Everything System Center Operations Manager 2007 » Dynamic Computer groups that send heartbeat alerts

Dynamic Computer groups that send heartbeat alerts

August 25th, 2008

Something that has always puzzled me with MOM 2005 and now System Center Operations Manager 2007 is that when I create a dynamic group of computers and one of the computers goes offline I don’t get a heartbeat. This seems like something that should work “out of the box “as all other monitors are dependent upon the server being up. Last year I posted a tool called the “watchanator” that addressed this issue. The “watchanator” worked well but was complicated to setup and needed to be run every time the dynamic group changed. Well now I have a better solution. This new solution may seem a little complicated as well first but is really very easy if you follow my simple steps.

1. Create the dynamic group, using the group wizard.

a. Give your dynamic group a name and select the unsealed management pack you want to store the group in.

b. On the Explicit Members tab click next.

c. On the Dynamic Members tab click and create the formula you want to use to create you dynamic group. I used a simple one that dynamically includes all of my exchange servers.

d. From the groups window, right click to verify that your dynamic group includes the computers you want.

As you can see the dynamic group only contains windows servers and does not contain the heartbeat object(or agent watcher as it is know in scom)

2. Export the Management pack

3. Open up the Management pack in any xml editor. I am using visual studio

4. Search for <MembershipRules>. The membership rules make up the dynamic group. As you can see the first membership rule between <MembershipRule> and </MembershipRule> contains the formula that creates my dynamic group.

5. Now we need to add the code to include the health watchers. Open up watchers.xml available at http://www.scom2k7.com/downloads/Watchers.xml and copy the xml code.

Here is the code.

<MonitoringClass>$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthServiceWatcher"]$</MonitoringClass>

<RelationshipClass>$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$</RelationshipClass>

<MonitoringClass>$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthService"]$</MonitoringClass>

<MonitoringClass>$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6062780!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$</MonitoringClass>

<MonitoringClass>$Target/Id$</MonitoringClass>

</Contained>

</Expression>

</Contained>

</Expression>

</Contains>

</Expression>

</MembershipRule>

6. Paste this code after the first </MembershipRule> and before </MembershipRules> then save the file.

*Note if you choose another class other than Microsoft.Windows.Computer to create you dynamic group you will have to replace the line from watchers.xml with the matching line in your dynamic group membership rule.

<MonitoringClass>$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6062780!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$</MonitoringClass>

7. Save the MP and re-import the Management Pack into SCOM

8. Go back to your group and right click View group members

9. The health watchers may up to 20 seconds to populate. Push F5 a couple of times to refresh the screen.

Now when we create a subscription to this group and a server in the group goes offline we will now get the heartbeat alert.

You download the sample management pack at http://www.scom2k7.com/downloads/Exchange.Servers.xml

Posted in SCOM

14 Responses to “Dynamic Computer groups that send heartbeat alerts”

CharlesC

You can also add the agent using a dynamic rule query:

( Object is Agent AND ( Windows Computer.NetBIOS Computer Name Matches regular expression [^$]IPGD[0-3][13579] ) OR ( Windows Computer.NetBIOS Computer Name Matches regular expression SERVERIPGD0[13579] ) )

The query above will get all the Health Service agents for the computers that match the regular expressions. If you want to also include the Windows Computer ojbect just add another or. I had to use this specific dynamic group for clustered DB servers.

September 8th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Haakon Roesberg

can you find anything wrong in this rule?

$MPElement[Name="Windows!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]/IPAddress$

MatchesWildcard
172.27.10.???

$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthService"]$

$MPElement[Name="Windows!Microsoft.Windows.Server.Computer"]$

$Target/Id$

September 15th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Francisco

I cannot import the MP because I get the following error:

not sure what is causing this issue.

Error 1:
: Failed to verify Discovery [UINameSpace20d6ebe6b56b45a5b84c9ef2617ba047.Group.DiscoveryRule]
Failed to verify referenced module : ID=GroupPopulationDataSourceInvalid configuration specified for Module [GroupPopulationDataSource]Cannot find MPElement: MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities specified in expression: $MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$Cannot resolve identifier [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities] in the context of ManagementPack [MultiHost.Ping]. Unknown alias [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780]
——————————————————-
Failed to verify Discovery [UINameSpace20d6ebe6b56b45a5b84c9ef2617ba047.Group.DiscoveryRule] Failed to verify referenced module : ID=GroupPopulationDataSource Invalid configuration specified for Module [GroupPopulationDataSource] Cannot find MPElement: MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities specified in expression: $MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$ Cannot resolve identifier [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities] in the context of ManagementPack [MultiHost.Ping]. Unknown alias [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780]

September 23rd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Rory

Francisco, it looks like your MultiHost.Ping Management Pack needs to have a reference added in the manifest section for the Microsoft MP [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780]. Try adding this and importing the MP or running MPVerify.exe against the MP. MPVerify is also built into the Authoring Console.

For this and more information on SCOM, check out our training at http://www.infrontconsulting.com/events.htm.

October 2nd, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Richard

Thanks for this code it has helped alot, is it possible to explain how i could do the same for IIS role, Exchange Role and AD domain controller role could adapt this code in theory?

January 18th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Seth

I tried the above and get the following error message when trying to import. I also tried deleted the original mp and reimporting:

Any ideas?

CriticalServers could not be imported.

If any management packs in the Import list are dependent on this management pack, the installation of the dependent management packs will fail.

The requested management pack was invalid. See inner exception for details.
Parameter name: managementPack

Verification failed with [1] errors:
——————————————————-
Error 1:
: Failed to verify Discovery [UINameSpace2b7107d4262d4f6e8968d70c0d9a2cc9.Group.DiscoveryRule]
Failed to verify referenced module : ID=GroupPopulationDataSourceInvalid configuration specified for Module [GroupPopulationDataSource]Cannot find MPElement: MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities specified in expression: $MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$Cannot resolve identifier [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities] in the context of ManagementPack [CriticalServers]. Unknown alias [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780]
——————————————————-

Failed to verify Discovery [UINameSpace2b7107d4262d4f6e8968d70c0d9a2cc9.Group.DiscoveryRule]

Failed to verify referenced module : ID=GroupPopulationDataSource

Invalid configuration specified for Module [GroupPopulationDataSource]

Cannot find MPElement: MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities specified in expression: $MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$

Cannot resolve identifier [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities] in the context of ManagementPack [CriticalServers]. Unknown alias [MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780]

May 8th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Seth

Here is my MP:

CriticalServers
1.0.0.0

CriticalServers

Microsoft.SystemCenter.Library
6.1.7043.0
31bf3856ad364e35

Microsoft.Windows.Library
6.1.7043.0
31bf3856ad364e35

Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroup.Library
6.1.7043.0
31bf3856ad364e35

Discovery

$MPElement$
$MPElement[Name="UINameSpace2b7107d4262d4f6e8968d70c0d9a2cc9.Group"]$

$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthServiceWatcher"]$

$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6062780!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$

$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthService"]$

$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6062780!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$

$Target/Id$

$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6170430!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$
$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6170430!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$

$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6170430!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]/OrganizationalUnit$

Equal

ou=critical,ou=jst,=ou=zservers,dc=ad,dc=ctcgsc,=dc=org

$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6170430!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]/OrganizationalUnit$

Equal

ou=non-dynamic_dns_reg,ou=jst,ou=servers,dc=ad,dc=ctcgsc,dc=org

CriticalServers

CriticalServers

Critical_Servers_Group

Populate Critical_Servers_Group
This discovery rule populates the group ‘Critical_Servers_Group’

May 8th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Brad

Hello,

I have a dynamically populated group. I want to create another group that is populated from healthwatcheragent objects that are included in the first group. I can use a contained expression in xml to populate the new group, but it mirrors the first one. Regular expression Expressions entered after the Contained statement has no effect. Entering the regular expression before the contained expression fails during import of the MP. Any ideas? Thnks, BT

XML that mirrors the first group to the second and regular expression has no impact.

rrrrrrrr
1.0.0.6

rrrrrrrr

Microsoft.SystemCenter.Library
6.0.6278.0
31bf3856ad364e35

AB_SOS_DiscoveriesAndGroups_MP
1.0.0.15
240c1aab2b6b0b06

Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroup.Library
6.0.6278.0
31bf3856ad364e35

Discovery

$MPElement$
$MPElement[Name="UINameSpacec2875bcbb2564f1386b662d094f45945.Group"]$

$MPElement[Name="SC!Microsoft.SystemCenter.AgentWatcher"]$
$MPElement[Name="IGL!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$

$MPElement[Name="ABSOSDiscoveriesAndGroupsMP10015!AB_SOS_BiaDeferrableServers_ComputerAndWatcherGroup"]$

$MPElement[Name="SC!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthServiceWatcher"]$

$MPElement[Name="SC!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthServiceWatcher"]/HealthServiceName$

MatchesRegularExpression
(?i:^DEV*)

rrrrrrrr

aaatest

Populate aaatest
This discovery rule populates the group ‘aaatest’

June 29th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Jason Ochoa

These are the updates I had to make to the XML to get this to work in SCOMR2 RTM:

$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthServiceWatcher"]$
$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftSystemCenterInstanceGroupLibrary6172210!Microsoft.SystemCenter.InstanceGroupContainsEntities"]$

$MPElement[Name="SystemCenter!Microsoft.SystemCenter.HealthService"]$

$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6172210!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$

$Target/Id$

July 24th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Andrew Marcos

Great post..
1 quick question. After I create the Dynamic Group and add the Health Watcher Script script, Can I edit the Dynamic group query (to add more Servers in the future), without having to modify\export the Management Pack again?

Thanks

Andrew

November 19th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Andrew Marcos

Can this also be done with an OU Query (instead of Principal Name)?

November 19th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Tim

Yes, I just used Principal Name as an example. Any dynamic group of computers will work with what I am doing here.

November 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Andrew Marcos

What about False Positives? I’ve been getting alot of false positives, when really, I’m more concerned with being alerted that the Server is actually offline.

I know that the Health Service Heartbeat Failure and the Computer not Pingable work alongside each other. Is there a way to just get the “Computer Not Pingable” alert, and not the “Health service heartbeat Failure” alert?

November 30th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Fabian

@ Seth and Francisco:
I had the same problems and solved this issue. The tip from rory is not bad. You have to change only a little part but not in the reference section. You have to change the following in the health service section:

original:
$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary6062780!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$

changed:
$MPElement[Name="MicrosoftWindowsLibrary606278100!Microsoft.Windows.Computer"]$

than the Health service watcher is included in your dynamical group.

Regards, Fabian

January 19th, 2010 at 10:23 am