Configuring the Nodinite Microsoft BizTalk Server Monitoring Agent
This guide provides instructions for configuring the Nodinite Microsoft BizTalk Server Monitoring Agent for a BizTalk Server Group.
Info
The Monitoring Agent offers a wide range of features designed to help you receive alerts and perform remote actions, allowing you to effectively address issues within your BizTalk Server environment. Although the extensive array of features may initially seem overwhelming, it’s best to configure them one at a time, enabling you to learn and understand each option as you go.
Note
Before you can utilize the monitoring and remote configuration features, you must first install and create the initial Monitoring Agent Configuration for the Nodinite Microsoft BizTalk Server Monitoring Agent. If you’re a first-time user, this is where you should begin.
Applications
All artifacts from your BizTalk Server are automatically added as Resources. These Resources are then organized into Applications and Categories. Depending on the edition of BizTalk Server you are using, there may be a limit on the number of Applications. For Branch and Standard editions, this limitation could lead to configuration or partitioning issues. To address this limitation, the agent can be configured to create virtual Applications based on the service names of your BizTalk Server artifacts, such as Receive Ports and Send Ports.
Remote Configuration of BizTalk Servers
As a Nodinite Administrator, click on the 'Configuration' button to open a modal to configure the agent:
Click the 'Configuration' button to open a dialog for configuring the agent.
Configurations on the Resource can be adjusted via the Action button if the Monitor View has the Remote Actions feature enabled.
The following tabs exist:
BizTalk Tab
From the BizTalk tab, first-time users must configure which BizTalk Server Group to monitor. You can also provide one or more filters to exclude BizTalk artifacts from monitoring.
Enable monitoring
To enable monitoring, the agents needs to be configured with information (which management database to use) about which BizTalk Server group to monitor.
- Connection String - You must provide a connection string with details about how to connect with the BizTalk management database (usually BizTalkMgmtDb) for the BizTalk group to monitor.
Data Source=localhost;Initial Catalog=BizTalkMgmtDb;Integrated Security=True; Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=True;
http://www.connectionstrings.com/
Important
You must manually restart the monitoring agent if you change the connection string information.
Filters
For some environments, it makes sense to exclude either (or both) Applications and Resources. The agent has support for setting multiple regular expressions to filter out unwanted Resources. You can enable and disable each expression.
The image shows an example removing Applications and Resources.
^[_].*
The RegEx examle removes all Resources starting with the _ (underscore) character.
Tip
Please test these filters individually, as we have received many support tickets regarding missing Resources due to this filtering feature.
Health Check Tab
In the Health Check tab, you find the additional tabs, managing many very helpful features to keep your BizTalk environment healthy:
- Misc - General health check Monitoring settings.
- Assemblies & Files - Compare processing servers within your BizTalk Environment.
- Spool - Settings for monitoring the Spool table in the BizTalk message box including metrics support
- Tracking Data - Settings for monitoring the TrackingData table in the BizTalk message box including metrics support
Misc
In the Misc tab, you can manage general settings for monitoring the BizTalk group.
Use the Misc tab to set Monitoring thresholds for general health check related features.
| Property | Default | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orphaned DTA Service Instances - Warning threshold | 5000 | This is the number of orphaned DTA service instances required to trigger a warning alert | |
| Orphaned DTA Service Instances - Error threshold | 10000 | This is the number of orphaned DTA service instances required to trigger an error alert | |
| Messages with negative ref count - Warning threshold | 0 | This is the number of messages with a negative reference count needed to trigger a warning alert | |
| Messages with negative ref count - Error threshold | 0 | This is the number of messages with a negative reference count needed to trigger an error alert | |
| Messages without ref count - Warning threshold | 0 | This is the number of messages without a reference count necessary to trigger a warning alert | |
| Messages without ref count - Error threshold | 0 | This is the number of messages without a reference count necessary to trigger an error alert | |
| Throttling limit - Warning threshold | 15 | This is the throttling limit in minutes that must be reached before a warning is triggered |
Assemblies & Files tab
In the Assemblies & Files tab, you can manage Monitoring settings comparing the processing nodes of the BizTalk Server group and the validity of the SQL Server instance in use.
According to the Monitoring configuration, the agent evaluates the following:
BizTalk Server Processing nodes
- Same content in configuration files (both X86 and X64)?
- Same version of binaries on all nodes?
- Same verion of binaries as deployed to the database?
- Same binaries in the installation path? (e.g. same SP/CU/Fix pack)
- Same binaries in the Pipeline Components folder?
SQL Server Management Database
- Source for binaries as binaries must be Deployed before they can be used. Acts as the master of information.
Enabled - When enabled, the agent compares assemblies and configuration files between BizTalk Servers for consistency
Include BizTalk Server installation folder - Include the BizTalk Server installation folder in the assemblies check
Include BizTalk Server Pipeline Components folder - Include the BizTalk Server Pipeline Components folder in the assemblies check
BizTalk Server configuration - When enabled, compare BizTalk configuration files between servers
BizTalk Assemblies exclude filter - Exclusion filter options
Here's an example of the nifty feature to compare BizTalk processing nodes and configuration database.
Tip
If your BizTalk environment produces different outputs what seems random can be due to different binaries being installed on the different BizTalk processing nodes. Use this feature to keep your BizTalk environment reliable Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Run-time configuration comparison' user guide
BizTalk Assemblies exclude filter
You can opt to remove assemblies according to the provided RegEx filters. click the Add button to enter the filter to be applied. Any number of filters can be added.
Spool tab
From the Spool tab, you control monitoring options for the 'Spool' table in the BizTalk message box.
- Enabled - When enabled, the agent monitors and evaluates the count of the BizTalk Message Box Spool
- Spool count - Warning threshold - The number of posts in the BizTalk Message Box Spool required to trigger a Warning alert
- Spool count - Error threshold - The number of posts in the BizTalk Message Box Spool to trigger an Error alert
- Warning grace time span - The grace time before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error grace time span - The grace time before an Error alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Spool count' user guide
Tracking Data
From the Tracking Data tab, you control monitoring options for the 'TrackingData' table in the BizTalk message box.
- Enabled - When enabled, the agent monitors and evaluates the count of BizTalk Message Box Tracking Data
- Tracking Data count - Warning threshold - The number of posts in the BizTalk Message Box Tracking Data required to trigger a Warning alert
- Tracking Data count - Error threshold - The number of posts in the BizTalk Message Box Tracking Data to trigger an Error alert
- Warning grace time span - The grace time before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error grace time span - The grace time before an Error alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Tracking Data count' user guide
Instances
Suspended Instances Thresholds
From the Suspended Instances Thresholds tab, you control monitoring options for Suspended Instances either globally or specific by BizTalk Application.
- Warning count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, a Warning alert is raised
- Error count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, an Error alert is raised
- Warning time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before an Error alert is raised. (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Specific configurations
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Suspended Instances' user guide
Specific configurations
You can opt to provide settings that are unique for named BizTalk Application. click the Add button to enter the filter to be applied. Any number of filters can be added.
The fields are virtually a repetition of the global ones but are applied on provided name for BizTalk Application Name
Active Instances Thresholds
From the Active tab, you control monitoring options for Active Instances either globally or specific by BizTalk Application.
- Active instances - Warning threshold - The number of active instances required to trigger Warning alert
- Active instances - Error threshold - The number of active instances required to trigger Error alert
- Specific configurations
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Active Instances' user guide
Specific configurations
Configuration options for Active instances unique by BizTalk Application name
You can opt to provide settings that are unique for a named BizTalk Application. click the Add button to enter the filter to be applied. Any number of filters can be added.
The fields are virtually a repetition of the global ones but are applied on a named BizTalk Application
Dehydrated thresholds
From the Dehydrated tab, you control monitoring options for Dehydrated Instances either globally or specific by BizTalk Application
- Warning count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, a Warning alert is raised
- Error count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, an Error alert is raised
- Warning time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before an Error alert is raised. (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Specific configurations
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Dehydrated Instances' user guide
Scheduled thresholds
From the Scheduled tab, you control monitoring options for Scheduled Instances either globally or specific by BizTalk Application
- Warning count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, a Warning alert is raised
- Error count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, an Error alert is raised
- Warning time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before an Error alert is raised. (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Specific configurations
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Scheduled Instances' user guide
Retrying thresholds
From the Retrying tab, you control monitoring options for Retrying Instances either globally or specific by BizTalk Application
- Warning count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, a Warning alert is raised
- Error count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, an Error alert is raised
- Warning time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before an Error alert is raised. (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Specific configurations
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Retrying Instances' user guide
Ready to Run thresholds
From the Ready to Run tab, you control monitoring options for Ready to Run Instances either globally or specific by BizTalk Application
- Warning count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, a Warning alert is raised
- Error count - If the number of suspended instances is higher than the specified value, an Error alert is raised
- Warning time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before a Warning alert is raised. Format (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Error time span - The longest allowed time for instances to be suspended before an Error alert is raised. (days.hours:minutes:seconds, e.g. 7.12:30:59)
- Specific configurations
Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Ready Instances' user guide
Tracking
These options help you have the proper tracking configuration for pipelines at all times
From the Tracking tab, you control monitoring options for BizTalk Pipelines.
Please also review the Recommended tracking settings for default pipelines user guide! There is a BUG in BizTalk that Nodinite can tackle.
- Warn for 'Track Events' disabled - When enabled, the agent evaluates tracking settings for pipelines and warns when 'Port start and end events' and 'Message send and receive events' are disabled
- Warn for 'Track Message Bodies' enabled - When enabled, the agent evaluates tracking settings for pipelines and warns when 'Message before pipeline processing' and/or 'Message after pipeline processing' is enabled
Tip
These options should be all checked to help you have the proper tracking configuration for pipelines at all times. Examples of usage and further reading can be found in the 'Tracking for Default Pipelines' user guide.
Settings tab
There are some general settings for the agent available in the Settings tab.
Environment - A name used to describe the type of environment being monitored, for example Test, Prod, QA.
Debug - Enabled when
Checkedor DisabledUnchecked, in a production environment this should beUnchecked.Culture Information - Select an appropriate culture to format the output of date and time in your preferred format.
CSV Delimiter - Set the character to use exporting data to CSV files.
Include detailed description - The 'Include detailed description' setting determines whether the agent should add a detailed description of Resources. This increases the amount of data sent between BizTalk Agent and Nodinite. Default is unchecked.
List suspended instances by service name - The 'List suspended instances by service name' option should in most cases only be used for non-enterprise versions of BizTalk Server. This is due to the 1 or 5 application limit (depending on he BizTalk edition like branch and standard). Default is unchecked (as most Nodinite customers are using the Enterprise edition of BizTalk).
Enable download and visibility of body for suspended messages - To be used when granting access to the suspended message body
Enable download and visibility of context for suspended messages - To be used when granting access to the suspended message context
Here's an example of the Settings tab.
To use the Audit feature, and to get statistics about suspended instances, you must enable the use of a Monitoring Agent Database.
- Use Monitor Agent Database - When enabled (mandatory when the agent is clustered )
- The agent will keep the statistics information about suspended instances and enable the 'View history for suspended messages' and the report for 'Suspended instances' from the 'Health Check' category
- When clustered the agent also keeps the configuration in the database instead of in the
Settings.jsonfile
- Monitor Agent Database Connection String - Connection String to the database where the Monitor Agent can store historical information
for example:
Data Source=%DBSERVERNAME\[INSTANCENAME]%;Initial Catalog=%Nodinite_MonitoringAgent_BizTalk_PROD%;Integrated Security=True;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=TrueThe system also accepts the following
Data Source=%DBSERVERNAME\[INSTANCENAME]%;Initial Catalog=%Nodinite_MonitoringAgent_BizTalk_PROD%;Integrated Security=True;Encrypt=True;Trust Server Certificate=True
Note
You must change the
Data Source=%DBSERVERNAME\[INSTANCENAME]%andInitial Catalog=%Nodinite_MonitoringAgent_BizTalk_PROD%values to match your run-time environment.
Tip
Installing and updating the Monitoring database is described in the following shared user guide
Save
You must click 'Save' or 'Save and close' for changes to persist. The new settings/thresholds are evaluated on the next synchronization.
Here's an example of the Save options.
Note
The delay in presenting the new evaluated state depends on the synchronization interval set for the monitoring agent. Click the Sync Now button to force an immediate synchronization.
Save and close, save, and close the dialogue.
Cancel, closing the dialogue without saving any changes.
Add BizTalk Monitoring Agent Configuration
After the successful installation: of the Microsoft BizTalk Server Monitoring Agent you must provide Nodinite with connection details so the Monitoring Service knows there's a new guy in town.
No monitoring or other configuration of the Microsoft BizTalk Server Monitoring Agent can be performed before the steps outlined below has been executed.
Configuration Steps
- Add and configure a new Monitoring Agent Configuration
Connection information is available in the
README.txtfile in the installation folder - Use the Remote Configuration feature to configure the agent. Detailed at the beginning of this user guide.
- Create one or more self-service enabled Monitor Views that include the selected Resources provided by the Microsoft BizTalk Server Monitoring Agent according to business needs.
- Fine-tune specific settings directly on Resources using Remote Actions
Next Step
- Recommended tracking settings for default pipelines
- Add or manage a Monitoring Agent Configuration
- Add or manage Monitor View