System Monitoring with Exchange Management Pack

 

When monitoring a collaboration and communication system, you need to consider the components with which the system is integrated. The Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 architecture includes not only Exchange-specific components, such as the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service and system attendant, but also Active Directory® directory service, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and underlying hardware. The Domain Name System (DNS) is also a critical element, without which neither Active Directory nor an Exchange 2003 organization can operate reliably.

Tracking and monitoring the system and preventing and solving errors require understanding possible points of failure and corresponding troubleshooting strategies. For example, a problem might be that messages are not being delivered to recipients. The cause of this might be related to the SMTP transport engine or DNS name resolution, or it might be a physical connectivity issue. The Exchange Management Pack accelerates the diagnostic process by including alerts, filters for events, rules for tracking common problems, reports and statistics, and a wealth of technical background information in knowledge base articles. With all these Exchange Management Pack tools combined, you can implement a comprehensive, centralized approach to monitoring an Exchange Server 2003 organization.

To understand how to use the Exchange Management Pack and monitor your Exchange organization, become familiar with the following:

  • Monitoring Important Exchange Server 2003 Components   Exchange is a structured, but complex system. Understanding its components can help isolate trouble areas.

  • Monitoring System Availability   The Exchange Management Pack includes rules and scripts to help monitor database operations, service availability, mail flow, and general functionality of the servers.

  • Monitoring Health and Performance   To evaluate growth and health, you can use existing rules, or add custom ones. Tracking performance data and system health is important in planning for growth and in anticipating points of failure.

  • Monitoring Exchange Events   The Exchange Management Pack provides complex filtering and viewing tools that help monitor events related to an Exchange organization.

  • **System Monitoring Best Practices   **By following established best practices, you can optimize your monitoring efforts with the Exchange Management Pack.