17 September 2008

Installation of SQL Server took a very long time

Whilst installing SQL Server 2005 for our customer, it got stucked in when the installer is in the Setting File Security of the Configure Database Service step of the installation. Tried checking through the event logs but no errors were recorded.

I opened the installation log file and looks like the installation got stucked in the Write_sqlFileSDDL action.

A quick search over the internet eventually lead me to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910070

CAUSE: If the Domain has alot of external trusts with other domains the time required to lookup through the domain group names increased significantly. Therefore installation time will increase as well.


RESOLUTION: Though you can request for the download of the hotfix, I took the workaround METHOD by disabling the network and kickstart the installation. Worked well without any problems.

11 September 2008

TIPS: How to test CPU Performance in OpsMgr?

Whilst OpsMgr provides the ability to monitor CPU usage and create alerts should the CPU utilization surpassed the threshold set within the monitors. But how do you test CPU utilization? How do we get the CPU's of our servers to hit 100% so that OpsMgr would be able to detect it?

I found a blog entry which shares with us on how to do it ... using our good old friend Calculator.exe.

i) Launch Calculator
ii) Set your calculator to Scientific
iii) Type 123456789
iv) Press the n! button

You shall see that your CPU utilization spiked up to 100% immediately.

You can get the actual entry of the reference blog enter via this link
http://systemcenterguide.com/2007/11/26/tip-spike-cpu-for-testing-and-demonstrating-opsmgr/

02 September 2008

Installing Active Directory Management Pack Helper

Recently in one of our POC, we had problems installing agent a DC over a different site. A quick check on the physical server eventually found out that firewall is blocking the key ports thus communication could not be established. But then its a total different thing altogether.

We manually installed the agent from the DC and after approving it from OpsMgr console, the DC eventually got in as a Agent Managed Server. But hey wait a minute, how come the DC is not discovered with AD Role ???
The administrator insists that this is a DC.

Luckily Ray gave us a hint that it might be caused by AD Helper. We quickly went to the DC and check whether AD Helper is installed (though we should expect it to be installed automatically).

Apparently Active Directory Management Pack Helper is not installed and not available in Add/Remove Programs. So we need to install it manually, we need to go to the installation directory of the agent in the DC,

e.g. C:\Program Files\System Center Operations Manager 2007\HelperObjects


Launch
OOMADS.msi and installation kicks in. Go to Add/Remove Programs to validate that the Active Directory Management Pack Helper is installed. Wait for a moment and voila' the DC will now have AD Role in OpsMgr console !

Installation of OpsMgr Console via commandline

Not many people would like it this way because they prefer Wizard like User Interface but then just to share out this in case if anyone would be interested.

To install OpsMgr Console via Commandline, the command would be:

msiexec.exe /i \\path\Directory\MOM.msi /qn /l*v \logs\MOMUI_install.log
ADDLOCAL=MOMUI USE_SETTINGS_FROM_AD=0 MANAGEMENT_GROUP=
ROOT_MANAGEMENT_SERVER_DNS=


Enjoy ...

Installation: Please Insert Disk1 ? What Disk1 ???

Recently we had a OpsMgr POC. We encountered problems on the AD topology view, apparently the OpsMgr console hang when we try to launch the AD topology views. We tried repairing the console but the problem is still there. Then we did the BOLD step, remove the OpsMgr console and reinstall it again.

Uninstallation went well .. hahaha

But when we starts to reinstall OpsMgr console, DISASTER STRUCKS, we got prompted with a messagebox with the message of "Please Insert Disk1". Both of us looked at each other dumbfounded. What Disk1 ???!!! Cancelling the messagebox eventually rolls back the installation.

We tried again, and without any clue in our head we just did whatever came up to our head including YES including inserting SQL Server Disk1 AND Windows 2003 Disk as well. (That's how desperate we were !!!)

Searching thru the internet did not help much at all. So we basically knew we were very much on our own on this one.

Hey, wait a sec !!! What about our good old installation log !!! Let's open it up and give it a good look !!!

This time we found the following line in the installation log (and we hope that you hold your laughs ):
"Source is incorrect. Volume label should be DISK2 but is SCOM_SP1_EN_VL"

And guess what? Our installation CD volume label is SCOM_SP1_EN_VL. So what do we do next ? We just rename the source Volume Label to DISK2. Save it to ISO and mount again. Run the installation again (and on our knees praying hard to the GOD of POCs [and since its Ramadhan month] hopefully everything wents OK).

And so it works, looks like our prayers were answered after all. And so life goes on ...

PS: The topology view is still crashing. Now for another headache but at least the console is back again.