Microsoft KB Archive/324752

= How to create and configure performance alerts in Windows Server 2003 =

Article ID: 324752

Article Last Modified on 12/3/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition

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This article was previously published under Q324752



Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry



For a Microsoft Windows 2000 version of this article, see 302558.



SUMMARY
This step-by-step article describes how to create and configure performance alerts in Windows Server 2003.

How to Create an Alert
To create or modify a log configuration, you must have Full Control permission for the following registry key, which controls the Performance Logs and Alerts service:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\SysmonLog\Log Queries

To create an alert:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Performance.
 * 2) Double-click Performance Logs and Alerts, and then click Alerts.

NOTE: Any existing alerts are listed in the Details pane. A green icon indicates that the logs are running, and a red icon indicates alerts that have stopped.
 * 1) Right-click a blank area in the Details pane, and then click New Alert Settings.
 * 2) In the Name box, type the name of the alert, and then click OK.

The   dialog box is displayed. In this dialog box, you configure settings for the alert that you created.

To define a comment, add counters, alert thresholds, and the sample interval, use the General tab. To specify the actions that occur when counter data triggers an alert, use the Action tab. To define start and stop parameters for an alert, use the Schedule tab.

The following sections of this article describe how to configure alert options in each of these tabs.

Define Counters and Thresholds for an Alert
 Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Performance. Double-click Performance Logs and Alerts, and then click Alerts. In the Details pane, double-click the alert that you want to configure. Click the General tab. In the Comment box, type an appropriate comment to describe the alert (if you have not already added a comment), and then click Add. For each counter or group of counters that you want to add to the log, follow these steps: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> To monitor counters from the computer on which the Performance Logs and Alerts service runs, click Use local computer counters. Or, to monitor counters from a specific computer regardless of where the service is run, click Select counters from computer, and then specify the name of the computer you want to monitor.</li> In the Performance object box, click the object that you want to monitor.</li> In the Select counters from list box, click the counter(s) that you want monitor.</li> To monitor all instances of the selected counters, click All instances. Note that binary logs can include instances that are not available at log startup but subsequently become available. Or, to monitor particular instances of the selected counters, click Select Instances From List, and then click the instances that you want to monitor.</li> Click Add.</li></ol> </li> Click Close when you are finished.</li> In the Alert when the value is box, click either Under or Over, and then specify the value that triggers the alert in the Limit box.</li> In the Sample data every box, specify the amount and the unit of measure for the update interval that you want.</li> Click OK.</li></ol>

Define Actions for an Alert

 * 1) Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Performance.
 * 2) Double-click Performance Logs and Alerts, and then click Alerts.
 * 3) In the Details pane, double-click the alert that you want to configure.
 * 4) Click the Action tab.
 * 5) Specify the action or actions that you want:
 * 6) * If you want the Performance Logs and Alerts service to create an entry in the application log of Event Viewer when an alert occurs, click to select the Log an entry in the application event log check box.
 * 7) * If you want the Performance Logs and Alerts service to trigger the Messenger service to send a message, click to select the Send a network message to check box, and then type the IP address or name of the computer on which the alert message should be displayed.
 * 8) * To run a counter log when an alert occurs, click to select the Start performance data log check box, and then specify the counter log that you want to run.
 * 9) * To run a command or program when an alert occurs, click to select the Run this program check box, and then type the file path and name of the program or command that you want to run, or click Browse to locate the file.

When an alert occurs, the service creates a process and runs the specified command file. The service also copies any command-line arguments you define to the command line that is used to run the file. Click Command Line Arguments, and then click to select the appropriate check boxes to include the arguments that you want when the program is run.

Note You must select at least one command-line argument or the program will not run. (This is true regardless of what program you have selected.)
 * 1) Click OK.

Define Start or Stop Parameters for an Alert

 * 1) Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Performance.
 * 2) Double-click Performance Logs and Alerts, and then click Alerts.
 * 3) In the Details pane, double-click the alert that you want to configure.
 * 4) Click the Schedule tab.
 * 5) Under Start scan, do one of the following:
 * 6) * Click Manually if you want to manually start the scan. After you select this option, right-click the alert in the right pane, and then click Start to start the scan.
 * 7) * Click At to start the scan at a specific time and date, and then specify the time and date that you want.
 * 8) Under Stop scan, do one of the following:
 * 9) * Click Manually if you want to manually stop the scan. After you select this option, right-click the alert in the right pane, and then click Stop to start the scan.
 * 10) * Click After to stop the scan after a specified duration, and then specify the time interval that you want.
 * 11) * Click At to stop the scan at a specific time and date, and then specify the time and date that you want.
 * 12) If you want to stat a new scan, click to select the Start a new scan check box.
 * 13) Click OK.

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