Implementing System Center Management Pack for #WindowsAzure SQL Database Monitoring #sysctr

May 8, 2013 by James van den Berg Leave a comment

Import the Management Pack

For more information about importing a management pack, see How to Import an Operations Manager Management Pack.

Import the Microsoft.SqlServer.Azure.mpb using the Administration pane in the Operations Console.  After running the installer the management pack is typically located on the system drive in the \Program Files\System Center Management Packs folder.

Creating Windows Azure SQL Database Run As Accounts

To monitor Windows Azure SQL Database servers first create one or more Simple or Basic authentication Run As accounts which contain the credentials for accessing the servers. To do this:

1. In SCOM Console navigate to Administration | Run As Configuration | Accounts, right-click it and select Create Run As Account…

2. On the Introduction page click Next. 

3. On the General Properties page select Simple Authentication in Run As account type combo box, populate Display name and click Next

4. On the Credentials page populate Account name and Password with the credentials that will be used to connect to Windows Azure SQL Database cloud service and click Next.

5. On the Distribution Security page select More secure option and click Create.
You can use Less secure option and skip steps 7 – 8 if your environment is secure enough. 

6. Click Close to close the window.

If you used Less secure option on step 5, you can skip next steps.

7. Right-click newly created account and select Properties.

8. Navigate to Distribution tab and add the SCOM Agent that you wish to use as a Watcher Node to monitor Windows Azure SQL Database cloud service.

See Managing Run As Accounts and Profiles for more information about Run As accounts.

Using the Windows Azure SQL Database Add Monitoring Wizard

To begin monitoring a Windows Azure SQL Database cloud service:

1. In SCOM Console navigate to Authoring | Management Pack Templates, right-click Windows Azure SQL Database and select Add Monitoring Wizard…

2. On the Monitoring Type page select Windows Azure SQL Database and click Next

3. On the General Properties page you haveto provide template Name and Description, as well as Select destination management pack where template will be stored. If you don’t have a management pack for this
purpose – you can create a new one by clicking New… button.

Note: It is recommended to use new MP for the template.

4. On the Service Details page provide Server Name (including database.windows.net) and select Run As Account containing username and password to access cloud service. Click Next.

5. On the Proxy Agent tab Browse available SCOM Agents and select one to use as Watcher Node.

Important! IP address of the proxy agent machine should be enabled through Windows Azure SQL Database firewall. Also, Run As account specified in previous step should be distributed to selected agent or Less Secure option should be used, otherwise management pack won’t work.

6. Review configuration on Summary page and click Create.

Enabling Federations Discovery

To reduce number of queries issued to the Windows Azure SQL Database, federations discovery is disabled by default. If you use federations and want to monitor them, you have to enable the discovery.

To do this:

1. In SCOM Console navigate to Authoring | Management Pack Objects | Object Discoveries and click Scope button on the toolbar or Change Scope… link if scoping is already enabled.

2. Look for Windows Azure SQL Database Federation.

3. Right-click Windows Azure SQL Database Federation Discovery and select Overrides | Override the Object Discovery | For a specific object of class: Windows Azure SQL User Database.

4. Select root database of your federation.

5. Check Enabled row and select True as Override Value. To store this override you can use the same management pack where monitoring template instance relies. Click Apply and OK.

Here you can download the Microsoft Management Pack for Windows Azure SQL Databases