by default. You can switch SQL Server Agent monitoring on and off using the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup menu command. DeliveredCmdsPerSec and ReplicationCmdsPerSec are deactivated by the ReplicationColl collector parameter. UserDefCounter1-10 is deactivated by the UserDefCountersColl collector parameter. ErrorLog application parameters are activated and deactivated by the ErrorLogColl collector parameter.
Increasing poll times could cause you to receive notification of problems late. Decreasing poll times increases the resources used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, which could lead to performance problems. Poll times must exceed the amount of time it takes to execute the query and allow time for the parameter to parse and distribute the data obtained before it must resend the query. To avoid problems, use Debug to find the Query Execution Time before decreasing a poll time.
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Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
WARNING
Changing the poll time for a standard or collector parameter to an amount of time that is shorter than the amount of time it takes to complete the execution of the query used by that parameter can cause the parameter to go into an infinite loop, or other serious problems.
Application class
Availability
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Modifying parameters using PATROL Configuration Manager and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
Table 9
Error Log
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters with fixed thresholds Parameters
ErrorLogColl ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold ErrorLogSizeThreshold ErrorLogUpdates
Application class
Make changes in one instance through the parameter property dialog boxes. Test the instance until satisfied that the changes operate as expected. Export the modified parameter changes to PATROL Configuration Manager. Deploy the modified parameter changes to other instances by using the PATROL Configuration Manager.
This method takes advantage of the validations performed by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server and gives you the opportunity to verify that the changes perform as expected before deploying those changes throughout your environment.
To modify parameter properties for an instance 1 Navigate to the parameter properties for the parameter you want to change:
I
In the PATROL Console for UNIX, click on Attributes and then on Application Classes to open a list of the application classes. Select an application class, then click on Attributes and then on Parameters to open the list of parameters provided by the selected application class.
In the PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows, select the KM tree tab and expand the appropriate application class, then click Global and then on Parameters to open the list of parameters provided by the selected application class.
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(Windows) Select the General tab and select or deselect Active. (UNIX) Double-click the parameter and select or deselect Active.
4 To change the interval between polling cycles, perform one of these actions:
I I
(Windows) Select the Scheduling tab and change the polling time. (UNIX) Click on the parameter and change the polling time.
NOTE
Only collector and standard parameters have polling times. Consumer parameters do not have polling times.
5 To change the alarm thresholds or disable the alarms, perform one of these actions:
I I
(Windows) Select the Border, Alarm1, and Alarm2 tabs, and make changes. (UNIX) Click on Alarm Ranges, and double-click Border, Alarm1, or Alarm2, and make changes.
6 Save the configuration by selecting File => Save Configuration. 7 Test the changes on the instance to make sure that the changes are working as you
expected.
KM Commands => Create Global Parameters => Create Rulesets => Select Knowledge Modules menu command from the AS_CHANGESPRING
application class
I
KM Commands => Event Management => Parameter Settings => Status Flags => Set for Instances or Classes menu command from the Host icon.
For more information, see your PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide.
NOTE
The PATROL Configuration Manager rules that represent each parameter contain the _ANYINST_ designation for the instance name. The _ANYINST_ designation allows you to apply these changes to any agent host name without adding a specific agent host name to the rule for each parameter.
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9 Drag and drop the rule set to any Agent host name where you want the changes
applied.
NOTE
The following rule is created when you move the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters to a rule set in PATROL Configuration Manager: /AS/EVENTSPRING/PARAM_SETTINGS/STATUSFLAGS/ paramSettingsStatusFlag ={ REPLACE = 2 } This rule forces the instance to apply parameter changes as soon as you apply them to an instance or Agent host name. If you do not want the changes to take place immediately, change 2 to 1 or remove this rule and reinitialize the Agent for the instance when you are ready to apply the changes. For more information, see the PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide.
If the update is applied to the instance successfully, the ConfigUpdates parameter sets a value to 1 and creates an annotation that includes information on the changes. If the update is not applied to the instance successfully, the ConfigUpdates parameter sets a value of 2 and creates an annotation that includes information on which change was not applied successfully.
WARNING
No validations are performed on the effectiveness or validity of the new configuration variables and parameter property changes. You must verify that the changes perform correctly on each instance where they are applied.
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Before a variable change can take effect, the following events must occur: 1. Discovery or the appropriate parameters must complete the next cycle. 2. The ConfigUpdates parameter must run and discover the new configuration variable(s). 3. Discovery or the appropriate parameter must complete another cycle after ConfigUpdates discovers the new variable. 4. If applicable, the appropriate collector parameter must update the effected consumer parameters. For information about parameter poll times and dependencies see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults, and Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies.
Source of information
Chapter 5, Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, and PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help
how to access the KM menu commands, Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help InfoBoxes, and online Help definitions and default values for parameters consumer and collector parameter dependencies detailed descriptions of the applications, menu commands, parameters, and InfoBoxes Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help
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Chapter
5
117 117 118 118 119 119 120 120 121 122 123 123 124 124 124 125 125 127 127 128 129 130 130 131 131 132 133 133 134 134 134
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This chapter presents the following topics: Monitoring SQL Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Excluding SQL Servers from monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping the monitoring of a SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping a SQL Server from PATROL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of a SQL Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about a SQL Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the PATROL login account for a server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing a server instance name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring SQL Server Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping the SQL Server Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the SQL Server Agent parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring the SQL Server Agent job failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Filtering SQL Server Agent job failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up SQL Server Agent jobs for monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling the monitoring of error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting up error log monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about the error logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of an error log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About the error log parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting and stopping the monitoring of databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Checking the consistency of a database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding the PATROL user to a database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of a database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enabling the monitoring of files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reviewing the status of files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing reports about files and file groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 5 Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server
Setting up the monitoring of objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Reviewing the status of an object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Viewing reports about objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Monitoring replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Enabling the monitoring of replication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Reviewing the status of Subscribers or Published Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Viewing reports about Subscribers and Published Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Viewing reports about Subscribers and Published Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Monitoring users and processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Changing the automatic monitoring of users and processes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Monitoring specific users and processes manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Using parameters to monitor specific users and processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Reviewing the status of a user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Viewing reports about users and processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Killing a process from PATROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Creating customized reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Accessing the predefined reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Adding customized reports to the predefined list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Working with parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Viewing parameter data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Activating and deactivating parameters and alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Clearing, snoozing, and blacking out parameter alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Refreshing parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Creating customized parameter charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Creating and managing parameter charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Accessing the predefined parameter charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Using automatic recovery actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Reviewing the ARA settings and parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Viewing the parameter recovery process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Using the ARA Settings menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Parameters affected in general user monitoring mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Parameters partially affected in a recovery action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Viewing SQL information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Viewing SQL commands with SQL Snapshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Managing the global channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Accessing the Global Channel menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Monitoring the Global Channel lock requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Where to go from here . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
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exclude SQL Servers from monitoring start and stop the monitoring of a SQL Server start and stop a SQL Server review the status of a SQL Server view reports and create customized reports about a SQL Server change a SQL Server instance name in PATROL
To exclude SQL Servers from monitoring 1 Determine the SQL Server or Windows service name of each SQL Server you want
to exclude from monitoring.
TIP
To determine the SQL Server name, use the following query: SELECT @@SERVERNAME To determine the Windows service name, use the following query: "SELECT @@SERVICENAME"
2 Enter the following pconfig variable followed by the names of the SQL Servers that
you want to exclude from monitoring, with a vertical pipe (|) character separating the names of the SQL Servers, as in the following example:
/MSSQLServer/SQLServersExcludedFromDiscovery/
ABC\SQL8_TEST|MSSQLServer|MSSQL$SQL8DATA|ABC\SQL8_PROD
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SQL Server with SQL Server name ABC\SQL8_TEST SQL Server with Windows service name MSSQLServer SQL Server with Windows service name MSSQL$SQL8DATA SQL Server with SQL Server name ABC\SQL8_PROD
WARNING
The Shutdown SQL Server menu option uses the net stop mssqlinstancename command. Using this command causes SQL Server to disconnect all users, stop all processes, and begin a roll back of the queries or transactions that the processes were executing. See your Microsoft SQL Server documentation for more information.
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To restart a monitored SQL Server that you previously shut down, choose the SQL Server Admin => Start SQL Server command from the Server application pop-up menu.
NOTE
If the SQL Server does not start, look at the error log created in SQL Dir/log/ERRORLOG for information about why it would not start. You can also start SQL Server from the command line using the -f startup option.
WARNING
You can also start SQL Server from the command line using the -f startup option. However, only experienced users should attempt to restart the SQL Server using the -f option. This option starts the SQL Server in a minimal configuration mode and enables you to reconfigure the SQL Server. Only experienced users should attempt to reconfigure the SQL Server. See your SQL Server documentation for more information.
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change the label that displays under a Server application icon in PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server change the name that PATROL uses for a SQL Server when PATROL fails to connect to the SQL Server
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You can change the name that PATROL uses for a SQL Server by using the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => SQL Server Name Used by PATROL menu command under the Server application icon.
If the SQL Server instances are not discovered after the KM is loaded, you can use the following menu commands to help determine the problem:
I
Set the prediscovery and discovery debug mode for PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server by using the MSSQL_SERVER => KM Commands => SET DEBUG MODE menu command. Debugging helps when the SQL Server instances are not discovered after a KM is loaded. Select the SQL Server instance for which you want to change the SQL Server name used by PATROL by using the MSSQL_SERVER => KM Commands => OSQL.exe path used by PATROL menu command. Select the SQL Server instance for which you want to change the SQL Server name used by PATROL by using the MSSQL_SERVER => KM Commands => Sql server name used by PATROL menu command.
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From PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server you can perform the following tasks:
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enable the monitoring of the SQL Server Agent start and stop the SQL Server Agent access parameters that monitor the SQL Server Agent monitor the SQL Server Agent job failures filter SQL Server Agent job failures set up the monitoring of SQL Server Agent jobs
WARNING
Some Microsoft SQL Server features, such as Replication, cannot operate unless the SQL Server Agent is running.
You can restart the SQL Server Agent that you previously shut down by using the SQL Server Admin => Start SQL Server Agent menu command from the Server application pop-up menu. The Start SQL Server Agent menu command forces the SQL Server to start if it is not already running, and then it starts the SQL Server Agent.
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SQLServerAgentJobFailures parameter goes into an alarm state each time a job fails SQLServerAgentJobFailures parameter value increments by 1 each time a job fails information is automatically displayed in a task output window each time a job fails an event is triggered in the PEM each time a job fails
You must manually clear the parameter alarm from a menu item or the PEM. SQLAgentStatus Monitors and reports the up and down status of SQL Server Agent.
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Break large jobs down into smaller jobs so that the SQLAgentJobFailures parameter monitors each stage of a job, giving you more accurate information about where and when a job fails (if it fails). Create the SQL Server Agent job in Transact SQL so that no failure occurs for steps that you want to ignore. Create the SQL Server Agent job so that any error that occurs at a strategic step sends a user-defined message to the SQL Server Agent error log, and then include that user-defined message for monitoring by using the KM Admin => Set up Error Log String Monitoring menu command from an Error Log application instance. (How to initiate and use error log monitoring is described in the next topic, Monitoring error logs.)
enable the monitoring of error logs set up the monitoring of error logs view reports about the error logs review the status of the error logs use the Error Log parameters to monitor the error logs
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enable or disable string monitoring set up how often you want to receive an alert for the same string enter or remove strings from the error log filter add an alarm or warning to the ErrorLogColl parameter turn the ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter on or off and set the threshold for the error log size turn the ErrorLogFreeDiskSpaceThreshold parameter on or off and set the threshold for the space that is free on the disk that contains the error log
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TIP
You can use this feature to monitor jobs. Create the SQL Server Agent job so that any error that occurs at a strategic step sends a user-defined message to the SQL Server Agent error log, and then include that user-defined message for monitoring. For more information, see Setting up SQL Server Agent jobs for monitoring on page 124.
The Set up Error Log String Monitoring dialog box also allows you to choose between two modes that determine the number or frequency of alarms and warnings that you receive for each string that you enter. You can choose to receive an alarm or a warning using one of the following modes:
I I
every time every string that you entered is detected once the first time each string that you entered is detected
view the current size of the error log enable and disable error log threshold monitoring set the threshold for the size of the error log state the action taken if the size of the error log exceeds the threshold set the ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter to autoreset
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To set up threshold monitoring for the amount of free space on the error log disk
By default, the ErrorLogDiskSpaceFree parameter monitors the amount of free space on the disk that contains the error log, but you can also enable and configure the ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold parameter to monitor whether or not the amount of free space on the disk falls below a user-defined threshold. By using the Set up Error Log Disk Space Free Threshold menu command from an Error Log application instance menu, you can perform the following tasks:
I I I I I I
view the current amount size of the error log view the current amount of free space on the disk that contains the error log enable and disable the threshold monitoring of the free disk space set the threshold for the amount of free disk space state the action taken if the amount of free disk space falls below the threshold set the ErrorLogFreeDiskSpaceThreshold parameter to autoreset
Reports => Search Error Log enables you to search the error log for a user-defined
Reports => Show Latest Error Log Data generates a report that contains the last 10, 20,
Parameters that monitor the SQL Server and SQL Server Agent error logs (Part 1 of 2)
Description Monitors the error log for updates and filters new log entries for the user-defined search strings entered by using the SQL Server Error Log Filter menu command Whenever the ErrorLogColl parameter detects one of the user-defined search strings, it sends information about the detected error to the ErrorLogUpdates parameter. This parameter collects the data for all of the other Error Log application class parameters. You can select to receive a notification if this parameter fails to complete a collection by using the KM Commands => Set up Error Log Collector menu command. See Setting up error log monitoring on page 125.
ErrorLogDiskSpaceFree
Displays in megabytes the amount of free space that is available on the disk that contains the error log.
ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold If threshold monitoring is enabled for the amount of space that is free on the disk that contains the error log, this parameter indicates whether or not the amount of free space is below the user-defined threshold value. If threshold monitoring is disabled for the amount of free space on the disk that contains the error log, PATROL does not display an icon for this parameter. You can enable and disable threshold monitoring by using the KM Commands => Set up Error Log Free Disk Space Threshold menu command from an Error Log application instance menu. ErrorLogSizeMB Reports the size in megabytes of the SQL Server error log. By default, the ErrorLogSizeMB parameter does not go into alarm.
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Monitoring databases
Table 11
Parameter
Parameters that monitor the SQL Server and SQL Server Agent error logs (Part 2 of 2)
Description If threshold monitoring is enabled for the error log size, this parameter indicates whether or not the size of the error log is greater than the user-defined threshold value. If threshold monitoring for error log size is disabled, PATROL does not display an icon for this parameter. You can enable and disable threshold monitoring by using the KM Commands => Set up Error Log Size Threshold menu command from an Error Log application instance menu.
ErrorLogSizeThreshold
ErrorLogUpdates
Displays the user-defined error log strings that are detected by the ErrorLogColl parameter. When user-defined error log strings are detected, the following events occur:
I I
This parameter goes into an alarm state. The parameter value increments by 1 each time a user-defined error log string is detected or each time a new user-defined error log string is detected, depending upon the user-defined configuration. SeeSetting up error log monitoring on page 125. The most recent text data written to the error log since the last collection cycle that matches the warning or alarm string filter is displayed in a pop-up window and in an annotation. An event is triggered in the Patrol Event Manager (PEM) for each user-defined error log string detected.
You can also manually view the error log by using the KM Commands => Reports menu command from the Error Log application menu. You must manually clear the parameter alarm by using the KM Commands => Reset Alarms menu command from the Error Log application menu or the PEM.
Monitoring databases
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server enables you to automatically discover Microsoft SQL Server databases that are not currently monitored, automatically monitor databases, or manually add a database for monitoring.
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From PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server you can perform the following tasks:
I I I I I
start and stop the monitoring of databases check the consistency of a database add the PATROL user to a database review the status of a database view reports about databases
Menu command
performs the checktable function on all the syslogs Requires sa or dba privileges.
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Table 12
Checkdb
performs a checktable, that is, it checks the internal consistency of data and index pages, on all tables in the database Requires sa or dba privileges.
Open Transactions
Showcontig
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Open Databases Report Suspect Databases Report Access database reports from the Database application menu by selecting the following menu commands:
I
132
NOTE
PATROL only detects and monitors files and file groups for monitored databases. For information about selecting databases for monitoring, see Starting and stopping the monitoring of databases on page 130.
From PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server you can perform the following tasks:
I I I
enable the monitoring of files and file groups check the status of the files and file groups view reports on file groups
Access the following reports from the Filegroup application pop-up menu:
I I I
Chart File Sizes for Filegroup Chart Space Used for Filegroup DBCC CheckFilegroup
Monitoring objects
By default, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server is not set up to automatically monitor individual database objects (tables and indexes). From PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server you can perform the following tasks:
I I I
set up the monitoring of objects for a particular database review the status of an object set up for monitoring view reports on the objects set up for monitoring
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To set up the monitoring of an object, use the KM Admin => Object Space Monitor from the Server application pop-up menu or the Object Space Monitor menu command from the Database application pop-up menu. For detailed instructions, see the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
Monitoring replication
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server does not automatically monitor the replication process in your environment. When replication monitoring is enabled, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server creates Subscribers application icons for each subscriber to published articles and Published application icons for each published article. Subscribers and Published application icons only appear when the following conditions exist:
I
the SQL Server you are monitoring is configured as a distributor for replication (See your SQL Server documentation for more information about configuring your server for replication.) the SQL Server service has been started in the Services dialog box for Windows or Windows NT (See your Windows documentation for more information about the Services dialog box.) you have enabled the monitoring of Replication
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NOTE
PATROL does not allow you to create published articles or subscribers; you must create published articles and subscribers by using the SQL Server Enterprise Manager or ISQL.
From PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, you can perform the following actions:
I I I I
enable the monitoring of Replication review the status of a subscriber or published article instance view reports about published articles, databases, distributors, and subscribers use SQL commands to manage the distributor and the subscriber
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Subscriber Info
The following reports are accessed from the Reports menu in the Subscribers application pop-up menu:
I
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commands allow you to view reports about users and processes, and User application menu commands enable you to stop monitoring a user or process, shut down or kill a process from the PATROL console, or view SQL statements for a user or process. From PATROL you can perform the following tasks:
I I I I I I
change the settings for automatic monitoring of users and processes monitor specific users and processes manually user parameters to monitor specific users and processes review the status of a user view reports on users and processes kill a process
turn automatic monitoring off or on change the blocked detection time change the idle detection time enabling and disabling idle and blocked process monitoring change the problem alert method exclude specific users or processes from automatic monitoring
NOTE
By default, the sa, probe, repl_publisher, and repl_subscriber logins and their processes are excluded from the automatic monitoring feature, but you can remove them from the exclusion list at any time.
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You can turn Auto User Monitoring off or on by using the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command from the Server application menu.
139
Setting the value of this pconfig variable to 0 (zero) disables idle process monitoring. Setting this pconfig variable to any other value enables idle process monitoring. For blocked processes, the configuration variable should appear as follows:
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/blocked_procs_monitoring_enabled
Setting the value of this pconfig variable to 0 (zero) disables blocked process monitoring. Setting this pconfig variable to any other value enables blocked process monitoring.
Changing the problem alert method used by the MonProbUsers, BlockerProcs, and IdleProcs parameters
By default, a blocking process or idle process does not create a Users application icon. By default, the BlockerProcs and IdleProcs parameters provide a report if the MonProbUsers collector parameter detects a blocking or idle process. You can change the default so that the MonProbUsers collector parameter generates a Users application icon for each idle process and blocking process it detects. You can change the problem alert method from the Server application pop-up menu by using the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command. The recovery actions generated by the MonProbUsers, BlockerProcs, and IdleProcs parameters are also effected by the changes made using the ARA settings menu command. For more information, see Using automatic recovery actions on page 149.
140
view a list of process IDs monitor specific user by login name or by process ID stop monitoring a user or process
NOTE
You may want to review this list before you select individual users or processes to monitor.
141
Active Process(es) for All Processes - Detail All Processes - Resources Blocked Process Listing Resource Hogs Top (n) Active Processes Top (n) Active Users
142
The following reports are accessed from the SQL Snapshot menu in the Server application pop-up menu:
I I I
The following reports are accessed from the User application pop-up menu:
I
Reports =>
You can kill any process by using the SQL Server Admin => Kill Server Process menu command in the Server application pop-up menu. This command kills the process whether you are monitoring that process or not. You can kill the process you are currently monitoring by using the Kill a Process => Kill This Process menu command from the Users application pop-up menu.
NOTE
You cannot use the Kill This Process menu command to kill processes for a particular user that PATROL is monitoring as an aggregate (collectively).
143
Blocked Processes Report CPU and I/O Usage Report CPU Usage Report Command Queue Length Settings Report Connections Remaining Report Disk I/O Errors Report Locks Types Held Report Locks Remaining Report Locks Info for CPU Users Report Memory Used by Processes Report Memory Usage Report Open Databases Report Process Listing Report sp_who Report Suspect Databases Report
report you created appears in the list of reports in the Custom Reports dialog box.
144
view parameter data activate and deactivate parameters and alarms clear, snooze, and blackout parameter alarms refresh parameters
145
(Windows) Right-click the parameter in the KM tree, choose Properties, and then select or deselect Active. (UNIX) Choose the Attributes => Application Classes menu.
NOTE
The Failover parameter is available only when you are monitoring a clustered SQL Server using a virtual PATROL Agent configuration..
For more information, see In a clustered environment on page 91. For complete instructions, see the online Help.
Clearing an alarm
PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters stop their warning or alarm after you or the recovery actions resolve the problem, with the exception of ErrorLogUpdates and SQLAgentJobFailures. When ErrorLogUpdates or SQLAgentJobFailures goes into an alarm state and you have corrected the problem, you must manually clear the parameter alarm. You can clear a parameter alarm through the PEM or through a menu item. For information about how to clear a parameter alarm from the PATROL Event Manager, see the PATROL user guide for your console.
146
Refreshing parameters
To clear the SQLAgentJobFailures parameter alarm from the KM menu, choose KM Admin => Reset Parameter Alarm from the Server application pop-up menu. To clear alarms that occur for the Error Log application parameters, choose Reset Alarms from the Error Log application pop-up menu.
Snoozing a parameter
To stop a parameter icon from flashing an alarm before the problem is resolved, rightclick on the parameter and select Alarm Snooze. The parameter remains in an alarm state.
Refreshing parameters
If you select KM Admin => Refresh Parameters from the KM commands for the Server application, all collecting parameters (collector parameters, standard parameters and standard parameters with collector properties) are forced into an unscheduled collection. If you select Refresh Parameters from the KM commands for the Users, Published, or Subscribers applications, only the collecting parameters associated with the selected application are forced into an unscheduled collection. When you refresh the parameters, all of the requests are placed in the Global Channel queue and are executed one at a time. Once the collection commands execute, the collectors distribute the information gathered to the consumer parameters, and the collecting parameters return to their regularly scheduled poll times.
NOTE
The amount of time it takes for the Refresh Parameters menu command to execute depends on the number of collectors involved and the availability of the Global Channel and CPU. It could take several minutes.
147
148
Description combines the output from the PacketsReceived, PacketsSent, and PacketErrors parameters combines the output from the ResponseExecTime, ResponseSqlTime, CpuBusy, CpuIobusy, and CacheHitRatio parameters
You can access parameter definition dialog boxes and specify PATROL Script Language (PSL) and operating system recovery actions.
NOTE
The PATROL user guide for your operating system describes how to add recovery actions by accessing parameter definition dialog boxes.
You can apply certain automatic recovery actions to certain key parameters using the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => ARA Settings menu in the Server application pop-up menu.
When one of the key parameters goes into an alarm state, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server runs PSL and operating system recovery actions that are specified as part of the parameter property definition. After PSL recovery actions are generated, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server generates other automatic recovery actions that you select through the ARA Settings menu. This automatic recovery action (ARA) function in PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server enables you to customize the automatic recovery actions that occur when any of several key parameters go into alarm. It also enables you to test the recovery and alert notification actions that you set and to enter the names of those who receive a notice when net send is activated. Using the ARA menu commands provided by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server instead of the PATROL Console for parameter recovery actions provides these benefits:
I
You can maintain custom recovery actions outside PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server, which makes upgrading easier. You can create different recovery batch files for each computer, which enables you to perform recovery actions that are computer-specific.
Chapter 5 Working with PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server 149
Execute the ara_MSSQL.cmd script (active by default) Execute net send to specified Windows desktops Execute an SNMP trap (snmptrap command) Create an output file Annotate a parameter warning or alarm (active by default) Trigger an event in PATROL Event Manager (active by default)
The following key parameters are affected by the ARA functions that you select using the ARA Settings menu:
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
ARATest BlockerProcs CacheHitRatio CheckConfiguration CommandQueueLength ConnectionsRemaining CpuBusy CpuIdle CpuIoBusy DatabaseSpaceUsedPct DbSpaceColl DbStructureColl DiskIoErrors ErrorLogColl ErrorLogUpdates Failover
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
IdleProcs LocksRemaining LogSpaceColl LogSpaceUsedPct LongRunningTrans MonProbUsers NumBlockedProcesses OpenDbRemaining PacketErrors SpaceUsedPCT (File and Filegroup) SQLAgentJobFailures SQLAgentStatus SQLServerStatus SuspectDatabases UserBlocked UserIdle
150
Execute ARA menu settings Execute ara_MSSQL.cmd script send SNMP traps Execute net send Create output file Annotate parameter Trigger event in PATROL Event Manager
Output to %PATROL_TEMP%
Event created
151
The parameter name generally determines the action steps taken. It is important to note that the actual command executed is located in the ara_MSSQL.cmd file. You can create a different ara_MSSQL.cmd file for each computer that PATROL is monitoring, but the command applies to all of the SQL Servers monitored by that PATROL Agent.
Limit the amount of output generated by the query; PATROL executes the query and reads all rows returned by the query. Use queries with short execution times (the query places an additional load on the SQL Server) Do not enter queries that require system administrator privileges.
NOTE
The ara_MSSQL.cmd file is a Windows command file that executes on the Agent system. It uses the PATROL user login you entered in the SQL Server Instance Setup dialog box.
1 Using a text editor, navigate to and open the ara_MSSQL.cmd file. 2 Read the instructions and information provided in the ara_MSSQL.cmd file. 3 In the ara_MSSQL.cmd file, navigate to the parameter for which you want to create
a recovery action.
5 Under the parameter name, add the command that you want this parameter to
execute whenever it crosses an alarm or warning threshold.
check the syntax in your command make sure the parameter you selected is configured to perform recovery actions and has alarm ranges and alarm actions enabled.
152
NOTE
To receive messages through net send, each receiving computer must have the Windows Messenger service started.
153
select the net send automated recovery option using KM Admin => Setup/Configure
KM => ARA Settings => Set Default Actions
make sure that each of the recipients you enter has the Microsoft SQL Server Messenger service started choose KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => ARA Settings => Set Send To Names from the Server application pop-up menu, and enter the names.
154
Application class
1. The DBCC_PSS_Disabled pconfig variable is not configured by default in the configuration settings. You must manually add the variable in the configuration settings and set the value to 1. If the value of the DBCC_PSS_Disabled pconfig variable is not set to 1, the report shows a blank SQL statement. Table 14 Parameters partially affected in a recovery action
Parameter BlockerProcs CpuIdle CpuIoBusy Database LongRunningTrans
155
Whenever the client process executes a stored procedure or trigger, SQL Snapshot displays the name of the stored procedure or trigger and the text of the line that is currently executing within the stored procedure or trigger. Whenever a process causes one of the following parameters to go into an alarm state, the recovery action report also lists the last SQL statement that the process used. BlockerProcs CpuBusy CpuIoBusy IdleProcs
Whenever you select one of the following submenu commands in the SQL Snapshot menu, SQL Snapshot displays a report containing the last SQL statements generated by the processes described by the submenu command. Active Processes All Processes Blocked Processes
156
To verify and change PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server accounts that SQL Snapshot uses, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => SQL Server Instance Setup menu command in the Server application pop-up menu.
WARNING
Do not attempt to display all SQL statements for all users and processes unless you have the appropriate resources. If you have a large number of users or processes, using the SQL Snapshot => All Processes menu command can use a significant amount of resources and execute for a long time.
Table 15
Task
To display the last SQL statement use the SQL Snapshot => All Processes menu command for all users and all processes in the Server application pop-up menu Warning: Do not use this menu command unless you have the appropriate resources. If you have a large number of users or processes, this menu command can use a significant amount of resources and take a long time. To display SQL statements for blocked processes To display SQL statements for a currently active user To display SQL statements for a specific user or process use the SQL Snapshot => Blocked Processes menu command in the Server application pop-up menu use the SQL Snapshot => Active Processes menu command in the Server application pop-up menu use the SQL Snapshot for User menu command in the User application pop-up menu
157
access information on the status of the global channel reset the global channel
how to access the KM menu commands, Appendix A, Accessing menu commands, InfoBoxes, and online Help InfoBoxes, and online Help definitions and default values for parameters consumer and collector parameter dependencies Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults Appendix C, Consumer-collector parameter dependencies
158
Topic detailed descriptions of the applications, menu commands, parameters, and InfoBoxes
159
160
Appendix
BMC Software offers several PATROL consoles from which you can view a PATROL Knowledge Module (KM). Because of the different environments in which these consoles run, each one uses a different method to display and access information in the KM. This appendix provides instructions for accessing the KM menu commands and InfoBoxes. It also provides instructions for accessing the online Help. See the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help for more detailed information about navigation in the PATROL Consoles. In this appendix, the following topics are discussed: Accessing KM commands and InfoBoxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Accessing online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Appendix A
161
In the navigation pane, right-click a In the navigation pane, right-click a PATROL object and choose managed system or application InfoBox from the pop-up menu. icon and choose Knowledge Module Commands from the pop-up menu. In the tree view area, right-click an In the tree view area, right-click a PATROL object and choose application icon and choose Infobox from the pop-up menu. Knowledge Module Commands from the pop-up menu.
For more information about menu commands and InfoBoxes, see Product components on page 20.
162
NOTE
If you are trying to access Help from a UNIX console, see the PATROL Installation Reference Manual for specific instructions about installing and setting up a browser in the UNIX environment.
Table 17
Console
Right-click a parameter icon and choose Help On from the pop-up menu. Double-click a parameter icon; click the ? icon or Help button in the parameter display window. Double-click a parameter in the KM tab of the console; from the properties dialog box, click the Help tab; then click Show Help.
From the console menu bar, choose Help On => Knowledge Modules.
Choose Attributes => Application Classes and double-click the application name. Click Show Help in the Application Definition dialog box. In the Operator tab of the navigation pane, select an application icon and press F1.
From the console menu bar, choose Help => Help Topics. In the Contents tab, click the name of your product.
In the Operator tab of the navigation pane, select a parameter icon and press F1.
In the upper right corner of In the tree view, right-click In the tree view, right-click an application class and a parameter and choose PATROL Central, click Help. Help and choose PATROL choose Help. KM Help.
Appendix A
163
164
Appendix
Appendix B
165
Column headings
Column headings
The column headings used in Table 18 on page 168 are defined as follows:
Parameter states the parameter name and describes the parameters function; for consumer parameters, lists the collector parameters that gather the data displayed by this parameter indicates whether the parameter is active or inactive by default indicates the parameter type: standard (Std) gathers and displays a single data value; collector (Coll) gathers multiple data values but has no display capabilities; consumer (Con) displays values gathered by collector or standard parameters. Some standard parameters have collector properties. defines the default range for the parameter; can be set so that values that fall outside this range trigger warnings, alarms, or recovery actions specifies the thresholds for the first-level alarm specifies the thresholds for the second-level alarm specifies how frequently the parameter runs and collects data (polling cycle); not applicable to consumer parameters specifies whether the parameter is represented as a graph, gauge, text box, stoplight (signal), or Boolean state specifies the unit of measure in which the parameter output is expressed, such as a percentage, a number, or bytes
Border range Alarm1 range Alarm2 range Scheduling (poll time) Icon style Unit
166
Abbreviations defined
Abbreviations defined
The following abbreviations are used in Table 18 on page 168:
bool coll con disc GB hr KB MB MHz min msec N NA nsec sec std TB undef warn Y Boolean; shows a state, such as on or off, OK or not OK collector parameter consumer parameter discovery; refers to the PATROL discovery process gigabyte or gigabytes hour or hours kilobyte or kilobytes megabyte or megabytes megahertz minute or minutes millisecond or milliseconds no; parameter is inactive after KM is installed not applicable; a value cannot be set nanosecond or nanoseconds second or seconds standard parameter terabyte or terabytes undefined; a value can be set, but no default is provided warning; type of alert yes; parameter is active after KM is installed
Appendix B
167
Parameter table
Parameter table
Table 18 contains a short definition and all of the default values for each parameter in PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server. The parameters are grouped alphabetically by application class. Table 18 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server parameters (Part 1 of 28)
Active at installation Scheduling (poll time) Parameter type Icon style
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
con
0-50 OK
50100 alarm
NA
graph
test results
con
undef
1100 alarm
undef
set by coll
graph
number of processes
con
undef
11 alarm undef
NA
graph
168
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
Failover Appears only when the instance is running on a virtual PATROL Agent in a cluster. Creates an annotation that contains information about a failover whenever a failover occurs. The alarm for this parameter is disabled by default; you can enable the alarm by using the Monitoring Setup menu command. If a failover is detected and the alarm is disabled, the value is set to 1; if a failover is detected and the alarm is enabled, the value is set to 2. Collector: MSSQL_SERVER.km discovery NumBlockedProcesses Monitors the number of processes that are blocked. Collector: ProcessColl SQLAgentJobFailures Monitors the completion status of the jobs that the SQL Server Agent runs. These jobs usually include scheduled backup and maintenance procedures. You can clear the alarm by using the Reset Parameter Alarm menu command.
con
undef
11 OK
graph
1 or 2
con
undef
undef
set by coll
std
undef
undef
15 min
graph
Appendix B
Unit 169
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
SQLAgentStatus Monitors the up and down status of the SQL Server Agent when SQL Server Agent monitoring is enabled. It is disabled by default. You can switch SQL Server Agent monitoring on and off by using the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup menu command. SQLServerStatus Tracks the status of the SQL Server. If parameter history collection is enabled, then statistics on the availability of the SQL Server are collected over long periods. If SQL Server goes off line, and it was not shut down from within PATROL, then SQLServerStatus goes into an alarm state. Collector: MSSQL_SERVER.km (SQL Server discovery) SuspectDatabases Determines which databases, if any, are marked as suspect (corrupt) by the SQL Server. This parameter only monitors databases that are setup for monitoring. However, when it goes into an alarm state, this parameter generates a report that lists all suspect databases, including those that are not monitored.
std
undef
11 alarm
undef
5 min
bool
none
con
undef
11 alarm
undef
NA
bool
none
std
undef
11 alarm
undef
4 hr
bool
none
170
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
NumberOfFreeBuffers Displays the number of cache buffers that are in the free buffer pool. Collector: SQLServerColl PageLifeExpectancy Displays the number of seconds a page stays in the buffer pool without any reference. For Online Transaction Processing (OLTP), the value of an average page life expectancy is 300 seconds. A parameter value of less than 300 seconds might indicate one of the following conditions:
I I I
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
0-300
undef
NA
graph
seconds
Collector: SQLServerColl
Appendix B
Unit 171
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
IdleProcs Provides information about processes that are idle longer than the amount of time set by using the Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command (20 minutes by default). This parameter does not monitor processes that you excluded from monitoring by using the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Exclude Specific User menu command. Collector: MonProbUsers LocksRemaining Monitors the number of locks that are available for use, as defined in the MASTER .. SYSCURCONFIGS table. This parameter does not display if the SQL Server is set to dynamically configure lock resources, which is the default configuration. Collector: CurConfigsColl NumProcesses Tracks the number of SQL Server processes. This value is derived from the total number of rows in the MASTER .. SYSPROCESSES table. Collector: ProcessColl UserConnections Displays the number of user connections. Collector: SQLServerColl
con
undef
1100 alarm
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
150 alarm
5175 warn
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
number of processes
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
number of connections
172
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
std
undef
undef
5 min
bool
none
ConfigUpdates
Checks for changes to the PATROL Configuration Variables. When a change is detected, this parameter creates an annotation that contains the name of the configuration variable that was changed and information about how it was changed. CurConfigsColl Gathers information from the SQL Server MASTER .. SYSCURCONFIGS table pertaining to SQL Server configuration.
std
undef
undef
undef
55 min
text
none
std
undef
undef
15 min
bool
none
Appendix B
Unit 173
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
DbSpaceColl Collects information about files and file groups. It uses sp_spaceused to calculate the space available, based on the settings for the database; for example, maxsize or current size plus x percent. For more information, see the online Help. Warning: This parameter does not function correctly when the db file is mapped to a shared drive by using a universal naming convention (UNC) format. DbStructureColl Collects information about monitored databases. Creates and destroys file and file group instances. Note: This parameter does not discover or monitor databases with names that contain characters other than AZ, az, 09, and underscore (_). GlobalVarsColl Collects various SQL Server statistics using SQL Server global variables (for example, @@CPU_BUSY), then calculates the change in the value of these global variables between poll cycles. For more details, see the online Help. LocksColl Collects information about all the locks that are within SQL Server. This collector uses the SQL Server Locks performance counters to calculate the wait times and number of requests for locks by database, table, extent, page, row I.D., or key for instances of SQL Server.
std
undef
undef
34 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
5 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
5 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
15 min
bool
none
174
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
LogSpaceColl Collects information about the amount of log space used by the databases that PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server is monitoring. This parameter makes calculations based on DBCC SQLPERF (LOGSPACE) and takes into account the autogrow settings. For more details, see the online Help. LongRunningTransColl Monitors the oldest open transaction. Long-running transactions are those transactions that are open for longer than one poll cycle of this parameter (the default poll cycle is 10 minutes). System Administrator or Database Administrator privileges are required for proper execution of this parameter. MonProbUsers Collects information about processes that are blocking other processes (blocker processes) and processes that are idle. To determine the amount of time configured for blocker or idle processes, see KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin. This parameter does not monitor logins that you excluded from monitoring by using the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Exclude Specific User menu command. ObjectSizeColl Collects information about and monitors the size of database objects, and creates and destroys the Objects application instances.
std
undef
undef
24 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
10 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
5 min 30 sec
bool
none
std
undef
undef
4 hr
bool
none
Appendix B
Unit 175
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
ProcedureCacheColl Collects information about the SQL Server procedure cache. To calculate the values for the procedure cache consumer parameters, this parameter uses the SQL Server DBCC PROCCACHE command for SQL Server. ProcessColl Collects information about the status and number of processes that are running on the SQL Server. ReplicationColl Collects information about transactions that are delivered from the transaction log of the publication database to the distribution database and transactions that are delivered from the distribution database to the destination database; gathers information about all servers subscribing to published articles; and creates and destroys the Published and Subscribers application instances. ResponseColl Measures the amount of time it takes to connect to the SQL Server, execute a simple query, and return a response by executing and then monitoring the progress of a sample SQL statement. For more information, see the online Help. SQLServerColl Collects statistics about SQL Server performance. UserDefinedCountersColl Collects information from User Settable object for SQL Server.
std
undef
undef
15 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
5 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
10 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
10 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
5 min
bool
none
std
undef
undef
15 min
bool
none
176
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
8595 warn
95100 alarm
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 177
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
LogSpaceUsedPct Displays the percentage of the transaction log that is used. Note: The values for this parameter do not match the values that are provided by the Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise Manager because the KM takes into account autogrow settings and free disk space. Collector: LogSpaceColl LongRunningTrans Displays information about the oldest long-running transaction. Long-running transactions are transactions that are open for longer than one poll of the LongRunningTransColl standard collector parameter. Collector: LongRunningTransColl NumCurrentLocks This parameter displays the number of locks granted for the database. Collector: LocksColl NumCurrentUsers This parameter displays the number of User Processes granted for the database. Collector: ProcessColl
con
7080 warn
80100 alarm
set by coll
graph
con
undef
11 alarm
undef
set by coll
bool
none
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
number of locks
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
number of Processes
178
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
con
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 179
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
coll
undef
2-2 warn
graph
none
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold Y Monitors whether the amount of space that is free on the disk where the error log resides is below the user-defined threshold.
con
undef
2-2 warn
graph
none
Note: These alarm values cannot be changed; they are hard-coded flags that work in conjunction with the Error Log Free Disk Space menu command.
Collector: ErrorLogColl ErrorLogSizeMB Displays, in megabytes (MB), the size of the error log file. Collector: ErrorLogColl Y con undef undef undef set by coll graph MB of space in error log file
180
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
ErrorLogSizeThreshold User-defined threshold for the ErrorLogSizeMB parameter.
con
undef
2-2
3-3
set by coll
graph
none
Note: These alarm values cannot be changed; they are hard-coded flags that work in conjunction with the Error Log Size Monitoring menu command.
Collector: ErrorLogColl ErrorLogUpdates Monitors the SQL Server error log for updates. This parameter goes into an alarm state if the updated error log text contains one of the strings entered using the KM Admin => Set up Error Log String Monitoring menu command from an Error Log application class instance. Collector: ErrorLogColl Y con undef 2-2 warn 3-3 alarm set by coll graph none
Appendix B
Unit 181
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
SpaceUsedPCT Displays the percentage of the database file that is full. When this value is calculated, account autogrow settings and free disk space are taken into account. Collector: DbSpaceColl
con
undef
8090 warn
90100 alarm
set by coll
graph
182
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
DatabaseLockRequestWaitPercent Y Displays the percentage of database lock requests that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the Lock Requests/sec and Lock Waits/sec performance counters for the database instance. Collector: LocksColl ExtentLockAvgWaitTime Displays (in milliseconds) the average amount of wait time that was caused by extent lock requests. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Average Wait Time (ms) performance counters for the extent instance. Collector: LocksColl Y
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 183
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
ExtentLockRequestsPerSec Displays the number of new extent locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Requests/sec performance counter for the extent instance. Collector: LocksColl ExtentLockRequestWaitPercent Displays the percentage of new extent lock requests per second that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Lock Requests/sec performance counters for the extent instance. Collector: LocksColl KeyLockAvgWaitTime Displays (in milliseconds) the average amount of wait time that was caused by key lock requests. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Average Wait Time (ms) performance counters for the key instance. Collector: LocksColl KeyLockRequestsPerSec Displays the number of new key locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Requests/sec performance counter for the key instance. Collector: LocksColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
percentage of new extent lock requests per sec that had to wait
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
184
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
KeyLockRequestWaitPercent Displays the percentage of key lock requests that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Lock Requests/sec performance counters for the key instance. Collector: LocksColl LockRequestsPerSec Displays the number of all locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Requests/sec performance counter. Collector: LocksColl LockRequestWaitPercent Displays the percentage of all lock requests that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Lock Requests/sec performance counters. Collector: LocksColl PageLockAvgWaitTime Displays (in milliseconds) the average amount of wait time that was caused by page lock requests. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Average Wait Time (ms) performance counters for the page instance. Collector: LocksColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 185
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
PageLockRequestsPerSec Displays the number of new page locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Requests/sec performance counter for the page instance. Collector: LocksColl PageLockRequestWaitPercent Displays the percentage of page lock requests that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Lock Requests/sec performance counters for the page instance. Collector: LocksColl RIDLockAvgWaitTime Displays (in milliseconds) the average amount of wait time that was caused by row ID lock requests. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Locks Waits/sec and Average Wait Time (ms) performance counters. Collector: LocksColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
186
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
RIDLockRequestsPerSec Displays the number of new row ID locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Locks Requests/sec performance counter. Collector: LocksColl RIDLockRequestWaitPercent Displays the percentage of row ID lock requests that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Locks Waits/sec and Lock Requests/sec performance counters. Collector: LocksColl TableLockAvgWaitTime Displays (in milliseconds) the average amount of wait time that was caused by table lock requests. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Locks Waits/sec and Average Wait Time (ms) performance counters. Collector: LocksColl TableLockRequestsPerSec Displays the number of new table locks and lock conversions that the lock manager requested per second. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Requests/sec performance counter. Collector: LocksColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 187
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
TableLockRequestWaitPercent Displays the percentage of table lock requests that required a caller to wait. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the SQL Server Lock Waits/sec and Lock Requests/secperformance counters. Collector: LocksColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
188
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
ObjectReservedSizeMB Displays (in megabytes) the total amount of space that is reserved for use by the table or index which you are monitoring, including space for data and system information and space not used. Collector: ObjectSizeColl RowCountEstimate Provides an estimate of the number of rows in a table. This parameter is not available when the monitored object is an index. Collector: ObjectSizeColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
MB of space used
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 189
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
CpuBusy Monitors the percentage of time that the SQL Server is busy between polls of the @@CPU_BUSY global variable. Collector: GlobalVarsColl CpuIdle Monitors the percentage of time that SQL Server is idle between polls of the @@IDLE global variable. Collector: GlobalVarsColl CpuIoBusy Monitors the percentage of time that SQL Server performs input and output operations between polls of the @@IO_BUSY global variable. Collector: GlobalVarsColl DeadlocksPerSec Displays the number of lock requests per second that resulted in a deadlock. Collector: SQLServerColl FullScansPerSec Displays the number of unrestricted full scans per second. Collector: SQLServerColl
con
9095 warn
95100 alarm
set by coll
graph
con
05 alarm
610 warn
set by coll
graph
con
3040 warn
40100 alarm
set by coll
graph
percentage of time the SQL Server performed I/O operations number of lock requests
con
undef
undef
undef
NA
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
NA
graph
number
190
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
ResponseExecTime Provides the total operating response time (in milliseconds). The value of this parameter includes the time it takes a sample SQL statement to connect to SQL Server, execute a simple query, and return a response. See ResponseColl for information on how to change the sample SQL statement. Collector: ResponseColl ResponseSqlTime Provides the amount of time (in milliseconds) that it takes SQL Server to execute a simple query when a sample SQL statement is executed. This parameter is formed by subtracting the connect and disconnect times from the information that is gathered by ResponseColl, leaving only the amount of time that SQL Server took to execute the query. Collector: ResponseColl TransactionsPerSec Displays the number of Transact-SQL command batches that are executed per second. This number is affected by all constraints, such as, I/O, number of users, cache size, and complexity of the requests. PATROL uses the SQL Statistics => Bath Requests/sec performance counter to calculate the value of this parameter. Collector: SQLServerColl
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 191
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
Procedure Cache Application Class PCProcBuffersActivePct Monitors the percentage of procedure buffers that are actively used. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the DBCC PROCCACHE command for SQL Server. Collector: ProcedureCacheColl PCProcBuffersUsedPct Monitors the percentage of procedure buffers in the procedure cache that are used. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the DBCC PROCCACHE command for SQL Server. Collector: ProcedureCacheColl PCProcCacheActivePct Monitors the percentage of procedure cache that is active. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the DBCC PROCCACHE command for SQL Server. Collector: ProcedureCacheColl PCProcCacheUsedPct Monitors the percentage of procedure cache that is used. To calculate this value, PATROL uses the DBCC PROCCACHE command for SQL Server. Collector: ProcedureCacheColl
con
<0, >100 OK
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
<0, >100 OK
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
<0, >100 OK
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
<0, >100 OK
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
192
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 193
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
UserDefCounter110 Displays the user-defined Windows performance counters 1 through 10 that SQL Server sets. Collector: UserDefinedCountersColl
194
Unit
Parameter table
Table 18
Alarm1 range
Alarm2 range
Border range
Parameter
UserIdle Generates a warning if one user process remains idle longer than the idle detection time. Change the idle detection time for all SQL Server user processes by using the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command under a Server application. Change the idle detection time for the selected user process by using the Change Local Defaults menu command under a User application. Collector: UserColl UserIo Displays the number of disk reads and writes for the user connection that you are monitoring. Collector: UserColl UserMemUsage Displays the amount of memory (in in 8 KB pages) allocated to a user connection. Collector: UserColl UserTotCpu Displays the cumulative CPU time for a user connection and checkpoint process. Collector: UserColl UserTotIo Displays the cumulative total number of disk reads and writes for the current statement. Collector: UserColl
con
undef
11 warn
undef
set by coll
none
none
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
con
undef
undef
undef
set by coll
graph
Appendix B
Unit 195
Parameter table
196
Appendix
Consumer parameters depend on a collector parameter, or a standard parameter used as a collector, to set their values or to collect information. Disabling a standard collector parameter also disables the consumer parameters that it sets. (All of the collectors used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server are standard parameters with collector properties.) Table 19 on page 198 lists the consumer parameters alphabetically in the first vertical column and the standard collector parameters alphabetically across the top of the table. Each consumer parameter is cross-referenced with the standard collector parameter that sets its value. The standard parameters that set only their own values and the consumer parameters that are set by something other than a collector or standard parameter are listed with the consumer parameters. For more information about parameters, see Appendix B, Parameter definitions and defaults,and the PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server online Help.
Appendix C
197
Table 19
LongRunningTransColl
ProcedureCacheColl
DbStructureColl
ReplicationColl
CurConfigsColl
GlobalVarsColl
MonProbUsers
ObjectSizeColl
SQLServerColl
5
LogSpaceColl
ResponseColl
DbSpaceColl
ErrorLogColl
ProcessColl
LocksColl
Collector
Consumer
Collector Poll Time (in minutes)
55
34
10
15
24
10
5.5 240
15
10
10
10
ARATest (set by ARA Test menu command) AvgLatchWaitTime BlockerProcs BufferCacheHitRatio CacheHitRatio CheckConfiguration (standard parameter; poll time 5 minutes)
x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
198
UserColl
Table 19
LongRunningTransColl
ProcedureCacheColl
DbStructureColl
ReplicationColl
CurConfigsColl
GlobalVarsColl
MonProbUsers
ObjectSizeColl
SQLServerColl
5
LogSpaceColl
ResponseColl
DbSpaceColl
ErrorLogColl
ProcessColl
LocksColl
Collector
Consumer
Collector Poll Time (in minutes) ErrorLogSizeThreshold ErrorLogUpdates ExtentLockAvgWaitTime ExtentLockRequestsPerSec
55
34
10
15
24
10
5.5 240
15
10
10
10
x x x x x
ExtentLockRequestWaitPercent Failover (set by MSSQL_ SERVER.km discovery) FileSizeMB FullScansPerSec IdleProcs KeyLockAvgWaitTime KeyLockRequestsPerSec KeyLockRequestWaitPercent LazyWritesPerSec LockRequestsPerSec LockRequestWaitPercent LocksRemaining LogSpaceUsedMB LogSpaceUsedPct LongRunningTrans NumberOfFreeBuffers NumBlockedProcesses NumProcesses NumCurrentUsers NumCurrentLocks ObjectDataSizeMB ObjectReservedSizeMB OutstandingReads OutstandingWrites PacketErrors
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Appendix C
UserColl
199
Table 19
LongRunningTransColl
ProcedureCacheColl
DbStructureColl
ReplicationColl
CurConfigsColl
GlobalVarsColl
MonProbUsers
ObjectSizeColl
SQLServerColl
5
LogSpaceColl
ResponseColl
DbSpaceColl
ErrorLogColl
ProcessColl
LocksColl
Collector
Consumer
Collector Poll Time (in minutes) PacketsReceived PacketsSent PageLifeExpectancy PageLockAvgWaitTime PageLockRequestsPerSec PageLockRequestWaitPercent PCProcBuffersActivePct PCProcBuffersUsedPct PCProcCachActivePct PCProcCacheUsedPct ReplicatedCmdsPerSec ReplicatedTransPerSec ResponseExecTime ResponseSQLTime RIDLockAvgWaitTime RIDLockRequestsPerSec RIDLockRequestWaitPercent RowCountEstimate SpaceUsedMB (file) SpaceUsedPCT (file) SpaceUsedMB (filegroup) SpaceUsedPCT (filegroup)
55
34
10
15
24
10
5.5 240
15
10
10
10
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
SQLAgentJobFailures (standard parameter; poll time 15 minutes) SQLAgentStatus (standard parameter; poll time 5 minutes) SQLServerStatus (set by discovery) SuspectDatabases (standard parameter; poll time 240 minutes) TableLockAvgWaitTime
200
UserColl
Table 19
LongRunningTransColl
ProcedureCacheColl
DbStructureColl
ReplicationColl
CurConfigsColl
GlobalVarsColl
MonProbUsers
ObjectSizeColl
SQLServerColl
5
LogSpaceColl
ResponseColl
DbSpaceColl
ErrorLogColl
ProcessColl
LocksColl
Collector
Consumer
Collector Poll Time (in minutes) TableLockRequestsPerSec TableLockRequestWaitPercent TransactionsPerSec UserBlocked UserConnections UserCpu UserDefCounter1-10 UserIdle UserIo UserMemUsage UserTotCpu UserTotIo
55
34
10
15
24
10
5.5 240
15
10
10
10
x x x x x x x x x x x x
Appendix C
UserColl
201
202
Appendix
For summary information about wpconfig, see the PATROL Console for Microsoft Windows User GuideCustomizing PATROL, Volume 3. For detailed information about how to use pconfig, see the PATROL Agent Reference Manual. For detailed information about how to use the PATROL Configuration Manager, see the PATROL Configuration Manager User Guide, version 1.4.01 or later.
This section also lists variables that were formerly used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server but are now obsolete.
WARNING
When you use the wpconfig utility or PATROL Configuration Manager to remove variables, add new variables, or modify existing variables, no validations are performed.
Agent configuration variables (Table 20 on page 204) Obsolete variables (Table 21 on page 218)
Appendix D
203
Table 20
Variable
204
Table 20
Variable
/AgentSetup/ MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT .AgentHostName. OSdefaultAccount /AgentSetup/ MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT. AgentHostName. OSdefaultAccountAppliesToCmds Click /MSSQLServer to display the following variables: /MSSQLServer/ DEBUG_DISC_STAT
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => DEBUG menu command from the Server, User, or Database application. /MSSQLServer/ DEBUG_PRE_DISC_STAT flag indicating whether DEBUG is turned on during pre-discovery
I I
0 = DEBUG is turned off during pre- discovery 1 = DEBUG is turned on during pre- discovery
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => DEBUG menu command from the Server, User, or Database application.
Appendix D
205
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/ SQLServersExcludedFromDiscovery
with the SQL Server name "ABC\SQL8_TEST", where ABC is the host name with the Windows service name "MSSQLServer" for SQL Server with a default instance name
/MSSQLServer/SQLServerInstanceName/ ExcludedDbs
stores the list of databases excluded from monitoring when Auto Discovery is set on To create or modify this variable, use the KM Commands => KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Set DB Auto-Discovery command.
stores the list of strings to be excluded from monitoring To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Exclude Errorlog String from Monitoring command from the SQLERRORLOG application class. stores the list of SQLServer logins SQLAgent jobs owned by these logins are excluded from monitoring. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Exclude SQLAgent jobs from monitoring command from the Availability application class.
/MSSQLServer/SQLServerInstanceName/ ExcludedLogins
206
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/A_DBSPMB_ENABLED
This pconfig variable contains the list of Users excluded from monitoring of blocked processes. This pconfig variable contains the list of Users excluded from monitoring of idle processes.
/MSSQLServer/ SQLServerInstanceName/ blocked_waittime The processes having waittime greater than this variable are considered for the parameter NumBlockedProcesses. The default value of this pconfig variable is 100 ms. /MSSQLServer/SQLServerInstanceName/ JobStepFailFlag However, PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server ignores a job step failure if the Quit with success option is set for that job step. The default value is 0, meaning PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server addresses a job step failure as a job failure even if the Quit with success option is set. /MSSQLServer/SQLServerInstanceName/ ExcludedJobCategories To create or modify this variable, use the KM Commands => Exclude SqlAgent jobs by Job Category command from the Availability application class. /MSSQLServer/SQLServerInstanceName/ ExcludedSQLServerJobNames To create or modify this variable, use the KM Commands => Exclude SqlAgent jobs by JobNames command from the Availability application class. stores the list of SQLServer Agent job names that are excluded from monitoring stores the list of SQLServer Agent job categories that are excluded from monitoring checks a job step failure if the value of this variable is set to 1
Appendix D
207
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/SQLServerInstanceName/ GENUSERFLAG
If the value is 0, the product is configured for sa user monitoring. If the value is 1, the product is configured for general user monitoring. If the value is null, or other than 1 or 0, the product is not configured for general user monitoring.
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Commands => KM Admin => SQL Config Set up command. /AgentSetup/ VirtualServerName stores the virtual server name This variable is required for Veritas cluster discovery. When running SQL Server on a Veritas cluster, set the virtual server name in this variable. /AgentSetup/VirtualServerName should be the same as the virtual server name assigned to the PATROL_VIRTUALNAME_port. This name is case sensitive. /AgentSetup/ Veritas_sql_server_group stores the SQL Server group name This variable is required for Veritas cluster discovery. When running SQL Server on a Veritas cluster, set the SQL Server group name in this variable. /AgentSetup/Veritas_sql_server_group should be the same as the SQL Server group name. /AgentSetup/ isVeritasCluster stores information about the Veritas cluster This variable is required for Veritas cluster discovery. When running SQL Server on a Veritas cluster, the value for this variable must be equal to 1.
208
Table 20
Variable
Yes = user instances are created No = user instances are not created
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137. /MSSQL_SERVER/AgentHostName/ BlockedTime indicates the amount of time a process can block another process before raising an alarm The value for this variable is the amount of time in seconds entered as the blocked detection time. The default is 180 seconds. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137. /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName\\InstanceName/DBCC If this variable is modified, you must restart the _PSS_Disabled Agent. You must enter this variable manually, it does not appear automatically. turns off SQL Snapshot (DBCC output with trace)
I
1 disables the retrieval of the SQL query text by the recovery actions. any value other than 1 enables the retrieval of the SQL query text.
Appendix D
209
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQL_SERVER/AgentHostName/ IdleAutoLaunch
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137. /MSSQL_Server/AgentHostName/ idle_procs_monitoring_enabled disables and enables idle process monitoring You must enter this variable manually. It does not appear automatically.
I I
0 disables idle process monitoring any value other than 0 enables idle process monitoring
/MSSQL_Server/AgentHostName/ blocked_procs_monitoring_enabled
disables and enables blocked process mopnitoring You must enter this variable manually. It does not appear automatically.
I I
0 disables blocked process monitoring any value other than 0 enables blocked process monitoring
/MSSQL_SERVER/AgentHostName/ StoppedTime
Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter. indicates the idle detection time The value for this variable is the amount of time in seconds entered as the idle detection time. The default is 20 minutes which displays as 1200 seconds. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137.
210
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQL_SERVER/AgentHostName/ UserActive
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Configure Auto User Monitoring menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137. Click /MSSQLServer to display the following variables: /charts/AgentHostName/name of chart Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter. lists the parameters included in a user-defined parameter charts The value of this parameter is a list of parameter names separated by a new line character. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Reports => Parameter Charts => Custom Charts menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Creating customized parameter charts on page 148. Click /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName to display the following variables: /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ araAction indicates the automatic recovery actions selected in the ARA Default Actions dialog box See Modifying the automatic recovery action variable on page 103 for the values this variable uses. See also Using automatic recovery actions on page 149. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => ARA Settings => Set Default Actions menu command from the Server application. Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter.
Appendix D
211
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ araSendTo
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ blackout
Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter. indicates the time periods (blackout periods) when the PATROL Agent does not set off any parameter alarms for the instance Values are expressed as follows:
I I I I
<server_name> <day of the week> <starting time in seconds after midnight> <duration expressed in minutes>
For example, if you set a blackout period on a server called SQLServer1 for Monday, starting at 1:00 a.m. for a duration of 60 minutes, the following value would displays: SQLServer1 Mon 3600 60 Blackout periods are separated by a new line character. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Set Blackout menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Modifying the blackout configuration variable on page 103 and Clearing, snoozing, and blacking out parameter alarms on page 146.
212
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ DBAutoDisc
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Set DB Auto-Discovery menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring databases on page 129. /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ dbInstances lists the databases that you selected to monitor in the DB Autodiscovery dialog box Database names are separated by a new line character. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Set DB Auto-Discovery menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring databases on page 129. /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_DATA_COLLECTION_ACTION
I I I I
indicates the action the ErrorLogColl parameter takes when a data collection problem occurs 1 = remains in an OK state 2 = goes into a warning state 3 = goes into an alarm state any other value or null = remains in OK state
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_DATA_COLLECTION_AUTORESET
indicates whether the ErrorLogColl parametter is automatically reset to OK when it goes into an alarm or warning state
I I I
0 = does not automatically reset 1 = automatically resets null or any value other than 0 or 1 = does not automatically reset
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_WARN_STRING
Appendix D
213
Table 20
Variable
1 = OK 2 = warn 3 = alarm null or any value other than 1, 2, or 3 = threshold monitoring is disabled and the ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter is not displayed
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_FILE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_AMOUNT
0, null, or any value other than 1 = error log threshold monitoring is disabled a number greater than 0 = error log size threshold in megabytes
indicates whether the ErrorLogsSizeThreshold parametter is automatically reset to OK when it ERROR_LOG_FILE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_AUTORESET goes into an alarm or warning state /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/
I I I
0 = does not automatically reset 1 = automatically resets null or any value other than 0 or 1 = does not automatically reset
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_SHOW_FILE_SIZE_IN_MB
indictes whether threshold monitoring is active for the size of the error log file
I I I
0 = not active (ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter is not displayed) 1 = active (ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter is displayed) null or any value other than 0 or 1 = not active
214
Table 20
Variable
1 = OK 2 = warn 3 = alarm null or any value other than 1, 2, or 3 = threshold monitoring is disabled and the ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter is not displayed
indicates whether the ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold parameter is automatically reset to OK when it goes into an alarm or warning state
I I I
0 = does not automatically reset 1 = automatically resets null or any value other than 0 or 1 = does not automatically reset
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_FREE_DISK_SPACE_THRESHOLD_MB
0, null, or any value other than 1 = error log threshold monitoring is disabled A number greater than 0 = error log disk space free threshold in megabytes
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_FREE_DISK_SPACE_THRESHOLD_MB
0, null, or any value other than 1 = error log threshold monitoring is disabled A number greater than 0 = error log disk space free threshold in megabytes
indictes whether threshold monitoring is active for the amount of free space on the disk where the error log resides
I
I I
0 = not active (ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold parameter is not displayed) 1 = active (ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold parameter is displayed) null or any value other than 0 or 1 = not active
Appendix D
215
Table 20
Variable
0 = only the first time 1 = every time null or any value other than 0 or 1 = only the first time
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ ERROR_LOG_STRING_MONITORING
indicates whether the ErrorLogUpdates parameter monitors the error log for updated strings
I I I
0 = does not monitor 1 = monitors null or any value other than 0 or 1 = does not monitor
Regardless of this setting, the ErrorLogUpdates parameter is displayed. /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ filegroup_monitoring_on_off flag indicating whether filegroup and file monitoring is on or off
I I
0 = filegroup and file monitoring are off 1 = filegroup and file monitoring are on
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup menu command from the Server application. For more information, see Monitoring files and file groups on page 133. /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ IconLabel lists the name that displays beneath the instance icon To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Change Icon Label menu command. For more information, see Changing a server instance name on page 120. Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter.
216
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ long_running_process_exclude_list
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ object_monitor
Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter. lists the objects selected for monitoring To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Object Space Monitor menu command. For more information, see Monitoring objects on page 134.
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ replication_monitoring_on_off
Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter. flag indicating whether replication monitoring is on or off
I I
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup. For more information, see Monitoring replication on page 135. /MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ SQL_Server_Agent_monitoring_on_off flag indicating whether SQL Server Agent monitoring is on or off
I I
To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => Setup/Configure KM => Monitoring Setup menu command. For more information, see Creating customized reports on page 143. /MSSQLServer/MSSQL$ service name/ UserDefinedOSQLPath used to discover the SQL Server If this variable is modified, you must restart the Agent.
Appendix D
217
Table 20
Variable
/MSSQLServer/AgentHostName/ UserExList
Changes to this variable are detected by the ConfigUpdates parameter. lists the names of the users that are excluded from blocked or idle monitoring User names are separated by a new line character. To create or modify this variable, use the KM Admin => User Monitoring Admin => Exclude Specific User menu command. For more information, see Monitoring users and processes on page 137.
Table 21 lists the variables that are no longer used by PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server: Table 21 Obsolete variables (Part 1 of 2)
Variable name /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/dsquery /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/column_separator /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/DefaultDomain /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/errorlog /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/home /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/masterdb /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/RunawayCPUTime /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/security /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/server /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/SQL_Executive_errorlog /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/version /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/DTC_monitoring_on_off /MSSQLServer/serverInstance/SQLViewer/FullFilePath 218 PATROL for Microsoft SQL Server Getting Started
Table 21
Appendix D
219
220
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Index
A
accessing data 17 accounts NULL passwords report 142 PATROL login 75 Active Processes menu command 157 Active Processes report 156 adding reports 144 Administration application 21 affected parameters general monitoring user mode 155 recovery action 155 agent, PATROL configuration information 89 installing a KM to 43 set up variables 203 alarm state 27 alert notification actions 149 All Process report 156 All Processes menu command 157 annotate parameters 153 annotated data points 145 applications administrative 20 appear by default 70 Availability 21 Cache 21 Capacity 21 Collectors 21 container 20 Database 22 descriptions 20 discovery 20 Disk 22 do not appear 70 Error Log 20, 22 File 22 Filegroup 22 functional 20 icons 20 list of 20 Locks 22 login management 21 MSSQL_SERVER_ADMIN 21 MSSQL_SERVER_AVAILABILITY 21 MSSQL_SERVER_CACHE 21 MSSQL_SERVER_CAPACITY 21 MSSQL_SERVER_COLLECTORS 21 MSSQL_SERVER_DATABASE 22 MSSQL_SERVER_DISK 22 MSSQL_SERVER_ERRORLOG 20 MSSQL_SERVER_LOCKS 22 MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT 21 MSSQL_SERVER_NETWORK 23 MSSQL_SERVER_OBJECTS 23 MSSQL_SERVER_PERFORMANCE 23 MSSQL_SERVER_PROC_CACHE 23 MSSQL_SERVER_PUBLISHED 23 MSSQL_SERVER_SUBSCRIBERS 23 MSSQL_SERVER_USER_DEF_CNTRS 24 MSSQL_SERVER_USERS 24 Network 23 Objects 23 Performance 23 Procedure Cache 23 Published 23 Server 21 Subscribers 23 User-Defined Counters 24 Users 24 without icons 70 ARA function annotate parameters 153 benefits of use 149 modifying 104 output file 153 parameter recovery process 151 recovery script 151 send messages 154 settings 150 testing 154 trigger PEM events 153 variable value 104 Windows message 154 ARA Settings menu command 103, 149, 150, 154 ARA Test menu command 154 ARA. See ARA function ara_MSSQL( ) function 153 ara_MSSQL.cmd script 85, 104, 150, 151 ARA_SENDTO variable 153 ARATest parameter 168 archiving configuration settings 97
Index
221
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AS_CHANGESPRING.kml 51 automated recovery actions 85 automatic recovery actions. See ARA function Availability application description 21 icon 21 parameters 168 AvgLatchWaitTime parameter 189 installation requirements 39, 86 monitoring 39, 86 monitoring choices 39, 86 nodes 39, 89 PATROL Agent resource 39, 86 resource group 39, 86 set up 89 shared drive 39, 86 SQL Server status 90 collection commands 109 collection failure 27 collector parameters 26 Collectors application description 21, 26 icon 21 parameters 173 colormap option 59 command line options, -serveronly option 35 Command Queue Length Settings Report 144 computer icon 71 ConfigUpdates parameter 113, 173 configuration clustered servers 89 deploying 98 file, PATROL Agent 65 for clusters 39, 86 for remote installation 40 login for PATROL 75 modifying 100 PATROL Configuration Manager 97 SQL Servers 72 variables 203 Connect to Managed System menu command 118 Connections Remaining Report 144 ConnectionsAvailable parameter 168 ConnectionsRemaining parameter 171 console systems overview 43 console systems, overview 43 console, installing a KM to 43 consumer parameters 26 CPU and I/O Report 144 CPU Busy/Response Time parameter chart 148 CPU reports 144 CPU Usage Report 144 CpuBusy parameter 156, 190 CpuIdle parameter 190 CpuIoBusy parameter 156, 190 creating an installable image 40 parameter charts 148 recovery actions 151 reports 119, 144 virtual PATROL Agent 39 ctltool 40 CurConfigsColl parameter 173 Custom Charts menu command 148
B
backing up installation 47, 50 batch file for recovery actions 151 Blackout menu command 103 blackout periods, validating 103 blackout variable 103 blocked detection time 83, 142 blocked processes 83, 139, 142 Blocked Processes menu command 157 Blocked Processes Report 144, 156 BlockerProcs parameter 83, 156, 168 blocking locks 18 blocking processes definition 83, 139 detection time 139 problem alert method 139 BMC Software, contacting 2 Bourne shell 57 Break Connection menu command 118 browser requirements 35 BufferCacheHitRatio parameter 170 buffers 18
C
C shell 57 Cache application description 21 icon 21 parameters 170 CacheHitRatio parameter 17, 189 can 124 Capacity application description 21 icon 21 parameters 171 Change Icon Label menu command 120 CheckConfiguration parameter 120, 173 clearing parameter alarms 146 clusters configurations 39 configuring 39, 86 history data 39, 86 in offline mode 90 in online mode 90
222
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
custom reports 143, 144 Custom Reports dialog box 144 customer support 3 Customizable Reports dialog box 144 customizations, migrating 52 customized PSL, migrating 52 subscriber monitoring 82, 135 user monitoring 83 user problem alert method 140 deleting old versions 47, 50 DeliveredCmdsPerSec parameter 193 DeliveredTransPerSec parameter 193 DeliveryLatency parameter 193 Device Information menu command 132 Disconnect from Managed System menu command 118 discovery accelerating 79 automatic 17 databases, automatic 129 databases, manual 129 servers 17 SQL Server 69 Disk application description 22 icon 22 parameters 179 Disk I/O parameter chart 148 disk space requirements 35 DiskIoErrors parameter 179 DiskIoReads parameter 179 DiskIoWrites parameter 179 documentation, related 31
D
data history 28 data retrieval parameters 26 summary 26 Database application description 22 icon 22, 25 InfoBox 131 parameters 177 Database Information menu command 132 database pages 18 Database Resources menu command 132 Database Space Used (Percent) parameter chart 148 Database Space Used (Size) parameter chart 148 Database Users menu command 132 DatabaseLockAvgWaitTime parameter 183 DatabaseLockRequestsPerSec parameter 183 DatabaseLockRequestWaitPercent parameter 183 databases automatic discovery 129 discovering 129 InfoBox 131 manual discovery 129 monitoring 81, 129 monitoring objects 134 object monitoring defaults 82, 134 space used 18 status 131 stop monitoring 118 DatabaseSpaceUsedMB parameter 177 DatabaseSpaceUsedPct parameter 177 DBCC INPUT BUFFER statement 156 DbSpaceColl parameter 174 DbStructureColl parameter 174 DeadlocksPerSec parameter 190 debug, finding query execution time 110 default values for parameters 165 defaults blocked detection time 83, 139, 142 database monitoring 81 idle detection time 83, 142 object monitoring 82, 134 parameter, automated recovery 85 parameter, property definition 84 process monitoring 83 published articles monitoring 82, 135 SQL Server Agent monitoring 81
E
environment variables for browser 57 LANG 57 PATH 57, 58 PATROL_BROWSER 58 setting for browser 57 error log filter 125 parameters 146 reports 127 string monitoring 125 trigger 123 trigger PEM events 129 viewing 119, 127 Error Log application description 22 icon 22 parameters 128, 180 error logs 20 error messages, reviewing 80 ErrorLogColl parameter 125, 128 ErrorLogDiskSpaceFree parameter 127 ErrorLogDiskSpaceFreeThreshold parameter 127 ErrorLogSize parameter 126 ErrorLogSizeThreshold parameter 126 ErrorLogUpdates parameter 129, 146, 181 eXceed 59
Index
223
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Exclude Errorlog String from Monitoring menu command 127 ExtentLockAvgWaitTime parameter 183 ExtentLockRequestsPerSec parameter 184 ExtentLockRequestWaitPercent parameter 184
G
Get configuration menu command 100 global channel lock requests 158 maintaining 17 managing 158 monitoring 158 overview 17, 158 Global Channel Info menu command 158 Global Channel Reset menu command 158 GlobalVarsColl parameter 174
F
-f startup 119 failover from another node 92 history data 39, 86 monitoring 39, 84, 86 node-level monitoring 89 PATROL Agent 91 settings 39 to another node 91 Failover parameter activating alarm 84, 146 behavior 92 configuring 91 default values 169 description 169 virtual PATROL Agent 39, 86 features, list of 16 File application description 22 icon 22, 25 InfoBox 134 monitoring 125, 133 reports 134 File Application Class parameters 181 file group monitoring 72, 133 file monitoring 72, 133 Filegroup application description 22 icon 22, 25 InfoBox 134 monitoring 125, 133 parameters 182 reports 134 filegroups 19 files ARA function output 153 ara_MSSQL.cmd 151 loading 64 param.hist 28 FileSizeMB parameter 181 first time installation 46 Force Discovery menu command 79 free buffers, monitoring 18 FullScansPerSec parameter 190 functions, ara_MSSQL( ) 153
H
hierarchy of application icons 25 history data 39, 86, 145 history files 28
I
I/O waits 18 icons alarm state 27 hierarchy 25 in a cluster 90 types of 20 idle detection time 83, 142 idle processes 83 IdleProcs parameter 83, 156, 172 index monitoring 134 InfoBox accessing 119 database 131 SQL Server 119 user 134, 142 installable image configuration 40 creating 40 ctltool 40 installation backing up 47, 50 choosing a target computers 42 clearing cache 47, 50 for the first time 46 in a cluster 39, 86 in UNIX 35 local 40 online Help 57 preparing for 38 remote 40 removing old files 47, 50 system requirements 34 utility 40 integrated security mode 75
224
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
K
KeyLockAvgWaitTime parameter 184 KeyLockRequestsPerSec parameter 184 KeyLockRequestWaitPercent parameter 185 Kill Server Process menu command 143 Kill This Process menu command 143 KM 124 KM customizations, migrating 52 km files loading automatically 65 loading manually 65 Korn shell 57
L
LANG environment variable 57 LazyWritesPerSec parameter 179 license requirements 35 loading files 64 lock reports 144 LockRequestsPerSec parameter 185 LockRequestWaitPercent parameter 185 locks blocking 18 global channel 158 row-level 19 Locks application description 22 icon 22 parameters 183 Locks Info for CPU Users Report 144 Locks Remaining Report 144 Locks Types Held Report 144 LocksColl parameter 174 LocksRemaining parameter 172 Log Space Used (Percent) parameter chart 148 Log Space Used (Size) parameter chart 148 log, transaction 19 Login Management application 21 LogSpaceColl parameter 175 LogSpaceUsedMB parameter 19, 177 LogSpaceUsedPCT parameter 19 LogSpaceUsedPct parameter 178 LongRunningTrans parameter 178 LongRunningTransColl parameter 175 Lookup Process IDs menu command 141
M
managed systems, overview 43 manual migration 52 memory reports 144 Memory Usage Report 144 migration
back up before 47 backing up before 50 customized PSL 52 of customizations manually 52 mixed security mode 75 modifying instances 98 Monitor Specific User menu command 141 monitoring blocking locks 18 blocking processes 83 buffers 18 cache-hit-ratio 17 cluster 39, 86 databases 129 defaults 81, 82, 121, 135 enabling 125, 133 error log strings 20 error logs 20, 81, 124 failover 39, 84, 86 file groups 72, 133 files 72, 133 global channel 158 I/O waits 18 idle processes 83 objects 82, 134 page reads 18 processes 83, 137, 143 replication 71 row-level locking 19 space used 18 SQL Server Agent 121 SQL Server Agent error log 121 SQL Server Agent job failures 123 SQL Server Agent jobs 122 SQL Servers 117 SQL statements 156 strings 125 subscribers 82, 135 transaction log 19 user connections 19 users 83, 137 Monitoring Setup menu command 125, 133 MonProbUsers parameter 175 MSSQL_SERVER application description 21 discovery 17, 70 icon 21, 70, 71 MSSQL_SERVER_ADMIN application description 21 discovery 70 icon 21, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_AVAILABILITY application description 21 discovery 70 icon 21, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_CACHE application description 21
Index
225
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
discovery 70 icon 21, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_CAPACITY application description 21 discovery 70 icon 21, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_COLLECTORS application description 21 discovery 70 icon 21, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_DATABASE application description 22 icon 22 MSSQL_SERVER_DB application discovery 70 icon 70, 71 instances 72 MSSQL_SERVER_DISK application description 22 discovery 70 icon 22, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_ERROR_LOG application description 22 icon 22 MSSQL_SERVER_ERRORLOG application discovery 70 icon 70, 71 monitoring 81 overview 20 MSSQL_SERVER_FILE application discovery 70 icon 70, 72 MSSQL_SERVER_FILEGROUP application discovery 70 icon 70, 72 MSSQL_SERVER_LOCKS application description 22 discovery 70 icon 22, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_LOGIN_MGMT application 21 discovery 70 icon 70 MSSQL_SERVER_NETWORK application description 23 discovery 70 icon 23, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_OBJECT application discovery 70 icon 70 MSSQL_SERVER_OBJECTS application description 23 icon 23 MSSQL_SERVER_PERFORMANCE application description 23 discovery 70 icon 23, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_PROC_CACHE application description 23 discovery 70 icon 23, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_PUBLISHED application description 23 discovery 70 icon 23, 70, 71 MSSQL_SERVER_SQLSERVER_SETUP application discovery 70 icon 70 MSSQL_SERVER_SUBSCRIBERS application description 23 discovery 70 icon 23, 70, 71 MSSQL_SERVER_USER_DEF_CNTRS application description 24 discovery 70 icon 24, 70 MSSQL_SERVER_USERS application description 24 discovery 70 icon 24, 70, 71
N
net send command 104, 150, 153 Netscape Navigator 35, 57 Network application description 23 icon 23 parameters 188 Network Traffic parameter chart 149 node-level agent 89 NumberofFreeBuffers 18 NumberOfFreeBuffers parameter 171 NumBlockedProcesses parameter 169 NumCurrentLocks 178 NumCurrentUsers 178 NumProcesses parameter 172
O
Object Information menu command 135 object monitoring 134 Object Space Monitor menu command 135 ObjectDataSizeMB parameter 188 ObjectReservedSizeMB parameter 189 objects monitoring defaults 82 status 135 stop monitoring 118 Objects application 135 description 23 icon 23, 25 parameters 188
226
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ObjectSizeColl parameter 175 online Help installing 43, 57 navigating to 163 Open Databases Report 144 operating system recovery actions 149 OutstandingReads parameter 179 OutstandingWrites parameter 179 snoozing 147 SQL Server Agent 123 SQL Server Agent (SQL Executive) 123 SQLExecJobFailures 146 standard 26 storing data 26 suspended 118 users 138 with automatic recovery actions 150 with fixed thresholds 110 with status set in code 109 parameters affected general monitoring user mode 155 recovery action 155 partially 155 PATH variable 58 PATROL Agent cluster resource 39, 86 configuration file 65 configuration variables 153, 203 installing a KM to 43 node-level 89 node-level cluster 39, 86 parameter data, storing 26 virtual 39, 86, 88 PATROL Central Operator - Web Edition 43 PATROL Cluster Configuration Wizard 39, 86 PATROL Configuration Manager archiving 97 ConfigUpdates parameter 173 detecting changes 173 modifying instances 98 overview 96 removing instances 98 requirements 96 PATROL Console installing a KM to 43 loading KM 65 Netscape Navigator and 57 parameter data, reviewing 26 PATROL Event Manager (PEM) 104, 123, 129, 145, 150 PATROL KM for Event Management 96 PATROL login account 75, 120 PATROL Script Language (PSL) 149 PATROL security 41 PATROL_BROWSER variable 58 PATROL_CACHE 47, 50 PATROL_HOME 47, 50 PatrolMainMap 71 pcc.exe 88 PCProcBuffersActivePct parameter 192 PCProcBuffersUsedPct parameter 192 PCProcCacheActivePct parameter 192 PCProcCacheUsedPct parameter 192 PEM 123 PEM (PATROL Event Manager) 123, 129, 145 perfmon 34
P
PacketErrors parameter 188 PacketsReceived parameter 188 PacketsSent parameter 188 page reads 18 PageLifeExpectancy parameter 171 PageLockAvgWaitTime parameter 185 PageLockRequestsPerSec parameter 186 PageLockRequestWaitPercent parameter 186 pages, monitoring 18 param.hist file 28 Parameter Charts menu command 119, 148 parameter properties, changing 111 parameters activating recovery actions 104, 150 annotate 153 BlockerProcs 83 changing poll times 109 changing thresholds 110 clearing alarms 146 collector 26 collector-consumer dependencies 197 ConfigUpdates 113 consumer 26 creating charts 148 data retrieval 26 deactivating 108 deactivating recovery actions 104, 150 default values 165 defaults, automated recovery actions 85 defaults, definition 84 definition dialog boxes 149 definitions 165 error log 146 ErrorLogUpdates 146 history data 28, 39, 86 history file 28 IdleProcs 83 modifying 111 overview of 26 PEM events 123, 129, 153 processes 138 property definitions 149 recovery actions 149 refreshing 80 reviewing data 26
Index
227
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Perform Application Discovery menu command 79 Performance application description 23 icon 23 parameters 189 performance objects 34 Performance Summary parameter chart 149 physical PATROL Agents 89 planning for installation 38 poll times 109 polling cycles 109 preparing for installation 38 problem alert method 140 Procedure Cache application description 23 icon 23 parameters 192 ProcedureCacheColl parameter 176 Process Listing Report 144 ProcessColl parameter 176 processes automatic monitoring 83 blocked 83, 139, 142 blocked detection time 139 blocking 139 display blocked 142 idle 83 idle detection time 83 manual monitoring 141 monitoring 137 monitoring defaults 83 most active 142 problem alert method 140 reports 143 resource usage 142 reviewing list IDs 141 stop monitoring 118, 141 product support 3 property definitions for parameters 149 PSL, migrating 52 publications, related 31 Published application description 23 icon 23, 25 parameters 193 reports 136 published articles monitoring defaults 82, 135 reports 136
R
recovery actions activating 104, 150 adding 149 batch file 151 changing 149 deactivating 104, 150 isql 151 operating system 149 parameters 150 PSL 149 queries 152 report 156 Red Hat Linux 35 Refresh Parameters menu command 80 refreshing parameters 80 related publications 31 remote installation 40 ReplicatedCommandsPerSec parameter 193 ReplicatedTransPerSec parameter 193 replication monitoring 71 ReplicationColl parameter 176 reports active processes 156 active processes by login 142 all processes 156 Blocked Process List 142, 143 Blocked Processes 144 blocked processes 144, 156 Command Queue 144 Command Queue Length Settings 144 connections 144 Connections Remaining 144 CPU 144 CPU and I/O 144 CPU usage 144 creating 119 creating custom 143, 144 customized 143 database information 132 Disk I/O Errors 144 error log 127 I/O 144 locks 144 Locks Info for CPU Users 144 Locks Remaining 144 Locks Types Held 144 Memory Usage 144 memory use 144 most active processes 142 NULL passwords 142 Open Databases 144 process detail information 142 Process Listing 144 process listing for user 143 process resource hogs 142
Q
query execution time 110
228
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
process resource usage 142 processes 142 Published application 136 published articles 136 sp_who 144 subscribers 137 Suspect Databases 144 suspect databases 144 user login information 142 users 142 requirements browser 35 disk space 35 installation 34 system 34 resource group 39, 86, 90 ResponseColl parameter 176 ResponseExecTime parameter 191 ResponseSqlTime parameter 191 restart a monitored server 119 restarting SQL Server 119 retrieving data 26 RIDLockAvgWaitTime parameter 19, 186 RIDLockRequestsPerSec parameter 19, 187 RIDLockRequestWaitPercent parameter 19, 187 RowCountEstimate parameter 109, 189 row-level locking 19 rules and rule sets converting from variables 101 examples displayed 101 timestamp 101 setting up the product 64 setting variables for browser 57 setup steps accelerating discovery 79 configuring a SQL Server 72 loading the files 64 saving changes 69 verifying SQL Server is discovered 69 shared drive for cluster 39, 86 shells Bourne 57 C 57 Korn 57 Show Latest Error Log Data report 127 Show System Output Window menu command 80 Shutdown SQL Server Agent menu command 122 Shutdown SQL Server menu command 118 shutting down a server 118 SNMP trap 104, 150, 153 snmp/p1V1m_list variable 153 snoozing a parameter 147 sp_who Report 144 SpaceUsedMB parameter 18, 181, 182 SpaceUsedPCT parameter 18, 182 SQL 123, 156 SQL commands via isql 151 SQL Performance Objects 34 SQL Server change label for instance 120 change name of 120 configuring 72 database reports 132 discovery 17, 69 -f startup 119 failing over 91, 92 icon 71 InfoBox 119 monitoring 117 PATROL login 75 performance objects 34 published and subscriber defaults 82, 135 restarting 119 start monitoring 118 starting 119 status 119 stop monitoring 118 user monitoring 137 user monitoring reports 142 SQL Server Agent defaults 81, 121 error log 121 job 123 jobs 122 monitoring 121 monitoring defaults 81, 121 parameters 123 SQL Server Agent (SQL Executive) parameters 123
S
Save KM menu command 69 saving changes 69 Search Error Log report 127 security levels overview 41 requirements 35 security modes 21, 75 Server application description 21 icon 21, 25 reports 142 -serveronly command line option 35 servers, discovery of 17 Set Database Auto-Discovery menu command 130 Set Default Actions menu command 154 Set Send To Names menu command 154 Set up Error Log Disk Space Free Threshold menu command 127 Set up Error Log Size Threshold menu command 126 Set up Error Log String Monitoring menu command 125 setting up clusters 89 setting up SQL Snapshot 156
Index
229
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
SQL Server Instance Setup dialog box 73 SQL Server Instance Setup menu command 73, 120, 157 SQL Server Name Used by PATROL menu command 121 SQL Snapshot 156 SQL Snapshot for User menu command 157 SQL Snapshot menu command 143, 156 SQL statements displaying 157 monitoring 156 SQLAgentJobFailures parameter 123, 169 SQLAgentStatus parameter 109, 123, 170 SQLExecJobFailures parameter 146 SQLServerAgentJobFailures parameter 123 SQLServerColl parameter 176 SQLServerStatus parameter 90, 170 standard collector parameter 197 standard collectors 26, 27 standard parameters 26 standard security mode 75 start monitoring a server 118 Start SQL Server Agent menu command 122 Start SQL Server menu command 119 stop monitoring process 141 server 118 user 141 Stop Monitoring menu command 141 stored procedures, viewing 156 storing parameter data 26 subscribers monitoring defaults 82, 135 status 136 Subscribers application description 23 icon 23, 25 InfoBox 136 parameters 193 reports 137 support, customer 3 Suspect Databases Report 144 SuspectDatabases parameter 170 System Output Window 72 system requirements 34 system roles console systems 43 managed systems 43 overview of target computers 42 tasks 157 technical support 3 testing recovery actions 154 thresholds, changing for parameters 110 transaction log 19 TransactionsPerSec parameter 191 triggers, viewing 156
U
Update Connection menu command 118 upgrading backing up before 47, 50 choosing a procedure 42 user account 58 User application icon 25 reports 143 User Customizable Reports menu command 119, 132, 143, 144 UserBlocked parameter 142, 194 UserColl parameter 194 UserConnections parameter 19, 172 UserCpu parameter 194 UserDefCounter110 parameter 194 User-Defined Counters application description 24 icon 24 parameters 194 UserDefinedCountersColl parameter 176 UserIdle parameter 142, 195 UserIo parameter 195 UserMemUsage parameter 195 users InfoBox 134 manual monitoring 141 monitoring 137 most active 142 resource usage 142 reviewing list of IDs 141 status 134, 142 stop monitoring 118, 141 Users application description 24 icon 24 InfoBox 142 monitoring 137 parameters 194 UserTotCpu parameter 195 UserTotIo parameter 195 using recovery actions 151
T
table monitoring 134 TableLockAvgWaitTime parameter 187 TableLockRequestsPerSec parameter 187 TableLockRequestWaitPercent parameter 188 target computers 42 task output window 123
V
variable for PATROL_BROWSER 58
230
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
variables agent set up 203 deploying to new host 102 descriptions 203 for internal use only 99 PATROL Agent 203 PATROL Agent, ARA_SENDTO 153 PATROL Agent, snmp/p1V1m_list 153 setting up 203 virtual PATROL Agent configuring 39, 86 creating 88 fails over 91
W
Windows message recipients 154 wpconfig utility 203
Index
231
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
232
Notes