How to create a new (custom) checkpoint using the sqlserver probe

Products

• DX Unified Infrastructure Management (Nimsoft / UIM)
• CA Unified Infrastructure Management On-Premise (Nimsoft / UIM)
• CA Unified Infrastructure Management SaaS (Nimsoft / UIM)

Issue/Introduction

This guide provides the steps required to create and configure new (custom) checkpoints using the sqlserver probe. Custom checkpoints allow you to use your own preferred queries or stored procedures for database monitoring when the checkpoints provided out of the box do not satisfy your specific database monitoring requirements. This guide walks you through configuring and testing a custom checkpoint, configuring data collection (QoS), configuring alarms and alarm thresholds, and the use of restrictions on monitoring (Excludes/Includes). Note that the example used in this guide executes the new (custom) query against a specific database, not all databases.

Environment

The attached guide (.pdf) was created using the following test environment:

• sqlserver probe v4.94 and later
• CA UIM 8.3 and later
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 - 11.0.2100.60 (X64) Enterprise Edition (64-bit)
• OS: Windows 2012 R2

Resolution

See attached guide:  How to create a new (custom) checkpoint using the sqlserver probe.pdf

Additional Information

This is the techdocs page for the sqlserver probe Admin Console Configure:
sqlserver AC configuration

This is the document page for the sqlserver probe IM Console Configure:

sqlserver IM configuration

IMPORTANT:

Please note that the custom query being used MUST yield numeric values so thresholds can be configured for those values. Strings will not work for thresholds/threshold breaches and alarms.

 

In another case/scenario where configuration of the custom profile checkpoint did not yield the expected Data types or column use values, it was discovered that the query was converting all the values to string. So that is why only character data type was available in the drop down window for selection. Once the query was changed to stop the conversion to string, the 'Data type' numeric displayed and so did 'value.' Then we were able to create the proper thresholds and alarm messages, including a custom clear message.