Considerations when Authoring or Modifying a Management Pack

Aplica-se a: Operations Manager 2007 R2

The following is general guidance and recommendations on building management packs for use with UNIX-based and Linux-based computers.

Getting the Latest Management Pack and Documentation

You can obtain the latest version of the Cross Platform Management Pack Authoring Guide from the System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Catalog (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=82105) in the Technical Library.

Saving Customizations

Most management packs are sealed so that the original settings cannot be changed in the management pack file. However, you can create and save customizations, such as overrides or new monitoring objects, to a different management pack. By default, Operations Manager 2007 R2 saves all customizations to the default management pack. It is a best practice not to write any custom rules, monitors, groups, views, or overrides to the default management pack. Instead, create a separate management pack for customizations.

The process of exporting customizations simplifies the move from test and preproduction environments to the production environment. For example, instead of exporting a default management pack that contains customizations from multiple management packs, export a single customized management pack and maintain all customizations in a single location.

For more information about sealed and unsealed management packs, seeManagement Pack Formats (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=108355). For more information about management pack customizations and the default management pack, seeAbout Management Packs in Operations Manager 2007 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=108356) and Create a New Management Pack for Customizations (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=152033).

Naming Conventions

For management packs, ID naming conventions are part of a larger discussion around classes, class types, and inheritance. A detailed explanation of Management Pack Classes and Relationships (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=152876) is in the System Center Operations Manager 2007 topic, Authoring in Operations Manager 2007 R2.

As an aid to understanding the sample management pack, a brief explanation of naming conventions is appropriate. For example; a monitor ID might be named <CompanyName>.<DescriptiveName>.Monitor. You can then use the <CompanyName>.<DescriptiveName> root name to describe the various other classes and class types that are associated with this object. The Unit Monitor Type is then <CompanyName>.<DescriptiveName>.MonitorType, the string resource is <CompanyName>.<DescriptiveName>.AlertMessage, and so on. By using this system, you can more easily see the relationships among the various objects that are defined within a management pack.

Monitor Intervals

When you create new monitors, it is important to keep the monitoring intervals the same as those of other monitors. Failure to follow this guideline can create very high load on the UNIX-based or Linux-based server because Operations Manager relies on the health service to minimize the number of monitors and rules in memory and to reduce the number of calls to the agent. For example, when you monitor two processes, it does not make sense to retrieve the process list twice. If the monitoring intervals are the same, Operations Manager only retrieves the list once and delivers it to both monitors. The same guidance applies to Swap Space monitoring. Keep intervals to 300 seconds, which is the interval that all other rules and monitors use. If monitors must be run more often than 300 seconds, remember that this will affect the CPU and I/O usage on the UNIX-based or Linux-based server.

For more information about Workflows and monitor intervals, see Management Pack Workflows (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=152034).

Incrementing Versions

Whenever you modify the management pack, remember to increment the version number in the manifest section every time you import a newer version of the management pack to the Operations Manager console.

Reference Library Versions

Management pack support for UNIX-based and Linux-based systems is a feature that is found only in Operations Manager 2007 R2. The <References> subsection within the <Manifest> section of the management pack must reference the correct library version. Operations Manager 2007 R2 libraries are version 6.0.7221.0, and Operations Manager Cross Platform 2007 R2 libraries are version 6.1.7000.256.

Support for Pipeline Operators and Aliases

When you create custom management packs, the ExecuteCommand parameter does not support pipeline operators, aliases, or shell-specific syntax.

For more information about how to correctly use custom commands when you author new content for cross-platform management packs, see ExecuteCommand Does Not Support Pipeline Operators or Aliases (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=171114).