MCITP Guide to Microsoft
Windows Server 2008 Server
Administration (Exam #70-646)
Chapter 14
Server and Network Monitoring
Learning Objectives
• Understand the importance of server monitoring
• Monitor server services and solve problems with
services
• Use Task Manager for server monitoring
• Configure and use Performance Monitor
• Set up and use Data Collector Sets for performance
and diagnostic information
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
2
Learning Objectives (cont’d.)
• Use Reliability Monitor
• Implement the SNMP service for network
management
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
3
Introduction to Server Monitoring
• Reasons for monitoring
– Establish baseline of performance
• Problems can be more easily identified when they
occur
– Prevent problems before they occur
– Diagnose existing problems
• Benchmarks or baselines
– Basis for comparing data collected during problem
situations with data showing normal performance
conditions
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
4
Introduction to Server Monitoring
(cont’d.)
• Sample benchmarks
– Test benchmarks of disk, CPU, memory, and network
response
– Slow, typical, and heavy usage of disk, CPU, memory
– Slow, typical, and heavy usage of the combined
network and server resources
– Growth of use of network and server resources at
specific intervals
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
5
Monitoring Server Services
Table 14-1 Sample Windows Server 2008 services
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
6
Monitoring Server Services (cont’d.)
Table 14-1 Sample Windows Server 2008 services (cont’d.)
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
7
Accessing Server Services
• Access server services through:
– Server Manager
– Computer Management tool
• Status column
– Indicates the current status of the service
• Started
• Paused
• Blank – halted or not started
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
8
Figure 14-1 Computer Management tool
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
9
Solving a Problem with a Service
• Check status of service
• Server Manager and Computer Management tools
– Monitor service
– Check dependencies
• Pausing a service
– Takes it offline for normal users
– Can only be used by Administrators or Server
Operators
• Activity 14-1: Monitoring and Managing a Service
– Objective: Use the Computer Management tool to
monitor and manage a Windows Server 2008 service
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
10
Solving a Problem with a Service
(cont’d.)
Figure 14-2 Workstation service dependencies
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
11
Using Task Manager
• Task Manager
– Tool used to monitor applications and processes
running on a server
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
12
Monitoring Applications
• Press CTRL+ALT+DEL
– While logged on as Administrator or as a member of
Administrators group
• Click Start Task Manager
– Displays a dialog box with six tabs:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Applications
Processes
Services
Performance
Networking
Users
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
13
Monitoring Applications (cont’d.)
• Applications tab
– All software applications
running
• Activity 14-2: Working with
Applications in Task Manager
– Objective: Use Task Manager
to monitor and manage
applications
Figure 14-4 Task Manager
Applications tab
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage
Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
14
Monitoring Processes
• Processes tab
– Lists processes in use by all running applications
• To stop a process
– Highlight it
– Click End Process
Table 14-2 Task Manager process information
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
15
Monitoring Processes (cont’d.)
Figure 14-6 Processes tab
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
16
Table 14-3 Sample processes
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
17
Setting Priorities
• Increase priority of a process
– Set more CPU priority than what is set as its default
• Base priority class
– Priority at which process runs set in program code of
application
• Administrator can change priority to:
– Low, Below Normal, Normal, Above Normal, High, or
Realtime
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
18
Setting Priorities (cont’d.)
• Activity 14-3: Working with
Processes in Task
Manager
– Objective: Use Task
Manager to monitor
processes and to reset the
priority of a process
Figure 14-7 Setting the priority of
a process
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage
Learning
19
Monitoring Services
• Services tab
– Shows services that are started, stopped, or paused
• Management options from Task Manager
– Limited to starting or stopping a service
– For more options click Services button to open
Services window
• Provides management options identical to Server
Manager or Computer Management tool
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
20
Monitoring Services (cont’d.)
Figure 14-8 Starting a service from Task Manager
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
21
Monitoring Real-Time Performance
• Performance tab
– Shows CPU and memory performance information
– Usage and Memory bars
• Show current use of CPU and page file use
– Bottom of the Performance tab
• More detailed statistics
• Handle
– Resource used by a program and having its own
identification so program is able to access it
• Threads
– Blocks of code within a program
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
22
Monitoring Real-Time Performance
(cont’d.)
Figure 14-9 Performance tab
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
23
Monitoring Real-Time Performance
(cont’d.)
Table 14-4 Task Manager performance statistics
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
24
Monitoring Real-Time Performance
(cont’d.)
• Resource Monitor
– Provides real-time collection of resources used for:
•
•
•
•
CPU
Disk
Network
Memory
– Useful for first quick analysis of problem
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
25
Monitoring Real-Time Performance
(cont’d.)
Figure 14-10 Resource Monitor
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
26
Monitoring Network Performance
• Networking tab
– Monitor network performance on all NICs installed in
the server
– Total network utilization
• Percentage of the network bandwidth in use
– Lower portion of the tab
• Displays network performance data across each NIC
– Valuable if you suspect there is a problem with a NIC
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
27
Monitoring Network Performance
(cont’d.)
Figure 14-11 Networking tab
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
28
Monitoring Users
• Users tab
– Provides a list of users currently logged on
• Log off a user
– Click user
– Clicking the Logoff button
• Disconnect a user
– Use if the Logoff action does not work because user’s
connection is hung
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
29
Using Performance Monitor
• Performance Monitor
– Used to monitor components such as
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hard disks
Memory
Processor
Network interface
Started process
Paging file
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
30
Capturing Data Using Performance
Monitor
• Tool within Reliability and Performance Monitor
• Open from:
–
–
–
–
Administrative Tools menu
Server Manager
As an MMC snap-in
Command Prompt window or the Start button, Run
option by using the perfmon command
• Click Performance Monitor under Monitoring Tools
– In Reliability and Performance Monitor
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
31
Figure 14-12 Performance Monitor (started from the Administrative Tools menu)
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
32
Capturing Data Using Performance
Monitor (cont’d.)
• Performance Monitor object
– Memory, the processor, or another part of the
computer
• Counter
– Indicator of a quantity of object
– Measurement unit depends on object
– One or more counters can be monitored
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
33
Figure 14-13 Selecting the % Processor Time counter
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
34
Capturing Data Using Performance
Monitor (cont’d.)
Table 14-5 Sample processor counters in Performance Monitor
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
35
Capturing Data Using Performance
Monitor (cont’d.)
• Instance
– Exists when there are different elements to monitor
– Associated with a counter
• Add button
– Opens Add Counters dialog box
– Select objects to monitor, counters, and instances
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
36
Capturing Data Using Performance
Monitor (cont’d.)
• Modes when
monitoring
objects:
– Line
– Histogram bar
– Report
Figure 14-14 Histogram bar mode (from the MMC snap-in)
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
37
Figure 14-15 Monitoring multiple objects (MMC snap-in enlarged view)
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
38
Capturing Data Using Performance
Monitor (cont’d.)
• Status information (just above counters)
–
–
–
–
–
Last
Average
Maximum
Minimum
Duration
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
39
Monitoring System Components
• Most commonly monitored components
–
–
–
–
Processor
Memory
Physical disk
Network interface
• Particularly important for monitoring server
performance
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
40
Monitoring System Components
(cont’d.)
Table 14-6 Sample objects and counters for performance monitoring
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
41
Monitoring System Components
(cont’d.)
• Activity 14-4: Exploring Performance Monitor
– Objective: Examine available options in Performance
Monitor
• Activity 14-5: Monitoring for Processor Problems
– Objective: Learn how to monitor for processor
bottlenecks
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
42
Figure 14-17 Selections in the Add Counters dialog box
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
43
Monitoring System Components
(cont’d.)
• Activity 14-6: Verifying the Disk Counters
– Objective: Learn to check the status of diskperf
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
44
Using Data Collector Sets
• Data Collector Sets tool
– Monitor performance
– Consolidate performance information
• Data collector set
– Collection of diagnostic and performance information
– Report or log
• Basic types of data collection tools and formats
– Performance counters and performance counter
reports
– Traces and trace reports
– System configuration data
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
45
Using Data Collector Sets (cont’d.)
• Performance counter report
– Tracks information using objects, counters, and
instances
• Trace
– Monitors particular events
• Trace report
– Contains only instances when events occur
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
46
Using Data Collector Sets (cont’d.)
• System configuration data obtained using data
collector sets includes information about:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Operating system
Processor
System services
BIOS
Controllers
Port classes
Storage classes
Printing classes
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
–
–
–
–
–
Video classes
User accounts
Startup programs
Disk settings
Processes
47
Using Data Collector Sets (cont’d.)
• Ways to create data collector sets
– Predefined
• Configure specific counters from Performance Monitor
to include
– Wizard and template
• Templates are XML files
– Manually
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
48
Using Data Collector Sets (cont’d.)
• Data collector set properties
–
–
–
–
–
–
General
Directory
Security
Schedule
Stop Condition
Task
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
49
Using a Wizard and a Template to
Create a Data Collector Set
• Templates in Create new Data Collector Set Wizard
–
–
–
–
Active Directory Diagnostics
Basic
System Diagnostics
System Performance
• Activity 14-7: Using a Template for a Data Collector
Set
– Objective: Create a data collector set from a template
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
50
Returning to a Report and the
Importance of Network Data
• Find reports within Reliability and Performance
Monitor tool
• Network performance
– Establish baselines from which to diagnose problems
– Gather data on:
• Network Interface performance counter
• IPv4 and IPv6 performance counters
• TCPv4 and TCPv6 performance counters
• Activity 14-8: Viewing a Report
– Objective: Learn how to go back to view a report you
have already created
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
51
Using a Predefined Data Collector Set
• Predefined data collector sets
– Run at any time without first creating them through
the Create new Data Collector Set Wizard
– LAN Diagnostics data collector set
• Useful to diagnose network problem
• Perform network system checks
• Activity 14-9: Using the LAN Diagnostics Data
Collector Set
– Objective: Use the predefined LAN Diagnostics data
collector set
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
52
Using Reliability Monitor
• System Stability Chart
–
–
–
–
–
–
Created from tallying problems or changes
Software (Un)Installs
Application Failures
Hardware Failures
Windows Failures
Miscellaneous Failures
• System Stability Index
– Single number summary of recent reliability
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
53
Figure 14-23 Reliability Monitor
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
54
Using Reliability Monitor (cont’d.)
• Activity 14-10: Using Reliability Monitor
– Objective: Learn how to use Reliability Monitor
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
55
Implementing the SNMP Service
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
– Used for network management on TCP/IP-based
networks
– Used for:
•
•
•
•
Configuring network devices
Monitoring the performance of a network
Locating network problems
Monitoring network usage
• Activity 14-11: Installing SNMP Services
– Objective: Install SNMP
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
56
Implementing the SNMP Service
(cont’d.)
• Activity 14-12: Configuring the SNMP Service
– Objective: Learn how to configure the SNMP service
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
57
Summary
• Server monitoring
– Establishes benchmarks or baselines
– Services can be monitored
• Task Manager
– Monitors applications, processes, services, system
performance, network performance, and logged-on
users
• Performance Monitor
– Uses objects for monitoring
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
58
Summary (cont’d.)
• Data collector set
– Collects data about a server or network
– Compiles data into a report
• Reliability Monitor
– Tracks hardware and software reliability of a server
• SNMP service
– Gathers network performance data on TCP/IP
networks
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
59