Add a Microsoft Windows server Data Collector policy
Before adding the policy: A Data Collector must exist in the Portal, to which you will add Data Collector Policies.
For specific prerequisites and supported configurations for a specific vendor, see the Certified Configurations Guide.
After adding the policy: For some policies, collections can be run on-demand using the Run button on the Collector Administration page action bar. The Run button is only displayed if the policy vendor is supported.
On-demand collection allows you to select which probes and devices to run collection against. This action collects data the same as a scheduled run, plus logging information for troubleshooting purposes. For probe descriptions, refer to the policy.
To add the policy
- Select Admin > Data Collection > Collector Administration. Currently configured Portal Data Collectors are displayed.
- Search for a Collector if required.
- Select a Data Collector from the list.
- Click Add Policy, and then select the vendor-specific entry in the menu.
- Enter or select the parameters. Mandatory parameters are denoted by an asterisk (*):
Field
Description
Collector Domain
The domain of the collector to which the collector backup policy is being added. This is a read-only field. By default, the domain for a new policy will be the same as the domain for the collector. This field is set when you add a collector.
Policy Domain
The Policy Domain is the domain of the policy that is being configured for the Data Collector. The Policy Domain must be set to the same value as the Collector Domain. The domain identifies the top level of your host group hierarchy. All newly discovered hosts are added to the root host group associated with the Policy Domain.
Typically, only one Policy Domain will be available in the drop-down list. If you are a Managed Services Provider, each of your customers will have a unique domain with its own host group hierarchy.
To find your Domain name, click your login name and select My Profile from the menu. Your Domain name is displayed in your profile settings.
Windows Server Addresses*
One or more Windows Server addresses to probe. Comma-separated host names are supported. Example, 10.2.3.4,10.5.3.1.
User ID*
User ID for the Windows Server.
Password*
Password for the Windows Server.
File Server Performance
Select this probe to collect the Windows File Server file share and performance information.
Windows Event Logs
Select the probe to collect Windows Event Log errors and warnings.
See Collecting from applications and services logs.
for additional information about collection options.
Schedule
Click the clock icon to create a schedule. By default, it is collected every 10 minutes.
Every Minute, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, and Monthly schedules may be created. Advanced use of native CRON strings is also available.
Examples of CRON expressions:
*/30 * * * * means every 30 minutes
*/20 9-18 * * * means every 20 minutes between the hours of 9am and 6pm
*/10 * * * 1-5 means every 10 minutes Mon - Fri.
Note:
Explicit schedules set for a Collector policy are relative to the time on the Collector server. Schedules with frequencies are relative to the time that the Data Collector was restarted.
Notes
Enter or edit notes for your data collector policy. The maximum number of characters is 1024. Policy notes are retained along with the policy information for the specific vendor and displayed on the Collector Administration page as a column making them searchable as well.
Test Connection
Test Connection initiates a Data Collector process that attempts to connect to the subsystem using the IP addresses and credentials supplied in the policy. This validation process returns either a success message or a list of specific connection errors. Test Connection requires that Agent Services are running.
Several factors affect the response time of the validation request, causing some requests to take longer than others. For example, there could be a delay when connecting to the subsystem. Likewise, there could be a delay when getting the response, due to other processing threads running on the Data Collector.
You can also test the collection of data using the Run functionality available in Admin>Data Collection>Collector Administration. This On-Demand data collection run initiates a high-level check of the installation at the individual policy level, including a check for the domain, host group, URL, Data Collector policy and database connectivity. You can also select individual probes and servers to test the collection run.
