New updated AD MP to fix AD Op Master Response issues.

Download Windows Server 2000/2003 Active Directory Management Pack here.

Microsoft has done a update to the AD MP to fix the last part of AD Last Bind monitors not handling western european regional settings.

Quick Details
File Name: Active Directory System Center Operations Manager 2007 MP.msi
Version: 6.0.6278.10
Date Published: 3/26/2008

Management Pack Release History:

Initial Release 3/23/2007 Version 6.0.5000.0
1/15/2008 - Updated Guide - same version
03/17/2008 – Bug Fixes - Version 6.0.6278.3
Active Directory DC Last Bind Monitor: fixed incorrect locale dependent data type conversions in AD General Response.
Active Directory Replication Partner Count MAX_CONNECTIONS increased to 999
Active Directory General Response Last Bind Performance Collection rules: increased data source script run interval to five minutes
Active Directory Global Catalog Response Time is less than five minutes
Active Directory Database and Logfile threshold monitoring: override parameter provided
03/26/2008 – Bug fixes – Version 6.0.6278.10
Active Directory DC Last Bind Monitor: fixed incorrect dependent data type conversions in AD Op Master Response.

Alert History Grooming BUG

Just a reminder.(I have written about this before the SP1). In Ops Mgr 2007 SP1 (and without) the alert history is groomed out before the alerts is resolved with the result that open alerts get an empty alert history.
But by own experience, I forgot to re-apply the fix to the stored procedure p_AlertGrooming after upgrading to SP1. So again my alert history is groomed out before the alerts is closed. So the Ops Mgr 2007 SP1 still have this small but annoying BUG. Upgrading to SP1 over writes your fixed stored procedure. You can fix it with this little change to the stored procedure.

Edit the stored procedure p_AlertGrooming in the Ops Mgr DB like this:

1. Log into the server that hosts the OperationsManager database.
2. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
3. Expand Databases > OperationsManager > Programmability > Stored Procedures > dbo.p_AlertGrooming.
4. Right-click dbo.p_AlertGrooming and select Modify.
5. Find the following two lines in the SQLQuery:

DELETE dbo.AlertHistory
WHERE TimeAdded < @GroomingThresholdUTC

6. Comment-out these two lines with “--" and add a comment:

-- Changed to keep alert history until alert is resolved
-- DELETE dbo.AlertHistory
-- WHERE TimeAdded < @GroomingThresholdUTC

7. Execute the query, which will "save" the stored procedure.
8. Close the query, and when prompted to save changes, click No.

Now the Alert History stays intact until the Alert is Resolved.

Add Enclosure doesn´t work with HP BladeSystem MP for Ops Mgr 2007

Running the HP BladeSystem Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 and trying to “add enclosure” with the HP Blade Monitoring tool fails with Swedish regional settings. I have tested and switched to US Regional settings and restarted the Blade Service and then the add enclosure discovery worked. We are running English Windows 2003 but with Swedish regional settings. It is not only Microsoft that has problems with other regional settings than the "US". I can´t confirm that other western European regional settings have the same problem but probably. I have a support case open with HP on this.

Updated Exchange Server 2003 Management Pack

Download the updated Exchange Server 2003 Management Pack here.

Quick Details
File Name: Exchange Server 2003 System Center Operations Manager 2007 MP .msi
Version: 6.0.6278.2
Date Published: 3/19/2008

Management Pack Release History:
3/23/2007 - Initial Release Version 6.0.5000.0
6/25/2007 - Updated Release Version 6.0.5000.11, version details
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.Library.mp 6.0.5000.0
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.2003.Discovery.mp 6.0.5000.11
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.2003.Monitoring.mp 6.05000.11

1/15/2008 - Updated Guide - same version
2/25/2008 - Updated MP Guide and MP. Please refer to the MP Guide for details.
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.Library.mp 6.0.6278.0
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.2003.Discovery.mp 6.0.6278.0
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.2003.Monitoring.mp 6.0.6278.0

3/17/2008 - Updated MP Guide and MP. Please refer to the MP Guide for details.
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.Library.mp 6.0.6278.2
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.2003.Discovery.mp 6.0.6278.2
Microsoft.Exchange.Server.2003.Monitoring.mp 6.0.6278.2

New Updates on the AD Last Bind Bug

I have talked with Microsoft about this and they have solved the AD DC Last Bind Monitor with the AD MP Version 6.0.6278.3,
but forgotten to check the AD DC Op Master ... Monitors.

In my environment the AD DC Last Bind Monitor works OK, but the following does NOT:

AD DC Op Master PDC Last Bind Monitor
AD DC Op Master Infrastructure Master Last Bind Monitor
AD DC Op Master Domain Naming Last Bind Monitor
AD DC Op Master RID Last Bind Monitor
AD DC Op Master Schema Master Last Bind Monitor

There is 2 different scripts that handles the Last Bind monitors:
1. AD General Response script. This is fixed. (AD DC Last Bind)
2. AD Op Master Response script This is not fixed.(AD DC Op Master...)

Microsoft is working on a QFE for this.

Windows Server 2000/2003 Active Directory Management Pack

Download the updated Windows Server 2000/2003 Active Directory Management Pack here.

Management Pack Release History:
Initial Release 3/23/2007 Version 6.0.5000.0
1/15/2008 - Updated Guide - same version
03/17/2008 – Bug Fixes - Version 6.0.6278.3

Active Directory DC Last Bind Monitor: fixed incorrect locale dependent data type conversions
Active Directory Replication Partner Count MAX_CONNECTIONS increased to 999
Active Directory General Response Last Bind Performance Collection rules: increased data source script run interval to five minutes
Active Directory Global Catalog Response Time is less than five minutes
Active Directory Database and Logfile threshold monitoring: override parameter provided

WMI Probe Module Failed Execution on W2k servers after SP1 RTM upgrade.

There is a known problem with the Microsoft.SystemCenter.DiscoverWindowsOSProperties discovery on w2k servers. On w2k3 servers it works OK.

The alert looks like this:

Object enumeration failed Query: 'SELECT
Version,Caption,BuildNumber,CSDVersion,ServicePackMajorVersion,ServicePackMinorVersion,SerialNumber,InstallDate,SystemDrive,WindowsDirectory,TotalVisibleMemorySize
FROM Win32_OperatingSystem' HRESULT: 0x80041017 Details: Invalid query One
or more workflows were affected by this. Workflow name:
Microsoft.SystemCenter.DiscoverWindowsOSProperties

Current work around is to make a override for this discovery for Windows 2000 Server group. Microsoft is looking in to this issue.

Citrix MP CitrixSessionDown.js script error

Using the Citrix Presentation Server MP you get the following error from the
Citrix.PresentationServer.CitrixSessionDown.Monitor.

"Script or executable failed to run".
The description shows:
=====================================================
The process started at 1:24:51 failed to create System.PropertyBagData, no
errors detected in the output. The process exited with 0

Command executed: "C:\WINDOWS\system32\cscript.exe" //d "C:\Program
Files\System Center Operations Manager 2007\Health Service State\Monitoring
Host Temporary Files 2\477\CitrixSessionDown.js" 120
Working Directory: C:\Program Files\System Center Operations Manager
2007\Health Service State\Monitoring Host Temporary Files 2\477\

One or more workflows were affected by this.

Workflow name: Citrix.PresentationServer.CitrixSessionDown.Monitor

This is due a Citrix MP config error:

WriteAction ID="WA" RunAs="CtxLibrary!Citrix.PresentationServer.CitrixAdministratorAccount" TypeID="System!System.CommandExecuter">
%SystemDirectory%\net.exe
%Temp%
start CitrixWMIService
60
true

As you can see the MP uses a variable %SystemDirectory% wich default doesn´t exist.
If you create a Systemvariable on the Citrix servers where %SystemDirectory% = %systemroot%\system32 then the script works.

Thanks to Ross Williamson for this information found in Citrix support forums.

HP ProLiant Server Management Packs Version 1.1 for Operations Manager 2007

Download HP ProLiant Server Management Packs Version 1.1 for Operations Manager 2007 here.

HP have relesed an update to the Proliant Server MPs.
Version Information:
•HP ProLiant Server Management Packs for Operations Manager 2007 – Version 1.1.3
•Hewlett-Packard Servers Core Library – Version 1.0.33.0
•Hewlett-Packard ProLiant Servers Base – Version 1.0.33.0
•Hewlett-Packard ProLiant Servers SNMP Management Pack – Version 1.1.0.0

From the release notes:

Using HP ProLiant Server Management Packs for Operations Manager 2007
Supported System Center Products
HP Server Management Packs for Operations Manager 2007 only support System Center Operations Manager 2007 product. System Center Essential product is not supported.
Installing Required Operations Manager 2007 Hot Fixes
No additional hot fix is currently required to this product. All requirements are properly installed and configured Operations Manager 2007. Please consult with the Microsoft release notes in Operations Manager 2007 documents set.
Installing Supported Versions of HP Insight Management Agents and Operating Systems
The appropriate versions of HP Insight Management Agents must be installed and running on all managed servers. See the Support Matrix document for details on the supported versions of HP Agents and Windows Operating Systems.

HP BladeSystem Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

Download HP BladeSystem Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 here.

Version Information:
•HP BladeSystem Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 – Version 1.6.15.0
•Hewlett-Packard BladeSystem Management Pack – Version 1.6.0.0

From the Release Notes:

Using HP BladeSystem Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007
Supported System Center Products
HP BladeSystem Management Pack for Operations Manger 2007 supports both Operations Manager 2007 and System Center Essentials 2007 products. See the Support Matrix document for the supported versions.
Installing Required Operations Manager 2007 Hot Fixes
No additional hot fix is currently required to use this product. All requirements are properly installed and configured Operations Manager 2007. Please consult with the Microsoft release notes in Operations Manager 2007 documents set.
Installing Supported Versions of HP BladeSystem Onboard Administrator firmware for HP BladeSystem c-Class enclosures
The appropriate versions of firmware must be installed and running on all managed HP BladeSystem Onboard Administrators. See the HP Server Integrations with Microsoft System Center Products Support Matrix for details on the supported versions of firmware.
Installing Required HP ProLiant Server Management Pack
The HP BladeSystem Management Pack version 1.6 for Operations Manager 2007 requires an HP ProLiant Server Management Pack installed and configured. There are three releases of HP ProLiant Server Management Pack. HP recommends updating HP ProLiant Server Management Pack to the latest version 1.1 to work with the HP BladeSystem Management Pack version 1.6 for Operations Manager. HP ProLiant Server Management Pack version 1.1 for Operations Manager 2007 covers latest HP Insight Management Agents events, and supports both Operations Manager 2007 and System Center Essentials 2007.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Cluster Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007

The long wait is over!!

Download the Windows Server 2003 Cluster Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 here.

Overview
The Windows Server 2003 Cluster Management Pack monitors the health of the Windows Server 2003 clusters. This management pack is designed to improve the availability, performance, and security of your Windows Server 2003 cluster deployment.

Quick Details
File Name: Microsoft Windows Cluster System Center Operations Manager 2007 MP.msi
Version: 6.0.6277.0
Date Published: 3/6/2008

Instructions
Please view the MP guide.
Note: If you are importing this management pack into a management group that does not have Operations Manager SP1 RTM installed, you must first install the QFE, which can be obtained through PSS.
If you are importing this management pack into a management group that has Operations Manager SP1 RTM, you do not need to import the Microsoft.Windows.Cluster.Library Management Pack. Importing this management pack is only required for customers that do not have Operations Manager SP1 RTM.

System Center Authoring Console (Release Candidate)

Download the System Center Authoring Console (Release Candidate) here.

Microsoft has released the Release Candidate version of the Authoring Console for Operations Manager 2007 SP1. With this you can create your own Management Packs in a much better and "easier" way than with the Operation Manager Console.

This is what Microsoft says about it:

This powerful console enables our customers and partners to author Management Packs offline and get them developed quicker for the Operations Manager 2007 SP1 platform.

The Authoring Console comes in both x64 and i386 versions. You need to have Operations Manager SP1 installed. The RTM version should just be a month or two away.

Update on the AD Last Bind Bug.

Finally a official statement from a Microsoft employee!
Tom McCleery wrote this in the microsoft.public.opsmgr.ad newsgroup:

This one did not make it into the SP1 release but it has already been fixed
(just not released yet). We are currently working on getting thing out the
door. Right now the targeted date for this is 3-15

So there may be a web update of the AD MP March 15.

How to use Alert levels in Ops Mgr 2007

Ian Blyth has written a very good article on the alert level function in Operations Manager 2007 and compared it to how MOM 2005 used to handle this. The article describes the differences between the 7 Alert levels used in MOM 2005 and compares them to the 3 (Information, Warning and Critical) levels in Ops Mgr 2007. But he also explains how expand the 3 levels to 9 with the use of priority (Low, Medium, High).

If you open the Active Alerts view in SCOM 2007 and try to sort the alerts you will find that it sort on spelling (Critical, Information, Warning)instead of severity. We have created a new view for the operators were we have removed the Information events and the created a new Alerts view with just Informational events, this way the informational events get out of the way for the more importent events. To speed up Alert State Views you can create a view and take away the grouping of severity. This way you have it look moore like MOM 2005 and you get the alerts in orderd in time despite the severity and the fuction in Ops Mgr 2007 that groups the alerts are a performance bootleneck. By the way, I have created an override for all the script and WMI failure events and set them to Information events instead of critical just create a difference between errors and failed monitoring. This way the alert log doesn´t grow that fast.:)