Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment Chapter 11: Monitoring Server Performance

Objectives Identify the importance of monitoring server performance Use Task Manager to monitor server performance and resource usage Use Event Viewer to identify and troubleshoot problems Use the Performance console to monitor server performance using both System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts Optimize server performance through the configuration of service settings

Identify the importance of monitoring server performance

Use Task Manager to monitor server performance and resource usage

Use Event Viewer to identify and troubleshoot problems

Use the Performance console to monitor server performance using both System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts

Optimize server performance through the configuration of service settings

Introduction to Monitoring Server Performance Server performance can deteriorate over time Monitoring helps alert you to problems before they become serious Normal behavior is called baseline performance Built-in tools for monitoring: Task Manager Event Viewer Performance console

Server performance can deteriorate over time

Monitoring helps alert you to problems before they become serious

Normal behavior is called baseline performance

Built-in tools for monitoring:

Task Manager

Event Viewer

Performance console

Task Manager Fastest way to obtain a system performance snapshot Provides high-level information Can be accessed through Windows taskbar or Ctrl+Alt+Delete key combination Has five main tabs Applications Processes Performance Networking Users

Fastest way to obtain a system performance snapshot

Provides high-level information

Can be accessed through Windows taskbar or Ctrl+Alt+Delete key combination

Has five main tabs

Applications

Processes

Performance

Networking

Users

Monitoring and Managing Applications From Task Manager, the Applications tab displays a list of all foreground software applications To manage a particular application, select it from the list and choose a menu option: End Task, Switch To, New Tasks Or, right-click an application and choose from shortcut menu: Switch To, Bring to Front, Minimize, Maximize, End Task, Go To Process

From Task Manager, the Applications tab displays a list of all foreground software applications

To manage a particular application, select it from the list and choose a menu option: End Task, Switch To, New Tasks

Or, right-click an application and choose from shortcut menu: Switch To, Bring to Front, Minimize, Maximize, End Task, Go To Process

Monitoring and Managing Processes From Task Manager, the Processes tab displays a list of all processes in use by applications and services Displays information about each running process Right-click a process to end it Can change process priority from default of Normal Priority

From Task Manager, the Processes tab displays a list of all processes in use by applications and services

Displays information about each running process

Right-click a process to end it

Can change process priority from default of Normal Priority

Monitoring and Managing Processes (continued)

Activity 11-1: Using Task Manager to Manage Applications and Processes Objective: To explore managing applications and processes using Task Manager Open Task Manager using Ctrl+Alt+Delete Observe running applications Start a new application and explore options using Task Manager

Objective: To explore managing applications and processes using Task Manager

Open Task Manager using Ctrl+Alt+Delete

Observe running applications

Start a new application and explore options using Task Manager

Monitoring Real-Time Performance From Task Manager, the Performance tab displays CPU and memory performance charts, graphs, and statistics Gives a snapshot of system performance at the moment Often used in conjunction with a more detailed tool as a first pass look at performance

From Task Manager, the Performance tab displays CPU and memory performance charts, graphs, and statistics

Gives a snapshot of system performance at the moment

Often used in conjunction with a more detailed tool as a first pass look at performance

Monitoring Real-Time Performance (continued)

Monitoring Real-Time Performance (continued)

Activity 11-2: Using Task Manager to Monitor Performance Objective: To monitor server performance using the Task Manager Open Task Manager and click the Performance tab Review information Start an application and again review performance Explore starting and stopping applications and the effect on performance

Objective: To monitor server performance using the Task Manager

Open Task Manager and click the Performance tab

Review information

Start an application and again review performance

Explore starting and stopping applications and the effect on performance

Monitoring Network Performance From Task Manager, the Networking tab displays network utilization information Roughly the percentage of the network bandwidth in use Also displays network performance data for each installed network card Name of adapter, network utilization detected by the adapter, speed of network link, and operational state of adapter

From Task Manager, the Networking tab displays network utilization information

Roughly the percentage of the network bandwidth in use

Also displays network performance data for each installed network card

Name of adapter, network utilization detected by the adapter, speed of network link, and operational state of adapter

Monitoring Network Performance (continued)

Monitoring Users From Task Manager, the Users tab displays a listing of users currently logged on, including network clients Can log off or disconnect a user Can send messages to connected users Can connect to another user’s session

From Task Manager, the Users tab displays a listing of users currently logged on, including network clients

Can log off or disconnect a user

Can send messages to connected users

Can connect to another user’s session

Monitoring Users (continued)

Event Viewer Used to gather information and troubleshoot software, hardware, and system problems Events are recorded in logs Event Viewer allows you to view contents of logs Log entries denote warnings and errors Often include an event ID that helps to identify problem Three main logs: Application log Security log System log

Used to gather information and troubleshoot software, hardware, and system problems

Events are recorded in logs

Event Viewer allows you to view contents of logs

Log entries denote warnings and errors

Often include an event ID that helps to identify problem

Three main logs:

Application log

Security log

System log

Event Viewer (continued)

Event Viewer (continued) Domain controller has two additional logs: Directory service log File replication service log Any user can view contents of application and system log Administrators and those with special permission can view security log Event types include: information, warning, error

Domain controller has two additional logs:

Directory service log

File replication service log

Any user can view contents of application and system log

Administrators and those with special permission can view security log

Event types include: information, warning, error

Interpreting Events Click a log file within Event Viewer to get details Details pane lists all events with information including: Type of event Data and time of event Source of event Category and event ID Computer on which event occurred

Click a log file within Event Viewer to get details

Details pane lists all events with information including:

Type of event

Data and time of event

Source of event

Category and event ID

Computer on which event occurred

Interpreting Events (continued)

Activity 11-3: Viewing Event Viewer System and Application Log Events Objective: Use Event Viewer to view system and application logs Open Event Viewer and view the application log View properties of events in the log Open the system log Review an error event

Objective: Use Event Viewer to view system and application logs

Open Event Viewer and view the application log

View properties of events in the log

Open the system log

Review an error event

Activity 11-3 (continued)

Performance Console Supports gathering more detailed information than Task Manager Consists of two different tools: System Monitor View data gathered from counter objects Performance Logs and Alerts Periodically logs samples to a data file to be imported into other applications Generates alerts when certain configured thresholds are met

Supports gathering more detailed information than Task Manager

Consists of two different tools:

System Monitor

View data gathered from counter objects

Performance Logs and Alerts

Periodically logs samples to a data file to be imported into other applications

Generates alerts when certain configured thresholds are met

System Monitor Particularly useful for collecting data on real-time server performance Tasks that can be performed using System Monitor: Understanding server performance Problem diagnosis Capacity planning Testing You can specify a type of data to monitor, the source or computer from which to capture data, and performance objects to monitor

Particularly useful for collecting data on real-time server performance

Tasks that can be performed using System Monitor:

Understanding server performance

Problem diagnosis

Capacity planning

Testing

You can specify a type of data to monitor, the source or computer from which to capture data, and performance objects to monitor

Using System Monitor Displays information when Performance tool is first opened Data display related to memory, processor, and physical disk objects on local computer Three possible views Graphs Histogram Report System Monitor toolbar used to control various functions

Displays information when Performance tool is first opened

Data display related to memory, processor, and physical disk objects on local computer

Three possible views

Graphs

Histogram

Report

System Monitor toolbar used to control various functions

Using System Monitor (continued)

Activity 11-4: Exploring System Monitor Settings Objective: To explore System Monitor settings for Windows Server 2003 Open the Performance console to see System Monitor running Use the toolbar to change view types Change the view to highlight a particular property Explore freezing the display

Objective: To explore System Monitor settings for Windows Server 2003

Open the Performance console to see System Monitor running

Use the toolbar to change view types

Change the view to highlight a particular property

Explore freezing the display

Activity 11-4 (continued)

Activity 11-4 (continued)

Performance Objects and Counters Performance monitoring is a regular maintenance task Performance counters: % processor time % interrupt time Pages/second Page faults/second % disk time Avg. disk queue length

Performance monitoring is a regular maintenance task

Performance counters:

% processor time

% interrupt time

Pages/second

Page faults/second

% disk time

Avg. disk queue length

Activity 11-5: Adding Counters to System Monitor Objective: To add object counters to the System Monitor tool Add several counters Explore the Explain feature Explore different views

Objective: To add object counters to the System Monitor tool

Add several counters

Explore the Explain feature

Explore different views

Activity 11-5 (continued)

Using System Monitor (continued) Collecting data is easy, interpreting data is harder Often there are causal relationships that aren’t obvious Several alternatives for saving and viewing historical data Html files Log files Databases

Collecting data is easy, interpreting data is harder

Often there are causal relationships that aren’t obvious

Several alternatives for saving and viewing historical data

Html files

Log files

Databases

Activity 11-6: Saving and Viewing System Monitor Data Objective: Explore options for saving System Monitor data Open System Monitor and collect data Freeze the display Save the data as an html file Explore options that are available in the browser

Objective: Explore options for saving System Monitor data

Open System Monitor and collect data

Freeze the display

Save the data as an html file

Explore options that are available in the browser

Activity 11-6 (continued)

Performance Logs and Alerts A second tool available within Performance console Allows you to automatically collect data (locally or remotely) and view it using another program Tasks: collect data in different formats, view data, configure parameters, configure and manage logging sessions, set up alerts Three options available in tool: counter logs, trace logs, and alerts

A second tool available within Performance console

Allows you to automatically collect data (locally or remotely) and view it using another program

Tasks: collect data in different formats, view data, configure parameters, configure and manage logging sessions, set up alerts

Three options available in tool: counter logs, trace logs, and alerts

Configuring Alerts Logging increases overhead on a server Set up a regular schedule for collecting and reviewing data Since logging should not run constantly, alerts can notify you of a potential problem

Logging increases overhead on a server

Set up a regular schedule for collecting and reviewing data

Since logging should not run constantly, alerts can notify you of a potential problem

Configuring Alerts (continued)

Activity 11-7: Configuring Performance Logs and Alerts Objective: To explore configuring performance logging and alerts Open Performance Logs and Alerts View the System Overview log Explore the Log Files and Schedules tab Configure alerts and monitor performance

Objective: To explore configuring performance logging and alerts

Open Performance Logs and Alerts

View the System Overview log

Explore the Log Files and Schedules tab

Configure alerts and monitor performance

Configuring and Managing Services Don’t want to run unnecessary services, adds overhead to a system Before disabling a service, check dependencies Services MMC allows you to configure various settings under the properties of a service with following tabs General Log On Recovery Dependencies

Don’t want to run unnecessary services, adds overhead to a system

Before disabling a service, check dependencies

Services MMC allows you to configure various settings under the properties of a service with following tabs

General

Log On

Recovery

Dependencies

Activity 11-8: Configuring Windows Server 2003 Services Open the Remote Desktop Help Session Manager and configure it to start automatically Objective: To configure the startup properties and settings of Windows Server 2003 services Open the Services MMC Explore the General, Log On,Recovery and Dependencies tabs Open the Messenger service and disable it

Open the Remote Desktop Help Session Manager and configure it to start automatically

Objective: To configure the startup properties and settings of Windows Server 2003 services

Open the Services MMC

Explore the General, Log On,Recovery and Dependencies tabs

Open the Messenger service and disable it

Activity 11-8 (continued)

Activity 11-8 (continued)

Summary Goal is to ensure servers meet performance expectations and to minimize server downtime Task Manager utility provides snapshots of CPU, memory, and network performance and utilization – Used as an initial point of reference Task Manager can also be used for management – to end, switch, start, etc. new applications and processes and to log off and disconnect users

Goal is to ensure servers meet performance expectations and to minimize server downtime

Task Manager utility provides snapshots of CPU, memory, and network performance and utilization – Used as an initial point of reference

Task Manager can also be used for management – to end, switch, start, etc. new applications and processes and to log off and disconnect users

Summary (continued) Event Viewer utility used to view logged information about errors, cautions, and events in processes and applications – helps to identify issues before they become larger problems Performance console contains the System Monitor utility and the Performance Logs and Alerts utility System Monitor allows you to track many different performance measures locally and remotely and provides different views of the measures

Event Viewer utility used to view logged information about errors, cautions, and events in processes and applications – helps to identify issues before they become larger problems

Performance console contains the System Monitor utility and the Performance Logs and Alerts utility

System Monitor allows you to track many different performance measures locally and remotely and provides different views of the measures

Summary Performance Logs and Alerts allows you to automatically log performance information based on start and stop times or on alert configurations Information can be saved in different formats including SQL database, comma-separated, tab-separated, etc. To optimize server performance, unnecessary services and applications should be disabled – some run by default when server is installed Check Dependencies before disabling a service

Performance Logs and Alerts allows you to automatically log performance information based on start and stop times or on alert configurations

Information can be saved in different formats including SQL database, comma-separated, tab-separated, etc.

To optimize server performance, unnecessary services and applications should be disabled – some run by default when server is installed

Check Dependencies before disabling a service