Agents Administration - Tests
 

Configuration of SPFileTypeTest

This test groups files uploaded to the SharePoint environment on the basis of their file types, and reports the number and total size of each file type. The percentage size distribution of every file type is also reported, so that administrators can instantly and accurately identify the file type that is hogging space! Using the detailed diagnosis of the test, you can easily pinpoint the exact file extensions that are occupying the maximum space.

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 host for which the test is to be configured has to be specified.

  • In the PORT text box, enter the port number at which the target host being monitored listens.

  • Typically, farm-level metrics - eg., metrics on farm status, site collections, usage analytics - will not vary from one SharePoint server in the farm to another. If these metrics are collected and stored in the eG database for each monitored server in the SharePoint farm, it is bound to unnecessarily consume space in the database and increase processing overheads. To avoid this, farm-level metrics collection is by default switched off for the member servers in the SharePoint farm, and enabled only if the server being monitored is provisioned as the Central Administration site. Accordingly, the FETCH FARM MEASURES parameter is set to If Central Administration by default. This default setting ensures that farm-level metrics are collected from and stored in the database for only a single SharePoint server in the farm.

    If you want to completely switch-off farm-level metrics collection for a SharePoint farm, then set this parameter to No.

    Some high-security environments may not allow an eG agent to be deployed on the Central Administration site. Administrators of such environments may however require farm-level insights into status and performance. To provide these insights for such environments, you can optionally enable farm-level metrics collection from any monitored member server in the farm, even if that server is not provisioned as the Central Administration site. For this, set this parameter to Yes when configuring this test for that member server.

  • When monitoring a SharePoint 2010 server, this test has to be configured with the credentials of a domain user with the following privileges:

    • The user should be part of the SharePoint Farm Administrators group. To know how to add a user to this group, click here.

    • The user should have shell admin access to all databases in SharePoint. To know how to grant this privilege to a user, click here.

    • The user should be part of the following groups on the eG agent host:

      • Administrators

      • WSS_ADMIN_WPG

      • IIS_USRS

      • Performance Monitor Users

      • WSS_WPG

      • Users

      To know how to add a user to one of these groups, click here.

    • The user should have full control access to each web application that needs to be monitored on the SharePoint server. To know how to grant this level of access to a user, click here

    • The user should have read and execute access to the eG agent install directory. To know how to grant this level of access to a user, click here.

    It is recommended that you create a special user for this purpose and assign the aforesaid privileges to him/her. Once such a user is created, specify the domain to which that user belongs in the Domain Name text box, and then, enter the credentials of the user in the DOMAIN USER and DOMAIN PASSWORD text boxes. To confirm the password, retype it in the CONFIRM PASSWORD text box.

  • The DD FREQUENCY 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, eG 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, by default, for a particular server, choose the Onoption against DETAILED DIAGNOSIS. 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 bad and normal 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.