Deploy Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server

Summary: Read this article to learn how to deploy Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server.

Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server is a powerful tool that allows you to view Skype for Business Server health and performance data in real time. You can poll performance data across hundreds of servers every few seconds, and view the results instantly on the Statistics Manager Website.

Before you attempt to install Statistics Manager, be sure you're familiar with the software, networking, and hardware requirements. For more information, see Plan for Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server.

You can find the Statistics Manager downloadable at https://aka.ms/StatsManDownload.

This topic contains the following sections:

• Deploy Statistics Manager

• Troubleshoot your deployment

• Create a self-signed certificate

Deploy Statistics Manager

To deploy Statistics Manager, follow these steps:

1. Prepare the Listener host machine by installing the Redis in-memory caching system, and by ensuring that you have installed the appropriate certificates.

2. Install the Listener service on the host machine.

3. Install the Website on the host machine.

4. Install an Agent on each Skype for Business Server machine you wish to monitor.

5. Import the topology for the servers you're monitoring.

Prepare the Listener host machine

To prepare the host machine, you need to install the Redis in-memory caching system, and ensure that a valid certificate is on the machine. Microsoft recommends that you install the latest stable build of Redis 3.0. Statistics Manager version 2.0 was tested with Redis 3.2.100.

1. Download Redis from the following site: https://github.com/MSOpenTech/redis.

   Unsigned installers can be downloaded from https://github.com/MSOpenTech/redis/releases

   Signed binaries are available through popular package managers: NuGet and Choclatey.

   • Run the provided msi and follow the prompts.

   • Don't check the box to add a firewall rule.

2. The Listener service requires a certificate. Microsoft strongly recommends that you have a certificate signed by a trusted certificate authority.

   If you want to use a self-signed certificate--for testing purposes in a lab, for example--see Create a self-signed certificate.

   The Agent uses certificate thumbprint verification (instead of chain verification). It will not do full certificate validation because it's possible to use self-signed certificates.

Install the Listener service

Install the Listener service on the host machine by running the StatsManPerfAgentListener.msi and specifying the following:

1. Review the License Agreement, and if you agree, select I accept the terms in the license agreement, and then select Next.

2. On the next page, specify the following information:

   • Service Password: This password is used by the remote Agents to authenticate to the Listener service.

   • Service Port: This HTTPS port number is used by the Listener to communicate with the Agents. During installation, this port is allowed through the local firewall, a URL ACL is created, and an SSL cert is bound to this port. The default is 8443.

   • Certificate Thumbprint: This certificate is used by the Listener to encrypt the HTTPS protocol. Network Service must have read access to the private key.

     Click Select... button to choose the thumbprint.

     You can find the Certificate thumbprint by using Certificate Manager or by using the following PowerShell command:

     Get-ChildItem -path cert:\LocalMachine\My
     

   • Install Dir: This directory is where the binaries will be installed. You might change it from the default by using the Browse... button.

   • AppData Dir: This directory is where the Logs folder and other data are stored. You might change it from the default. It will not be deleted on uninstall.

3. Select Install.

To validate the installation, perform the following steps:

1. Open a browser and navigate to https://localhost:<service-port>/healthcheck/

   By default, the service port is 8443 (unless you specified another port).

2. To ensure the Listener has installed properly, look for the following:

   • If the health check page shows up, the Listener installation was successful.

   • If the KnownServerCount is 1 or higher, the connection to Redis is established.

   • After waiting a few minutes, and after at least one Agent has been installed, check to see that the ValuesWritten counter is incrementing.

Install the Website

Install the Website on the host machine by running the StatsManWebSite.msi (included with Skype for Business Server, Real-Time Statistics Manager (64-bit)):

1. Review the License Agreement, and if you agree, select I accept the terms in the license agreement, and then click Next.

2. On the next page, specify the following information:

   • Service Port: This TCP port is where the web site listens. You can change it later by using IIS manager binding. During installation, this port is allowed through the local firewall.

   • Install Dir: This directory is where the binaries is installed. You may change it from the default by using the Browse... button.

   • AppData Dir: This directory is where the Logs folder and other data will be stored. You may change it from the default. It will not be deleted on uninstall.

3. Click Install.

To view the Website, open a browser, and navigate to: http://<localhost:webport/>.

To view health information only, open a browser, and navigate to: http://localhost:<webport>/healthcheck/.

By default, the web port number is 8080. You can change the port binding of the website by using IIS manager.

The web installer adds a local security group, called StatsManWebSiteUsers. You can add accounts to this security group to grant access to the Website.

Install the Agents

Install an Agent on each Skype for Business Server that you wish to monitor by running the StatsManPerfAgent.msi:

1. Review the License Agreement, and if you agree, select I accept the terms in the license agreement, and then click Next.

2. On the next page, specify the following information:

   • Service Password: This password is used by the remote agent to authenticate to the Listener service.

   • Service URI: This URL is where the Listener resides. Use the https://name:port format.

     You can use a NETBIOS name or a FQDN. You can use the name that is also specified as the Subject or Subject Alternative Names of the certificate on the Listener service, but this isn't a requirement.

   • Service Thumbprint: This SS: certificate is used by the Listener. The Agent will use this thumbprint to authenticate to the Listener. It will not do full certificate validation because it's possible to use self-signed certificates.

   • Install Dir: This directory is where the binaries will be installed. You might change it from the default by using the Browse... button.

   • AppData Dir: This directory is where the Logs folder and the encrypted password.txt file are stored. You might thanks change it from the default. It will not be deleted on uninstall.

3. Select Install.

If you're installing an Agent on numerous machines, you'll probably want to do this in unattended mode. For example:

msiexec /l install.log /i StatsManPerfAgent.msi SERVICE_THUMBPRINT=<thumbprint> SERVICE_PASSWORD=<password> SERVICE_URI=https://<hostname>:<servicePort>/[INSTALLDIR=<directory>][DIR_STATSMANAPPDATA=<directory>]

Import the topology

After Statistics Manager is installed and running, you need to import the Skype for Business Server topology so that Statistics Manager knows the Site, Pool, and Role of each server. To import your Skype for Business Server topology, you will use the Get-CsPool cmdlet to retrieve information about each pool in use in your organization, then import this information into Statistics Manager.

To import the Skype for Business Server topology, follow these steps:

1. On a host that has the Skype for Business Server PowerShell cmdlets:

   a. Run the following command:

   Get-CsPool | Export-Clixml -Path mypoolinfo.xml
   

   b. Copy the "mypoolinfo.xml" file to the server that runs the Listener.

2. On the host that runs the Listener:

   a. Run PowerShell.

   b. Navigate to the directory on which the Listener is installed. The default is:

   cd C:\Program Files\Skype for Business Server StatsMan Listener
   

3. To confirm which servers are being added and updated, run the following command:

   .\Update-StatsManServerInfo.ps1 -CsPoolFile  <path to mypoolinfo.xml>
   

The following command enables you to view all options:

Get-Help .\Update-StatsManServerInfo.ps1 -Detailed

To see your currently imported server information, run the following script:

.\Get-StatsManServerInfo.ps1

If you would like to monitor servers that are not in your Skype for Business Server topology--an Exchange Server, for example--you can do a single-server import on the host that runs the Listener. To do a single-server import, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the directory on which the Listener is installed. The default is:

   cd C:\Program Files\Skype for Business Server StatsMan Listener
   

2. Run the following command:

   .\Update-StatsManServerInfo.ps1 -HostName <hostname> -SiteName <name of site> -PoolName <poolName> -Roles <role1>[,<role2>,<roleN>]
   

Troubleshoot your deployment

If an Agent fails to start, check for the following issues:

• Is the agent registered in Statistics Manager?

  1. Make sure you followed the instructions for importing the topology. See Import the topology.

  2. If the Agent is on a server that isn't listed in the topology (for example, the nodes in a SQL AlwaysOn cluster), you will need to add the Agent manually by following the instructions in Import the topology.

• Can the Agent contact the Listener?

  1. Make sure the Listener service is running.

     If it isn't running, make sure Redis is running, and then try to restart the Listener.

  2. Make sure the port is open to the Listener service, and that the Agent computer can communicate with the port.

• To ensure that Statistics Manager is collecting data, you can check the CSV file as follows.

  The following command retrieves the counter storage names:

  .\PerfAgentStorageManager.exe -redis=localhost -a=listcounterstoragenames -mode=verbose | findstr /i processor
  

  The next command retrieves the values for the specified counters:

  .\PerfAgentStorageManager.exe -redis=localhost -a=getcountervalues  -counter="\\*\Processor Information\% Processor Time_Mean_Mean\_Total" -file:all-processor.csv
  

For information about all the events you might see in the application event log, see Troubleshoot Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server.

Create a self-signed certificate

Microsoft strongly recommends that you use a certificate signed by a trusted certificate authority. However, if you want to use a self-signed certificate for testing purposes, do the following steps:

1. From a PowerShell console while logged on as Administrator, run the following command:

   New-SelfSignedCertificate -DnsName StatsManListener -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\My
   

2. Type certlm.msc. This will open the Certificate Manager for the local machine.

3. Navigate to Personal, and then open Certificates.

4. Right click on StatsManListener- > All Tasks- >Manage Private Keys...

5. Click Add.

6. In the Enter the object names to select box, type the following text: Network Service

7. Click OK.

8. Under Full Control, un-check the Allow check box. (Only Read access is necessary.)

9. Click OK.

For more information

For more information, see the following topics:

• Plan for Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server

• Upgrade Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server

• Troubleshoot Statistics Manager for Skype for Business Server