In my last blog, we discussed, how to configure a virtual environment, install, and begin to configure MOM 2005 to monitor SQL Server. This blog will continue where the last one left off. We will import MOM 2005 Management Packs and Reports and

begin monitoring SQL Server 2005.


View my Gallery!

Let’s start by opening the console by choosing Start | All

Programs | Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 | Administrator Console (Figure


A.)

Next, click the Import Management Packs link. You must have

a management pack in order for MOM to be able to monitor activity. Click Next

on the Welcome Screen as shown in Figure B. Continue by choosing the Import Managements Packs and/or

Reports radio button (Figure C.)

You are now ready to browse to the CD-ROM where the

Management Packs exist. Figure D. is an example of how to import your

Management Packs and Reports. On this window (Figure E.), you can select the following

Management Packs and Reports desired:

  • Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.akm
  • Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server.akm
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.akm
  • MOM 2005.akm
  • SMS 2003.akm
  • SQL Server 2000.akm
  • Windows Active Directory.akm
  • Windows Base Operating System.akm
  • DNS.akm
  • IIS.akm
  • Server Clusters.akm

Once you choose the Management Packs, the Select Reports

window appears for you to choose the applicable reports as shown in Figure F. Click continue when you are presented with a Secure Socket

Layer (SSL) warning dialog box. You are now ready to review your selection and

begin the importing process. This should take some time if you chose to import

all of the management packs. Click Finish (Figure G.) and then review the

overall status as shown in Figure H.

Let’s Monitor

The Administrator Console (Figure I.) is similar to a

tree-like structure. You have the following tree:

  • Information Center
  • Operations
  • Management Packs
  • Administration

We will begin by

opening the Operator Console from the Start menu (Figure J.) The Operator

Console allows you to perform the following:

  • View
    Alerts
  • View
    State
  • View
    Events
  • View
    Performance
  • View
    Computers & Groups
  • View
    Diagram
  • My
    Views
  • Public
    Views

After perusing

the Operator Console, you can move on to the Reporting Console by choosing Go |

Open Reporting Console from the Operator Console menu bar. You must

first login to the reporting web page as shown in Figure K.

You are now

using the reporting features (Figure L. and Figure M.) of MOM 2005. It is

basically just reports that are installed to the SQL Server Reporting Services

feature embedded within SQL Server 2005.

At this point,

you are ready to play with your MOM 2005 w/ SP1 environment. Now that your

virtual lab is complete, I recommend that you take a snapshot of each server

and go wild trying to monitor SQL Server 2005 with MOM. If you break it, simply

revert to the previous snapshot and try again. I have found this to be the

best way to learn.

Snapshots and

Multiple Snapshots are features available in the VMware Workstation product

line. If you are using Virtual PC, you can use this same method but Virtual PC

calls it differencing disks and it is a little more complicated to configure.

You could always just back up the virtual files and then overwrite them if you

break the configuration as well. Have Fun!