Configure a win 2003 based server

This article describes how to configure a Windows Server 2003-based server to notify you when your computer is low on resources. Programs in Windows Server 2003 define the performance data that it collects from objects, counters, and instances in three aspects. A performance object is any resource, program, or service that can be measured. You can use System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts to select performance objects, counters, and instances to collect and display performance data for system components or installed software.

You can set an alert on the counter so that when the value of the selected counter exceeds or falls below the specified setting, a message can be sent to start the program or start the log.

How to add a counter to System Monitor

Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Performance. If you select an object on a remote computer, there may be a brief delay when System Monitor refreshes the list to reflect existing objects on your computer.

Right-click the details pane of System Monitor, and then click Add Counter.

To monitor any computers that are running the monitoring console, click Use local computer counters. If you want to monitor a particular computer regardless of where the monitoring console is running, click Select counters from computer, and then specify the computer name.

Under Performance objects, click the object that you want to monitor. The Processor object is selected by default.

Click All counters, or click to select a counter from the list, and then click a list item.

Click Add.

How to define counters and alert thresholds

Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Performance.

Double-click Performance Logs and Alerts, and then click Alerts.

Right-click the alert, click New Alert Settings, type a name for the alert, and then click OK.

Click the General tab, type a descriptive comment for the alert, and then click Add.

For each counter or counter group that you want to add to the log, perform the following steps:

To monitor counters from the computer on which the Performance Logs and Alerts service is running, click Use local computer counters.

Or, to monitor the counters from a particular computer, regardless of where the service is running, click Select counters from computer, and then specify the name of the computer that you want to monitor.

Under Performance objects, select the objects you want to monitor.

Then select one or more counters to monitor.

To monitor all instances of the selected counters, click All instances. Note that the binary logs can contain instances that are not available when the log is started, but that become available later. Or, to monitor a specific instance of a selected counter, click Select Instance from List, and then click one or more instances to monitor.

Click Add, and then click Close.

When the alert is set to start, if the value is in the box, click less than or greater than. In the Limit to box, specify the value that triggers the alert.

In the Data sampling interval box, specify the values and units of measurement for the update interval.

Click the Action tab to determine the action that is raised when an alert is triggered.

To log alerts in the Event Viewer log, click to select the log entries in Application event logs check box.

To send an alert message to your computer, click the Send network information to check box, select it, and then type the name of the computer on which you want to receive the alert information.

Click the start performance data log check box to select it to start the log file.

If you want to start the program when an alert condition is reached, click "Execute this program." You can type the path of the program directly or click Browse to manually select the program you want to use.

Click the Plan tab, and then configure the appropriate settings to start or stop logging either manually or at a scheduled time.

How to select the data to monitor

Start monitoring activities for the following components in the following order:

Memory

Processor

Disk

Internet

The following list shows the minimum counters that are recommended for server monitoring. Note that when you examine a specific resource, you should include additional counters for the related performance object.

Components: Disk

Performance aspects being monitored: usage

Counters to monitor:

Physical Disk \ Disk Reads/sec (read/sec)

Physical Disk \ Disk Writes/sec (Diskette write/sec)

Logical disk \% free spaces (available space)

You must read the disk Time counter carefully. Because the _total instance of this counter may not accurately reflect usage on multiple-disk computers, it is important to use the% Idle time (idle) counter at the same time. Note that these counters cannot display a value of more than 100%.