Agents Administration - Tests
 

Configuration of SqlAzuDbUpTimeTest

In most production environments, it is essential to monitor the uptime of critical database instances in the infrastructure. By tracking the uptime of each of the database instances, administrators can determine what percentage of time a database instance has been up. Comparing this value with service level targets, administrators can determine the most trouble-prone areas of the infrastructure.

In some environments, administrators may schedule periodic reboots of their database instance. By knowing that a specific database instance has been up for an unusually long time, an administrator may come to know that the scheduled reboot task is not working on a database instance.

This SqlAzuDbUpTimeTest test monitors the uptime of the target Microsoft SQL Azure Database instance.

The default parameters associated with this test are as follows:

  • The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed.

  • In the HOST text box, the IP address of the host for which the test is to be configured has to be specified.

  • Specify the port number through which the Microsoft SQL Azure database server communicates in the PORT text box. By default, this is 1433.

  • In the DATABASE NAME text box, enter the name of a specific Microsoft SQL Azure database server instance that is to be monitored. The default value of this parameter is “default”. To monitor a Microsoft SQL Azure database server instance named “CFS”, enter this as the value of the Database Name parameter.

  • Specify the name of a SQL Azure database user with the “View Server State” role in the USER text box.

  • Specify the password of the specified User in the PASSWORD text box.

  • Confirm the Password by retyping it here in the CONFIRM PASSWORD text box.

  • If the Microsoft SQL Azure database server being monitored is an SSL-enabled server, then set the SSL flag to Yes. If not, then set the SSL flag to No.

  • By default, none is displayed in the DOMAIN text box. If the ‘SQL server and Windows’ authentication has been enabled for the server being monitored, then the Domain can continue to be none. On the other hand, if ‘Windows only’ authentication has been enabled, then, in the Domain text box, specify the Windows domain in which the managed Microsoft SQL Azure database server exists. Also, in such a case, the User and Password that you provide should be that of a user authorized to access the monitored Microsoft SQL Azure database server.

  • In some Windows networks, NTLM (NT LAN Manager) may be enabled. NTLM is a suite of Microsoft security protocols that provides authentication, integrity, and confidentiality to users. NTLM version 2 (“NTLMv2”) was concocted to address the security issues present in NTLM. By default, the ISNTLMV2 flag is set to No, indicating that NTLMv2 is not enabled by default on the target Microsoft SQL Azure database server host. Set the ISNTLMV2 flag to Yes if NTLMv2 is enabled on the target host.

  • By default, the REPORT MANAGER TIME flag is set to Yes, indicating that, by default, the detailed diagnosis of this test, if enabled, will report the shutdown and reboot times of the device in the manager’s time zone. If this REPORT MANAGER TIME flag is set to No, then the shutdown and reboot times are shown in the time zone of the system where the agent is running(i.e., the system being managed for agent-based monitoring, and the system on which the remote agent is running - for agentless monitoring).

  • The DD FREQUENCY parameter refers to the frequency with which detailed diagnosis measures are to be generated for this test. The default is 1:1. This indicates that, by default, detailed measures will be generated every time this test runs, and also every time the test detects a problem. You can modify this frequency, if you so desire. Also, if you intend to disable the detailed diagnosis capability for this test, you can do so by specifying none against DD FREQUENCY .

  • To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG suite embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the DETAILED DIAGNOSIS capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option.

    The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled:

    • The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability.

    • Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.

  • If multiple components of the same component type are awaiting configuration, then an APPLY TO OTHER COMPONENTS check box will appear in this page. Clicking on this check box will allow you to apply the configuration to all/selected components of that type.

  • Once the necessary values have been provided, clicking on the UPDATE button will register the changes made.

When changing the configuration for specific servers, a “*” beside the text box corresponding to the parameter signifies that these values have to be manually configured by the user. The parameter values that require to be configured will typically be prefixed with a “$” or contain a series of “*”. A value of “none” in the parameter value indicates that the corresponding parameter value can be changed if required.