System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) Best Practices Poster Rule and Monitor Targeting

You can download the PDF from go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=125048. The poster will help you understand the process and best practices for setting up rules and targeting.

System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) Best Practices

-

Targeting All Managed Computers

- EXAMPLE: You want to monitor failed logon attempts on Windows Computers

**DO

**• Use Windows Operating System to target all Windows managed nodes (desktop and servers).

• Use Windows Server Operating System to target all Windows server managed nodes

(all versions).

• Use Windows Server 2003 Operating System to target all Windows Server 2003 managed nodes.

**DON’T

**• Use Agent:

– The monitor will not work for agent-less managed computers.

– The monitor will affect the health state of the Agent which is not what you want.

• Use Computer:

– Management packs for non-Windows management are likely to use computer as the base type for types

such as Unix computer. The monitor that you just created will not work against non-Windows computers.

– The monitor will execute against all Windows computers – both clients and servers that are managed

by Operations Manager.

• Use Windows Computer:

– The monitor will execute against all Windows computers – both clients and servers that are managed by

Operations Manager.[

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-

Targeting a Server Role

EXAMPLE: You want to monitor file cache hits on Web Servers

DO

• Use IIS Server Role 2003 to target all IIS 2003 Web Servers.

• Use IIS Server Role to target all IIS Web Servers. Currently this would apply to Windows

2000 and 2003 IIS servers. With the release of Windows Server 2008 MP, this would also

apply to Windows Server 2008 IIS Web Servers.

DON’T

• Use Windows Server 2003 Operating System

– The monitor will apply to all Windows 2003 Operating Systems regardless of whether IIS is installed

or not.

• Use Windows Server

– The monitor will apply to all Windows Servers regardless of whether IIS is installed or not.

• Use Windows Computer

– The monitor will apply to all Windows computers (both desktops and servers) regardless of whether

IIS is installed or not .

• Use Computer

– If management packs for other operating systems are installed, the monitor will apply to non-

Windows computers as well. However, the monitor will not function correctly.

[

](http://blogs.technet.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-65-88-metablogapi/6470.image_5F00_604827CF.png)

-

Targeting Multi-Instanced Components

EXAMPLE: You want to monitor connection

attempts per second on Web Sites

**DO

**• Use IIS Web Site to monitor all IIS Web Sites.

Currently this would be both IIS 2000 and IIS

2003 Web Sites. When the Windows Server

2008 MP ships, this would include Windows

Server 2008 Web Sites.

• Use IIS 2003 Web Site to monitor all IIS 2003

Web Sites.

**DON’T

**Use Web Site.

– In case you have management packs for web sites

other than IIS web sites, the monitor will likely not

work.

-

Targeting Some Managed Computers

EXAMPLE: You want to monitor failed logon attempts on Windows Computers in Redmond

DO

• Use Windows Operating System to target all Windows managed nodes (desktop and servers).

• Use Windows Server Operating System to target all Windows server managed nodes (all versions).

• Use Windows Server 2003 Operating System to target all Windows Server 2003 managed nodes.

• Once you have picked the right type for the situation, create a disabled monitor. Add all

Redmond computers to a group. Create an override to enable the monitor for the group.

DON’T

• Use Agent:

– The monitor will not work for agent-less managed computers.

– The monitor will affect the health state of the Agent, which is not what you want.

• Use Computer:

– Management packs for non-Windows management are likely to use computer as the base type for

types such as Unix computer. The monitor that you just created will not work against non-Windows

computers.

– The monitor will execute against all Windows computers – both clients and servers that are managed

by Operations Manager.

• Use Windows Computer:

– The monitor will execute against all Windows computers – both clients and servers that are managed

by Operations Manager. Failed logons is actually an attribute of the operating system rather than the

computer.

-

Targeting Some Components

EXAMPLE: You want to monitor connection

attempts per second on Web Sites that are

part of the HRWeb distributed application

DO

• If the distributed app contains only IIS 2003

web sites use IIS 2003 Web Site type.

• If the distributed app contains both IIS 2003

and IIS 2000 web sites, use IIS Web Site type.

• Create the monitor as disabled. Create an

override to enable the monitor and use the

distributed application as the context of the

override.

DON’T

• Use the distributed app type

– The monitor will not run against the right component

as the distributed app instance actually

runs on the RMS.

-

Application Models

- IIS

- SQL

- Active Directory

- Exchange

- Windows Server

If you want more information on targeting with Operations Manager check out Granular Targeting In Operations Manager 2007

IT Pro, SQL Server, IIS, Exchange, System Center, SCOM, Active Directory, GURU-Tip, Dan Stolts, 200