This appendix includes a number of reference URLs associated with Operations Manager. These links are also available “live” on the CD included with this book. URLs do change—although the authors have made every effort to verify the references here as working links, we cannot guarantee they will remain current.
A number of websites provide excellent resources for System Center Operations Manager 2007 (OpsMgr).
Several articles are available on Operations Manager 2007 Audit Collection Services (ACS):
An early article on ACS is at MCPMag.com (September 2004) at http://mcpmag.com/columns/article.asp?EditorialsID=772. Obviously a bit dated, but it’s a good overview of what Microsoft intended with the product.
An additional discussion is available at http://opsmgr2007.wikidot.com/system:audit-collection-services.
You can read Microsoft’s ACS white paper at http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/E/7/EE797D69-02B2-420D-B0F2-196906CCE063/Whitepaper-Audit_Collection_with_System_Center_Operations_Manager_2007_final.pdf.
For information on configuring ACS to use certificate-based authentication, a good place to start is Clive Eastwood’s article at http://blogs.technet.com/cliveeastwood/archive/2007/05/11/how-to-configure-audit-collection-system-acs-to-use-certificate-based-authenication.aspx.
While OpsMgr Service Pack 1 lets you enable the ACS forwarder on a management server or the RMS (Root Management Server), Jeff Skelton of Rede Consulting documents doing it in the base version of OpsMgr 2007 at http://helpmemanage.blogspot.com/2008/01/install-acs-forwarder-on-rms-or.html.
Resources are also available regarding the Gateway Server Component:
You will find a great article by Marteen Goet on the gateway server approval process at http://www.techlog.org/archive/2007/02/14/operations_manager_2007_gateway.
Also, look at http://momresources.org/scom/how-to/Certificates%20in%20OM2007.pdf for Ondrej Vysek’s article on gateway server setup. (Momresources.org has been replaced by SystemCenterForum.org, although the content previously posted is still available.)
System Center Forum has an excellent write-up on the gateway server and scenarios for it, available at http://systemcenterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/OpsMgr2007_Gateway_Config_v1.2.zip. (They update the PDF file within the zip from time to time, so be sure you have the most recent version!)
Walter Eikenboom has written a guide on untrusted domain monitoring with the gateway server, at http://weblog.stranger.nl/files/guides/Un-trusted%20domain%20monitoring%20with%20SCOM%202007%20Gateway%20server_v0.1.pdf.
Installing certificates? Check http://weblog.stranger.nl/files/DMZ_server_monitoring_with_SCOM_2007.pdf by Walter Eikenboom for details.
Microsoft’s Certificate Services overview is at http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/7d30a7ec-438f-41f8-a33a-f2e89d358b121033.mspx.
An excellent discussion on client monitoring by Andy Dominey is at http://www.server-management.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=445&Itemid=62.
Andy also has a TechNet webcast discussing client monitoring, which you can access from http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032340080&CountryCode=US.
If you install additional management servers after installing OpsMgr reporting, the new management servers will not be able to write to the data warehouse until you create profiles. The MOM team has documented this problem at http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2007/08/29/if-you-install-opsmgr-2007-reporting-and-then-install-secondary-ms-then-it-will-not-be-able-to-write-dw-data-as-profiles-are-not-created.aspx. (This bug is fixed in OpsMr 2007 Service Pack 1.)
Walter Chomak of Microsoft has done some research on OpsMgr 2007 I/O considerations. Read about his results at http://wchomak.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!F56EFE25599555EC!610.entry.
A great article by Satya Vel of the MOM team on network bandwidth utilization for the OpsMgr roles (components) is at http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2007/10/22/network-bandwidth-utilization-for-the-various-opsmgr-2007-roles.aspx.
Satya also gives us steps (totally unsupported!) to install the Operations database and Reporting on Windows Server 2008, without waiting for SQL Server 2008. Check out his self-described “hack” at http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2007/12/17/steps-to-install-opsmgr-2007-db-and-reporting-on-windows-server-2008-longhorn.aspx.
You will also want to check http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2008/01/09/support-plans-for-opsmgr-2007-sce-and-mom-2005-running-on-windows-server-2008.aspx for Microsoft’s support plans for OpsMgr, System Center Essentials, and MOM 2005 running on Windows Server 2008.
Looking for training? This is not an exhaustive list, but we have found several places that offer courses on OpsMgr 2007:
Check out the InFront Consulting Group’s training at www.systemcentertraining.com.
JCA Academy (Telindus) also has material, described at http://www.jcacademy.be/_media/pdf_cursus/_en/MOC138%20-%20Opsmgr%202007%20training.pdf and taught by Rory McCaw of InFront Consulting, a MOM MVP. The main web page is http://www.jcacademy.be/.
There is also https://www.learnitstuff.com/c-7-ms-operations-manager.aspx.
An interesting article by Ian Blyth on OpsMgr 2007 architecture appears at http://ianblythmanagement.wordpress.com/2006/08/01/scom-2007-architecture/.
Also architecture-related is an article by Brian Wren at http://blogs.technet.com/ati/archive/2007/05/14/targeting-rules-and-monitors.aspx. The article talks about how to target rules and monitors, and the difference between groups in MOM 2005 and OpsMgr 2007.
You may also want to check Jonobie Ford’s article at http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2007/10/31/targeting-series-part-1-differences-between-2005-and-2007.aspx.
Satya Vel and one of his coworkers have adapted the MOM 2005 Resource Kit MOMNetCheck utility for command-line use in OpsMgr 2007. The tool can be used to remotely check installation prerequisites. Information and a download are available at http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2007/11/20/remote-agent-prerequisite-checker-tool-for-opsmgr-2007.aspx.
Do you want to move the OpsMgr databases to another server? The authors of this book have researched the requirements and documented the steps in Chapter 12, “Backup and Recovery.” Blog articles discussing this are also available at http://ops-mgr.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!3D3B8489FCAA9B51!177.entry and http://ops-mgr.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!3D3B8489FCAA9B51!225.entry for information on moving the Operational database; and http://ops-mgr.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!3D3B8489FCAA9B51!235.entry for the steps to move the OpsMgr data warehouse.
An article by Microsoft on using SQL Server 2005 in a virtual environment can be found at http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/c/d/acd8e043-d69b-4f09-bc9e-4168b65aaa71/SQLVirtualization.doc.
A new troubleshooting tool, the ReSearch This! management pack, hosted by the System Center Forum. The more people that contribute knowledge to this tool, the better it becomes!
The OpsMgr 2007 version of ReSearch This! can be downloaded from http://systemcenterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/ReSearchThisOpsMgr.zip.
A version for MOM 2005 is also available, at http://systemcenterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/ReSearchThisMOM.zip.
Several articles are available as early discussions of Operations Manager 2007:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1998763,00.asp is an early review by eWeek on OpsMgr 2007 (August 7, 2006). It is somewhat dated, but a good first look.
Justin Incarnato blogs about what’s new in Operations Manager at http://blogs.msdn.com/incarnato/archive/2006/06/06/619420.aspx.
An overview of OpsMgr 2007 with a discussion during the Beta 2 timeframe by Stewart Cawthray, MOM Product Manager, is available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2006/09/BetaBox/.
Trying to set up a virtual server cluster? An excellent two-part write-up providing step-by-step processes is available at http://www.roudybob.net/?p=118 and http://www.roudybob.net/?p=119.
The information is also available in PDF format at http://www.roudybob.net/downloads/Setting-Up-A-Windows-Server-2003-Cluster-in-VS2005-Part1.pdf and http://www.roudybob.net/downloads/Setting-Up-A-Windows-Server-2003-Cluster-in-VS2005-Part2.pdf.
Have an interesting experience when trying to delete an agentless system? This happens if you first install agentless, then install as a managed agent without first deleting the agentless configuration. This information is discussed in Chapter 9, “Installing and Configuring Agents,” but full details are available at http://ops-mgr.spaces.live.com/default.aspx?_c01_BlogPart=blogentry&_c=BlogPart&handle=cns!3D3B8489FCAA9B51!163.
For information on debugging the infamous alert that the “Script or Executable Failed to Run,” see http://cameronfuller.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!A231E4EB0417CB76!1006.entry.
Did you know you can back up a running virtual machine? See http://redmondmag.com/columns/print.asp?EditorialsID=2324 for information.
The System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2007 scripting guide is available for download at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=104290. Similar to OpsMgr (and Exchange 2007), SCVMM includes a command shell built on PowerShell.
Boris Yanushpolsky’s Override Explorer can be downloaded from http://blogs.msdn.com/boris_yanushpolsky/attachment/4301837.ashx.
Several people have done some work on helping you put computers into maintenance mode in batch.
This includes Clive Eastwood, who has a command-line tool, documented at http://blogs.technet.com/cliveeastwood/archive/2007/09/18/agentmm-a-command-line-tool-to-place-opsmgr-agents-into-maintenance-mode.aspx.
Andrzej Lipka enhances Clive’s approach using the PsExec Tool. See http://blogs.technet.com/alipka/archive/2007/12/20/opsmgr-2007-putting-computers-in-maintenance-mode-remotely.aspx. PsExec is available at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553.aspx.
http://opsmgr2007.wikidot.com/ is a “wiki” dedicated to Operations Manager 2007, run of course by Maarten Goet!
Want to mass-create computer groups? You can use XML to do this easily. See http://cameronfuller.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!A231E4EB0417CB76!982.entry.
If you can’t get OpsMgr reporting to send email subscriptions, check out http://blogs.msdn.com/ketaanhs/archive/2005/09/05/461055.aspx for information on configuring the PermittedHosts entry in the RSReportServer.config file.
You can download a tool that allows you to test emails from the command line; this lets you see how the message will look prior to configuring a mail server. The tool is available at https://blogs.pointbridge.com/Blogs/morse_matt/Pages/Post.aspx?_ID=24.
If you do a Help -> About in the Operations console, it displays a version number. The MOM team provides a cross-reference of version numbers to “common names” at http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/archive/2008/01/10/versioning-in-opsmgr.aspx.
A nice white paper on configuring notifications written by Anders Bengtsson and Pete Zerger is available at the System Center Forum at http://systemcenterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/SCOM_Notification1.pdf. Anders also posts this white paper at http://contoso.se/blog/?p=132.
Wondering how to use a property bag? See http://www.systemcenterforum.org/using-property-bags-with-custom-scripting-in-operations-manager-2007/ to download an article written by Neale Brown and Pete Zerger.
A list of the top KB articles published for Operations Manager 2007 is available at http://kbalertz.com/Technology.aspx?tec=533.
If you’re not already receiving email notifications of new articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base from kbAlertz, you can sign up at http://kbalertz.com/ for them! You just need to create an account and select the technologies you want to be alerted about.
The following list includes some general Microsoft resources available for OpsMgr 2007:
Microsoft’s Operations Manager website—http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=86432.
Microsoft’s System Center website—http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/.
Management Pack website—http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82105. Known for years as the Management Pack Catalog, this website was renamed in 2007 to the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Catalog, with an alternate link to the System Center Pack Catalog at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=71124.
Microsoft’s System Center Pack Catalog has multiple pages for all things OpsMgr and ConfigMgr. The catalog incorporates the following pages:
All packs for all products—. https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/scp/catalog.aspx (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=71124).
Operations Manager 2007—. https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/scp/opsmgr07.aspx (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82105).
Operations Manager 2005—. https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/scp/opsmgr05.aspx.
Operations Manager 2000—. https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/scp/opsmgr00.aspx.
Configuration Manager 2007—. https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/scp/configmgr07.aspx.
System Center Operations Manager 2007 Product Documentation site—http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=85414.
Microsoft download site for documentation for Operations Manager 2007—http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=d826b836-59e5-4628-939e-2b852ed79859&displaylang=en&tm.
What’s OpsMgr all about, anyway? Microsoft has published “Key Concepts for Operations Manager 2007.” You can download the document at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3a633532-1dde-49b6-930f-7df50b69b77b&DisplayLang=en.
The document describes modeling in OpsMgr 2007 and key changes between MOM 2005 and OpsMgr 2007.
OpsMgr Deployment Guide—Available online at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=93785, or you can download it from the OpsMgr product documentation site at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb498235.aspx.
Operations Manager 2007 Online Help—http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb381409.aspx.
You can find the Operations Manager 2007 Technical Library at http://technet.microsoft.com/library/bb310604.aspx.
The Operations Manager 2007 Performance and Scalability white paper is at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb735308.aspx, or you can download the white paper at http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/3/6/d3633fa3-ce15-4071-be51-5e036a36f965/om2007_perfscal.doc.
The Operations Manager 2007 Rule and Monitor Targeting Poster is available for download from the product documentation site at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb498235.aspx.
TechNet Manageability Center—Links to resources and TechNet magazine articles at http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=7280963.
Virtual Hands On Labs—Virtual labs for System Center products including Operations Manager, Essentials, and Configuration Manager at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb539977.aspx.
Operations Manager 2007 management pack guides—Available at the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Product Documentation site, http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=83259.
All about OpsMgr licensing for customers with Software Assurance (SA)—The volume licensing brief for OpsMgr 2007 is at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=87480.
Operations Manager 2007 SDK (Software Development Kit)—http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb437575.aspx.
XML Notepad 2007 is an intuitive tool for browsing and editing XML documents. Read about it at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa905339.aspx, and download the tool from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=72d6aa49-787d-4118-ba5f-4f30fe913628&displaylang=en.
A great website on management pack authoring, maintained by Steve Wilson, an OpsMgr team program manager, can be found at http://www.authormps.com/dnn/.
System Center Operations Manager 2007 Tools and Utilities—http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb625978.aspx.
A collection of short training videos on OpsMgr 2007 is available online from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb498237.aspx.
If you are interested in downloading the videos (webcasts), go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1276a840-671f-4452-98c7-5599c0d3ff9c&DisplayLang=en.
You may also want to invest a couple of hours viewing the TechNet Support Webcast by Brian Wren, Troubleshooting Microsoft Operations Manager Top Issues, found online at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828936.
Other training videos and demos are available at http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/technetmms.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=42365.
Thanks to Justin Incarnato for putting together training videos for OpsMgr 2007 Service Pack 1. See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb986763.aspx.
The SharePoint Monitoring Toolkit for OpsMgr is available for download at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e4600fd9-f53d-4ded-88bf-6bb1932794f9&DisplayLang=en.
Interested in learning more about the Microsoft Operations Framework? Check out the MOF at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50015.
Information on the IO (Infrastructure Optimization) model is available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/infrastructure.
Details about the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) are located at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/solutionaccelerators/msf.
To create company knowledge, one of the required pieces of software is the Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office Second Edition Runtime. This is available at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=F5539A90-DC41-4792-8EF8-F4DE62FF1E81&displaylang=en. (Microsoft Word is also required.)
View a TechNet webcast on Microsoft IT’s implementation of OpsMgr 2007 at http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032322478&CountryCode=US.
The related white paper is available for download at http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/4/6848d1c4-227c-4831-936b-98c10fec6c55/implementingscopsmgr2007twp.doc, or you can read it online at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb735238.aspx.
There is also an accompanying PowerPoint presentation, available for download at http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/4/6848d1c4-227c-4831-936b-98c10fec6c55/ImplementingSCOpsMgr2007TWP.ppt.
You can download a 180-day evaluation copy of Operations Manager 2007 from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/eval/scom/default.mspx.
The Exchange Server Management Pack Configuration Wizard is located at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=35942. No longer required with Exchange 2007!
Resource Kits for the various versions of Operations Manager:
OpsMgr 2007 ResKit is at the System Center Operations Manager TechCenter (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=94593).
The MOM 2005 Resource Kit is available at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=34629 and http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb498240.aspx.
The MOM 2000 Resource Kit was pulled from the Microsoft website in late 2007 and is no longer available.
You may want to implement the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit tools if you have not already done so. You can download the tools from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=4544.
The individual utilities can be found at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb405955.aspx.
There has been an explosion of blogs with information regarding OpsMgr. Where previously we might direct you to websites and papers, now most information seems to appear on the blogs. Here are some blogs we have used. Some are more active than others, and new blogs seem to spring up overnight!
A great source of information is available at Pete Zerger’s (MOM MVP) System Center Forum (http://www.systemcenterforum.org).
You won’t want to miss the “bug blog” (http://blogs.technet.com/smsandmom/archive/2007/12/19/new-knowledge-base-articles-for-12-2-through-12-8.aspx). This is hosted by the Microsoft System Center SMS and MOM teams, which publish new KB articles from the prior week (or longer if it’s a slow period). This particular link shows new KB articles for 12-2-2007 through 12-8-2007.
The bug blog is a subset of the Microsoft System Center MOM and SMS Team blog, located at http://blogs.technet.com/smsandmom/default.aspx.
http://www.contoso.se/blog/ is the Operations Manager blog by Anders Bengtsson, a MOM MVP.
See a blog by Stefan Stranger (former MOM MVP) at http://www.weblog.stranger.nl/operations_management/scom_2007.
http://blogs.msdn.com/incarnato is a blog by Justin Incarnato, a Program Manager on the MOM team.
http://blogs.technet.com/cliveeastwood is an OpsMgr, SCE, and MOM blog by Clive Eastwood, a Microsoft OpsMgr Supportability Program Manager.
Kevin Sullivan’s Management blog can be found at https://blogs.technet.com/kevinsul_blog/. (Kevin is a Technology Specialist at Microsoft focusing on management products.)
http://blogs.msdn.com/boris_yanushpolsky is a blog by Boris Yanushpolsky, a Program Manager for Operations Manager and Service Manager. Boris blogs quite often; this blog is one worth keeping up with!
http://blogs.msdn.com/mariussutara contains notes on Operations Manager including troubleshooting, development information, and comments.
http://blogs.technet.com/kevinholman is Kevin Holman’s OpsMgr blog.
http://blogs.technet.com/alipka is a blog by Andrzej Lipka on IT management and operations.
http://blogs.msdn.com/rslaten is a blog by Russ Slaten, a Microsoft Escalation Engineer supporting management products.
http://blogs.msdn.com/steverac is Steve Rachui’s manageability blog. Steve is a Support Escalation Engineer at Microsoft.
http://blogs.msdn.com/sampatton is a blog by Steve Patton, an OpsMgr developer.
http://www.systemcentercommunity.com/ is an OpsMgr 2007 forum with questions and answers about OpsMgr. You will need to create a user ID to reply to the posts.
http://blogs.msdn.com/jakuboleksy is a blog on programming with System Center Operations Manager by Jakub Oleksy, an OpsMgr developer.
http://blogs.technet.com/mgoedtel/ is a blog by Matt Goedtel, a Microsoft MCS consultant focusing on Operations Manager.
http://discussitnow.spaces.live.com/ is by Blake Mengotto, a MOM MVP and self-described “MOM dude.”
http://blogs.msdn.com/eugenebykov/ is great source of information on authoring OpsMgr reports by Eugene Bykov, an OpsMgr developer responsible for the reporting user interface.
http://www.technotesblog.com/?cat=32 is Dustin Hannifin’s Tech Notes blog, which has a section dedicated to OpsMgr 2007.
http://scom2k7.blogspot.com/, by Timothy McFadden, is titled “Everything System Center Operations Manager 2007.”
System Center Operations Manager in Australia, by Jonathan Hambrook, can be found at http://opsmgr.wordpress.com/.
http://www.techlog.org/ is all about everything Microsoft, by Maarten Goet (MOM MVP), Kenneth van Surksum, Steven van Loef, and Sander Klaassen in the Netherlands.
http://advisec.wordpress.com/ by Bjorn Axell, a MOM MVP and senior consultant focusing on Microsoft infrastructure products.
http://www.mcalynn.com is a blog by Duncan McAlynn that includes articles on OpsMgr, Configuration Manager, and SMS.
Duncan recently decided to concentrate his blogging activity at systemcenterguide.com. He has transferred the articles from McAlynn.com to www.systemcenterguide.com.
Gordon McKenna’s blog is available at http://wmug.co.uk/blogs/gordons_blog/default.aspx. Gordon describes himself as a “nut” about OpsMgr. Gordon is a MOM MVP, and has worked with the software since its Mission Critical Software days, and is extremely knowledgeable on the product.
http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/default.aspx, a blog by the MOM team, has information on OpsMgr 2007.
Walter Chomak’s blog on OpsMgr design and capacity planning is at http://wchomak.spaces.live.com/. Walter is a Senior Consultant with Microsoft MCS.
Ian Blyth, previously a Lead Technical Specialist for MOM in Microsoft UK, blogs at http://ianblythmanagement.wordpress.com/.
http://blogs.technet.com/monitoringmicrosoft/ is a blog by Chris Carlson and Cory Delamarter of Microsoft.
Always interesting to look at is the PSS Manageability Official Blog at http://blogs.technet.com/pssmanageability/default.aspx.
And our own blogs:
Kerrie and Cameron’s Operations Manager and MOM blog is located at http://ops-mgr.spaces.live.com.
http://cameronfuller.spaces.live.com is where Cameron discusses his technical theories, ramblings, and rants.
http://www.networkworld.com/community/meyler is a new blog by Kerrie, with more general discussion topics, but concentrating on OpsMgr.
And finally, the OpsMgr/MOM blog by our contributing author, Andy Dominey (http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/adominey/).
An extension to PowerShell, the Operations Manager Command Shell, allows you to do most everything you would ever want to for OpsMgr in a batch or scripted mode.
http://blogs.msdn.com/scshell/ is about getting started with the OpsMgr Command Shell. This site is maintained by Robert Sprague, a PowerShell guru on the MOM team.
A video introduction to the Command Shell can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/winme/0703/28666/Command_Shell_Intro_Edited.asx.
SystemCenterForum.org provides a tutorial on using PowerShell scripts in custom console tasks at http://systemcenterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/PowershellTasks_v1.0.pdf.
Information on PowerShell itself can be found at the following sites:
http://www.redmondmag.com/columns/article.asp?editorialsid=1516 is the Redmond Magazine review of PowerShell Beta version.
Read more about PowerShell in TechNet magazine at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2006/12/PowerShell/default.aspx.
Check http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=5637033 for a PowerShell webcast in Live Meeting.
You may want to check all the PowerShell webcasts at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/webcasts/ps.mspx.
Find a PowerShell cheat sheet at http://blogs.msdn.com/powershell/archive/2007/01/25/powershell-cheat-sheet-redux-the-pdf-version.aspx. We include this with the CD content for Chapter 20, “Automatically Adapting Your Environment.”
The Windows PowerShell team has its blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/powershell/.
PowerShell script examples can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/hubs/msh.mspx.
Direct from the PowerShell guy himself (Marc van Orsouw, PowerShell MVP), is located at http://thepowershellguy.com/blogs/posh/default.aspx.
PowerShell+ is a free PowerShell editing and debugging environment. You can get a free personal copy at http://www.powershell.com/downloads/psp1.zip.
Even more about PowerShell and examples of some of the constructs are available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/01/PowerShell/default.aspx.
Did you know you could add PowerShell management to SMS clients? See http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/11/UtilitySpotlight/ for information.
Here are some references and articles regarding other components of Microsoft’s System Center family:
In 2006, Microsoft rebranded MOM and SMS under the System Center line. Read about the System Center Roadmap (which is always subject to change, and probably already has!) at MMS 2006 at http://www.entmag.com/news/article.asp?EditorialsID=7382.
Related is Microsoft System Center announcements and DSI information as of May, 2006 (http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;83644086;relcomp;1).
For System Center Essentials deployment planning and installation, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=94444.
Here are some blogs on System Center Essentials (Essentials) and Remote Operations Manager (ROM):
Simplifying IT Management—. http://blogs.technet.com/caseymck/
Managed Services blog—. http://blogs.technet.com/dustinj/
The System Center Essentials Team Blog (by the product group)—. http://blogs.technet.com/systemcenteressentials/
SCE Setup, Policy, and Reporting—. http://blogs.technet.com/rtammana/
Essentials 2007 Wiki site—. http://sce.editme.com/
The System Center Essentials TechCenter can be found at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sce/bb677155.aspx.
Microsoft has a 30-day evaluation version of System Center Essentials available as a virtual machine. You can download it from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=27342759-e9d6-4073-918c-e9dff77d0206&DisplayLang=en.
Can’t talk about Essentials without thinking about WSUS. See the WSUS 3.0 blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/athif/.
One scenario for System Center Essentials is as a means for managing and monitoring assets of small organizations, tied to a centralized Operations Manager server. Read our coauthor John Joyner’s take on Microsoft’s direction for management tools in the midsized market at http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article/Partners+Picture+SMB+Uses+for+Microsofts+SCE/167994_1.aspx and http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1905780,00.asp.
Is it System Essentials or is it Operations Manager? It’s both—the Remote Operations Manager! You can download the Deployment Guide from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4B621EB7-01BB-45F5-9A77-52853F06EEC9%20&displaylang=en.
An interesting New York Times article about the Remote Operations Manager product (“Outsourcing I.T. To Unlikely Places, Like America”) is available online at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/technology/techspecial/12OUT.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. (You may need to login or create an account to access this.)
Introducing System Center’s Service Manager at http://searchwinit.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid1_gci1184995,00.html and http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1954020,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594.
Pete Zerger includes an early review of Service Manager Beta 1 at http://systemcenterforum.org/wp-content/uploads/SvcMgrBeta1.pdf.
Chapter 22, “Interoperability,” includes a list of connectors and the version of Operations Manager to which each applies. For your convenience, we include these connectors here with the URLs where you can access them.
Please be aware that the available connectors as well as these links are constantly changing; your best bet is to check Microsoft’s catalog at https://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/scp/opsmgr07.aspx, searching on the keyword Connector.
Engyro OpsMgr to BMC Remedy ARS Product Connector—. http://www.engyro.com/products/mom_interoperability/ars.html (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
Engyro OpsMgr to HP OpenView Operations Product Connector—. http://www.engyro.com/products/mom_interoperability/hp-ovo.html (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
Engyro OpsMgr to Tivoli TEC Product Connector—. http://www.engyro.com/products/mom_interoperability/tivoli.html (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
Zenprise BlackBerry Connector for OpsMgr 2007—. http://www.zenprise.com/products/blackberry-monitoring.aspx (OpsMgr 2007).
Zenprise Exchange Connector for OpsMgr 2007—. http://www.zenprise.com/products/exchange.aspx (OpsMgr 2007).
message master® Enterprise Alert 2007—. http://www.derdack.com/products/ea.htm (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
CA SPECTRUM Connector for MOM—. http://ca.com/files/DataSheets/network_connector_for_microsoft_ops_manager.pdf (MOM 2005).
eXc Software BMC Patrol—. http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=1a37ab02-3310-4ed4-ab9e-12524997f3d6 (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
eXc Software IBM Tivoli—. http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=a7b00a9c-fe09-43b4-ae5e-c74ca9a21d0d (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
eXc Software CA UniCenter—. http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=3c114c05-d2f4-416d-a2df-96007e96a5e4 (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
eXc Software HP Open-View Connector—. http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=09439f74-f9e5-4a5c-a7fa-bc2480efb8f6 (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
Micromuse NetCool Connector—. Connectors available from IBM (http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=3120&context=SSSHTQ&dc=D400&uid=swg24015869&loc=en_US&cs=UTF-8&lang=en) and eXc Software (http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=e41976d3-70cf-4a63-a84a-42959ece0fe5) (MOM 2005).
Nagios—. http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=4ac70518-60b8-448a-812d-ad1f2553fc2d (MOM 2005).
Microsoft Remedy ARS Connector—. Connectors available from Engyro (http://www.engyro.com/products/product-sheets/Help_Connector_Overview.pdf) and eXc Software (http://www.excsoftware.com/version3/version3/Product.aspx?ID=aef28088-315c-42ac-8410-8d0236996eab) (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
MOM-CRM Connector for Microsoft Dynamics 3.0—. http://www.lambertconsulting.ch/EN/Competence_and_solutions/MOM-CRM_Connector/MOM-CRM_Connector/ (MOM 2005).
AppManager Connector for MOM—. http://www.netiq.com/products/am/connectors/mom.asp (MOM 2005).
NetIQ Extended Management Pack (XMP) AppManager Connector for MOM—. http://www.netiq.com/products/am/connectors/mom.asp (MOM 2005).
OpalisRobot—. http://www.opalis.com/Products_Opalis_Integration_Pack_for_MOM.asp (MOM 2005).
InTrust Connector for Microsoft MOM—. http://www.quest.com/intrust/momconnector.aspx (MOM 2005).
BMC Impact Integration for MOM—. http://www.seamlessti.com/products/momsim_integ.html (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
MOM Integration for BMC Patrol—. http://www.seamlessti.com/products/mompat_integ.html (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007).
EMC Smarts InCharge Connector—. http://www.emc.com/products/software/smarts/smarts_family/index.jsp (MOM 2005).
iWave Integrator—. http://www.iwaveintegrator.com/. Contact iWave directly for information on specific integrators. Available integrators include the following:
iWave Integrator OpsMgr to Amdocs Clarify Integration (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to CA Solve for z/OS Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to CA Unicenter Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr 2007 to CA NSM (OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr 2007 to CA UniCenter Service Desk (OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to HP OpenView Network Node Manager (NNM) Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr to HP OpenView Operations (OVO) Integration (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr to Peregrine Service Center Integration (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr to Remedy ARS Integration (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr to Tivoli Enterprise Console (TEC) Integration (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr to Tivoli Information/Management for z/OS Integration (MOM 2005, OpsMgr 2007)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to Tivoli Net View Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to Tivoli Net View for OS/390 Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to Tivoli Service Desk Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator MOM 2005 to Vantive Integration (MOM 2005)
iWave Integrator OpsMgr 2007 to Microsoft Operations Manager (OpsMgr 2007)
iWave’s Adapter Guide for MOM 2005 is available at http://www.iwaveintegrator.com/images/library/iWaveIntegrator_Microsoft_Ops_Mgr_2005_Adapter_Guide.pdf.
You can also download their OpsMgr 2007 Adapter Guide at http://www.iwaveintegrator.com/images/library/iWaveIntegrator_Microsoft_Ops_Mgr_2007_Adapter_Guide.pdf.
If you need an answer to a question, the first place to check is the Microsoft public newsgroups. It is best to see if your question has already been posted before you ask it yourself! Microsoft’s online link for its newsgroups is http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx.
Here’s a list of the current OpsMgr newsgroups:
As we complete this book, the OpsMgr portion of Capacity Planner is at Release Candidate (RC) status. A newsgroup dedicated to discussions of the beta / RC version is microsoft.beta.sccp07.opsmgr newsgroup.
This newsgroup is for questions when testing the unreleased capabilities of System Center Capacity Planner. (You can download the release candidate software at http://connect.microsoft.com/.)