Tag: SCOM

Step-by-Step – Installing System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2019 on Windows Server 2019 with SQL 2017

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This post I will be installing System Center Operations Manager 2019 (SCOM) RTM, Build Number 10.19.10050.

Here is some of the background information. As this post will concentrate on the installation of SCOM 2019, I am going to omit the setup and configuration of the Domain Controller, Windows Server 2019 for the SCOM Management Server. Also to note, I am using a PaaS instance of SQL 2017 (hosted on Azure), likewise the entire environment lives on Azure in an IaaS and PaaS configuration.

Service Accounts and Local Administrator:

DomainAccount Description Local Admin on…
domainSCOM_AA SCOM Action Account SCOM
domainSCOM_DA SCOM Data Access/SDK Account SCOM
domainSCOM_SQL_READ SCOM SQL Reader n/a
domainSCOM_SQL_WRITE SCOM SQL Writer n/a
domainSCOM_Admins SCOM Administrators Group SCOM
domainSQL_SA SQL Service Account n/a

Now, if you’re lazy like me, or are tired of doing this setup for environments, I have scripted the automation of these accounts. You can find that link here, Microsoft TechNet Gallery.

Let’s Begin:

Since I am hosting SQL on a dedicated server, I will install SSRS (SCOM Reporting) on that server.

Well, that’s not new… Prerequisites. Since this is a clean, vanilla Windows 2019 server, we will need to install all the necessary Web Console components, along with Report Viewer Controls (probably SQL CLR Types too..).

  • For the Report Viewer Prerequisites, go HERE.
  • Here is the PowerShell command I ran to install the necessary IIS features/roles:
Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature Web-Server, Web-WebServer, Web-Common-Http, Web-Default-Doc, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Static-Content, Web-Health, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Log-Libraries, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Performance, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Security, Web-Filtering, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-App-Dev, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Mgmt-Tools, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Compat, Web-Metabase, NET-Framework-45-Features, NET-Framework-45-Core, NET-Framework-45-ASPNET, NET-WCF-Services45, NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45, NET-WCF-TCP-PortSharing45, WAS, WAS-Process-Model, WAS-Config-APIs -restart

 

Once the server is back online, you will need to register ASP.Net.

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You will need to apply the following using Command Prompt (as Administrator)). Yes, this is a screenshot from a previous post…Forgot to capture the screenshot when running it this time..

  1. “cd %WINDIR%Microsoft.NETFramework64v4.0.30319“
  2. aspnet_regiis.exe -r
  3. IISRESET
  4. Reboot your server…

Once the server is back online, let’s try that Prerequisites check again….

Great! Now all of Prerequisites have been met!

Provide a meaningful Management Group Name (there’s no going back after this…)

SQL Server will be where your SCOM SQL instance(s) were installed. Remember, to either disable the Windows Firewall, or open SQL TCP Ports 1433.

 

I recommend always keeping this off, and manually updating your SCOM infrastructure.

One quick review. Looks good. Hit Install, and get some fresh air!

A few minutes later….

Sweet! All good. I hope this helps. If you have any questions or issues, please drop me a line.

Happy 2019 SCOM’ing!

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System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2019- Requirements for Windows Server 2019 via PowerShell

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The following PowerShell code is to install all the necessary IIS components for System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2019 Web Console on Windows Server 2019.

Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature Web-Server, Web-WebServer, Web-Common-Http, Web-Default-Doc, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Static-Content, Web-Health, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Log-Libraries, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Performance, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Security, Web-Filtering, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-App-Dev, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Mgmt-Tools, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Compat, Web-Metabase, NET-Framework-45-Features, NET-Framework-45-Core, NET-Framework-45-ASPNET, NET-WCF-Services45, NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45, NET-WCF-TCP-PortSharing45, WAS, WAS-Process-Model, WAS-Config-APIs, web-asp-net -restart

You can also find this in Microsoft’s TechNet Gallery, HERE.

What’s new in System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2019?

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When it comes to monitoring your on-premises datacenter, System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) is still the tool of choice. The System Center stack has been the Microsoft go-to toolset for decades for datacenter management. System Center 2019 it is expected be made Generally Available (GA) in the next few weeks, as Q1 comes to an end.

It is also worth mentioning, SCOM and the entire System Center 2019 stack will be following the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) model.

Some of the key features that will be highlighted with the release of SCOM 2019 are below.

  • Improved Azure Management Pack (faster and easier to manage)
  • Improved HTML5 dashboards – The new web console has no dependencies on SilverLight and is officially HTML5
  • Azure Service Map Integration
  • Enhanced notifications and alert management – Rich HTML notifications are now default
  • Customize and Preview HTML notification content
  • Email notification improvements such as the ability operators (‘OR’ and ‘EXCLUDE’) to the criteria builder
  • Backend support for SQL Server 2017 and SilverLight dependencies removed
  • Enhanced Agentless alerting during failover scenarios
  • Enhanced certificate validation for Web Application monitoring
  • Application Performance Monitoring (APM) support for CSM (Client Side Monitoring) for Edge and Chrome
  • Support for OpenSSL 1.1.0 for Linux platforms
  • Kerberos support for Linux agent
  • Linux log file monitoring (any custom datasource ie. docker/kubernetes container monitoring)

Happy Retirement SCOM GSM (Global Service Monitor)

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Earlier this month, Microsoft announced that the SCOM’s (Operations Manager) GSM (Global Service Monitor) will officially call it quits and retire the service, effectively, November 7th, 2018. As it is a sad day for us, long-time SCOM administrators, the future remains bright, as Microsoft makes way for Application Insights. Over the last year or so, I have done numerous presentations and conferences on Azure’s Application Insights (App Insights), and demonstrating the natural evolution from SCOM APM to Azure App Insights. However, before we start talking about Azure’s App Insights, we need to start thinking about migrate away from GSM.

If you don’t know, GSM, Global Service Monitor in System Center Operations Manager provides the ability to monitor the availability of external web-based applications from multiple locations throughout the world. Microsoft Azure has this feature already within App Insights, called, “Availability“. Creative, I know.. But it does exactly that, measures the availability of your application.

Fellow MVP, Kevin Greene wrote an amazing, and in-depth article on how to migrate your application and GSM to Azure App Insights, so please have a read here. Over the next few blog posts, I would like to provide some detailed demos on Application Insights and how you can start taking advantage of this service to start monitoring your applications.

System Center 1807!

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System Center 1807 release is officially available. This includes a new updated version for both Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) and Operations Manager. SCOM 1807 highlights a big update to features such as HTML5 and Widgets.

See the URL for more info, the latest release! https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/windowsserver/2018/07/24/system-center-1807-available-now/

Stay tuned, as I will follow up with a step by step guide for the install, and exploring the new features in the latest release!

System Center – Operations Manager 1801 is now available!

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Yesterday afternoon, Microsoft released Operations Manager (System Center, SCOM) version 1801. This is a major change from previous versions of SCOM/Operations Manager, as it now introduces the same release cycle as Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10, ie. Semi-Annual Channel (SAC).

Like Server 2016, and Windows 10, all new features and updates will be delivered in the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) manner.

Within the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) model:

  • Each build, ie. 1801 is supported for a minimum of 18 months from its release date;
  • Consistent updates and features within the 6-months (semi-annual) time frame;

In the Operations Manager 1801 version, some of the new features include:

  • Service Map integration;
  • Linux Kerberos support;
  • Linux Log File monitoring improvements;
  • Improvements to the SDK performance;
  • Telemetry for HTML5 dashboard, plus improvements/performance;
  • 3rd Party Management Pack – Updates and Recommendation;

For more information, have a read at the Microsoft blog post: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/system-center/scom/what-is-new-1801?view=sc-om-1801

 

Over the next few days, I will spend some time on deploying Operations Manager 1801, so stay tuned for that post! Until next time.

If you want to deploy Operations Manager 1801, go here for the System Center Evaluations download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-system-center-release

System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2016 – Requirements for Windows Server 2016 via PowerShell

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The following PowerShell code is to install all the necessary IIS components for System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2016 Web Console on Windows Server 2016.

Import-Module ServerManager
Add-WindowsFeature Web-Server, Web-WebServer, Web-Common-Http, Web-Default-Doc, Web-Dir-Browsing, Web-Http-Errors, Web-Static-Content, Web-Health, Web-Http-Logging, Web-Log-Libraries, Web-Request-Monitor, Web-Performance, Web-Stat-Compression, Web-Security, Web-Filtering, Web-Windows-Auth, Web-App-Dev, Web-Net-Ext45, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-Mgmt-Tools, Web-Mgmt-Console, Web-Mgmt-Compat, Web-Metabase, NET-Framework-45-Features, NET-Framework-45-Core, NET-Framework-45-ASPNET, NET-WCF-Services45, NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45, NET-WCF-TCP-PortSharing45, WAS, WAS-Process-Model, WAS-Config-APIs, web-asp-net -restart

You can also find this in Microsoft’s TechNet Gallery, HERE.

Dual-Homing OMS/Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) — Questions

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Earlier this week, I posted on how the OMS/Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) can be dual-homed for multiple OMS Workspaces.

A good question from the community came up (thank you @ Manoj Mathew), “Have you noticed any performance impacts on the Agents when they are multi homed to OMS?“

In the OMS Query below — making use of OMS’ Log Analytics, I checked the performance data in the last 48 hours. Unfortunately I cannot go any further, since the MMA was deployed earlier in that day, and the second OMS workspace was added later that afternoon.

There are a few spikes in the Memory and CPU, but this is also a result of a few factors:

  • Initially there is a high level of CPU/Memory usage as OMS did its stuff when the MMA/OMS made friends and synced up their data/solutions
  • There is a small spike when the second OMS workspace was added but this is minimal at best
  • This server was being patched with 90+ Windows Server OS patches around 8PM.

The query I used to collect the data is here,

perfover48hours

Computer="COMPUTERNAME.FQDN" Type=Perf (CounterName="Available MBytes" OR CounterName="% Processor Time") (ObjectName=Memory OR ObjectName=Processor)

A second question being asked here is, “how many OMS Workspace IDs can be added to “dual-home” the MMA agent?“

Unfortunately I only have 3 OMS Workspace’s to work with at the moment in this environment, but with that said, I can surely say a minimum of 3. If you have the ability to test more than 3, I would love to find out!

Dual-Homing OMS/Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA)

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Today I learned that the MMA (Microsoft Monitoring Agent) has the ability to be “dual-homed“. Similar to what we have seen in the past with the System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) agent and dual-homing it to multiple SCOM environments/Management Groups, the same can be said for the Operations Management Suite (OMS)/MMA agent. By going into the MMA properties, you can add multiple OMS Workspace IDs.  This is great if you want the Computer reporting to multiple OMS Workspaces and/or Azure Subscriptions, as was the case for me today.

Simply launch the MMA agent, and within the Azure Log Analytics (OMS), add your OMS Workspace ID here.

Note, this works for the MMA version, 8.0.11030.0 — Windows. Has not been tested against the Linux Agent.

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