Installing Opalis

In the following Install series I’m going to how to install and configure Opalis!

Opalis Integration Server includes the following components:

• Action Server - The engine that runs Policies. Action Servers communicate with the Datastore. Action Servers do not require a Management Server to be online to be able to run Policies. You can deploy a single Action Server or multiple ones.
• Management Server - The central manager of Clients, Action Servers, Policies, the Policy Testing Console, and the Self Monitoring functionality. The Management Server deploys Integration Packs to Action Servers and Clients, deploys Policies to Action Servers, and acts as a communication link between the Clients, the Action Servers, and the Datastore. 
• Client - The tool used by designers to create, modify,and deploy Policies.
• Operator Console - The Operator Console enables you to see which Policies are currently running, view their real-time status, and start or stop them from a browser console interface.
• Policy Testing Console – The tool used by designers to test Policies that are developed in the Client before they are deployed.
• Datastore - The Datastore is the Oracle or SQL Server database where configuration information, Policies, and logs are stored.

System requirements for Opalis

You need a Windows 2003 machine with SQL 2005 or 2008. Windows 2008 is sadly enough not yet supported.

Let’s start with the FUN part!

The Install Opalis Integration Server splash screen guides you through the four steps of installing Opalis Integration Server. Complete the following steps in the same order as they are listed on the splash screen:

Click Install the Management Server in step 1 of the Install Opalis Integration Server splash screen.The Management Service Setup screen appears.


Type your name and your organization’s name in the respective fields, then select which users on your computer will have access to the application.

Click Next. The Destination Folder page appears.

Type the user name (DOMAIN\Username format) and password that the Management Service and Operator Console Service will use.
Opalis Integration Server automates tasks across the entire server architecture. This type of automation requires high levels of access permissions. It is imperative to restrict access to the Action Server and Management Server computers such that only authorized administrators may alter the settings on these computers. So don’t put in a domain admin. It is imperative to restrict access to the Action Server and Management Server computers such that only authorized administrators may alter the settings on these computers.
That’s why Microsoft recommends the following:

• restrict interactive login access to local administrators group only
• Add only the minimum necessary users to the local admin group

Click Next. The Ready to Install the Application page appears.

Click Next. The Management Service is installed. When the wizard has finished the installation, click Finish. The Install Opalis Integration Server splash screen appears.

The Management Server installation program installs the following items:

• The Management Server service and all related library files.
• The Database Configuration utility.
• The License Manager utility.
• The Deployment Manager.
• The Self Monitoring components.
• The Audit Trail components.
   
  Let’s install the datastore now. The Database Configuration utility prepares the database where Opalis Integration Server stores information about your Policies. This database is called the Datastore. That’s the database where configuration information, Policies, and logs are stored.
  When setting up the datastore you can choose between an Oracle server or a SQL server. In my lab environment I only have a SQL so I’m going to install the datastore or database on my sql server.
  
  
  Click Configure the Datastore in step 2 of the Install Opalis Integration Server splash screen. The Database Configuration dialog appears.
  
  On the Database Type page Type tab, select the Microsoft SQL Server option and click Next. The Server Details page appears.
  
  In the Server field, type the name of the server that is running the SQL Server database that will host the Datastore. Do not use 'localhost' or '127.0.0.1'.
  
  Create a new database - Select this option to create a new Management Database and type a name for this database.
   
  Licenses provide information to the Management Server about the number of users, Action Servers, and satellites that you can run. A satellite license is a license that enables Policies to interact with remote machines.
  
  Click Import a License in step 3 of the Install Opalis Integration Server splash screen. The License Manager dialog appears.
  
  When I wanted to import a license using the License Manager I got an error saying:
  

  cannot connect to Management Server

  So I checked the Opalis Services and they where all running fine
  
  I started debugging this issue by looking in the Opalis Log files that you can find “%programfiles%\Opalis Software\Opalis Integration Server\ Management Service\Logs'”
  In  the log folder you will find two different log files. One called ActionServerWatchdog.log and the other one called OpalisManagementService.log.
  I will go in more detail about the logging and auditing functionalities of Opalis in a later blogpost.
  
  
  Open the OpalisManagementService.log file and there you will see why I was not able to connect to the Management server. When launching the Licensemanager tool , it tries to connect to the Management Server which in turn is unable to connect to the database. In the logfile I found an error saying that the DB connection could not be opened. You can find the DB connection string in there as well.
  
  So the thing is to make sure that the account you used as the Opalis service account has the correct permissions on the database. In my case the account “contoso\svc_opalis” didn’t had the correct permissions to connect to the database.
  
  Create a new login for the Opalis service account and give it permission to connect to the database. Once done you will be able to launch the License Manager tool and import the Opalis Licenses.
  
  
• Click Import. The Import License dialog appears.
• In the Key field, type or paste the key that was sent to you by Opalis Software Inc.
• In the License file field, type the path of the license (.lic) file that was sent to you by Opalis Software Inc., or click the ellipsis (...) button to browse for it.
• Click OK. The License Manager prompt appears.
• Click OK. The License Manager dialog appears.
• Click Close. The Install Opalis Integration Server splash screenappears.

In the last step we will install the Opalis Client.

• 
  

TechNet Virtual Lab: Introduction to Opalis – Video Tutorials

Exercise 1: Building Policies – Part 1 

 
Exercise 1: Building Policies – Part 2 

Exercise 1: Building Policies – Part 3 

Exercise 2: System Center Integrations (System Center Operations Manager) 

How to create a SCOM Windows Events Monitor and alert on the Description field

When creating a monitor that alerts on event logs you may want to be able to monitor based on key words in the description field. This is not a default parmater and needs a few extra steps. But is still very easy to accomplish once you now the steps.
here are the two variables you will be adding to the monitor
parameter name: EventDescription
Alert description: $Data/EventDescription$



1. When you are creating the Event Expression click on insert, then click on button “…: under parameter name
2. Select Use Parameter Name not specified above and enter EventDescription

$Data/EventDescription$

Select an Event Property-EventDescription

3. change your operator to Contains
4. under the Value, enter the words you want to find in the desction field.

Build Event Expresion - operator and value

THIS IS NOT DONE!!!!

5. Continue to build your rule until you arrive at the Configure Alerts page. Enter the value $Data/EventDescription$ in the Alert description window. If you do not you will receive errors.

6. Create the rule, and refresh how ever you like. When i am in a hurry i will restart the health service on the server that I am monitoring.
7. To test your rule the OpsMgr Event Creator tool is not going to work. It does not allow you to create custom descriptions. Log onto the server that you want to monitor and open a command window. Using the eventcreate command type the following

eventcreate /t error /ID 1000/d “fieldxu.exe THIS IS JUST A TEST BY Brad Hearn”
/t sets as an error
/ID is the event id
/d is what will be placed into the description field. Remeber to place quotes around your text.

The alerts will look something like this.

Hope this helps out.

How to move the OperationsManager Data Warehouse Database to a new SQL server

 

Stop all services on RMS and MS servers

a. On opsmgr-rms2 stop the following

·         Opsmgr config

·         Opsmgr sdk

·         Opsmgr health

b. On opsmgr-ms2 stop the following

·         Opsmgr heatlh

Backup database opsmgr-sql2

a. Backup the following

D:\backup\OperationsManagerDW.bak

Uninstall the Reporting Data Warehouse component opsmgr-sql2

A.      Click Start, click Control Panel, and then select Add or Remove Programs.

B.      In the Add or Remove Programs dialog box, select System Center Operations

Manager 2007Reporting Server, and then select Change.

C.      c. In the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Reporting Setup Wizard, on

the Operations Manager 2007 Maintenance page, select Modify, and then click Next.

D.      d. On the Custom Setup page, configure the Data Warehouse component with

the This component will not be available option.

E.       e. Complete the wizard.

Note

This does not physically remove the OperationsManagerDW database from SQL

Server.

4. Delete the OperationsManagerDW database opsmgr-sql2

A.      In Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, navigate to Databases.

B.      Right-click OperationsManagerDW, and then select Delete.

C.      c. In the Delete Object dialog box, ensure that the Delete backup and restore

history information for databases and the Close existing connections options are

both checked

5.Install the Reporting Data Warehouse component Opsmgr-sql1

A.      run SetupOM.exe to install the Reporting Data Warehouse component as

follows

B.      On the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Setup page, select Install

Operations Manager 2007 Reporting.

C.       the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Reporting Setup wizard, on

the Custom Setup page,

·         configure Data Warehouse component for installation

·         Configure Reporting Server with the This component will not be

available option

D.      d. Database instance is opsmgr-sql1

E.       e. Database Files Location

·         D:\Data for both data and log file locations

6.Delete the New OperationsManagerDW On the new Data Warehouse server opsmgr-sql1

A.      In Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, navigate to Databases.

B.       Right-click OperationsManagerDW, and then select Delete.

C.      In the Delete Object dialog, ensure that the Delete backup and restore history

             information for databases and the Close existing connections options are both checked.

7.restore the OperationsManagerDW From opsmgr-sql2 to opsmgr-sql1

A.      Copy the backup of the database from \\opsmgr-sql2\d$\restore

B.      b. On SQL1 open SQL Server Management Studio

·         In the left Colum Expand opsmgr-sql1 and right click on databases

·         Select restore database

·         Source for restore (do this before setting destination)

C.       Select "From device" click on the navigate button on the right

D.      Select file for Backup Media and say add

E.      Navigate to D:\Restore and select OperationsManagerDW.bak

               and say ok twice

F.       4. Select the most recent backup and say ok.

Destination for Restore

A.      Click on the dropdown arrow beside "To database"

B.      Select OperationsManager

C.       Place a checkmark beside OperationsManagerDW-Full Database Backup

D.      4. Click on OK

E.      5. Progress is shown in the bottom left corner. When complete

                   there will hopefully be a successful window popup. Say ok.

F.       6. You are done restoring the database

8. Add SDK Account

On opsmgr-sql1 hosting the OperationsManagerDW database, add the correct

permission for the Login of the Root Management Server on which the SDK

Account is running, as follows:

A.      Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, and in the Object Explorer

pane, navigate to Security and then expand Logins.

B.      b. Add the SDK Account

·         Right click on Logins and select New Login

·         For login name use domain\mom_sdkconfig

·         Use windows authentication

·         Say ok

C.      Settings for SDK Account

·         Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, and in the Object

Explorer pane, navigate to Security and then expand Logins.

·          Right click domain\mom_sdkconfig select properties

·          Under "select a page" on the left side click on User Mapping

D.      In the right window under "Users mapped to this login: place a

check beside OperationsMangerDW.

E.       In the right window under "Database role membership for:

OperationsManageDW" make sure the following items are checked:

·         OpsMgrReader

·         db_datareader

9.Add Data Warehouse Read account

On opsmgr-sql1 hosting the OperationsManagerDW database, add the

correct permission for the Login of the Root Management Server on which

the Data warehouse write Account is running, as follows:

A.      Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, and in the Object Explorer

pane, navigate to Security and then expand Logins.

B.      Add the Data Warehouse read Account

·         Right click on Logins and select New Login

·         For login name use domain\DW_read_Account

·         Use windows authentication

·         Say ok

10. Settings for Data Warehouse write Account

A.      In the right window under "Database role membership for:

OperationsManagerDW" make sure the following items are checked:

·         db_datareader

·         OpsMgrReader

11.Add Action Account

On opsmgr-sql1 hosting the OperationsManagerDW database, add the correct

permission for the Login of the Root Management Server on which the Action

Account is running, as follows:

A.      Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, and in the Object Explorer

pane, navigate to Security and then expand Logins.

B.      Add the Action Account

·         Right click on Logins and select New Login

·         For login name use domain\Action_Account

·         Use windows authentication

·         Say ok

C.      Settings for Action Account

·         In the right window under "Database role membership for:

OperationsManagerDW" make sure the following items are checked:

·         OpsMgrWriter

·         db_owner

12. Start the OpsMgr SDK Service On the Root Management Server, opsmgr-rms2

13. Modify the data source on SQL Server Reporting Services server Opsmgr-sql2

14. Log on to opsmgr-sql2.

A.      In Internet Explorer, open http://opsmgr-sql2/reports

B.      On the SQL Server Reporting Services Home page, ensure that you are

viewing the Contents page. Select Show Details.

D.      In the list that is displayed, click Data Warehouse Main.

E.       In the Data Warehouse Main properties page, in the Connection string text

box, change the name of the database server to opsmgr-sql1.

F.       Click Apply.

15.Update the registry to point to new Data Warehouse server Opsmgr-sql2

A.      Locate the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MicrosoftOperations Manager\3.0\Reporting.

B.      b. Create the following key as a string value

·         Name: DWDBInstance

·         Data: opsmgr-sql1

16. Configure the OperationsManager database with the name of the new Data

Warehouse server as followsOpsmgr-sql1

A.      On the server that hosts the OperationsManager database, open SQL Server

Management Studio and navigate to Databases, OperationsManager, and then to

Tables.

B.      Right-click dbo.MT_DataWarehouse, and then select Open Table.

C.      Change the value in the

MainDatabaseServerName_16781F33_F72D_033C_1DF4_65A2AFF32CA3

column to the name of the new Data Warehouse server opsmgr-sql1.

D.       Close SQL Server Management Studio to save your changes.

17.Configure the OperationsManagerDW database with the name of the new Data Warehouse server as follows Opsmgr-sql1

A.      On the new Data Warehouse server, open SQL Server Management Studio and

navigate to Databases, OperationsManagerDW, and then to Tables.

B.      b. Right-click dbo.MemberDatabase table and select Open Table.

C.      c. Change the value in the ServerName column to the name of the new Data

Warehouse server. Opsmgr-sql1          

D.      d. Close SQL Server Management Studio to save your changes.

18.Restart services Opsmgr-rms2, opsmgr-ms2

A.      On the Root Management Server,opsmgr-rms2

·         OpsMgr Config Service

·         OpsMgr Health Service

B.      b. On all Management Servers, opsmgr-ms2

·         OpsMgr Health Service.

19. To verify a successful move of the OperationsManagerDW database

a.       Verify that you can successfully run a report from the console.

b.      Ensure that the health state of all management servers in the management

group are Healthy.

If the health state of any management server is Critical, open HealthExplorer,

expand Availability - <server name>, and then continue to expand until you can

navigate to Data Warehouse SQL RS Deployed Management Pack List Request

State. Check the associated events to determine if there is an issue accessing

the OperationsManagerDW database.

c.       Check operating system events:

·         Open the operating system's Event Viewer. Navigate to Event Viewer,

and then to Operations Manager.

1.       In the Operations Manager pane, search for events with a

Source of Health Service Module and a Category of Data Warehouse.

The move was successful if event number 31570, 31558 or 31554

exists.

There is an issue accessing the OperationsManagerDW database if

event number 31563, 31551, 31569, or 31552 exists.

d.      Check events in Operations Manager:

·         In the Operations Manager console, select Monitoring.

·         Navigate to Monitoring, Operations Manager, Health Service Module

Events, and then to Performance Data Source Module Events.

Search the Performance Data Source Module Events pane for events with a Date and Time

that is later than the move.

There is a problem with the OperationsManagerDW database if events with a Source of

Health Service Module and an Event Number of 10103.

How to move the Operations Manager 2007 Reporting Server

1.Stop all services on RMS and MS servers
a. On opsmgr-rms2 stop the following

•  Opsmgr config
•  Opsmgr sdk
•  Opsmgr health

b. On opsmgr-ms2 stop the following

•  Opsmgr heatlh

2.Backup OperationsManagerDW Opsmgr-sql1
a. Backup to the following location
D:\restore\OperationsManagerDW.bak

3. On the current Operations Manager Reporting Server computer, uninstall the Operations
Manager Reporting Server component as follows:
a. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.
b. In the Add or Remove Programs dialog box, select System Center Operations
Manager 2007 Reporting Server, and then select Change.
c. In the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Reporting Setup Wizard, on the
Operations Manager 2007 Maintenance page, select Modify, and then click Next.
d. On the Custom Setup page, configure the Reporting Server component with the
This component will not be available option.
e. Complete the wizard

4.restore the OperationsManagerDW opsmgr-sql1
a. On SQL1 open SQL Server Management Studio

• In the left Colum Expand opsmgr-sql1 and right click on databases
• Select restore database
• Source for restore (do this before setting destination)

1. Select "From device" click on the navigate button on the right
2. Select file for Backup Media and say add
3. Navigate to D:\Restore and select OperationsManagerDW.bak and say ok twice
4. Select the most recent backup and say ok.
.Destination for Restore
1. Click on the dropdown arrow beside "To database"
2. Select OperationsManager
3. Place a checkmark beside OperationsManagerDW-Full Database Backup
4. Click on OK
5. Progress is shown in the bottom left corner. When complete there will hopefully be a successful window     popup. Say ok.
6. You are done restoring the database

5.Update the OperationsManager DatabaseTable
With the New Database Server Name, ensure that the account
that you are logged on with has sufficient privileges on the SQL
Server instance.
a. Open SQL Server Management Studio.
b. Expand Databases, OperationsManager and Tables.
c. Right-click dbo.MT_ManagementGroup, and then click Open Table
d. Change the value in the
SQLServerName_6B1D1BE8_EBB4_B425_08DC_2385C5930B04 column to reflect the
name of the new SQL Server-based computer.
e. Save your change.

6. Restart all services on RMS and MS servers
a. On opsmgr-rms2 stop the following

• Opsmgr config
• Opsmgr sdk
• Opsmgr health

b. On opsmgr-ms2 stop the following

• Opsmgr heatlh

7.Install Reporting services Opsmgr-rpt1
a. run SetupOM.exe from the opsmgr install source
b. On the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Setup page, select Install Operations Manager 2007 Reporting.
c. In the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Reporting Setup Wizard, on theCustom Setup page, configure only the Reporting Server component for installation.
Configure the Data Warehouse component with the This component will not be available option.
d. Enter the root manager server name opsmgr-rms2
e. SQL Database instance: opsmgr-sql1
f. Data Warehouse Write Acount

• Mom-dw-write
• Password same as action account

g. Data Warehouse Read Acount

• Mom-dw-read
• Password same as action account

System Center Configuration Manager 2007

Here is each individual one if you are interested in only a single one:

General - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrgeneral/threads/

Announcements - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrannouncements/threads/

Admin Console - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgradminconsole/threads/

Asset Intelligence – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrai/threads/

Backup and Recovery – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrbackup/threads/

Desired Configuration Management – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrdcm/threads/

Documentation – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrdocs/threads/

Internet Clients and Native Mode – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgribcm/threads/

Inventory - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrinventory/threads/

Operating System Deployment – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrosd/threads/

SDK – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrsdk/threads/

Setup/Deployment – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrsetup/threads/

Software Distribution – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrswdist/threads/

Software Updates Management – http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrsum/threads/