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SCOM Performance Data and Power View

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In a previous post (<www.scom2k7.com/performance-reporting-with-power-view/>) I presented a simple example of performance reporting using Power View in Excel 2013. The purpose of this post is to update the performance model for scalability and customization. Power View has limits on the volume of data and the presentation area which influence the design of the Power Pivot data model. My primary goal is to maximize the speed at which I can view data in a clear, meaningful way. I will provide an outline of the data model, the SQL queries to populate it, and the DAX statements to manipulate the data. The procedure for adding the data source and datasets has not changed from the previous post, and I will skip the specific steps here.

I use a data model similar to the performance dataset in the Operations Manager Data Warehouse schema (technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg508713.aspx). However, I go from the instances (vPerformanceRuleInstance) to the objects and counters (vPerformanceRule) before going to the data collection rules (vRule). The object\counter pairing forms a unique string for combining with technical knowledge. I should point out that my use of the term "technical knowledge" refers to an arbitrary set of attributes for describing performance counters. For example, I might describe "LogicalDisk\Avg. Disk sec/Transfer" like this:

Object+Counter

Technology

Category

Purpose

LogicalDisk\Avg. Disk sec/Transfer

OS

Storage

Latency

This helps keep values visible in tiles and legends while communicating the meaning to an audience. The attributes become useful in filtering, too. For this post I will use an Excel workbook for storing technical knowledge, but these could be columns in a SQL table, SQL query or calculated columns in the data model.

 

Overview

A. Create Performance Data Model

B. Add Measures and Calculated Columns

C. Add Attributes for Object\Counter Values

D. Create Relationships

E. Make a View for All Servers

F. Make a View for Individual Servers

 

Step by step

A. Create Performance Data Model

  1. Set up Excel 2013

  2. Create a data source for the SCOM Data Warehouse with the following query:

    /*Perf*/

    SELECT     PERF.ManagedEntityRowId

    , PERF.PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId

    , PERF.DateTime

    , PERF.AverageValue

    , PERF.MinValue

    , PERF.MaxValue

    , PERF.SampleCount

    FROM Perf.vPerfHourly PERF

    INNER JOIN vPerformanceRuleInstance PRI ON PRI.PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId = PERF.PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId

    INNER JOIN vPerformanceRule PR ON PR.RuleRowId = PRI.RuleRowId

    WHERE PERF.DateTime >(GETUTCDATE() - 7)

    ORDER BY PERF.DateTime

     

  3. Add additional datasets for each of the following queries:

    /*Object and Counter*/

    select *

    from vPerformanceRule PR

    /*Instance*/

    select *

    from vPerformanceRuleInstance PRI

    /*Rule*/

    select RU.RuleRowId

    , RU.ManagementPackRowId

    , RU.RuleDefaultName

    from vRule RU

    inner join vPerformanceRule PR on PR.RuleRowId = RU.RuleRowId

    /*MP*/

    SELECT distinct MP.ManagementPackRowId

      ,MP.ManagementPackDefaultName

      ,MP.ManagementPackSystemName

    FROM vManagementPack MP

    inner join vRule RU on RU.ManagementPackRowId = MP.ManagementPackRowId

    inner join vPerformanceRule PR on PR.RuleRowId = RU.RuleRowId

    /*Entity*/

    select distinct

    ME.ManagedEntityRowId

    , MET.ManagedEntityTypeDefaultName as METype

    , TLMET.ManagedEntityTypeDefaultName as TLMEType

    , ME.TopLevelHostManagedEntityRowId

    , ME.ManagementGroupRowId

    , ME.Name

    , ME.DisplayName

    , ME.Path

    , ME.ManagedEntityTypeRowId

    from Perf.vPerfDaily PERF

    inner join vManagedEntity ME on ME.ManagedEntityRowId = PERF.ManagedEntityRowId

    inner join vManagedEntityType MET on MET.ManagedEntityTypeRowId = ME.ManagedEntityTypeRowId

    inner join vManagedEntity TLME on TLME.ManagedEntityRowId = ME.TopLevelHostManagedEntityRowId

    inner join vManagedEntityType TLMET on TLMET.ManagedEntityTypeRowId = TLME.ManagedEntityTypeRowId

    where PERF.DateTime >(GETUTCDATE() - 7)

    order by ME.ManagedEntityTypeRowId

     

Note: The vPerformanceRule and vPerformanceRuleInstance views could be added as tables, but I prefer to use queries in case I want to add conditions later. For example, if I want to exclude LogicalDisk counters or dynamic instances.   

 

B. Add Measures and Calculated Columns

  1. Add a Column to the Perf dataset and rename it

    DAX

    Column Name

    =DATEVALUE([DateTime])

    Date

  2. Click an empty field in the section below the data columns

  3. Enter max_max:=MAX([MaxValue]) in the function field (right below the ribbon) to create a measure

     

  4. Add additional measures for other statistics               

    Measure Name and DAX

    avg_max:=AVERAGE([MaxValue])

    avg_avg:=AVERAGE([AverageValue])

    avg_min:=AVERAGE([MinValue])

    min_min:=MIN([MinValue])

  5. Add a column to the Object and Counter dataset and rename it

    DAX

    Column Name

    =CONCATENATE(CONCATENATE([ObjectName],"\"),[CounterName])

    Object+Counter

  6. Add columns to the Entity dataset and rename them

    DAX

    Column Name

    =IF([TopLevelHostManagedEntityRowId]=[ManagedEntityRowId],1,0)

    TLME

    =IF([TLME]=1,[DisplayName], [Path])

    FQDN_Rough

    =MID([FQDN_Rough],1,FIND(";",[FQDN_Rough],1,255)-1)

    FQDN

    =MID([FQDN],1,FIND(".",[FQDN],1,255)-1)

    Hostname

    =MID([FQDN],FIND(".",[FQDN],1,255)+1,255)

    Domain

    =MID([Domain],1,FIND(".",[Domain],1,255)-1)

    Domain_Short

     

  7. Add a measure to the Entity dataset

    Measure Name and DAX

    Host_Count:=DistinctCount([FQDN])

C. Add Attributes for Object\Counter Values

  1. Open a new Excel workbook

  2. Copy the Object+Counter column from the Object and Counter dataset

  3. Paste the Object+Counter column into the new workbook

  4. Create columns for Technology, Category, and Purpose

  5. Enter desired values in the columns for any or all counters (empty cells will show as "Blank" in Power View). For example:

    Object+Counter

    Technology

    Category

    Purpose

    LogicalDisk\Avg. Disk sec/Transfer

    OS

    Storage

    Latency

    LogicalDisk\Current Disk Queue Length

    OS

    Storage

    Activity

    ManagementGroupAlerts\AlertsCount

    SCOM

    MG

    Activity

    Memory\Available MBytes

    OS

    Memory

    Capacity

    Memory\PercentMemoryUsed

    OS

    Memory

    Capacity

    Network Adapter\Bytes Total/sec

    OS

    Network

    Activity

    Processor Information\% Processor Time

    OS

    CPU

    Capacity

    System\Processor Queue Length

    OS

    CPU

    Activity

    System\System Up Time

    OS

    System

    Availability

  6. Rename the worksheet to Tech Knowledge

  7. Save the workbook as Perf Tech Knowledge

  8. Close the workbook

  9. In the Power Pivot model, click From Other Sources in the Get External Datasection of the ribbon 

     

  10. Select Excel File from the Table Import Wizard then click Next >  

     

  11. Click Browse

  12. Select Perf Tech Knowledge and click Open

  13. Check Use first row as column headers. then click Next >  

     

  14. Click Finish then click Close

 

 D. Create Relationships

  1. Click the Diagram View in the View section of the ribbon 

     

  2. Resize and arrange the datasets

  3. Make the relationships by clicking and dragging the field in the From column to the field in the To column

    From

    To

    Perf: ManagedEntityRowId

    Entity: ManagedEntityRowId

    Perf: PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId

    Instance: PerformanceRuleInstanceRowId

    Instance: RuleRowId

    Object and Counter: RuleRowId

    Object and Counter: RuleRowId

    Rule: RuleRowId

    Object and Counter: Object+Counter

    Tech Knowledge: ObjectCounter

    Rule: ManagementPackRowId

    MP: ManagementPackRowId

                                  

  4. Review the diagram 

     

  5. Save the workbook as Perf 7d Model

  6. Close the Power Pivot window

E. Make a View for All Servers

  1. From the Insert menu click Power View from the Reports section of the ribbon

  2. Select Module from the Themes pulldown in the Themes section of the ribbon 

     

  3. Enter Performance Summary in the Click here to add a title field

  4. Adjust the text if desired (I used 20 point and bold)

  5. Expand the Tech Knowledge dataset 

     

  6. Drag the Technology field from the Tech Knowledge dataset into the Filters section

  7. Select OS 

     

  8. Expand the Object and Counter dataset

  9. Drag the Object+Counter field from the Object and Counter dataset into the Filters section

  10. Select a representative counter for the LogicalDisk, Memory, Network Adapter, and Processor Information objects 

     

  11. Expand the Perf dataset

  12. Check the boxes for DateTime, max_max, avg_max, avg_avg, avg_min, and min_min (the order of the values determines their placement in the legend)

  13. Select Line from the Other Chart pulldown in the Switch Visualization section of the ribbon 

     

  14. Select None from the Title pulldown in the Layout menu 

     

  15. Drag Category from the Tech Knowledge dataset into the TILE BYfield for the line chart 

     

  16. Resize the tile space and the line chart to make room for a table

  17. Click in the open tile space 

     

  18. Click ALL in the Power View Fields section 

     

  19. Check the box for Object+Counter from the Object and Counter dataset

  20. Check the boxes for min_min, avg_min, avg_avg, avg_max, and max_max from the Perf dataset

  21. Select None from the Totals pulldown in the Options section of the ribbon 

     

  22. Resize the table and arrange it so it doesn't overlap with the line chart 

     

  23. Rename the tab to Perf Summary

F. Make a View for Individual Servers

  1. Click Power View From the Insert section of the ribbon

  2. Enter CPU Performance by Server in the Click here to add a title field

  3. Adjust the text if desired

  4. Drag the Technology field from the Tech Knowledge dataset into the Filters section

  5. Select OS

  6. Drag the Category field from the Tech Knowledge dataset into the Filters section

  7. Select CPU

  8. Drag the Object+Counter field from the Object and Counter dataset into the Filters section

  9. Select Processor Information\% Processor Time

  10. Check the boxes for DateTime, avg_max, avg_avg, and avg_min from the Perf dataset

  11. Select Line from the Other Chart pulldown in the Switch Visualization section of the ribbon

  12. Select None from the Title pulldown in the Layout menu

  13. Expand the Entity dataset in the Power View Fields section

  14. Drag Hostname from the Entity dataset into the TILE BY field for the line chart

  15. Resize the tile space and the line chart to make room for a table

  16. Click in the open tile space

  17. Click ALL in the Power View Fields section

  18. Check the box for FQDN from the Entity dataset

  19. Check the box for Object+Counter from the Object and Counter dataset

  20. Check the boxes for min_min, avg_min, avg_avg, avg_max, and max_max

  21. Select None from the Totals pulldown in the Options section of the ribbon

  22. Resize the table and arrange it so it doesn't overlap with the line chart 

     

  23. Rename the tab to Server CPU

  24. Save the workbook

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I added some steps to describe adding measures. I changed "metric" to "measure," too.
  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Thanks
  • Anonymous
    August 14, 2014
    Configuration data combines very well with performance data collected by SCOM. The usefulness of a configuration
  • Anonymous
    August 15, 2014
    One can convert a seven day performance model to a 26 week model without a lot of trouble. I chose 182
  • Anonymous
    August 18, 2014
    Great post many thanks
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2014
    If one built a short-term performance model for SCOM and converted it to long-term , then one might want
  • Anonymous
    March 14, 2015
    Thanks. Very nice work.
  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2015
    This is causing a problem in DAX. (B5)
    =CONCATENATE(CONCATENATE([ObjectName],""),[CounterName])
    It's complaining about the ""
    How do I resolve this issue?
    Thanks.
  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2015
    Nevermind, replaced the "," with ";" and it worked.
  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2015
    When creating the following link I receive the following error. Please help.

    Object and Counter: Object+Counter - Tech Knowledge: ObjectCounter

    The relationship cannot be created because each column contains duplicate values. Select at least one column that contains only unique values.

    Thank you in advance.
  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2015
    Dean, the lookup is a many to one relationship. The Tech Knowledge: ObjectCounter list should have unique values. You can use Data --> Remove Duplicates in Excel to fix the error.