Configuration of XchgMsgTrackTest

This test tracks the flow of messages through an Exchange organization, and reports the number and size of messages that pertain to every key event type handled by the Exchange server.

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 name of the server for which the test is to be configured has to be specified.

• The port number to which the selected server is listening to has to be mentioned in the PORT text box.

• The Exchange Management Shell is a command-line management interface, built on Windows PowerShell which enables you to administer every part of Microsoft Exchange. This test uses the Exchange management shell to run scripts and collect the desired performance metrics from the Exchange server. By default, the test auto-discovers the location of the Exchange management shell and thus, automatically loads the Exchange management shell snap-in (exshell.psc1) for script execution. This is why, the XCHGEXTENSIONSHELLPATH is set to none by default.

• By default, the ALLEVENTS flag is set to No, indicating that this test will report metrics for only the following event types by default: SEND, RECEIVE, SUBMIT, FAIL, POISON. If you want the test to additionally report metrics across all event types – i.e., support an additional All descriptor, which will report the total number of emails handled by the server and their total size – then, set this flag to Yes.

• In large, highly active Exchange environments, hundreds of emails may be received by the Exchange server within a short period of time. In such environments, the frequent collection of detailed diagnosis of the received emails may increase the processing overheads of the eG agent, and may even choke the eG database. To avoid this, the DD FOR RECEIVEMESSAGE flag is set to No by default; this implies that the test will not provide the detailed diagnosis for the RECEIVE descriptor – i.e., for the received messages – by default. To view detailed diagnosis for these messages as well, set this flag to Yes.

• In large, highly active Exchange environments, hundreds of emails may be sent by the Exchange server within a short period of time. In such environments, the frequent collection of detailed diagnosis information related to the sent emails may increase the processing overheads of the eG agent, and may even choke the eG database. To avoid this, the DD FOR SENDMESSAGE flag is set to No by default; this implies that the test will not provide the detailed diagnosis for the SEND descriptor – i.e., for the sent messages – by default. To view detailed diagnosis for these messages as well, set this flag to Yes.

• In large, highly active Exchange environments, hundreds of emails may be submitted to the transport pipeline within a short period of time. In such environments, the frequent collection of detailed diagnosis information related to the submitted emails may increase the processing overheads of the eG agent, and may even choke the eG database. To avoid this, the DD FOR SUBMITMESSAGE flag is set to No by default; this implies that the test will not provide the detailed diagnosis for the SUBMIT descriptor – i.e., for the sent messages – by default. To view detailed diagnosis for these messages as well, set this flag to Yes.

• 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.