SCOM management packs

[bingobongo]

Hi

 

I was looking for some help and advice regarding SCOM management packs

 

Please can someone explain how to actually create a custom unsealed managemement pack to undertake monitoring of Exchange for example.

I understand XML is behind management packs. But is there some third party tool to make editing these XML packs easier?

 

Is it just a case of customising rules and alerts via XML?

 

Once a management pack is created, do we need to install it and will it apply to all server / client machines within the specified domain. How does this work. and actually get applied to servers / clients?

 

Any advice on management packs gratefully appreciated

[AdinE]

bingobongo,

 

First off, custom management pack authorization is VERY complicated. It's not just simply creating XML files. There are rules, monitors, dependencies, classes, etc.

 

Second, you can create Management Packs from within the SCOM console, but this is usually in reference to creating customization/overrides off of existing management packs. Microsoft has existing Management Packs for all the main technology platforms (i.e. SQL, Exchange, Windows Server, AD, IIS, etc.) They are available at the System Center Marketplace: http://systemcenter.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/home

 

Third, if you do actually still want to create new custom Management Packs from scratch, SCOM has a seperate Management Pack Authoring Tool with the Authorizing Resource Kit: http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=18222. However, that's only in reference to SCOM 2007 R2, and not SCOM 2012 (though it will work for most things).

 

Fourth, Once you create a Management Pack (using a tool outside of the SCOM console itself), you will then need to Import it into SCOM. If you create custom MPs in the SCOM console, then it is already a part of the system.