Released: SQL Server 2017+ and Replication Management Packs (7.0.0.0)

UPDATE 3/23/2018: We have released the localized versions of these MPs in the standard languages: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish.

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We are happy to announce the final release of SQL Server 2017+ and Replication Management Packs! These MPs can be used to monitor SQL Server 2017 on both Windows and Linux and SQL Server 2017 Replication on Windows. Below, let's look at some of the new features we added to these MPs. All the details regarding the new functionality can be found in the Operations Guide that can be downloaded along with the Management Pack.

Cross-platform Monitoring

You can now monitor SQL Server 2017 on Windows and on Linux!

Version Agnostic SQL Server MPs

We understand that with many SQL Server versions in market and with new server releases becoming more frequent, it is becoming harder to manage a separate MP for each server version. We are moving to version agnostic MPs to address this issue. This will be valid going forward. The new MP is named SQL Server 2017+. The ‘+’ in the name indicates that it will be used to monitor SQL Server 2017 and the releases that come after that. Current in-market MPs (2008 through 2016) will not be changed and the 2017+ MP cannot be used to monitor older releases. We are making this change for SQL Server and Replication MPs.

Agentless Monitoring

SQL Server 2017+ Management Pack introduces Agentless Monitoring mode support. This monitoring mode is designed to support SQL Server on Linux but it also works for Windows deployments. We’ve received multiple requests from our customers to support agentless monitoring for SQL Server that can be useful for production OLTP workloads or in case the organization’s policy denies deployment of SCOM agent to the monitored host or making any changes to it.

With the Agentless Monitoring mode there is no need to deploy SCOM Agent on the SQL box. Instead, the monitoring workloads will be transferred to management servers included in the SQL Server Monitoring Pool. This allows to remove SCOM Agent and data processing overhead from the SQL box and move it to the SQL Server Monitoring Pool. Also with the agentless monitoring mode, you can use SQL credentials for authentication that simplifies security configuration.

Engineering Improvements

• Usage of scripts is discontinued in favor of .Net Framework modules, which enables more efficient resource usage.
• For getting information on health and performance, SQL Server Dynamic Management Views and Functions are now used instead of WMI calls. This provides better efficiency and connectivity.

 

Downloads available:

Microsoft System Center Management Pack for SQL Server 2017+ Microsoft System Center Management Pack for SQL Server 2017+ Replication Microsoft System Center Management Pack for SQL Server Dashboards

We are looking forward to your feedback.

Comments

• Anonymous
  November 22, 2017
  I'm getting an error when the runas account tries to connect. It seems not to pass the domain.Getting error "Login failed for user 'X'. Reason: Could not find a login matching the name provided."Instead ofLogin failed for user 'domain\X'. Reason: Could not find a login matching the name provided.
  • Anonymous
    November 23, 2017
    Hi Rob, thank for reaching out to us. Can you give some more details on your configuration? Do you monitor SQL Server 2017 on Windows or on Linux? Do you use usual agent monitoring or agentless type? How did you set up Run As accounts? You can answer here or email us at sqlmpsfeedback@microsoft.com.
  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2018
    We're having the exact same issue. I figured it has to do with the new SQL resource pool. Once I remove particular management server from the pool, the failed login stops. Is there a way to completely disable the pool as a workaround? What is the recommended way of resolving this?We are using ServiceSIDs so no RunAs profiles required. Local agent on Windows 2016.
    • Anonymous
      February 12, 2018
      Hi Pete, thank you for the question. Do you have cluster SQL Server instances in your environment? If you don't have such instances nor don't use SQL Server 2017+ Mixed Monitoring feature, you can just remove all management servers from the pool. It's not used in such a configuration.Otherwise, you'll need to configure the security configuration differently because SQL 2017+ MP can run workflows only from the pool to monitor cluster SQL Server instances.
      • Anonymous
        February 12, 2018
        Hi Alex,Thanks for quick reply.Most our SQLs are clustered. AFAIK the discovery of the cluster is done using the agent proxy. Has this changed? We've just re-permissioned our SQLs instances using ServiceSIDs as that seems to be the 'new' recommended way. What is the best way forward with this - I don't want to give action account permissions on the SQL.On a separate note, I don't think you can remove all mgmt servers from a resource pool. You have to leave at least 1.P
        • Anonymous
          February 20, 2018
          At the moment, cluster instances can be monitored in only Mixed Mode which means that you can't use the ServiceSID method to monitor them. We’re working on enabling Local Monitoring for cluster instances and doing our best to introduce it in the next MP version. I recommend you to use a separate domain account intended for monitoring instances of SQL Server 2017. To configure it, you will need to use the Run As profiles within SQL Server 2017+ MP. The easiest way to get the MP ready for monitoring is: 1. To put this domain account in the Local Administrators group on the machines hosting SQL Servers;2. Grant the account with SA rights in each SQL Server instance. If you can’t use this way due to your organization’s security policy, you will need to configure the Run As profiles in a more securable way—Low-Privilege Environments section in the operational guide.Regarding removing all servers from a pool, if you do it for SQL 2017+ MP Pool, it will use All Management Server Pool to monitor SQL Servers.
        • Anonymous
          March 19, 2018
          Hi Pete, we're going to enable Local Monitoring for cluster instances in the upcoming release. Can you contact us at sqlmpsfeedback@microsoft.com so that we ask you a few questions?