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The ipSentry NT Performance Counter Monitoring Add-In provides you with the ability to monitor the performance counters available on local and remote NT servers and workstations.

You can evaluate multiple objects, counters, and instances by setting thresholds and watch settings for the performance data values. In the event of a performance counter value being outside of the defined threshold, the add-in will return an alert status code thus triggering configured ipSentry alerts .
 

The Process
During a monitoring cycle, the performance counter add-in will perform the following tasks:

  1. Connect to the computer specified

  2. Open a performance query.

  3. Evaluate performance objects.

  4. If a counter value is found outside of the predefined thresholds, alerts will be triggered.

  5. The add-in will return the alert result to ipSentry. 

From the Entry Editor, set the Type of entry to Add-In, click Select Add-In and select the Performance Counter Monitor.
Click on the Configure Add-In button.

Performance Counter Monitor Configuration - General Settings

System and Application Performance Counter Monitoring Add-In Configuration

After selecting to Configure Add-In from the main entry editor, you will be presented with the Performance Counter Monitor Configuration Window.

Computer Name
Specify the UNC name of the computer from which performance data should be queried.  e.g. \\MyServer

Logon as
If ipSentry is not running under a security context with rights to access performance data on the specified computer, you should specify the login name and password information here.

The add-in will attempt to create a connection to \ipc$ using these credentials before performing the performance query.

Password
If ipSentry is not running under a security context with rights to access performance data on the specified computer, you should specify the login name and password information here.

The add-in will attempt to create a connection to \ipc$ using these credentials before performing the performance query.

Ignore Connection Failures
Under normal operations, the add-in will return a failure status if it is unable to connect to the specified machine and obtain the selected performance counter data.

If you wish to only have this add-in trigger alerts when values are outside of the defined thresholds without regards for connectivity problems, you can check this option. Thus, if steps 1 (connect) or 2 (open performance query) fails, no alerts will be triggered.

Return Full Results
Under normal operations, the results returned by the add-in will contain only the counters which are outside of the defined threshold values. If you wish to return ALL counter values evaluated in the results, you can check this option.

See the ipSentry keyword %mach.trimres_f1024% for information on utilizing the add-in monitor results in alerts such as email and alpha pager.

Browse
Click the browse button to browse for a computer on your network.

Connect
Click the connect button to insure connectivity capabilities with the specified computer.

Filters

System and Application Performance Counter Monitoring Add-In Configuration

This tab contains a list of performance data objects that are defined to be monitored on the selected computer.

Refresh Current Values
Click this button to query the selected counters and display the current value in the 'current' column of the filters list.

Add
Click this button to add a new counter to be monitored.

Modify
Click this button to modify the selected counter in the filters list.

Remove
Click this button to remove the selected counter from the filters list.

Adding/Modifying Counters

System and Application Performance Counter Monitoring Add-In Configuration
When selecting to add/modify a performance counter filter, you will be presented with the Performance Counter Threshold configuration window in which you define the counter and the value requirements.

Object
Select the performance object which will contain the counter / instance you wish to monitor.

Alias
The alias is used to shorten the counter name from Object\Counter\Instance to a custom alias name that is used in the verbose results.
Leave this field blank to return the full raw counter name.

Counter
Select the performance counter you wish to monitor.

Instance
If the performance counter is not a single instance counter, you will have a set of instances available for selection in the this area.

An example of a "Single Instance" counter might be the TCP Object and the "Connections Established" counter on a system with one NIC.

Value (Must / Must Not)
Select the basis of your criteria threshold as it will relate to the Value Comparison Option in order to return OK or CRITICAL status

For example, if you want to be alerted when the free space % on a disk drive goes below 50%, you can set either of the following:

Must Not [Be Less Than] 50
Must [Be Greater Than] 49

In most cases there are multiple methods to obtain the same result, so use the selection that makes the most sense to you.

Value Comparison Options
The performance monitoring add-in provides you with many options to compare performance counter values providing extreme flexibility on how and when you are alerted to specific conditions.

The following comparison options are available and are used in conjunction with the "MUST / MUST NOT" option above.  
Based on the selection you make, additional threshold value entries may or may not be required.

Be Greater Than
Selecting this option will present you with a threshold entry field in which you will enter a single value to which the value will be compared.

Be Less Than
Selecting this option will present you with a threshold entry field in which you will enter a single value to which the value will be compared.

Be Within Range
Selecting this option will present you with a threshold entry range in which you will enter a low and high value that designates the range.

Have Changed
Selecting this option will present you with the change duration selection of "Since Last Check" or "Since Last Trigger".  

Selecting "Since Last Check" will simply compare the value obtained with the value obtained during the last check, and if it is different, then it has changed.

Selecting "Since Last Trigger" will compare the value against the last value that caused a trigger. 

Have Changed By
Selecting this option will present you with the change duration selection of "Since Last Check" or "Since Last Trigger" along with a threshold field allowing you to specify the amount of change required.  

Selecting "Since Last Check" will simply compare the value obtained with the value obtained during the last check, and if it is different, then it has changed.

Selecting "Since Last Trigger" will compare the value against the last value that caused a trigger.

Have Decreased
Selecting this option will present you with the change duration selection of "Since Last Check" or "Since Last Trigger".  

Selecting "Since Last Check" will simply compare the value obtained with the value obtained during the last check, and if it is different, then it has changed.

Selecting "Since Last Trigger" will compare the value against the last value that caused a trigger.

Have Decreased By
Selecting this option will present you with the change duration selection of "Since Last Check" or "Since Last Trigger" along with a threshold field allowing you to specify the amount of decrease required.  

Selecting "Since Last Check" will simply compare the value obtained with the value obtained during the last check, and if it is different, then it has changed.

Selecting "Since Last Trigger" will compare the value against the last value that caused a trigger.

Have Increased
Selecting this option will present you with the change duration selection of "Since Last Check" or "Since Last Trigger".  

Selecting "Since Last Check" will simply compare the value obtained with the value obtained during the last check, and if it is different, then it has changed.

Selecting "Since Last Trigger" will compare the value against the last value that caused a trigger.

Have Increased By
Selecting this option will present you with the change duration selection of "Since Last Check" or "Since Last Trigger" along with a threshold field allowing you to specify the amount of increase required.  

Selecting "Since Last Check" will simply compare the value obtained with the value obtained during the last check, and if it is different, then it has changed.

Selecting "Since Last Trigger" will compare the value against the last value that caused a trigger.

Decimal Places
Select the number of decimal places to use when evaluating the performance counter value. This option is defined on a per-counter basis.  The value obtained will be rounded to this number of decimal places before being evaluated against your threshold settings.

Current Value (button)
Click this button to obtain the current value of the selected counter.

Description Area
The description area contains a description of the currently selected counter.

Test
When you click the test button, the add-in will perform the monitoring function as it would during a live cycle.  If you are using delta type filters, you may need to perform the test twice in order to establish a baseline value for comparison.

IPSentry Performance Counter Monitor Test Result

 



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