When choosing a network adapter for use with Windows Server 2012 some considerations are important. The choice of a network card is ideal for virtualization, File Server, SQL or another function.
The table below demonstrates how the resources of network cards should be configured as the function that the physical server will play:
Find out how these features work may not be the desire of consumption of most IT Pros, but the performance gain is considerable and therefore become an item that must be configured.
Network cards for use in servers have a specific processor to develop fracture control tasks, Message Queuing and other functions that release the processor (CPU) of the computer you have to deal with network traffic.
Below we see the Interruptions (Ch0), where we can enable the plate processor to perform the multiple uses of the Control Board instead of the CPU. This happens, for example, at a time when many applications access the network. If the network card is offboard worth, if the card is onboard your CPU is less efficient than the computer’s CPU, and it would not be worth:
Large Offload capabilities allow you to indicate if the Board or the OS will do the packet processing frames. For example, if a given on is greater than the standard package of 1500 bytes (9000 in Jumbo Frame) it is divided into several packages. The offload capabilities will indicate that the Board is responsible for turning the package in frames. Turn on this feature for e-mail servers and streaming would not be indicated, since these types of package can of course be lost and retransmitted:
Already the RSS causes packets coming in on the same TCP/UDP connection are always processed by the main processor. In machines multi-process configurations or even multi-core this feature causes each connection is as loyal to that same processor, avoiding that a package is distributed between processors and will cause overload on the CPU.
For virtual machines and NIC Team the RSS feature is used automatically when you have enabled the SR-IOV in the Virtual Switch, which allows VMs on Windows to access physical resources of 2012 network cards natively, such as those already discussed.
The RSC Board feature small packages to create a single package. For example, it will add 3 packages of 400 bytes in a single package of 1500 bytes, saving headers and packets on the network. Obviously with this feature we improved the physical medium of communication, playing a smaller number of packets in the network cable.
The RDMA is a feature that enables and supports the SMB Direct, a new features of File Servers. This feature allows data in memory of a file server is transmitted directly to the network card, without the need for passing by the kernel of the operating system. Its performance is similar to Fibre Channel, which would be a dedicated controller (HBA). Without the RDMA the Hyper-V Cluster resource based on SMB (File Share) is committed to performance.
Important: When in iSCSI storage access boards the resources, RSS, and RDMA Offload must be disabled because they “hold” the data packets, causing packet loss and slow
I discussed some of the existing features and that can improve the performance of some functions as the table at the beginning of the article.
If you want details about the features, please visit the links http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj574168.aspx and http://technet.microsoft.com/pt-br/library/hh831795.aspx
Recently been released various Management Packs for System Center Operations Manager Windows Server 2012.
Several were already available, with the most recent:
It is important to remember that all Management Packs can be found by Pinpoint in http://systemcenter.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/search/operations-manager-d11?q=
Highlight to package for monitor Network Devices with extended properties, including VLANs and others configurations in devices with interface MIB (RFC 2863) and MIB-II (RFC 1213) standards.
Pinpoint can be found the MPs of both Microsoft and third parties, and are free from Microsoft and third-party majority.
If you want to search only the free MPs is possible with the filter: http://systemcenter.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/search/operations-manager-d11?fp=0&q=
Besides the filter for free, it is possible to filter through the menu on the left by the time they were released, and take between 1 to 2 weeks to be published, as is the case with the first one in the list above.
In a series of lectures that I taught last year (TechEd 2011, SQLPass # 127, MCT Summit and universities), I discussed the topic on choosing the best storage medium and the RAID types available, with the advantages and disadvantages of each.
It is still a very new for IT Pros on account of not being discussed in college courses, technical training certification only.
In this first article I will address the RAID types and what are IOPS. In a next article comment about architectures and controller types (Fibre Channel, HBA, iSCSI and SMB).
Part 1 – RAID types
RAID is the acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disk or "redundant Group of independent disks", which indicates the use of a number of disks to create a high availability.
The RAID types can be simplified by the use of 4 main types:
| RAID | Concepts and Nº Disks | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 0 – Stripped without parity |
From 2 disks, information is written to both disks of independent form, that is, half of a file on each disk |
High-performance |
Without redundancy, any disc that lose the others have no way to recreate the lost data, once the information is in all disks |
| 1 – Mirror |
From 2 discs, always in pairs. The data is written to both disks in full |
High performance, in reading uses the two discs |
Only half of the sum of the disks is available |
| 5 – Stripped with parity |
From 3 discs. The information is written similar to RAID 0, but it uses an algorithm that information is written to a disk for reconstruction of any disk with error |
Good performance |
Always lost the equivalent of a disk |
| 6 – Stripped with parity |
From 3 discs. The information is written similar to RAID 5, but with 2 parity disks |
Good performance |
Always lost the equivalent of two disk |
| 10 – RAID 0 Mirror |
From 4 disks, where each two discs form a RAID 0, the second copy of the first. Is a mix of RAID 0 with RAID 1, but at the level of the whole and not the disc |
High-performance |
Loss of half of the disks available |
| 50 and 60 – Parity Mirror |
RAID 5 and 6 with the parity disks mirrored |
Great redundancy |
Another loss besides the disk that were already parity |
The most widely used today is the RAID 5/10, since they have good performance and redundancy, as shown in the chart below:
Below a graph of General items and comparison between the types of RAID 5/10/6/50:
Note: the above data were collected in the id "Choosing a Member RAID Policy" which is based on Dell Equallogic architecture and it is not necessary to register: http://www.dellstorage.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=1066
Part 2-what is IOPS?
Is the number of operations per second that a single disk can get. For example, a 10 k SAS disk can on average 140 IOPS.
This speed is standard in the industry with variations between models, but we can have a basis of what is acceptable and the disc manufacturer can tell you this number.
However, note that the difference is too large, especially taking into account the new SSD disks. For example, the X 25-E Intel (See the pdf with the characteristics in http://download.intel.com/design/flash/nand/extreme/extreme-sata-ssd-datasheet.pdf) reaches the numbers 30 times larger than the SAS and SATA disks.
Because the IOPS is so important?
This question is obvious, but the explanation may not be so simple. It turns out that in most cases have the tendency to minimize the issue saying it’s "performance" or "user perception" but actually can impact directly on the running of an application, in some cases up to the end.
For example, an Exchange 2003 environment with 2 thousand mailboxes need 1.5 thousand IOPS and this number is not easy to achieve. SQL Server to a SharePoint database need 5 thousand IOPS for work.
How to calculate the IOPS?
Multiply the total by RAID type and disks will your number. Follow some examples:
RAID 1, RAID 10 or RAID 0 will you the largest proportional number of IOPS possible RAID 5, the calculation takes into account the least disk 1 and disk 2 to 50 less RAID parities.
How to get the largest possible IOPS with higher capacity?
We have three ways to do this:
- Use high-performance disks, as the 15 k SAS or SSD, but are expensive and only sizes SSD 32/50/64/100 GB
- Use the appropriate RAID type for performance and not to the size you want as many today do, which often involves using RAID 10 for total performance rather than RAID 50, we would lose in ability but gain in performance
- Buy one that works with virtual LUNs, it allocates the data on the disks as the need for this given and does not need to say the RAID type
Interesting references
How to calculate IOPS for Exchange 2003 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125019 (EXCHG. 65) .aspx
How to calculate IOPS for Exchange 2010 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee832791.aspx
How to calculate IOPS for the SharePoint 2010 SQL http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc298801.aspx
Utility to measure IOPS for SQL Server (SQLIO) http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=br&id=20163
Many who use the System Center products 2012 still using tools like in 2007 and 2008, i.e. autonomously.
Thus, the Service Manager receives events manually when some type of alert is generated in Operations Manager. The reports and inventory data (CI) need to be consulted in Configuration Manager.
Using the Service Manager connectors we can integrate all the products as shown in the diagram below:
As can be seen in the diagram, is the Service Manager who plays the role of integration between the various System Center products. The Orchestrator also acts, but through Runbooks that can interact with the design of activities, but already mentioned in another post http://www.marcelosincic.com.br/blog/post/Orchestrator-Integration-Packs-para-System-Center-2012.aspx
Creating Connectors in Operations Manager
The connectors need to be created on both sides, initially by Operations Manager in Administration-> Internal Connectors, as can be seen below, where the various connectors are already created, and only one is created in the wizard and the other automatically created depending on the number of Management Packs:
The first step is to define the name of the connector and the SCOM computer groups will be integrated:
In the next step we define what are the Management Packs that will be integrated with the Service Manager, and at the time of creation of the connector you can choose all and care after the connector already created and tested, as will be shown in the next topic:
The last step when you create the connector is set filter criteria. This item is more important than the two above (Computer Groups and Management Packs), because it allows you to set granular form which alerts will generate incidents in Service Manager. For example, only errors are important in incidents, as well as the priority, and the State of alert in SCOM 2007.
It is also important to note that the incidents in Service Manager can be opened by the States resulting from the Healthy Operations Manager Monitors, which expands the number of events that will be generated:
Edition of the connector in Service Manager
Created the Operations Manager console connector it is possible to see the same replicated connector in Service Manager in Administration-> Connectors.
If you need to change how the incidents are registered and automatically open it is necessary to amend the Service Manager console connector, as shown in the screen below:
In the configuration screen template define the criteria of incidents that will be synchronized, noting that if it is not properly configured the connector in Service Manager when closing an incident it will terminate in Operations Manager and vice versa.
In the example below, I selected all computers by the group, but could be made a filter by Management Pack, level of severity, priority, or even a custom field:
Creating item (CI) Connector in Service Manager
Note that importing Management Packs has to do with the configuration items and not with the previously defined alerts.
In this case, which will be imported are items, computers and data collected by Operations Manager agents, to form the library configuration data together with System Center Configuration Manager.
Therefore, create the configuration items connector is not as important as creating the connector for the alerts, especially in environments where System Center Configuration Manager also was implemented and synchronize.
Anyway, I recommend that the CI connector so that machines monitored by Operations Manager and not containing Configuration Manager Agent are included in the Service Manager database to open a call. In addition, the connector will allow you to see applications such as IIS Web sites and other Windows services by Service Manager.
To create and administer this, simply set the Connector Management Packs that will send data and the schedule for this task:
Other Connectors
More details of each of the connectors can be seen on TechNet at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh524326.aspx
Microsoft offers several tools for analysis of the implementation of a product. Some are native and other optional:
Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer (MBCA)
Extend, forms the basis for the analysis of various products such as SQL Server, System Center 2012 2012, Dynamics and other:
- MBCA- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=16475
- SQL 2012 http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?d=29302
- Dynamics AX 2012- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28749
- SC 2012- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=36796
- Prereq RSAT W8- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
Tool to examine Windows security, Windows 2008 R2.
Was discontinued after Windows Server 2012
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7558
Best Practices Analyzer
Are native Windows 2008 R2 tools and Windows 2012
Installable Server Manager http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd759260.aspx
Failover Cluster Validation
Native Failover Cluster feature
Run by MMC Cluster Failover
Several articles discuss the use of BPA and Cluster validator are native and MBSA has been discontinued for Windows Server 2012, so in this article we will address only the MBCA and its use with System Center 2012.
MBCA and Installation Packages
The installation of this product is very simple, just run the installer.
After installing the MBCA we install the tools, or analysis packages, allowing to open the MBCA let’s see a list of available analysis packages:
Running the System Center 2012 Configuration Analyzer
Note that when you open the menu does not have an option for the SCCA, since it is a plugin of the MBCA, as can be seen below:
The next step is to select the computers that will be validated. However, to validate some remote servers you may need to register with Setspn. If you don’t know how to use, can use the SCCA’s own statements, as shown in the topics:
The results are displayed in two tabs, being possible to see a summary or detail of the parsed data. In the example below I ran in a 2012 SCSM SP1 and the initial result is that there is achieving 100% implementation and allowing export the report that can be reviewed later after saved with the option "Open Report" on first pront.
Using the Collected Data it is possible to see the data used by SCCA to validate the SCSM:
Remote Servers
Install the MBCA and the SCCA on a single server is useful to avoid installation in a server farm or even for machines with limited access. However, in some cases it is not possible to run the SCCA remotely having as a result the message below:
The Credssp function allows the server where the SCCA is installed has access to the server that is being analyzed, being simple to run and need for remote analyses.
System Center Advisor was already a product known to a few years, but at the beginning of March it was announced that he is now free for all customers!
What is System Center Advisor?
The Advisor is similar to System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) 2012, but with a series of rules based on good practice.
Currently it supports Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2012, Exchange Server 2010, Lync 2010 and SharePont 2010.
Its rules currently have 249 items (4/15/2013) and always being updated and added. It is possible to choose which rules will be used, by product or feature specifies.
It is important to note that the Advisor was not created to support stations, what is Windows Intune responsibility.
His canvases are the Dashboard that brings a summary of alerts by product type and server:
Detailing each of the alerts, with data from the server and the items with their corresponding values that led the SCA to identify the alert:
Finally, it is possible to see the history of hardware and software updates using configuration snapshots available, allowing you to compare the values of a date with the other, creating a CCM:
How to register and Configure System Center Advisor?
To open an account in the SCA is only necessary to have a Microsoft Account (formerly Live ID/Passport) and enter the home in https://www.systemcenteradvisor.com/Default.aspx where the registration is simple and clear.
The next step is to install the agents, but we will talk about it in the next topic.
After you create the account already it is possible to configure the desired alerts, which can be accessed through the console Alerts >Alert Management > Roles shown in the images up on the screen alerts and view the image below:
Note that it is possible to select by product type rules, as the image above, or even by specific alert, for example, if PowerShell is installed or not when it is verified the operating system:
Another important configuration item to be accomplished is the creation of users and their roles in the portal.
The image below shows how security settings can add, edit, or delete users, and indicate what each user will receive alerts in your e-mail:
The SCA does not allow you to select which items every portal user can receive, since the roles can be user only (preview) or administrator. To receive alerts, select the checkbox below:
Installing agents on the servers
To install the agents it is necessary to download the application and the digital certificate, which is used for the Gateway as a form of authentication. The diagram below demonstrates how the communication process:
To download the certificate and click on "Setting up System Advisor" in the Dashboard and select the items for download buttons:
It is important to understand that the agent (binary) is one for any account, the certificate that identifies the client/account being monitored and can be used on multiple servers that will be gateway. In cases of standalone servers, it should be agent and gateway.
This installation option is made during the agent setup:
If the installation is gateway, prompted the proxy data (if any) and the location of the certificate file. If the agent installation should be placed the name of the server that is the gateway. Obviously the first client to be installed should be the gateway server.
Logs and Settings
The configuration of agents/gateways can be made at any time by using the tool "System Center Advisor Configuration Wizard", where it will show the specific settings for agent or gateway, such as the two images below show:
Also it is important to give permission to the agents at the gateway by using the local group "Allowed Advisor Agents" and add the computers that will communicate with him:
To check the logs, must be used in the Event Viewer log "Operations Manager" or the directory Program Files\System Center Advisor \ < GatewayData > or AgentData \Logs.
Environments with SCOM and SCA
The SCA is the same agent used by SCOM, therefore the two monitoring systems can coexist, with the same machine can refer to two systems, that are identified by the Management Group, which in the case of SCOM is defined in the creation of the Management Server and in the case of the Advisor when creating the account in the service.
As the Operations Manager Agent is already designed to allow monitoring by multiple servers in different organizations SCOM, that’s no problem or solution for environments in which you want to use the two monitoring systems.
Just as in last year’s MMS (http://msincic.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/mms-2012news-and-watch-the-event-online) all the contents of this year’s event which begin on Monday and ended this Thursday (April, 8 to 12) in Las Vegas.
Microsoft Management Summit is a different event from TechEd for being focused on Windows Server and System Center management, mainly.
Is an event that happens every year in Las Vegas and always crowded. Las Vegas itself is an extraordinary place to know and the event does not make for less.
Follow the link from the Channel 9 and most of the sessions it is possible to download the ppts: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/MMS/2013
If you want only the ppts, is possible to use the filter on the right-hand side. For those who make presentations, ppts ready as the MMS are essential source of research.
