Module 14 Monitoring and Maintaining Windows Server® 2008 Servers

Module Overview Planning Monitoring Tasks Calculating a Server Baseline Measuring Performance Objects Selecting Appropriate Monitoring Tools Planning Notification Methods Overview of Windows Server 2008 Management Tasks Automating Windows Server 2008 Maintenance

Lesson 1: Planning Monitoring Tasks Reasons for Monitoring Monitoring Methods Planning for Event Monitoring

Reasons for Monitoring Health of the IT infrastructure:  Normal activity  Abnormal activity Service-level agreement monitoring Planning for future requirements:  Capacity  Reallocation Identifying issues:  Reactive  Proactive Health of the IT infrastructure:  Normal activity  Abnormal activity Service-level agreement monitoring Planning for future requirements:  Capacity  Reallocation Identifying issues:  Reactive  Proactive

Monitoring Methods Historical:  Event logs  Retained performance logs Historical:  Event logs  Retained performance logs Real time:  Performance monitoring  Service-level agreements Real time:  Performance monitoring  Service-level agreements Tools:  Event Viewer  Reliability and Performance Monitor  Windows System Resource Manager  System Center Operations Manager  Third-party Tools:  Event Viewer  Reliability and Performance Monitor  Windows System Resource Manager  System Center Operations Manager  Third-party

Planning for Event Monitoring Cost:  Money savings  Time savings Cost:  Money savings  Time savings Personnel:  Effort reductions  Efficiency increases Personnel:  Effort reductions  Efficiency increases Respond to events:  Reactive  Proactive

Lesson 2: Calculating a Server Baseline Key Hardware Components to Monitor Common Performance Metrics Analyzing Performance Trends Planning for Future Capacity Requirements

Key Hardware Components to Monitor Processor Disk Memory Network

Common Performance Metrics Process Processor Server System Thread Process Processor Server System Thread Cache Memory Objects Paging file Physical disk Cache Memory Objects Paging file Physical disk

Analyzing Performance Trends Historical analysis Future business requirements IT consolidation planning

Planning for Future Capacity Requirements New services Upgrades Operating system updates Upgrades Operating system updates Number of users

Lesson 3: Measuring Performance Objects Identifying Server Role Performance Metrics Identifying Key Performance Counters Primary CPU Performance Counters Primary Memory Performance Counters Primary Disk Performance Counters Primary Network Performance Counters

Identifying Server Role Performance Metrics Server rolePerformance objects Active Directory directory service NTDS DNS server DNS IIS TCP IIS Global File server Memory Logical Disk

Identifying Key Performance Counters Time value counters:  Real-time values  Average over last second  Number per second Time value counters:  Real-time values  Average over last second  Number per second Maximum Minimum Average value Total since last restart Maximum Minimum Average value Total since last restart

Primary CPU Performance Counters Object\CounterPreferred or Ideal Value Processor\% Processor Time Less than 75 percent Processor\Interrupts/sec Depends on the processor, and on network hardware and drivers Processor\System Processor Queue Length 4 or less

Primary Memory Performance Counters Object\CounterPreferred or Ideal Value Memory\Pages per sec 0–20. (Unhealthy if greater than 80; probably indicates not enough RAM) Memory\Available Bytes10% of physical memory Memory\Committed Bytes No more than 75 percent of physical memory Memory\Pool Nonpaged Bytes A steady value

Primary Disk Performance Counters Object\Counter Preferred or Ideal Value LogicalDisk\% Disk Time PhysicalDisk\% Disk Time As low as possible LogicalDisk\Avg. Disk Queue Length PhysicalDisk\Avg. Disk Queue Length Less than 4 LogicalDisk\Avg. Disk Bytes/Transfer PhysicalDisk\Avg. Disk Bytes/Transfer As high as possible

Primary Network Performance Counters Bytes received per second Bytes sent per second Packets received per second Packets sent per second Output queue length Packets received errors Packets outgoing errors Bytes received per second Bytes sent per second Packets received per second Packets sent per second Output queue length Packets received errors Packets outgoing errors

Lab A: Identifying Windows Server 2008 Monitoring Requirements Exercise 1: Evaluating Performance Metrics Exercise 2: Monitoring Performance Metrics Logon information Virtual machineNYC-DC1, NYC-SVR1 User nameWoodgrovebank\Administrator Password Pa$$w0rd Estimated time: 90 minutes

Lab Scenario You are a server administrator for Woodgrove Bank. Some of your users are reporting issues with some servers that have been identified as running slowly. You must evaluate data that is collected from performance logs and identify where potential problems may exist.

Lab Review How can you view information about a performance counter? Task Manager does not display CPU information for virtual machines running on Hyper-V. How could you view CPU usage information for these virtual machines?

Lesson 4: Selecting Appropriate Monitoring Tools Windows Server 2008 Monitoring Tools Reliability and Performance Monitor Reliability Monitor Third-Party Monitoring Tools What Are Subscriptions?

Windows Server 2008 Monitoring Tools Built-in tools for monitoring systems: Event Viewer Task Manager Scripting Reliability and Performance Monitor Event Viewer Task Manager Scripting Reliability and Performance Monitor

Reliability Monitor

Demonstration: Overview of the Reliability and Performance Monitor In this demonstration, you will see an overview of the Reliability and Performance monitor

Notes Page Over-flow Slide. Do Not Print Slide. See Notes pane.

Third-Party Monitoring Tools Applications Hardware System Center Operations Manager integration

What Are Subscriptions? Subscriptions collect events from multiple computers, and store them locally

Lesson 5: Planning Notification Methods Identifying Business Requirements Suitable Notification Methods Establishing an Escalation Path

Identifying Business Requirements Economic cost of service failure Service-level agreement response times Staff availability

Notify support staff by using: Pager SMS text message Telephone Scripted notification Pager SMS text message Telephone Scripted notification Suitable Notification Methods

Establishing an Escalation Path RolePurpose Audit trail Identify people Traceable history Maintained for an agreed amount of time Time to escalation How much time should pass before escalation to a higher level? Can issues progress to a higher level immediately? Allocation to group or individual Who receives an issue first? How are issues allocated? Levels of escalation In-house External

Lesson 6: Overview of Windows Server 2008 Management Tasks Windows Server 2008 Maintenance Tasks Common Tasks for Different Server Roles Frequency of Management Tasks

Windows Server 2008 Maintenance Tasks Health and diagnostics monitoring Applying security updates Performance planning Tuning Investigative work Troubleshooting

Common Tasks for Different Server Roles Tasks for all servers:  Review System and Application event logs  Check free disk space  Check that backups are successful  Check service pack and update status Tasks for all servers:  Review System and Application event logs  Check free disk space  Check that backups are successful  Check service pack and update status Specific server roles:  Check additional event logs  Check protocol logs  Check that additional backup requirements are successful Specific server roles:  Check additional event logs  Check protocol logs  Check that additional backup requirements are successful

Frequency of Management Tasks FrequencyTasks Always on Monitoring Alerts Daily Check antivirus software Check event logs on critical servers Check backup status Weekly Review event logs Review server disk capacities Monthly Updating Configuration changes Less frequent Apply service packs Perform upgrades Performance monitoring and tuning Security review Disaster recovery test

Lesson 7: Automating Windows Server 2008 Maintenance Automation Requirements Task Automation Tools Tool Selection Process

Automation Requirements Simplify individual tasks:  Save time and cost  May support delegation Simplify individual tasks:  Save time and cost  May support delegation  Simplify repeated tasks:  Apply configuration to multiple servers  Simplify repeated tasks:  Apply configuration to multiple servers  Be easy to implement:  Time and cost savings outweigh initial planning and configuration  Be easy to implement:  Time and cost savings outweigh initial planning and configuration Specific skills:  In-house or outsourced Specific skills:  In-house or outsourced

Task Automation Tools Windows-based tools Security Configuration Wizard Group Policy objects Scripting Security Configuration Wizard Group Policy objects Scripting Other tools System Center Operations Manager System Center Configuration Manager Third-party tools System Center Operations Manager System Center Configuration Manager Third-party tools

Tool Selection Process Authorization  Business  IT Authorization  Business  IT Before you invest in a management tool, you must consider the following: Cost Whether it is fit for purpose Time it will take to implement Who will provide support Training time and expense Cost Whether it is fit for purpose Time it will take to implement Who will provide support Training time and expense

Lab B: Configuring Windows Server 2008 Monitoring Exercise 1: Configuring Data Collector Sets Exercise 2: Monitoring Extension Exercise Exercise 3: Automating Maintenance Tasks Logon information Virtual machineNYC-DC1, NYC-SVR1 User nameWoodgrovebank\Administrator Password Pa$$w0rd Estimated time: 90 minutes

Lab Scenario You are a server administrator for Woodgrove Bank. Some of your users are reporting issues with some servers that have been identified as running slowly. You must evaluate data that is collected from performance logs and identify where potential problems may exist.

Lab Review Did you receive any warnings on the Performance Report? If so, why did you receive this warning(s) and how would you fix the warning(s)? What approach did you use to determine the performance issues using Performance Monitor logs?

Module Review and Takeaways Review Questions Best Practices Related to Windows Server 2008 Performance Monitoring