14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is providing customers running its data platform with a new free resource designed to streamline the monitoring process of parallel data warehouse appliances.
The System Center Monitoring Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Parallel Data Warehouse Appliance is now available for download from the Redmond company.
As the label implies, the resource is designed to play nice with SQL Server 2008 R2. The way that this Monitoring Pack works is by enabling IT professionals to easily make the difference between SQL Server appliances and Windows servers running in their organization.
According to Microsoft, the resource simplifies a variety of tasks associated with SQL Server PDW appliances, including discoverability, monitoring, and management. IT pros will also be able to take advantage of health states for the hardware and software components through the Monitoring Pack.
"The following list gives an overview of the features of this monitoring pack for PDW Appliance:
• Discovers SQL Server PDW Appliances, including the hardware manufacturer.
• Monitors both hardware and software components of SQL Server PDW Appliance.
• Custom e-mail template to provide more detailed information regarding the alerts.
• Tasks to integrate with the various PDW admin console views.
• Run-as profile to securely connect to PDW appliance for discovery and monitoring," Microsoft said.
When it comes down to monitoring the SQL Server PDW Appliance hardware and software components, the resource offers customers a range of advantages.
IT professionals are able to easily access health information of all components at their disposal. At the same time, monitoring can also be extended to nodes in different SQL Server PDW failover clusters.
There are now three new custom diagram views available, focusing on overall appliance health but also on individual nodes, on nodes and roles in particular, as well as on alerts. The System Center Monitoring Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Parallel Data Warehouse Appliance is available for download here.