quest spotlight on active directory user guide...

Dell™ Spotlight™ on Active

Directory® 6.8.3

User Guide

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Spotlight on Active Directory User GuideUpdated - October 2013Software Version - 6.8.3

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Contents

Using Spotlight™ on Active Directory®Topology Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

About Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Connecting to Diagnostic Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Discovering the Topology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Navigating the Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Parts of the Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Browsing by Site, Domain, or Grouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Center on Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Server Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Setting Impersonation Credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Setting Notification Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Customizing the Topology Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Applying a System View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Creating a Custom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Deleting a Custom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Editing a Custom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Resetting the Layout of the Current View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Setting Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Analysis Test Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Global Notification Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Database Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Operations Manager Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Forest Discovery Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Web Reports Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Setting Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

General Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Operating System Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

DNS Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Time Sync Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Replication Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

NTFRS Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

DFSR Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

GPO Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Latency Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Local Changes Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

SCOM Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Integrating with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Detecting Active Directory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

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Detecting Active Directory Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Analysis Tests Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Running and Scheduling Analysis Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Diagnosing Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Resolving Replication and Time Sync Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Resolving Directory Replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Managing Replication Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Resolving File Replication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Managing the File Replication Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Managing Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Increasing USN Journal Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Managing Advanced GPO Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Resolving Time Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Setting Time Synchronization Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Managing Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Managing Actions and Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Canceling Pending Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Saving Action Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Clearing Action Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Launching Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Customizing the Topology Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Understanding System Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Applying a System View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Creating a Custom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Deleting a Custom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Editing a Custom View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Resetting the Layout of the Current View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Working with Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Working with Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Autogrouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Centering on Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Collapsing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Expanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Grouping Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Ungrouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Using the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Introducing Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Starting Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Using Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Using Drilldowns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Using Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

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Using Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Using Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Understanding Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Accessing Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Types of Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Viewing and Interacting with Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Browsing Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Using the Command Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Using the Treeview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Using the File-Based Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

File Menu Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Viewing Report Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Creating and Modifying Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Creating Custom Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Saving Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Editing Web Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Using Quick Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

Changing Grouping Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Creating Custom Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

Using the Graph Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

Guidelines for Creating Bar Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Guidelines for Creating Pie Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Guidelines for Creating XY Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Setting Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Role-based Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Configuring the Web Report Subscription Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

The Subscription Wizard Welcome Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Scheduling the Subscription Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Sending the Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Selecting Web Reports for the Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Selecting a User Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Displaying Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Importing and Exporting Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Using Preconfigured Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Preconfigured Reports in Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer . . . . . . . .104

Generating Report Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Using Distributed Collection of Analysis Test Data (Collectors) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Using Distributed Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Diagnostic Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Collector Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Collector Management Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Installing Distributed Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Using the Collector Management Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Using the Spotlight on Active Directory Installation CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Adding Sites and Servers to Distributed Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

5

Viewing Managed Sites and Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Configuring Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Upgrading Distributed Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Updating Collector Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Uninstalling Distributed Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Using the Collector Management Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

About Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Contacting Dell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Contacting Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

6

1

Using Spotlight™ on Active

Directory®Topology Viewer• About This Guide

• About Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer

• Connecting to Diagnostic Services

• Discovering the Topology

• Navigating the Interface

• Setting Impersonation Credentials

• Setting Notification Groups

• Customizing the Topology Viewer

• Setting Options

• Setting Properties

About This GuideNOTE: For Frequently Asked Questions or Troubleshooting information related to Spotlight on Active Directory, see the Spotlight on Active Directory Deployment Guide.

NOTE: For information on Spotlight basics, see the Spotlight Basics section of the Help menu of the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console.

This document has been prepared to assist you in becoming familiar with Spotlight on Active Directory, an integral component of Spotlight Suite. The type of guide contains the information required to install and use Spotlight on Active Directory. It is intended for network administrators, consultants, analysts, and any other IT professionals using the product.

About Spotlight on Active Directory Topology ViewerFor more information on the features of Spotlight on Active Directory, see the Spotlight on Active Directory Quick Start Guide.

Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer displays the configuration of your organization’s Active Directory. It gives you the tools to diagnose and repair replication, Group Policy Objects (GPO), and time synchronization issues. You can view replication between domain controllers (DCs), change replication links, and run diagnostics to pinpoint key problems with your Active Directory environment.

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Connecting to Diagnostic ServicesBefore using Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, you must be connected to the Diagnostic Services. Diagnostic Services (DiagnosticTestEngineSLAD and DataManagerSLAD) are automatically installed during the standard installation of Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer. If you select this installation option, the Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer will automatically connect to the Diagnostic Services.

NOTE: For more information on the running of Spotlight on Active Directory, see the Spotlight on Active Directory Quick Start Guide.

CAUTION: The account used to run the Diagnostic Services must be a member of the Local Administrators group on the server where the Diagnostic Services are running.

However, you can also install Diagnostic Services on a different computer. If you select this installation option, then you will need to connect to Diagnostic Services the first time you run the Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer. Once you have connected to the Diagnostic Services the first time, it will not be necessary to do so again unless the Diagnostic Services are located on a different server.

To connect to the Diagnostic Services

NOTE: When you launch Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, Diagnostic Services will attempt to autoconnect to the local host.

1. Select File | Connect to Diagnostic Services.

2. Enter the address of the computer where the Diagnostic Services reside.

Enter the IP address, the NetBIOS name, or the fully-qualified name of the computer. You can enter "Localhost" if the Diagnostic Services reside on the same computer as Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

3. Click OK.

The Diagnostic Services connection status is shown in the bottom left corner of the Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer window.

Discovering the TopologyNOTE: When you launch Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, Diagnostic Services will attempt to autoconnect to the local host.

You discover the topology of your Active Directory forest by connecting to a domain or DC in the forest. This DC becomes the query server, which is used to gather information about the forest.

To connect and discover your topology

1. Start Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

2. Click Discover in the Assistant pane at the top of the Assistant pane.

OR

Select File | Discover Topology.

NOTE: You can also enter either the IP address of the DC or the domain name. If you enter the domain name, the first server in the domain to answer the request becomes the query server.

3. Enter the name of the DC.

4. Click OK.

To search for different DCs

1. Start Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

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2. Click Discover in the Assistant pane at the top of the Assistant pane.

OR

Select File | Discover Topology.

3. Click .

4. Browse to the DC, select it, and click OK.

Navigating the InterfaceThis section introduces the Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer interface. The topics describe how the different menus, dialog boxes, and windows work together, and they provide details of how the parts of the application work together when administering your organization’s Active Directory network.

• Parts of the Interface

• Browsing by Site, Domain, or Grouping

• Center on Server

• Select

• Server Information

• Tools

Parts of the InterfaceThe Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer consists primarily of three panes. The pane on the left is the Navigation pane, the center pane is the Main pane, and the pane on the right is the Assistant pane. Using the Navigation pane, you can view your topology layout, test results, manage action results, and run Web Reports. Your selection in the Navigation pane dictates the display in the Main pane and whether the Assistant pane is displayed.

The Navigation PaneThe Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer contains tabs in the Navigation pane on the left:

Table 1: Topology Viewer Tabs

Tab Description

Topology Displays the topology of the Active Directory forest to which you are connected. When you click this tab, the left pane expands to show a treeview of the forest while the main pane shows the topology view.

Analysis Test Results Displays the results of the various Analysis Tests. The Main pane lists the type of test, the last update, and the last result. You can expand the test node to show the actual test, the server that was the focus of the test, and the actions, or steps, that took place as part of the test. If you select an actual test or server, further details are displayed below the main pane.

Management Actions Results Displays pending and completed management actions. When you click this tab, the main pane that is displayed has two tabs at the top of the pane: Pending Actions and Completed Actions. Any Directory Replication, File Replication, or Time Synchronization (Time Sync) action performed in Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer is listed in the Pending Actions tab. When the action is complete, it is moved to the Completed Actions tab.

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The Assistant Pane

NOTE: Click to hide the Assistant pane. When you hide the Assistant pane, all of the icons in the various panes are still visible. You can launch a tool or run a test by selecting a server and clicking the desired icon.

The Assistant pane contains panes located on the right side of the Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer interface:

Web Reports Expands to display a treeview showing all available Web Reports. When you select a report in the treeview, the main pane displays the actual report.

Getting Started Guides you through the process of discovering your topology, running analysis tests, verifying results, and using the Diagnostic Console to troubleshoot and resolve problems in Active Directory.

Table 2: Assistant Pane

Tab Description

Assistant Gives you quick access to some of the most commonly used tools and analysis tests. Hover your pointer over each icon for the title of the feature.

Native Tools When a problem occurs on a DC, to further troubleshoot and resolve the problem you may want to check some common information for that DC using native Microsoft management tools. From the Native Tools pane, you can launch any Microsoft tool:

• AD Sites & Services - allows you to review AD configuration

• AD Users & Computers - allows you to review security and permissions

• Computer Management - allows you to review service status, and manage a service

• DNS Management Console - allows you to examine DNS configuration

• Event Viewer - allows you to look for recent System event log errors on the DC

Directory Replication Testing Provides quick access to the Find Replication Failures, Check GPO Synchronization, Track Object Replication, and Test Replication Links tests. You can launch any of these tests by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

DNS Testing Provides quick access to the Check DNS Entries and Check Partners’ DNS Entries tests. You can launch either of these tests by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

File Replication Testing Provides quick access to the Confirm File Presence, GPO Synchronization, and Check NTFRS/DFSR Status tests. You can launch any of these tests by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

Status/Performance Testing Provides quick access to the Check Service Pack and Hotfixes test and the Check Service Status test. You can launch either of these tests by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

Time Synchronization Testing Provides quick access to the Check W32Time Differential, Check W32Time Parent Synchronization, and Check W32Time Status tests. You can launch any of these tests by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

Resolve Directory Replication Allows you to exercise various management actions that address directory replication problems for selected servers. These include managing links, forcing replication, configuring Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) and flexible single master operation (FSMO) role transfers. You can perform any of these actions by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

Table 1: Topology Viewer Tabs

Tab Description

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Scroll Bars

You can scroll to view different regions of your topology by clicking the red arrows on the borders of the Topology View pane.

Browsing by Site, Domain, or GroupingYou can browse by domain, site, or grouping. This makes it easier to navigate the treeview by reducing the number of branches. It is also an efficient way of finding a particular DC within its domain, site, or group structure. The default view of the Browse pane is by site. Select Browse by Domain if your network contains a large number of sites, but only a small number of domains.

To browse by site

1. Right-click the Forest node in the treeview.

OR

Right-click the My Favorites node in the treeview.

2. Select Browse By | Site.

The DCs in the Browse pane are organized by their site membership.

To browse by domain


OR


2. Select Browse By | Domain.

The DCs in the Browse pane are organized by their domain membership.

To browse by grouping


OR


2. Select Browse By | Grouping.

The DCs in the Browse pane are organized by their group membership.

Resolve NTFRS/DFSR File Replication

Offers various management actions that you can take to address file replication problems for selected servers. Depending on the service you are using, these actions include managing the DFSR or NT File Replication Service (NTFRS) and DFSR or NTFRS logging, setting USN Journal size, and enabling and disabling advanced GPO logging. You can perform any of these actions by clicking the appropriate icon or the name of the test.

Resolve Time Synchronization

Contains the Set Parameters action with which you can set time synchronization parameters for selected servers.

Table 2: Assistant Pane

Tab Description

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Center on ServerUse the Center on Server feature to focus on a specific server. Center on Server is useful in large topologies as you can bring a specific server to the center of the Topology View pane.

To center the topology view on a specific server

1. Click the Forest node in the treeview to see the list of DCs.

2. Select the DC you want to center in the Topology View pane.

NOTE: To go back to the original view or to see the entire topology view, either use the zoom icons (For more information, see Tools on page 14.) or reset the current layout view (For more information, see Resetting the Layout of the Current View on page 18.).

3. Right-click the DC and select Center on Server.

SelectThe Select menu allows you to select specific DCs in the Topology View pane:

Create FavoriteFavorites you create are added to the Browse pane under the My Favorites node and to the Select | My Favorites menu. Each Favorite grouping expands to show the full Domain Naming System (DNS) names of its DCs.

To create a Favorite

1. Select the DCs in the Browse or Topology View pane that you want to include in the Favorite.

2. Right-click and select Select | My Favorites | Create Favorite.

NOTE: You can also right-click in the Browse or Topology View pane and select Select | My Favorites | Create Favorite.

Table 3: Select Menu

Option Description

All Selects all DCs in the forest.

By Name Selects a specific server when you enter the server’s name.

DCs in Domain Selects all DCs in the same domain as a selected DC.

Server Roles Selects which DCs have server roles:

• PDC Emulators

• RID Servers

• Infrastructure Masters

• Domain Naming Master

• Schema Master

• GC Servers

• ISTG Servers

My Favorites A list of all your favorite configurations. My Favorites are logical groups of DCs that you define. This makes it easy to select many DCs at once:

• Create Favorite

• Delete Favorite

• Edit Favorite(s)

• Rename Favorite

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This launches the Favorites dialog box. The DCs you selected are displayed in the DCs in Favorite list.

3. Enter a name for the Favorite in the Favorite Name box.

4. Click OK.

NOTE: You can select to Browse by Site or Browse by Domain within the Create Favorite dialog box by right-clicking in the Available DCs pane.

The Favorite you created will be added in the Browse pane under the My Favorites node and to the Select | My Favorites menu.

Delete FavoriteYou can select and delete Favorite groupings.

To delete a Favorite

1. Select the Favorite you want to delete in the Browse pane.

2. Right-click and select Select | My Favorites | Delete Favorite.

The Favorite you deleted will be removed from the Browse pane under the My Favorites node and from the Select | My Favorites menu.

Edit Favorite(s)You can edit the Favorites you create and perform the various tasks:

• Add or remove a DC

• Add a site

• Add a domain

• Add an entire forest

• Add another Favorite

• Change the name of the Favorite

To add items to a Favorite

1. Right-click in the Browse or Topology View pane and select Select | My Favorites | Edit Favorite(s).

This launches the Favorites dialog box. Previously configured Favorites are displayed in the Configured Favorites list.

2. Select the Favorite you want to edit in the Configured Favorites list.

The name of the Favorite is displayed in the Favorite Name box, and the DCs that make up the Favorite are displayed in the DCs in Favorite list.

3. Select the DC/site/domain/forest you want to add to the Favorite in the Available DCs list and click Add.

NOTE: You can select to Browse by Site or Browse by Domain within the Edit Favorite(s) dialog box by right-clicking in the Available DCs pane.

Select the Favorite you want to add in the Available DCs list and click Add.

To remove DCs from a Favorite

1. Right-click in the Browse or Topology View pane and select Select | My Favorites | Edit Favorite(s).

This launches the Favorites dialog box. Previously configured Favorites are displayed in the Configured Favorites list.

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2. Select the Favorite you want to edit in the Configured Favorites list.

The name of the Favorite is displayed in the Favorite Name box, and the DCs that make up the Favorite will display in the DCs in Favorite list.

3. Select the DC you want to remove from the Favorite in the DCs in Favorite list and click Remove.

Rename Favorite

To rename a Favorite

1. Select the Favorite you want to rename in the Browse pane.

2. Right-click and select Select | My Favorites | Rename Favorite.

3. Enter the new name for the Favorite.

Server InformationServer Information is displayed when you place the pointer over a DC in the Topology View pane. The name of the DC or server is shown.

To view Server Information

1. Discover your topology.

2. Place the pointer over a DC in the Topology View pane.

NOTE: Server Information is enabled by default when you first launch Spotlight on Active Directory.

The DC name is shown.

ToolsSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides you with various tools when working with the Topology view:

Table 4: Tools

Tool Name Description

Toggle Site Grouping On/Off

Toggles Site grouping on and off. For more information, For more information, see Working with Groups on page 62.

Toggle CustomGroup Grouping On/Off

Toggles CustomGroup groupings on and off. For more information, For more information, see Working with Groups on page 62.

Toggle Replication Links On/Off

Toggles the display of replication arrows on and off. Replication arrows are dark aqua in color.

Toggle Time Sync Links On/Off

Toggles the display of time synchronization arrows on and off. Time synchronization arrows are blue in color. When interpreting Time Sync arrows, for example, a line from DC1 to DC2 indicates that DC1 sends its time to DC2. Therefore, DC2 synchronizes its time with DC1.

Toggle Labels On/Off

Toggles the display of computer and site names on and off.

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Setting Impersonation CredentialsYou can configure alternate credentials under which to execute analysis tests. The user credentials you specify must have sufficient permissions to execute the analysis test.

To set impersonation credentials

1. Select Edit | Analysis Test Credentials.

Toggle Details On/Off

Toggles the display of server information on and off. Server information appears when you position your mouse over a DC in the topology. It displays the name, domain, and site of the DC, as well as the top 3 diagnostic and monitoring errors on that DC. If there are less than 3 monitoring errors, more diagnostic errors are shown.

Collapse Selected Grouping

Collapses selected expanded groups in the Topology View pane.

Expand Selected Grouping

Expands selected groups in the Topology View pane.

Group Selected Grouping(s)

Groups selected sites in the Topology View pane.

Ungroup Selected Grouping(s)

Ungroups selected sites in the Topology View pane.

Select Server or Groupings in the Topology

Allows you to select servers or groupings in the Topology View pane.

Pan the Topology Allows you to reposition DCs in your topology view by clicking a DC and dragging it to a different position in the Topology View pane.

Zoom In Magnifies the topology. Click the area of the topology where you want to zoom in.

Zoom Out Zooms out the entire topology so you can see more in the Topology View pane.

Center on Point Zooms in on the topology on the exact location you click (you do not have to click a server).

Toggle Prominent Links On/Off

Highlights the links for a selected group or node in the topology view. Links for other non selected groups or nodes in the topology view will appear as dimmed.

Autogrouping Opens the Autogrouping Rules dialog box, which allows you to create rules used to automatically organize your sites into groups.

Table 4: Tools

Tool Name Description

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This opens the Credential Management dialog box.

2. Click Add.

3. Enter the domain\user name and password you want to use.

You must enter a valid Windows user name, and this account must have sufficient administrative privileges to run the analysis tests.

4. Click OK.

NOTE: You can also specify alternate credentials for impersonation in the Impersonation pane of the Analysis Test Options on page 19, or when scheduling an analysis test. For more information, see Running and Scheduling Analysis Tests on page 37.

The credentials are stored in a list of valid credentials for running analysis tests.

Setting Notification GroupsYou can configure different notification groups to be notified upon failure of an analysis test.

To set notification groups

1. Select Edit | Notification Groups.

This opens the Notification Groups dialog box.

2. Enter the name of the SMTP server.

3. Click New in the Notification Groups pane to add a new group.

4. Enter the new group name, the subject, and the originating email address for the group.

5. Click New in the Group Members pane.

6. Enter the recipient's First Name, Last Name, Email Address, and select Yes in the Enable field.

NOTE: To delete a notification group or a member of a notification group, select the group or group member you want to delete and click Delete.

7. Click OK.

Customizing the Topology ViewerInitially, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer defaults to a layout view of the entire forest you have specified. However, it also provides system Views that you can apply to that forest. In addition, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to filter the topology view to suit your needs. This makes it much easier for you to view the status of, and work with, the servers you are concerned about. This ability is of particular value to local administrators who are responsible for a small number of domain controllers (DCs).

Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides system Views that you can apply to the forest you have specified. Also, instead of dealing with the entire forest, you can create custom Views that display only specific domains or groups of DCs. You can also delete or edit these custom Views.

NOTE: Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer retains the last View. This last View is loaded the next time you launch Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

In addition to the topology view, system and custom Views are also applied to the treeview and the Analysis Test Results tab. Test results are shown only for the target servers that are part of the system or custom View currently applied.

You can customize the topology view by:

• Applying a System View

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• Creating a Custom View

• Deleting a Custom View

• Editing a Custom View

• Resetting the Layout of the Current View

Applying a System ViewSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides system views that you can apply to the current discovered forest:

• All (default - shows entire forest)

• Domain Naming Masters

• Global Catalogs


• Intersite Topology Generators

• PDC Emulators

• RID Masters

• Schema Masters

NOTE: When you apply another system or custom View, this can affect what is shown in the Analysis Test Results tab. If a server whose test results are shown is not included in the View you select, then those test results disappear from the Analysis Test Results tab.

Any custom views you create are also added to this list. You cannot delete or modify these system views.

To select a system view

1. Click in the View box above the topology view pane.

2. Select the system view you want to apply.

Creating a Custom ViewYou can create custom views and define them by site, domain, server or naming convention. You can select the domains or servers you want to include, or use naming conventions to filter only the servers you want to include.

To create a View

1. Select View | Create View.

This launches the View Wizard. You can also do this by clicking next to the View list above the main topology view pane.

2. Click Next.

3. Select the type of view you want and click Next.

NOTE: Your selection can also be domains, servers or naming conventions, depending on the type of view you selected.

4. Select the sites you want to include in the view and click Next.

5. Enter a name for the view you are creating and click Next.

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6. Review the settings you have selected.

To make changes, click Back until the Wizard displays the page you want, make your corrections and then click Next until you are at the Summary page.

7. Click Finish to save and apply the view you have created.

Your custom view will be added to the View list above the main pane.

Deleting a Custom ViewYou can delete the custom View currently displayed. However, you cannot delete the systems views provided with Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

To delete the current View

1. Select View | Delete Current View.

2. Click Yes to confirm you want to delete the current View.

Editing a Custom ViewNOTE: You cannot modify the system views that are provided with Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

Once you have created a custom View, you can modify it. Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to change any of the parameters of the custom View currently displayed.

To edit the current View

1. Select View | Edit Current View.


2. Click Next.

3. Modify the type of view if necessary and click Next.

NOTE: You can also modify domains, servers or naming conventions, depending on the type of view you selected.

4. Modify the sites included in the View if necessary and click Next.

5. Change the name of the View if necessary and click Next.


To make further changes, click Back until the Wizard displays the page you want, make your corrections and then click Next until you are at the Summary page.

7. Click Finish to save and re-apply the View you have modified.

Resetting the Layout of the Current ViewIf you have adjusted the server layout in your topology view by moving the servers, you can reset the view back to its original layout.

To reset the layout of the current View

• Select View | Reset Current View Layout.

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Setting OptionsSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to customize or define default settings for:

• Analysis Test Options

• Global Notification Options

• Database Options

• Operations Manager Options

• Forest Discovery Options

• Web Reports Options

• Setting Properties

Analysis Test OptionsYou can specify default Analysis test settings for newly created analysis tests. These settings include Scheduling, Impersonation, and Notification options.

To configure the default analysis test options

1. Select Edit | Options.

2. Click the Analysis Tests icon in the Options pane.

3. In the Execution Schedule pane, select Run every and specify the interval for running the test.

OR

Select Run every day at and enter the time you want the test to run.

You can select the Between check box to run the test during specified hours. The default setting is to execute the test every 30 minutes, daily, between 8 AM and 5 PM.

4. In the Notification Settings pane, accept the default - <no notification group>.

OR

Select a notification group from the list. If no lists are available, see Global Notification Options on page 20.

If you select a notification group, specify the number of consecutive alarms needed to trigger the notification (whether you want to limit the number of notifications sent and the maximum number of notifications sent per alarm).

5. Select the check box if you want to forward alerts to SCOM.

6. In the Impersonation Settings pane, select Execute the credentials of the diagnostic services.

These are the credentials entered during the installation of the diagnostic services. This is the default option.

OR

Select Execute using a credential.

NOTE: When you run an analysis test using the Run Once option, default notification and impersonation settings are used. The default options or setting are used when you configure a new analysis test. To edit any of the test settings for an existing test, you must go to the Analysis Test Schedule Management dialog box. For more information, see Editing a Scheduled Analysis Test on page 39.

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Select the credentials you want to use from the list of available credentials. Click Configure Credentials to open the Credential Management dialog box and add existing Windows credentials to the list of credentials you can use to execute analysis tests.

Global Notification OptionsYou can configure Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer to globally send email notifications upon failure of an analysis test. All users in a defined notification group are notified when a test fails. In addition to email notifications, you can configure notifications to launch external applications.

Notifications are not sent if the test does not complete. Notifications are sent only if the test fails upon completion.

To configure the global notification options


2. Click the Global Notifications icon in the Options pane on the left of the dialog box.

3. Enter the name of SMTP server for sending email notifications.

NOTE: The application is launched by the Diagnostic Services and has no interaction with the desktop.

4. Enter the application to run on alert.

5. Enter the parameters to run the application, and click OK.

NOTE: Should you change any of the global settings after a test has been configured and scheduled to run, that test will still run with its original configuration. To modify the settings for an existing test, select Edit | Analysis Test.

The system stores this information for future use.

Database OptionsThe supported databases are SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2005 Express, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 Express, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2008 R2 Express, SQL Server 2012, and SQL Server 2012 Express.

To activate database storage


2. Click the Database icon in the Options pane.

3. Enter the interval for data retention for raw, hourly, and daily in the Database Retention box.

(The default interval is 30 days. Database retention specifies the length of time analysis test results are stored. Test results older than the specified retention period are purged from the database on a nightly basis.)

4. Click OK.

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Operations Manager OptionsYou can configure Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer to integrate with Operations Manager, either System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 or 2012 Service Pack 1. This provides end-to-end discovery, diagnosis, and resolution of Active Directory issues from a single console. You can set the location of the Operations Manager to read alerts from the Operations Manager database and display them in Spotlight on Active Directory. These alerts can be viewed by right-clicking a domain controller in the Topology Viewer, and navigating to the Operations Manager Properties tab. You can set the location of the server to allow forwarding alerts generated from Spotlight on Active Directory to Operations Manager.

To configure Operations Manager options


2. Click the Operations Manager option.

3. You can select to do one of the following:

• disable System Center Operations Manager Connector

• configure System Center Operation Manager 2007 R2 Connector

• configure System Center Operation Manager 2012 Connector

If you want to configure SCOM, the location of the Operations Manager Server is inserted automatically.

4. Click OK.

You are prompted to exit Spotlight on Active Directory and restart the DiagnosticTestEngine service for the changes to take effect.

NOTE: Alerts will be forwarded to SCOM database and displayed at the SCOM console under Spotlight Connector Views - Alert Generated Events in SCOM Monitoring pane.

5. Open the Options dialog box again. Select the Analysis Tests option, enter the Notification Settings, and select Forward alerts to System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) check box. Click OK.

Forest Discovery OptionsEvery two hours, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer automatically refreshes the topology of all the forests you have discovered. However, you can configure Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer to refresh only selected forests.

To configure Forest Discovery options


2. Click the Forest Discovery icon in the Options pane on the left of the dialog box.

The dialog box displays a list of all the discovered forests. By default they are all selected.

3. Clear the check box for the forests you do not want refreshed, and click OK.

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Web Reports OptionsIf the computer running IIS also has SSL installed, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer must use the SSL format in order for Web Reports to work properly. You can make this configuration change using the Web Reports options.

To configure Web Reports options


2. Click the Web Reports icon in the Options pane on the left of the dialog box.

3. Select the Use SSL when browsing Web Reports check box, and click OK.

Setting PropertiesThe Properties dialog box provides you with Replication and Time Synchronization properties. You can view general computer information, view and configure the monitored objects list, view messages returned by monitored objects, and view local changes on specific servers.

To view properties

1. Right-click a node in the forest.

2. Select Properties.

Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer contains the these properties tabs:

• General Properties

• Operating System Properties

• DNS Properties

• Time Sync Properties

• Replication Properties

• NTFRS Properties

• DFSR PropertiesDFSR Properties

• GPO Properties

• Latency Properties

• Local Changes Properties

• SCOM Properties

General PropertiesThe General Properties tab contains the following:

• DNS Name - indicates the name of the selected DC on the Active Directory network

• IP Address - indicates the IP address assigned to the selected DC

• Domain - indicates the domain to which the selected DC belongs

• Site - indicates the site to which the selected DC belongs

• Server - indicates the roles which server roles are being performed by the DC. Available roles include the following:

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• PDC Emulator

• RID Master

• Infrastructure Master

• Domain Naming Master

• Schema Master

• ISTG Server

• GC

• Total Physical Memory - indicates the total amount of memory available

• Processors - indicates the vendor, speed, and model number of the processors in the DCs on your network

Operating System PropertiesThe Operating System Properties tab contains the following:

• Version - indicates the current version of the operating system

• Build - indicates the build number of the version

• Service Pack - indicates the current service pack installed on the selected DC

• Hotfixes - indicates the details of any hotfixes that have been applied to the selected DC

• Hotfix ID - the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article Number

• Comments - the patch information for the Article Number

• Start the Service Pack and Hotfix Analysis using this configuration button - indicates the analysis process uses the Service Pack and Hotfix details of the selected DC when applying the diagnostic view.

DNS PropertiesThe DNS Properties tab contains the following:

• DNS Servers - indicates the DNS Servers associated with the network card

• DNS Registered Records - lists the registered DNS records on the DSN servers on the network

Time Sync PropertiesThe Time Sync Properties tab contains the following:

• Configuration - indicates Time Synchronization details for the selected DC:

• Synchronization Type -indicates the type of synchronization performed.

• Parent - indicates the DC being used by the selected DC to synchronize its time. By default, this is the PDC Emulator for the domain.

• Period - indicates the specified number of times per day, if the Specified times per day option is selected.

• Service State - indicates the current state of Time Synchronization. The possible states are as follows:

• Running

• Paused

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• Pausing

• Stopped

• Stopping

• Starting

• Resuming

Replication PropertiesThe Replication Properties tab contains the following:

• Distinguished Name - indicates the distinguished name of the selected DC

• KCC Enabled (intersite) - shows if the intersite (between sites) KCC is enabled on the selected DC. If the KCC is enabled, it will return a value of Enabled. If it is disabled, it will return a value of Disabled

• KCC Enabled (intrasite) - shows if the intrasite (within sites) KCC is enabled on the selected DC. If the KCC is enabled, it will return a value of Enabled. If it is disabled, it will return a value of Disabled.

• Replication Links - shows replication link direction and the DCs that replicate with the selected DC:

• Inbound - indicates if the link is inbound from the DC in the Domain Controller column

• Outbound - indicates if the link is outbound to the DC in the Domain Controller column

• Domain Controller - gives a list of replication partners

NTFRS PropertiesNOTE: This property is only visible if a NTFRS server is selected.

The NT File Replication Service (NTFRS) Properties tab contains the following:

• General Settings - shows the following general settings:

• Working Directory - shows the working storage directory for replication data

• Staging Space Limit - shows the maximum amount of disk space allocated to files held on disk until they are retrieved by all downstream replication partners

• USN Journal Size - shows the current size of the update sequence number (USN) Journal in megabytes (MB)

• Short Polling Interval - shows the interval the NTFRS uses to poll the Active Directory at service startup or after configuration changes

• Long Polling Interval - shows the interval with which NTFRS polls the Active Directory for configuration changes after eight short polling intervals have finished without interruption

• Log Settings - shows the following logging-related details:

• NTFRS Logging Enabled - Shows if NTFRS Logging is enabled or disabled on the selected domain controller.

• Log File Severity Detail - Shows the level of detail that the NTFRS records in its trace log files (Ntfrs_000n.log).

• Number of Log Files Generated - The number of debug log files that are kept on the selected domain controller.

• Number of Messages per Log File - The maximum number of messages logged to a file for the selected domain controller.

• View logs button - launches the NTFRS Log File Viewer dialog box

• Service State - shows the current state of NTFRS: Running, Stopped, or Missing

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NTFRS Log File Viewer The NTFRS Log File Viewer collects the names of all the log files currently existing on a DC. Click a specific log file in the Available Log Files list to load the log file information into the bottom listview of the dialog box. The NTFRS Log File Viewer displays the following:

• Location of Log Files - indicates the DC where the log files are located

• Available Log Files - indicates the name, size (bytes), and time stamp of the log files on the DC

• Log Files - indicates the specific log file you select in the Available Log Files list

• Number of Entries - indicates the number of entries in the log file you select

• Data - shows the Log file details including the Source, Thread ID, Line, Severity, Time, and Message for each entry in the log file

• Load Progress - shows the progress of the log file as it loads into the Data pane

DFSR PropertiesNOTE: This property is only visible if a DFSR server is selected.

The Distributed File System Replication Service (DFSR) Properties tab contains the following:

• General Settings - shows the following general settings:

• Staging Directory - shows the temporary storage directory for replication data.

• Polling Interval - shows the interval, in minutes, between Active Directory Domain Service cycles.

• Reghosting Rate - shows the maximum rate, in minutes, at which reghosting occurs.

• Enable Light DS Polling - shows if the periodic check for configuration changes in the Active Directory Domain Services is enabled or disabled. Enabling light DS polling speeds up the service response to certain types of configuration changes.

• Max Offline Time - shows the maximum number of days that the server can be disconnected from replication.

• Log Settings - shows the following logging-related details:

• DFSR Logging Enabled - Shows if DFSR Logging is enabled or disabled on the selected domain controller.

• Log File Severity Detail - Shows the level of detail that the DFSR records in its trace log files (Dfsr_000n.log).

• Number of Log Files Generated - The number of debug log files that are kept on the selected domain controller.

• Number of Messages per Log File - The maximum number of messages logged to a file for the selected domain controller.

• Service State - shows the current state of DFSR: Running, Stopped, or Missing

GPO PropertiesThe Group Policy Object (GPO) Properties tab contains the following:

• GPO Logging - shows the following details:

• Advanced GPO Event Logging Enabled - shows Enabled or Disabled, depending on whether or not GPO Event Logging is enabled

• GPO Object List - shows the following details:

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• GPO Name - shows the name given to the GPO when it is created

• GUID - shows the unique identifying number assigned to the GPO when it is created

• Created - shows the date and time the GPO was created

• Changed - shows the date and time the GPO was last changed

• SU - shows the Sysvol user version of the GPO

• SM - shows the Sysvol machine version of the GPO

• DU - shows the directory services user version of the GPO

• DM - shows the directory services machine version of the GPO

Latency PropertiesThe Latency Properties tab contains the following:

• Replication Latency - shows how long it takes replication to occur from one DC to another:

• Domain Controller - shows the DCs to which the selected DC has a replication path.

• Site - shows the site to which the DC belongs.

• DS Replication Time - shows the amount of time it takes for AD replication to occur.

• File Replication Time - shows the amount of time it takes for file replication to occur.

Local Changes PropertiesThe Local Changes Properties tab contains the following:

• Distinguished name of Root Object to obtain list from - indicates the distinguished Name of the AD object to be used as the starting point of the search. You can browse for the AD object you want to use.

• Highest Committed USN - indicates the highest committed Update Sequence Number (USN)

• List changes since - shows the USN to be used as the starting point in the search. By default, this number is the Highest Committed USN, but you can enter a different number if you want to search based on a number other than the Highest Committed USN.

NOTE: Double-click an object in the list to display its properties. The Changed Object Properties dialog box lists the name of the Object Property that changed, the version of the Object Property, the time the change occurred, the originating server, the Originating USN, and Local USN.

• List All Changes on this Server since USN - shows all of the objects with changes since the indicated USN

SCOM PropertiesThe SCOM Properties tab allows you to view details about errors and warnings discovered by your SCOM server. The SCOM tab will display only those alerts raised on a selected domain controller (DC) in the last 30 days.

NOTE: Select Edit | Options | Operations Manager to connect to a SCOM server.

The SCOM Properties tab contains the following:

• SCOM Server - shows the location of the SCOM server

• Critical Errors - indicates the number of critical errors SCOM has raised for a specific DC

• Warnings - indicates the number of warnings SCOM has raised for a specific DC

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• Alerts - shows the following details:

• Description - shows the description of the alarm that was raised

• Name - shows the name of the alarm that was raised

• Repeat Count - shows the number of times a particular alarm has been raised

• Resolution State - shows the state of the event (whether it has been resolved or not)

• Severity - shows the severity of the alarm raised - 1 indicates a warning and 2 indicates a critical error

NOTE: Double-click an entry on the SCOM Properties tab to open the SCOM Alerts dialog box. The SCOM Alerts dialog box lists more detailed information about the entry. If there are

multiple entries in the list, you can view them in the dialog box using the and

buttons.

• Time Raised - shows the time the alarm was raised

Integrating with Microsoft System Center Operations ManagerThe Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer offers integration with System Center Operations Manager (SCOM):

• SCOM 2007 R2

• SCOM 2012 Service Pack 1

Spotlight on Active Directory must meet the following prerequisites for SCOM integration:

• The Spotlight on Active Directory Console component must be installed on the Operations Manager server.

• The Microsoft Active Directory management pack must be installed and configured on the Operations Manager administrator console

• SCOM agents must be deployed on the domain controllers (DCs) to be monitored, in order to see the Operations Manager alerts for the AD management pack.

To configure SCOM to launch Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

To integrate the Diagnostic Console with SCOM, you must create a custom console task.

1. Select the Authoring pane, and click Create New Task.

2. Select Console Tasks as the task type and Command line as the sub-type.

3. Select Default Management Pack as the destination management pack. Click Next.

4. Enter "Diagnose using Spotlight" as the task name, and select Windows Domain Controller as the Task Target. Click OK. Click Next.

5. For the Applications Name, enter the file path to the Spotlight Launcher (either SpotlightLauncher2007.exe or SpotlightLauncher2012.exe depending the version of SCOM used). The Spotlight Launcher is located in the Spotlight folder where Spotlight on Active Directory is installed.

6. Select Display Name as a parameter

NOTE: Selecting the 'Display output when this task is run' check box is optional,. This operation is useful for troubleshooting if the task fails.

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7. Select a Working Directory.

8. Click Create.

You can now launch the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console from SCOM by selecting a Domain Controller alert and clicking the created task.

To configure SCOM within Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, see Operations Manager Options on page 21.

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2
Detecting Active Directory Problems
• Detecting Active Directory Problems

• Analysis Tests Categories

• Running and Scheduling Analysis Tests

Detecting Active Directory ProblemsSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides analysis tests to help you detect and analyze Active Directory problems. You can run analysis tests instantaneously, or schedule them to run at specific times. You can also configure Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer to notify you, based on the results of the different analysis tests. For more information, see Setting Notification Groups on page 16.

Analysis Tests CategoriesYou can run any of the following analysis test categories:

• Directory Replication

• DNS

• File Replication

• Status/Performance

• Time Synchronization

Directory ReplicationThe Directory Replication test category contains the following available analysis tests:

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Table 1: Directory Replication Analysis Tests

Directory Replication Analysis Test

Description

Verify Directory Replication Health

Creates an object in the domain partition that will be replicated to all other domain controllers. Based on what domain controllers are selected as targets, Spotlight on Active Directory will check those domain controllers for the replicated object and report back how long it took for the object to replicate. The container is found at the root of the domain naming partition and is named QuestReplicationMonitoring. A container for each target domain controller will be created within the QuestReplicationMonitoring container. It determines if a selected DC has replicated with its replication partners.

When running or scheduling the Verify Directory Replication Health analysis test, select the following:

• You cannot have more than one active test with the same source server.

• The source server cannot be the same as the destination server.

• The timeout value cannot exceed the execution frequency.

• There must be at least one destination server in the same domain as the source server or Global Catalog (GC) server.

Verify Schema Consistency Checks all target domain controllers against the Schema Master to ensure Schema consistency.

Find Replication Failures Checks all replication links for any errors that occurred in the last replication attempt.

When this analysis tool fails, you should:

• Check to make sure the DC is running and is connected to the network.

• Check to see if you can connect to the DC through Microsoft Native Tools (ADSIEdit, Sites and Services). If not, then you probably do not have administrative access to bind to that computer.

Check GPO Synchronization First gets a list of all group policies from the PDC Emulator. It then compares the file and directory version of each group policy from the selected domain controllers to the version found on the PDC Emulator. If the PDC Emulator is in the list of target domain controllers, it will be skipped as the PDC Emulator is the source to which group policies are compared. This test shows if the following GPO properties are inconsistent across any of the selected DCs in the forest:

• Sysvol user version

• Sysvol machine version

• Directory Services user version

• Directory Services machine version


• DCs flagged as red may not have received replication updates from their partners. Try forcing replication between any affected DC and its partners using the Force Replication analysis tool.

• Check to see if there have been any replication failures on the affected DC.

• Ensure that you have administrative access to the registry on the DC. The Sysvol location is stored in the remote registry.

• Ensure that you have access to the file system on the DC. The file portion of GPOs is read from the Sysvol container on the remote DC.

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DNSThe DNS test category contains the following available analysis tests:

Track Object Replication Allows the user to select any object and track it as it is replicated throughout your Active Directory forest. This test is used to determine if all servers in the forest have the selected copy of an Active Directory object. The Update Sequence Number (USN)/source computer pair for each property on the selected object is recorded from the source computer. This ensures that the tested computer has received all changes made to the object on the source computer.

When you run or schedule this analysis test, you must select more than one DC. The first DC becomes the source server. You must also enter the full LDAP path of the object you want to track.

When tracking an object in the domain naming context, Global Catalog servers outside the domain might fail the analysis test. Any Global Catalog server in the forest will fail the analysis test if it does not have the selected copy of an Active Directory object.

Test Replication Links Ensures connectivity across all selected replication links. If you run this test on a computer that is offline, you may receive the error: There are no more end points available from the end point mapper.

When this action fails, you should:

• Check to see if the replication partner is operational.

• Check if the replication partner can be contacted by the target computer. The Check Partners' DNS Entries analysis tool will tell you if the remote DC can find the DNS entries it needs from its replication partners.

• Run the Find Replication Failures analysis tool to see if there have been replication problems in the past.

• Run the Check W32Time Differential analysis tool to see if there is a time synchronization problem causing the failure.

Table 1: Directory Replication Analysis Tests

Directory Replication Analysis Test

Description

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File ReplicationThe File Replication test category contains the following available analysis tests:

Table 2: DNS Analysis Tests

DNS Analysis Test Description

Verify DNS Health Checks the health and responsiveness of DNS and whether domain controllers (DCs) are properly configured to use DNS. It checks all dependencies that Active Directory has on DNS. This test validates numerous settings with DNS.

• If the Verify Netlogon entries check box is selected, the test will enumerate all network adapters, get all the DNS servers for those adapters, ensure each DNS server is online and responsive, and then validate each entry listed for that DNS server.

• If the Verify partner Netlogon entries check box is selected, the test will enumerate all replication partners for the target domain controller and validate all entries listed for each DNS server.

• If the Verify PDC advertising check box is selected, the test will ensure that an entry is listed in DNS for each PDC Emulator in Active Directory.

• If the Verify GC advertising check box is selected, the test will ensure that an entry is listed in DNS for each Global Catalog in Active Directory.

• If the Skip Domain A record validation check box is selected, the test will not trigger an alarm on any missing Domain A records.

• If the Verify zone existence check box is selected, the test will ensure that there is a zone for that domain controller’s domain.

• If the Verify forwarder availability check box is selected, the test will check the registry on the DNS server to enumerate the forwarders and then ensure each forwarder is online.

• User-specified external records of types A, SRV, and CNAME can be resolved.

• The DNS Health test retrieves installed network adapters once every four hours.

• DNS servers other then those used by domain controllers can be tested.

It queries the DNS Server IP addresses specified for the network adapter of the targeted DCs. This test reconciles Netlogon entries found on the DC with the ones registered on the DNS server. It performs this same validation for the DC’s replication partners. The status of the DNS entries registration with replication partners is shown in the test results. Click the link in the test results to see the DNS entries that have registered successfully or the individual records that are missing on the DNS server.

Check DNS Entries Validates each DNS entry for the selected domain controllers. This test verifies that the DNS Entries registered by a specific DC can be found on the DNS Servers configured for the computer running Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.


• Ensure that the server operational.

• Ensure that you have access to the admin$ share on the server. The tool requires access to the netlogon.dns file stored in admin$\System32\config.

• Check to see if you can make DNS requests from your computer. (The tool contacts the default DNS Servers for the local computer.)

Check Partners’ DNS Entries

Validates each DNS entry for the replication partners of the selected domain controllers. This test verifies that the DC can find the DNS records of each of its inbound replication partners on the DNS server that it is using.


• Ensure that the DC and its partners are operational.

• Ensure that you have access to the admin$ share on the server. This tool requires access to the netlogon.dns file stored in admin$\System32\config on each of the target DNS server's inbound replication partners.

• Verify (either using nslookup or the Microsoft DNS snap-in) that the entries are actually registered.

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Table 3: File Replication Analysis Test

File Replication Analysis Test Description

Verify File Replication Health Creates a file in the SYSVOL share to be replicated. Based on what domain controllers are selected as targets, Spotlight on Active Directory will check those domain controllers for the replicated file and report back how long it took for the file to replicate. The file will be created within the domain folder that resides in the SYSVOL share. The filename will be QuestFrsMonitoring<domain> where <domain> is the fully qualified domain name for that domain controller. This test determines if a selected domain controller (DC) can replicate files with its replication partners.

When running the Verify File Replication Health analysis test, you should consider the following:

• You cannot have more than one active test with the same source server.

• The source server cannot be the same as the destination server.

• The timeout value cannot exceed the execution frequency.

• There must be at least one destination server in the same domain as the source server.

For more information on starting NTFRS or DFSR, For more information, see Starting the Service on page 51.

Confirm File Presence Allows you to select any file and check for its presence on other domain controllers. This test verifies that the files stored on all shares are physically the same files. Confirm File Presence verifies the file size in bytes, file date, and file name between the source computer and all other selected computers.

When you run or schedule this analysis test, select the source server from the list and enter the name of the file or folder you want confirmed. The Confirm File Presence analysis test will stop comparing files on a DC once 10 errors have been reached.


• Ensure that you have administrative rights to access the file system on the affected DC.

Check GPO Synchronization First gets a list of all group policies from the PDC Emulator. It then compares the file and directory version of each group policy from the selected domain controllers to the version found on the PDC Emulator. If the PDC Emulator is in the list of target domain controllers, it will be skipped as the PDC Emulator is the source to which group policies are compared. This test shows if the following GPO properties are inconsistent across any of the selected DCs in the forest:

• Sysvol user version

• Sysvol machine version

• Directory Services user version

• Directory Services machine version


• DCs flagged as red may not have received replication updates from their partners. Try forcing replication between any affected DC and its partners using the Force Replication analysis tool.

• Check to see if there have been any replication failures on the affected DC.

• Ensure that you have administrative access to the registry on the DC. The Sysvol location is stored in the remote registry.

• Ensure that you have access to the file system on the DC. The file portion of GPOs is read from the Sysvol container on the remote DC.

Check NTFRS/DFSR Status TShows if the NTFRS or DFSR service is not running on the selected domain controllers.

For more information on starting the file replication services, For more information, see Starting the Service on page 51.


• Try starting the NTFRS or DFSR service through Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

• Try connecting to the Service Control Manager through Microsoft native tools (services.msc). If you cannot connect, you may not have the required administrative access to that DC.

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Status/PerformanceThe Status/Performance test category contains the following available analysis tests:

Table 4: Status/Performance Analysis Tests

Status/Performance Analysis Test Description

Verify Server Health Collects key data to determine overall server health. Data collected includes performance counters, network availability, disk space, critical services, directory service availability, and event log errors.

Custom counters and/or thresholds can be configured for performance counters, network availability, and disk space. Performance data is polled twice over 30 seconds and averaged.

You can be notified when optional performance counters and optional services are missing from the target Domain Controllers (DC). The default action for the test is to present a warning if an optional performance counter or service is missing. If this warning is not needed, you can disable this warning so the Verify Server Health Analysis test can report a successful completion.

When you run the Verify Server Health test once, all events logged within the past hour are scanned.

When you schedule the Verify Server Health test, the hardware is inspected every four hours. All events logged within the past hour are scanned the first time the test runs. On every subsequent run, the event log is scanned starting back from the previous time the test ran.

When you run or schedule this analysis test, select the components for which you want to gather information. Options include performance counters, network availability, disk space, critical services, directory service availability and the event log.

You can modify the thresholds for the test by clicking Edit. This will launch the Server Health Configuration Wizard. Any modifications you make are applied only to the Server Health test you are scheduling. If you want to modify the thresholds used for all tests, access the Server Health Configuration Wizard by selecting Start | Dell | Spotlight on Active Directory | Server Health Configuration Wizard.

NOTE: For more information on the Server Health Configuration Wizard, see the Spotlight on Active Directory Server Health Configuration Wizard User Guide found in C:\Program Files\Dell\Spotlight on Active Directory\Tools.

Verify FSMO Best Practices Discovers the FSMO roles held by the target domain controllers and checks for violations based on the roles held. If the PDC Emulator and RID Master are on the same domain controller check box is selected, the test will check if both of these roles are located on the same domain controller. If the PDC also has a Global Catalog role, the test will check if the Global Catalog is not on the same domain controller.

If the Infrastructure Master should not host the Global Catalog check box is selected, the test will check if any domain controllers that hold the Infrastructure Master host a copy of the Global Catalog.

If the Schema Master and Domain Naming Master are on the same domain controller check box is selected, the test will check if the Schema Master is also holding the Domain Naming Master role.

When you run or schedule this analysis test, select one or more best practices to test.

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Time SynchronizationThe Time Synchronization test category contains the following available analysis tests.

NOTE: Indicators are applied to domain controllers (DCs) that cannot be contacted or that return errors. A status of yellow indicates that the DC could not be contacted, and a status of red indicates that the server has failed the test.

Verify Site Configuration Checks the following configurable site settings:

• If the Intersite Topology Generation is disabled check box is selected, the test will check all selected sites to see if Intersite Topology Generation is disabled.

• If the No authority to resolve Universal Group membership check box is selected, the test will check if a domain controller is within the target site that can resolve Universal Group membership. This requires either a Global Catalog or a domain controller to be in the target site.

• If the Exchange Server to Global Catalog ratio has been exceeded check box is selected, the test will enumerate all Exchange Server and Global Catalogs in the target site and produce an Exchange Server to Global Catalog ratio. This ratio is then compared to the ratio provided by the user and if the actual ratio is greater that the supplied ratio the test will return as a failure.

When you run or schedule an analysis test, select a site to test and the settings to test against each site. The list of DCs is modified based on the sites selected. One DC is selected for each site to prevent several DCs alarming with the same alert data.

Check Service Pack & Hotfixes Uses the remote registry service to enumerate all installed hot fixes and service packs on a domain controller. This is then compared to what the user selected to check if any service packs or hot fixes are missing the test will return a failure and list any missing entries.

When you run or schedule this analysis test, enter a service pack number and a Microsoft Knowledgebase Article Number.


• Check to make sure you have administrative access to the registry on the remote DC.

• Install the missing Hotfix or service pack on the DC and run the tool again.

Check Service Status Opens a dialog box that lists all existing services on the query server. It checks that the services you chose are running on all selected domain controllers.


• Try connecting to the Service Control Manager through Microsoft native tools (services.msc). If you cannot connect, then you may not have the required administrative access to that DC.

• Physically restart the affected services on the DC.

Table 4: Status/Performance Analysis Tests

Status/Performance Analysis Test Description

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Table 5: Time Synchronization Analysis Tests

Time Synchronization Analysis Tests

Description

Verify Time Synchronization Checks if all the pieces of the time synchronization solution function properly when Windows Time Service is used as a time synchronization solution. This test combines the functionality of three existing analysis tests: Check W32Time Status, Check W32Time Parent Synchronization, and Check W32Time Differential. The test also verifies synchronization with a specified time source server if a third-party NPT-based time synchronization solution is used, and allows you to ignore alarms associated with the specified time source server.

Check W32Time Differential Compares the time of the selected domain controllers to the PDC Emulator and compares this to the specified threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, the test will return a failure. This test shows you child DCs whose time is not synchronized with their parent time server within a user-defined margin. This margin is referred to as the time sync gap. The default time sync gap is two minutes.

When you run or schedule this analysis test, enter a time differential as an acceptable threshold.


• Ensure that the server is operational.

• Check to make sure your time differential gap is set to the correct setting (default is 5 minutes).

• Check the properties of the server to see which computer is its time sync parent server. If necessary, change the Time Sync parameters of the server to point to a different server.

Check W32Time Parent Synchronization

Ensures that the selected domain controllers are using the PDC Emulator from their domain as their time source. The root PDC Emulator cannot be tested against external time sources. This test shows you any DC that is not synchronizing time with the Windows default time server. The Windows default time server is the PDC Emulator in its domain. If the selected DC is the PDC Emulator for the domain, the Windows default time server is the PDC Emulator of the root domain.


Ensure that the server is operational.

• Make sure you have administrative access to the file system. The tool attempts to connect to the file system on the remote server.

• Ensure that you have access to query the registry on the remote server. The tool requires access to the registry to determine the server's time sync settings.

• Check to make sure you have access to query the domain object for that server. The tool attempts to find the Windows default parent for a particular server by binding to objects in Active Directory (starting with the object for the domain the server is in).

• If required, change the parameters of the server to point to the Windows default Time Sync server (for example, Resolve | Time Sync -| Set Parameters).

Check W32Time Status Checks the status of the W32Time service. This test shows if the W32Time Service is not running on the selected domain controller.


• Ensure that the server is operational.

• Ensure that you have administrative access to query services on that server.

• Try connecting to the Service Control Manager on the remote computer through services.msc.

• Try physically restarting the service.

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Running and Scheduling Analysis Tests

To run an analysis test

1. Select one or more DCs in the Topology View depending on the test you are running.

Use your SHIFT key to make multiple selections.

2. Right-click one of the selected DCs and select Detect | <Test Category> | <Analysis Test> | Run Once.

3. Click OK.

NOTE: You can run analysis tests using the Assistant Pane. For more information, For more information, see Running Analysis Tests using the Assistant Pane on page 40.

To schedule an analysis test

1. Select one or more DCs in the Topology View depending on the analysis test you are scheduling.

2. Right-click a selected DC and select Detect | <Test Category> | <Analysis Test>| Schedule.

3. Select Run every in the Scheduling tab and specify the interval for running the test.

The default setting is to execute the test every 30 minutes, daily, between 8 AM and 5 PM.

OR

Select Run every day at in the Scheduling tab and enter the time you want the test to run.

You can select the Between check box to run the test during specified hours or to run overnight.

4. Click OK.

NOTE: All analysis tests will time out after either one hour or after the scheduled time, whichever is greater.

Scheduling Analysis Tests with Impersonation OptionsYou can configure analysis tests to run under alternate credentials. The user credentials you use must have sufficient permissions to execute the analysis test.

To schedule an analysis test with impersonation options

1. Select Detect | <Analysis Test> | Schedule.

This opens the Analysis Test dialog box.


The default setting is to execute the test every 30 minutes, daily, between 8 AM and 5 PM.

OR


TIP: To view analysis test results

• Place your mouse pointer over a server node in the Topology View pane. The highest severity analysis test result is displayed in the Topology View.

To view more detailed results

1. Right-click the server in question.

2. Select View Test Results.

This displays the Result Pane, where you can select the test whose results you want to view. The Test Category, Test Name, Target, Time, and Result are displayed in the right side of the Result Pane. If a test has more than one target, a summary grid of information is displayed.

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You can select the Between check box to run the test during specified hours.

3. Click the Impersonation tab in the Advanced Options pane.

4. Select Execute using the credentials of the diagnostic services.

These are the credentials entered during the installation of the diagnostic services. This is the default option.

OR

Select Execute using one of the following credentials.

5. Click OK.

Scheduling Analysis Tests with Notification OptionsYou can configure Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer to send email notifications upon failure of an Analysis test. All users in a defined notification group are notified when a test fails.

You can also forward any alerts to the Operations Manager console.

To schedule an analysis test with notification options

1. Select Detect | <Analysis Test> | Schedule.

This opens the Analysis Test dialog box.


OR


You can select the Between check box to run the test during specified hours or to run overnight. The default setting is to execute the test every 30 minutes, daily, between 8 AM and 5 PM.

3. Select the Notifications tab in the Advanced Options pane.

4. Select the notification group you want to notify.

5. Enter the number of consecutive alarms.

Once a specific number of alarms are triggered, the notification is sent.

6. Enter the number of maximum notifications to be sent per alarm.

7. If necessary, select the Forward alerts to Operations Manager check box to send any alerts to the Operations Manager console.

8. Click OK.

The configured analysis test executes. If the test fails, a notification is sent to all members of the specified notification group.

TIP: To execute using one of the following credentials

1. Select the credentials you want to use from the list of available credentials.

2. Select Configure Credentials to open the Credential Management dialog box.

3. Add existing Windows credentials to the list of credentials you can use to execute analysis tests.

NOTE: Notifications are not sent if the test does not complete. Notifications are sent only if the test fails upon completion.

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Editing a Scheduled Analysis TestYou can edit a scheduled analysis test through the Analysis Test Schedule Management dialog box. You can pause and resume a scheduled test, view a test, or delete a test. You can also edit the execution frequency of analysis tests; for example, you can change a Run Once test to a scheduled test, or a scheduled test to a Run Once test.

To edit a scheduled analysis test

1. Select Edit | Analysis Tests.

The Analysis Test Schedule Management dialog box displays all scheduled analysis tests including Test Category, Test Name, Scheduled Status (Active, Paused, or Completed), next Run Time, Execution Frequency, Notification Group, and the credentials being used.

2. Select the test you want to edit and click the Edit button.

This opens the Edit Test Configuration dialog box.

3. Edit the configuration information for the selected test.

You can edit the target server list, test schedule, notification and impersonation information, and test configuration.

4. Click OK.

All information for the test is updated, saved, and used the next time the test is run.

Pausing and Resuming a Scheduled Analysis TestYou can pause and resume the execution of a previously scheduled analysis test.

To pause a scheduled analysis test


The Analysis Tests Schedule Manager displays all scheduled analysis tests including Test Category, Test Name, Scheduled Status (Active, Paused, or Completed), Execution Frequency, and Notification Group.

2. Select the test you want to pause and click Pause.

The test is paused and will not execute until you click Resume.

To resume a paused analysis test


The Analysis Tests Schedule Manager displays all scheduled analysis tests including Test Category, Test Name, Scheduled Status (Active or Paused), Execution Frequency, and Notification Group.

2. Select the paused test you want to resume and click Resume.

NOTE: If a test is halted by the system because of invalid credentials, you can pause the test and resume it when the credentials are corrected. Also, if you pause a test and the Ending Time for that test passes during the pause, click Resume to resume the test schedule

Deleting a Scheduled Analysis TestYou can delete a scheduled analysis test using the Analysis Tests Schedule Manager.

To delete a scheduled analysis test


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The Analysis Tests Schedule Manager displays all scheduled analysis tests including Test Category, Test Name, Scheduled Status (Active, Paused, or Completed), Execution Frequency, and Notification Group.

2. Select the test you want to delete and click Delete.

You will be prompted to confirm or cancel the deletion.

3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Running Analysis Tests using the Assistant PaneYou can quickly access all of the analysis tests provided in Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer through the various panes in the Assistant pane. The three comprehensive analysis tests, Verify DNS Health, Verify Replication Health and Verify Server Health, can be found in the Assistant pane at the top of the Assistant pane. The other tests are organized according to troubleshooting category and grouped into the following panes:

• Directory Replication Testing

• DNS Testing

• File Replication Testing

• Status/Performance Testing

• Time Synchronization Testing

For more information about these panes, For more information, see The Assistant Pane on page 10.

To run an analysis test from the Assistant pane

1. Select the specific DC or DCs in the Topology View or in the Analysis Test Results pane.

2. Expand the pane of the troubleshooting category you want.

3. Click the name of the test you want to run.

OR

Click the icon for the test you want to run.

4. Select Run test once.

OR

Select Schedule test with advanced options.

If you select Schedule test with advanced options, the configuration dialog box for that particular test opens and you must provide the appropriate information.

NOTE: If you select only one DC and attempt to run an analysis test that requires more than one target server, the following error message is displayed: You must select at least two servers in the Topology View to perform this action.

Naming an Analysis TestBy default, when you schedule an analysis test, the name of the analysis test is generated automatically. If desired, you can enter a custom test name instead of using the generated test name. For example, you can schedule separate Server Health analysis tests in order to monitor different metrics of a domain controller at different intervals. You should give each test a different name to distinguish amongst the three Server Health analysis tests, and therefore, better manage the tests.

To name an analysis test

1. Select one or more DCs in the Topology View.

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2. Right-click a selected DC and select Detect | <Test Category> | <Analysis Test> | Test Name.

3. Click the Test Name tab in the Advanced Options pane.

4. Enter a name for the test.

5. Click OK.

You can also name an analysis test using the Assistant pane.

To name an analysis test from the Assistant pane

1. Select the specific DC or DCs in the Topology View or in the Analysis Test Results pane.

2. Expand the pane of the troubleshooting category you want.

3. Click the name of the test you want to run.

OR

Click the icon for the test you want to run.

4. Select Schedule test with advanced options.

5. Click the Test Name tab in the Advanced Options pane.

6. Enter a name for the test.

7. Click OK.

NOTE: You can only give custom test names to analysis tests that have been scheduled.

Viewing Test ResultsYou can view test results using the Analysis Test Results tab. The Analysis Test Results tab is divided into two sections, each providing analysis test status and results. You can resize each section by dragging the section borders. The Analysis Test Results tab does not provide test details until you run an analysis test. You can view details for scheduled tests and tests that run once. The Analysis Test Results tab also includes the Assistant pane on the right. This gives you quick access to the running of new analysis tests, native Microsoft administrative tools, and management actions.

Results and status of analysis tests are shown in a tree structure, which you can expand and collapse. The individual tests are listed by test category and you can see the details for each test:

• Analysis Test — the type of test, test name, test target, and test progression details.

• Last Update — the date and time that the test results were updated in the test results tree.

• Last Result — whether or not the test completed, failed, or was successful.

The colors of the test icons represent test status:

• Green indicates that the test is running but may not be completed yet.

• Yellow indicates that the test failed to complete.

• Red indicates that the server failed the test.

The color on the test category name indicates the highest severity in the test group.

If you right-click a server, you are presented with the following options:

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Once network problems are detected by Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, you can launch Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console to help you determine what corrective action to take.

The Test Result Details PaneThe details in this pane change according to which type of test is selected. The following test details are available:

• Test Name — the type of test highlighted in the test result tree and the date and time of test executions.

• Target — the name of the target server and target mailbox.

• Time — a more detailed textual summary of the test highlighted in the test result tree.

• Result — whether or not the test completed, failed, or was successful. In this example the store responsiveness test succeeded.

• Text Result — a more detailed textual summary of the test highlighted in the test result tree.

If the test selected in the test result tree contains multiple targets, a table is displayed in the Test Result Details pane.

Table 6: Options

Option Explanation

Launch Diagnostic Console

Launches the Diagnostic Console for the server that was the focus of the test.

Run Again Runs the test again immediately.

NOTE: Applicable only for scheduled tests. At times, you may need to do corrections or adjustments based on the results of a scheduled test. This option allows you to run the test again once you have made your changes. This will not affect the current schedule for that test.

Expand All Expands the tree structure to show all the steps that took place for each test.

Collapse All Reduces the tree structure to the test category (highest level).

Ignore Result Omits the selected test results from the current display.

NOTE: This only affects existing test results. When the test is run again, the new results will appear.

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3Diagnosing Problems

• Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic ConsoleYou can diagnose problems by using Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console.

Once network problems have been detected by Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, you can launch Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console to help you determine what corrective actions to take.

Graphical flows illustrate the rate at which data is moving between DC components. Components display the value of key statistics and metrics. The power of Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console lies in its ability to provide visual and audible warnings if performance metrics exceed acceptable thresholds. Components change color to show you the source of the problem.

A range of reports and graphs provide you with detailed information about a DC. This information can be viewed on the screen or printed.

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console provides the following:

• a number of drilldowns which display detailed information about the DC you are analyzing. You can locate and identify problem areas quickly using a visual representation of the major components in the DC being monitored. When you have isolated a problem, you can see a detailed breakdown by viewing a drilldown that displays the underlying statistics.

• various techniques to warn you when a DC is exceeding a threshold. You can set Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console to warn you when the system reaches a threshold, and you can set a number of thresholds to display warning messages before inbound or outbound traffic levels of a DC become critical.

For more information on how to launch the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console, For more information, see Launching Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console on page 58.

4
Resolving Replication and Time Sync Problems
• Resolving Directory Replication

• Managing Replication Links

• Configuring the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC)

• Understanding FSMO Role Transfer

• Resolving File Replication

• Managing the File Replication Services

• Managing Logging

• Resolving Time Synchronization

• Setting Time Synchronization Parameters

Resolving Directory ReplicationThe Directory Replication actions let you change your replication topology in order to resolve replication issues in your Active Directory forest. You can perform these actions:

• Add, edit, and delete replication links

• Find the quickest replication path between two domain controllers (DCs)

• Force replication between two linked servers

• Enable or disable the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) — the KCC auto-generates and removes replication links

• Transfer Flexible Single-Master Operation (FSMO) roles

For more information, see Managing Replication Links.

Managing Replication LinksSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides various actions to allow you to manage your replication links. These actions include:

• Creating, editing, and deleting replication links

• Testing replication links to ensure replication can happen

• Forcing replication between two servers

• Identifying servers that have not received the latest data on the last replication attempt

• Finding the quickest replication path from one server to another

• Configuring the KCC to enable or disable automatic replication link maintenance

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Pending actions are displayed in the Pending Resolve Actions list at the bottom of the Results tab window. Pending actions can be cancelled. When the action is complete, it is posted to the Completed Resolve Actions list at the bottom of the Results tab window.

Creating a LinkThe Create Link action allows you to create a link, and set a description, the replication schedule, the replication schedule frequency, and the transport type. The link is created on the lookup server, and replicates to all the other servers in the forest. You can use the object tracker to see which computers have the new link.

Replication links are automatically created by the Knowledge Consistency Checker, but you can also create them using Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer. For more information, see Configuring the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) on page 48.

To create a link

1. Start Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer and connect to a DC.

2. Select a server in the Browse or Topology View pane.

The first server selected becomes the source server.

3. Hold the CTRL key and select another server.

The second server selected becomes the destination server.

4. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Create Link.

NOTE: Optionally, you can change the source and destination computers

5. Enter a name for the link.

6. Click a block of time that corresponds to the time and day you want to set in the Schedule section.

OR

Drag the pointer to create a selection region around the blocks of time you want to edit.

7. Select a replication frequency from the Frequency section.

The four settings in the Frequency section represent how often replication will occur each hour.

8. Select a transport type.

9. Enter a description, and click OK.

If This Action Fails

If this action fails, you should:

• Ensure that you have sufficient rights to perform this action.

• Ensure that the lookup server you are connected to is still responding to requests.

Deleting a LinkThe Delete Link action creates a replication link between two domain controllers (DCs).

The link is deleted on the lookup server. Once the link is deleted, the change replicates to all the other servers in the forest.Replication links are automatically deleted by the KCC, but you can also delete them using Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer. This is useful when reorganizing sites and domains.

NOTE: The KCC does not delete manually created links.

To delete a link


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4. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Delete Link.

NOTE: Optionally, you can change the source and destination computers

5. Select the link you want to delete in the Links list, and click OK.





• Check to see if the replication link you are deleting is already been deleted. Use the Topology Confirmation analysis tool to detect any discrepancies between the topology on the lookup server and the topology on the targeted DCs.

Editing a LinkSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to edit the replication schedule, frequency, and transport type properties of a replication link between two servers.

The link is modified on the lookup server. Once modified, the changes replicate to all the other servers in the forest.

To edit a link






4. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Edit Link.

5. If there are multiple links between the two selected DCs, select the link you want to edit from the Links list.

6. Click a block of time that corresponds to the time and day you want to edit in the Schedule section.

OR

Drag the pointer to create a selection region around the blocks of time you want to edit.

7. Select a replication frequency from the Frequency section.

The four settings in the Frequency section represent how often replication will occur each hour.

8. Select a transport type.

9. Enter a description, and click OK.




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• Check to see if the replication link you are deleting is already deleted. Use the Topology Confirmation analysis tool to detect any discrepancies between the topology on the lookup server and the topology on the targeted DCs.

Forcing ReplicationThe Force Replication action replicates an entire naming context from one domain controller (DC) to another. All changes made to that naming context are replicated immediately (even if it crosses a site boundary). The destination computer is contacted, and it initiates the replication with the source computer.

To force replication






4. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Force Replication.

You can force replication for Configuration, Schema, and Domain naming contexts independently of each other by selecting the individual check boxes on the Force Replication dialog box.

NOTE: If Forced Replication fails because of a schema mismatch, Active Directory will attempt to replicate the schema partition.

You can also force replication between unconnected servers. Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer determines the quickest path between the selected servers, and all data from the source DC is replicated to all DCs along that path, up to and including the destination DC.

To force replication between two unconnected servers

1. Connect to a DC.



3. Hold the CTRL key and select another server that is not directly connected to the first server.


4. Right-click the source server and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Force Replication.

When replication is complete, a message informing you of the exact replication path is displayed in the Completed Resolve Actions tab in the lower pane of the Topology Viewer tab.



• Ensure that you have sufficient rights to perform this action. You must have rights on both the source and target DCs.

• Ensure that both DCs are currently operational.

• Verify if the replication link you want to delete is already deleted. Use the Topology Confirmation analysis tool to detect any discrepancies between the topology on the lookup server and the topology on the targeted DCs.

• Check to see if there is a time synchronization issue causing replication to fail. Use the Check W32Time Differential analysis tool to see if the clocks on the two DCs are out of sync.

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• Check to make sure the replication partner has been contacted by the target computer. The Check Partners' DNS Entries analysis tool will tell you if the remote DC can find the DNS entries it needs from its replication partners.

Finding the Quickest PathThe Find Quickest Path action shows you the quickest path that replication will take from one domain controller (DC) to another. It analyzes the replication schedule as shown on the lookup server, assuming that a change is made immediately on the source DC and follows the replication links to the destination computer.

To find the quickest path






4. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Find Quickest Path.

A message is displayed in the Completed Resolve Actions tab in the lower pane of the Topology Viewer tab. Double-click the message to see the quickest replication path.




• Check to see if a path exists from the source computer to the destination computer.

Configuring the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC)The KCC automatically generates and maintains the replication topology within a site and between sites. You can disable the KCC within a site (intrasite) and between sites (intersite).

The KCC runs at regular intervals, adjusting the replication topology if any changes occur in Active Directory. Changes may include the addition of new DCs, or the creation of new sites. The KCC also simultaneously reviews the replication status of existing connections and determines if any are not working. If a connection is not working, the KCC automatically builds temporary connections to other available replication partners to ensure that replication continues.

Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to disable the KCC if the default network replication infrastructure does not meet your organization’s specific requirements. Before you disable the KCC, it is recommended that all DCs conform to the following rules:

• All DCs replicate changes to and from at least one other DC in the domain.

• All DCs in the domain must have a direct replication path to each other.

• All DCs must have a replication path to all other DCs.

• Global Catalog (GC) servers must be able to obtain a copy of every domain's naming context from a source. This can be another GC server or a DC in the domain.

To disable the KCC


2. Select one or more DCs in the Browse or Topology View pane that are in the sites where you want to disable the KCC.

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3. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | Configure KCC.

4. Clear the Intersite KCC (Between Sites) check box to disable the KCC between sites.

OR

Clear the Enable Intrasite KCC (Within a Site) check box to disable the KCC within a site.

You can clear both check boxes if required.

5. Click OK.





Understanding FSMO Role TransferThe FSMO Role Transfer action initiates transfer of one or more FSMO roles from domain controller (DC) to DC. A computer about to gain a role, contacts the current holder of the role, and a transfer is negotiated. You can transfer any FSMO role to another DC on the network.

You can change forest-wide FSMO roles and domain-wide FSMO roles. FSMO roles are:

• PDC Emulators - Domain specific and one per domain

• RID Servers - Domain specific and one per domain

• Infrastructure Masters - Domain specific and one per domain

• Domain Naming Master- Forestwide and one per forest

• Schema Master - Forestwide and one per forest

To transfer forest FSMO roles

1. Select two or more DCs.

2. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | FSMO Role Transfer.

3. Select the DC you want to assign the Schema Master role to in the Schema Master Change To list.

4. Select the DC you want to assign the Domain Naming Master role to in the Domain Naming Master Change To list, and click OK.

To transfer domain FSMO roles

1. Select two or more DCs.

2. Right-click and select Resolve | Directory Replication | FSMO Role Transfer.

3. Select a domain from the Domain list to display the current PDC Emulator, RID Master, and Infrastructure Master roles for that DC.

4. Select the DC you want to assign the PDC Emulator role to in the PDC Emulator Change To list.

5. Select the DC you want to assign the RID Master role to in the RID Master Change To list.

6. Select the DC you want to assign the Infrastructure Master role to in the Infrastructure Master Change To list, and click OK.




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• Ensure that the source server and the destination server are operational. If the source server is not operational and is never going to be operational again, you may have to seize the role using Microsoft’s ntdsutil tool.

• Ensure that both servers have the necessary DNS entries registered. You can check this with the Check DNS Entries analysis tool.

• Check to see if a time synchronization issue is causing the transfer to fail. Run the Check W32Time Differential analysis tool to see if the clocks on the DCs are out of sync.

Resolving File ReplicationThe File Replication actions let you manipulate your File Replication settings, NT File Replication Service (NTFRS), and Distributed File System Replication (DFSR). The file replication actions include:

• Managing the File Replication Services

• Managing Logging

• Increasing USN Journal Size

• Managing Advanced GPO Logging

Managing the File Replication ServicesFile replication services replicate and synchronize files stored in the System Volume (SYSVOL) shares of Active Directory domain controllers (DCs). Active Directory supports two different file replication services: the NT File Replication Service (NTFRS), which is available in systems running Windows NT or later, and Distributed File System Replication (DFSR), which is available in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

The service used depends on the state of the domains being monitored. Brand new domains, created only with Windows 2008 R2 servers, use DFSR file replication to synchronize SYSVOL files by default. Older domains use NTFRS file replication by default. Domains that are brought up to Windows Server 2008 operations level or later use NTFRS replication by default, but can be migrated to use DFSR file replication. Although Windows Server 2003 R2 does support DFSR file replication, Windows Server 2003 R2 DCs replicate SYSVOL data only through the NTFRS file replication service.

Spotlight on Active Directory can show one or both of the NTFRS and DFSR actions in the Assistant pane, depending on the state of domains in the current forest. If all domains in the forest have been configured to use entirely NTFRS or DFSR file replication, then only the appropriate action is available. If domains in the forest have been configured to use different services, or if one or more domains in the forest are migrating from NTFRS to DFSR replication, then both actions are available.

The file replication actions available, when you right-click a server, depend on which services are active on the currently selected servers. If the selected servers are running NTFRS or DFSR file replication, then only the appropriate menu entries are available. If the selected servers are running different versions of file replication, or if one or more selected servers are migrating from NTFRS to DFSR file replication, then menu entries for both NTFRS and DFSR actions are available.

In places where it is not practical to report on both services simultaneously, Spotlight on Active Directory will report on the service which is replicating live data within the domain.

You can perform the following functions on these services:

• Starting the Service

• Stopping the Service

• Restarting the Service

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Starting the Service

To start the service


2. Select one or more DCs from the Browse or Topology View pane.

3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Start NTFRS Service.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Start DFSR Service.


• Check the state of the service and try again. The service might be in a state where it cannot be started (for example, it may be stopping).

• Check to see that you have the proper access to administer the services on the remote computer.

• Try to start the service though Microsoft native tools(services.msc).

Stopping the Service

To stop the service


2. Select one or more DCs from the Browse or Topology View pane.

3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Stop NTFRS Service.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Stop DFSR Service.


• Ensure that the server is operational and that you have the proper administrative access to control its services remotely.

• Check to see if the service was in a state where it could not be restarted (for example, in the 'starting' state). If so, attempt the action again.

Restarting the Service

To restart the service


2. Select one or more domain controllers from the Browse or Topology View pane.

3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Restart NTFRS Service.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Restart DFSR Service.


• Ensure that the server is operational and that you have the proper administrative access to control its services remotely.

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• Check to see if the service was in a state where it could not be restarted (for example, in the 'starting' state). If so, attempt the action again.

Managing LoggingSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to set specific details such as the number of file replication log files per DC, the number of messages per file, and the level of detail of the information contained in each file. By default, file replication records its actions in trace log files. These log files, named Ntfrs_000x or Dfsr_000x, are located in the %Systemroot%\debug directory. These files are typically used to investigate file replication problems.

Functions include:

• Enabling Logging

• Disabling Logging

• Setting the Number of Log Files Generated

• Setting the Number of Messages per Log File

• Setting Log File Details

Enabling Logging

To enable logging



3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Enable NTFRS Logging.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Enable DFSR Logging.


• Check to make sure you have access. This action requires administrative access to the remote registry.

• Check to make sure you have the ability to restart the service. (see Restarting the Service on page 51).

Disabling Logging

To disable logging



3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Disable NTFRS Logging.

OR

4. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Disable DFSR Logging.


• Check to make sure you have administrative access to the remote registry.

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• Check to make sure you can restart the service. (see Restarting the Service on page 51).

Setting the Number of Log Files Generated

To set the number of log files generated


2. Select one or more DCs in the Browse or Topology View pane.

3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Set Number of NTFRS Log Files Generated.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Set Number of DFSR Log Files Generated.

4. Click the up or down arrows in the Set the Number of Log Files to box to increase or decrease the number of files.

OR

Type the number of files.

5. Click OK.




Setting the Number of Messages per Log File

To set the number of messages per log file



3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Set Number of Messages per NTFRS Log File.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Set Number of Messages per DFSR Log File.

4. Click the up or down arrows in the Set the messages per file limit to box to increase or decrease the number of messages.

OR

Enter the number of messages.

You can set a minimum number of messages per NTFRS/DFSR log file.

5. Click OK.




Setting Log File Details

To set the log file detail

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3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Set NTFRS Log File Detail.

OR

Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Set DFSR Log File Detail.

4. Select the option that corresponds to the level of detail you require, and click OK.

The level of detail is specified by a numeric scale from zero to five: zero being the least detailed and five being the most detailed.




Increasing USN Journal SizeThis action allows you to increase the size of the USN Journal, therefore allowing for more entries to be added to the journal.

NOTE: This action is available only when using NTFRS. Although you can reconfigure the USN journal size when using DFSR replication, we do not recommend it. If you need to reconfigure the USN journal size for DFSR replication, contact Microsoft support.

To increase the USN Journal size



3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Increase USN Journal Size.

4. Increase the journal size in the box labeled Increase the USN Journal Size to, and click OK.

NOTE: You can decrease journal size only by reformatting volumes that contain NTFRS-replicated content.





Managing Advanced GPO LoggingGroup policy events are logged to the Event Log using either Normal or Verbose mode. By default, they are logged using Normal mode, which means not all failures are displayed in the Event Log. To retrieve more detailed information on group policy processing from the Event Log, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to enable verbose logging.

Managing advanced GPO logging functions include:

• Enabling Advanced GPO Logging

• Disabling Advanced GPO Logging

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Enabling Advanced GPO LoggingAdvanced Group Policy Object (GPO) Logging enables detailed event logging for group policies, which logs all Group Policy-related events to the event log.

To enable advanced GPO logging

1. Start Spotlight on active Directory Topology Viewer and connect to a DC.


3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Enable Advanced GPO Logging.




Disabling Advanced GPO LoggingDisable advanced GPO logging to return group policy event logging to Normal mode.

To disable advanced GPO logging



3. Right-click and select Resolve | File Replication | Disable Advanced GPO Logging.




Resolving Time Synchronization Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer displays time synchronization lines between synchronized DCs. You have the ability to set parameters, run diagnostics, and monitor selected DCs or all DCs in your topology. You can also view time sync-related properties on selected DCs.

Time Synchronization is the process by which DCs keep their time consistent across the forest. Each DC copies the time from another DC, and by arranging the synchronization partners in an appropriate fashion, all DCs will have nearly the same time.

• Setting Time Synchronization Parameters

Setting Time Synchronization ParametersThe Set Time Sync Parameters action allows you to control how time synchronization works in your forest. Specifically, it sets the replications partners for the domain controllers (DC) and how often replication occurs. These entries are made in registry entries on the DC, and the time synchronization. service is also restarted.

To set time synchronization parameters for a DC


2. Select a DC in the Browse or Topology View pane.

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3. Right-click and select Resolve | Time Sync | Set Parameters.

4. Select a type from the Set the Time Sync Type to list.

5. Select a parent from the Set the Time Sync Parent to list (if available).

6. Select a time period from the Set the Time Sync Period to list.

The Daily Skew option is defined as once every 45 minutes until one good synchronization occurs, then once every day. The Special Skew option is defined as once every 45 minutes until three good synchronizations occur, then once every eight hours (three per day).

7. Enter a frequency in the Times Per Day box (if available).

The Times per Day box is disabled by default. Selecting the Specified times per day option in the Set the Time Sync Period to box makes the Times per Day box available.

8. Click OK to save the changes.

NOTE: For more information on setting external time synchronization sources, go to http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;262680.

When Set Time Sync Parameters Fails

When this action fails, you should:

• Ensure that you have sufficient rights to perform this action

• Ensure that the target DC is operational

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http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;262680

5
Managing Actions
• Managing Actions and Results

• Canceling Pending Actions

• Saving Action Results

• Clearing Action Results

• Launching Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

Managing Actions and ResultsIf you select the Management Action Results tab in the Navigation pane, pending and completed actions for directory replications, file replications, and time synchronizations are displayed.

At the top of the main pane there are two tabs: Pending Actions and Completed Actions. Any directory replication, file replication, or time synchronization action performed in Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer is displayed under the associated Pending Actions tab. When the action is complete, it is posted to the Completed Actions tab.

The Completed Actions list displays each action that was performed, the domain controller (DC) on which it was performed, whether or not it was successful, the DC that performed the action, and the time the action was completed. You can save action results to a file for future reference, or delete them.

You can perform the following actions:

• Canceling Pending Actions

• Saving Action Results

• Clearing Action Results

• Launching Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

Canceling Pending ActionsAfter you perform Directory Replication, File Replication, or Time Synchronization actions, these are posted to the list shown in the Pending Actions tab. You can cancel any or all pending actions.

To cancel all pending actions

• Right-click in the associated Pending Actions list and select Cancel All Pending Action(s).

To cancel selected pending actions

1. In the Pending Actions list, select the action you want to cancel.

2. Right-click the action and select Cancel Selected Pending Action.

NOTE: You cannot cancel an action while it is being executed. Actions currently being executed are indicated by an animated green arrow.

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Saving Action ResultsAfter performing Directory Replication, File Replication or Time Synchronization actions, you can save all results or selected results to a file.

To save results to a file

1. Right-click in the Completed Actions tab and select Save All Message(s).

OR

Right-click and select Save Selected Message.

2. Enter a name for the file and click Save.

Clearing Action ResultsYou can clear individual action results or the entire list of action results.

To clear results

• Right-click in the Completed Actions tab and select Clear All Message(s).

OR

Right-click and select Clear Selected Message.

Launching Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic ConsoleOnce Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer has detected Active Directory or performance problems, you can launch Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console to help you determine what corrective action to take. This applies to target servers only, not groups.

To launch Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

1. Select a domain controller (DC).

2. Click Launch Diagnostic Console in the Assistant pane.

OR

Right-click and select Diagnose | Launch Diagnostic Console.

OR

Right-click in the Completed Actions tab and select Launch Diagnostic Console.

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6
Customizing the Topology Layout
• Understanding System Views

• Applying a System View

• Creating a Custom View

• Deleting a Custom View

• Editing a Custom View

• Resetting the Layout of the Current View

Understanding System ViewsInitially, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer defaults to a layout view of the entire forest you have specified. However, it also provides system Views that you can apply to that forest. In addition, Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to filter the topology view to suit your needs. This makes it much easier for you to view the status of, and work with, the servers you are concerned about. This ability is of particular value to local administrators who are responsible for a small number of domain controllers (DCs).

Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides system Views that you can apply to the forest you have specified. Also, instead of dealing with the entire forest, you can create custom Views that display only specific domains or groups of DCs. You can also delete or edit these custom Views.

NOTE: Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer retains the last View. This last View is loaded the next time you launch Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

In addition to the topology view, system and custom Views are also applied to the treeview and the Analysis Test Results tab. Test results are shown only for the target servers that are part of the system or custom View currently applied.

Applying a System View

Creating a Custom View

Deleting a Custom View

Editing a Custom View

Resetting the Layout of the Current View

Applying a System ViewSpotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer provides the following system Views that you can apply to the current discovered forest:

• All (default - shows entire forest)

• Domain Naming Masters

• Global Catalogs



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• PDC Emulators

• RID Masters

NOTE: You cannot delete or modify these system views.

• Schema Masters

NOTE: When you apply another system or custom View, this can affect what is shown in the Analysis Test Results tab. If a server whose test results are shown is not included in the View you select, then those test results disappear from the Analysis Test Results tab.

Any custom views you create are also added to this list.

To select a system view

1. Click in the View box above the topology view pane.

2. Select the system view you want to apply.

Creating a Custom ViewYou can create custom views and define them by site, domain, server or naming convention. You can select the domains or servers you want to include, or use naming conventions to filter only the servers you want to include.

To create a View

1. Select View | Create View.


2. Click Next.

3. Select the type of view you want and click Next.

NOTE: Your selection can also be domains, servers or naming conventions, depending on the type of view you selected.

4. Select the sites you want to include in the view and click Next.

5. Enter a name for the view you are creating and click Next.


To make changes, click Back until the Wizard displays the page you want, make your corrections and then click Next until you are at the Summary page.

7. Click Finish to save and apply the view you have created.

Your custom view will be added to the View list above the main pane.

Deleting a Custom ViewYou can delete the custom View currently displayed. However, you cannot delete the systems views provided with Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

To delete the current View

1. Select View | Delete Current View.

2. Click Yes to confirm you want to delete the current View.

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Editing a Custom ViewNOTE: You cannot modify the system views that are provided with Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer.

Once you have created a custom View, you can modify it. Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer allows you to change any of the parameters of the custom View currently displayed.

To edit the current View

1. Select View | Edit Current View.


2. Click Next.

3. Modify the type of view if necessary and click Next.

NOTE: You can also modify domains, servers or naming conventions, depending on the type of view you selected.

4. Modify the sites included in the View if necessary and click Next.

5. Change the name of the View if necessary and click Next.


To make further changes, click Back until the Wizard displays the page you want, make your corrections and then click Next until you are at the Summary page.

7. Click Finish to save and re-apply the View you have modified.

Resetting the Layout of the Current ViewIf you have adjusted the server layout in your topology view by moving the servers, you can reset the view back to its original layout.

To reset the layout of the current View

• Select View | Reset Current View Layout.

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7
Working with Groups
• Working with Groups

• Autogrouping

• Centering on Group

• Collapsing

• Expanding

• Grouping Together

• Ungrouping

Working with GroupsAs a network administrator, you may be responsible for domain controllers (DCs) located in various geographic locations. In particular, Global Catalog (GC) server administration can be a challenge in large network deployments with hundreds of DCs in multiple sites and domains that can span continents.

Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer addresses this challenge by allowing you to save DCs as groups. Once a group has been saved, accessing the list of DCs is as simple as selecting the group in the Browse pane. This saves you from having to select individual DCs and is particularly useful when applying common settings or actions to several DCs on your network.

Autogrouping

Centering on Group

Collapsing

Expanding

Grouping Together

Ungrouping

Autogrouping

You can autogroup existing groups using the Autogrouping tool on the toolbar and the autogrouping rules. You can autogroup:

• By site name using offset rules

• By site name using delimiter rules

Offset rules allow you to group sites based on a certain number of letters in the group name. For example, an offset of 2 means that the autogrouping rule will use the next 2 characters as a group name.

Delimiter rules allow you to group sites based on a delimiter. For example, a delimiter of '-' means that the autogrouping rule will use all of the characters up to the next '-' as a group name.

Autogrouping rules are processed from the top down.

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To create Autogrouping rules

1. Click .

2. Click Add.

3. Enter the name of the group in the Name of New Group Type box.

4. Select Offset in the Rule Type list.

OR

Select Delimiter in the Rule Type list.

5. Enter the offset you want to use in the Offset box.

OR

Enter the delimiter you want to use in the Delimiter box.

6. Click OK.

The rule you created will be added to the list in the Autogrouping Rules dialog box. You can edit or remove rules you create. Click a rule in the list and click Edit to edit a rule or click Remove to remove a rule you have created.

NOTE: Select the Re-execute Layout check box and click OK to override the current site positioning.

Centering on GroupUse the Center on Group feature to focus on a specific group in a large topology. Center on Group lets you bring a specific group to the center of the Topology View pane. Center on Group expands all parents of a group so that the selected group is visible. The group itself is not expanded.

To center the topology view on a specific group

1. Select the group you want to center in the Topology View pane.

2. Right-click the selected group and select Center on Group.

CollapsingGroups can be contracted into a single group node which has a visual representation of the group shape, but at a smaller size.

To collapse a group

1. Select a group.

2. Right-click on the group you want to collapse and select Collapse.

ExpandingAfter a group has been collapsed into a single group node, you can expand it again.

To expand a group

1. Select a group.

2. Right-click on the group node you want to expand and select Expand.

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Grouping TogetherGroups are user-defined groups of DCs. You can group by site, region, country, and so on. Once you define the scope of a group, you must give it a name. Group names are also user defined. DCs are grouped by site by default.

To group

1. Select a group in the Topology View pane.

2. Press the CTRL key, and select another group in the Topology View pane.

3. Right-click and select Group Together.

UngroupingYou can ungroup DCs which you have previously grouped.

To ungroup

1. Select a group in the Topology View pane.

2. Press the CTRL key, and select another group in the Topology View pane.

3. Right-click and select Ungroup.

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8
Using the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console
• Introducing Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

• Starting Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

• Using Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

• Using Drilldowns

• Using Components

• Using Indicators

Introducing Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic ConsoleSpotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console graphically displays, in real time, the actual flow of data between domain controllers (DCs) and various systems in your Active Directory so you can quickly identify congested areas and take appropriate corrective action. Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

• provides a visual representation of Active Directory replication and response time

• identifies bottlenecks using flows, graphs and visual icons

• displays details including Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Bind times, inbound/outbound replication, Active Directory database size, Global Catalog response time, authentication traffic, Flexible Single-Master Operation (FSMO) roles, and Group Policy Object (GPO) recency

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console allows you to detect a problem in real time, drill down, and resolve it, thereby improving the efficiency of network administration, and reducing downtime for users. Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console also integrates seamlessly with Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer, a powerful network management tool that provides a visual representation of your entire Active Directory topology. Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer’s unique user interface and functionality provide you with a wide range of remote administration functions and tools that assist you in pinpointing and resolving network replication and time synchronization performance issues. Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console and Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer work together to help you detect, diagnose, and resolve network problems.

NOTE: Spotlight on Windows is no longer included with Spotlight on Active Directory. Spotlight on Windows is freeware and can be downloaded from http://software.dell.com/products/spotlight-on-windows/.

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console offers expert help that explains each process and counter on a domain controller, and what a raised alarm means. The help system offers suggestions on how to resolve the alarm, common solutions, and next steps.

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http://software.dell.com/products/spotlight-on-windows/

Starting Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

To start Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

1. Select Start | Programs | Dell | Spotlight | Spotlight.

2. Click Spotlight on Active Directory in the Spotlight Connection Manager window.

3. Click the connection icon that represents the system or DC you want to connect to in the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console connections dialog box.

4. Click Connect.

If the connection icon for the system or DC you want to connect to does not appear in the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console connections dialog box, you may have to create a new connection icon. For more information on creating connection icons and adding new connections, see the Spotlight Basics section in the Help menu of the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console.

Adding a New ConnectionBefore you can use Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console to analyze a target server or DC, you must connect to it. If you have not previously connected to that server or DC, you must add a new connection using the Spotlight Connection Manager.

Connections appear as icons in the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console connections pane in the Spotlight Connection Manager. If the connection icon for the system or DC to which you want to connect does not appear in the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console connections pane, you must create a new connection, and then add it.

To create a new connection for Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console

1. Select Start | Programs | Dell | Spotlight | Spotlight.

This launches the Spotlight console and the Spotlight Connection Manager dialog box.

2. Click Spotlight on Active Directory in the Connections pane.

3. Double-click New Connection in the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console connections pane.

4. Enter the required information as follows:

5. Click OK to open a Properties window for the new connection.

6. Enter the name of the DC or system in the Address box.

OR

Click to browse to the DC you want connected, and click OK.

7. Click OK to add the new connection to the list of Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console connections.

Table 1: Required Information

Required information Description

Select connection type Click the box and choose the type of connection you want to add from the list.

New connection name Enter a unique name you want to use for the new connection.

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Viewing Different System or DC if you have Multiple Connections

To view a different system or DC when you have multiple connections

• Select View | Connection Browser.

In the Connections Browser, click the name of the system or DC you want to view.

Using Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic ConsoleSpotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console is a powerful diagnostic and resolution tool. Its unique user interface provides a real-time representation of the dataflow in your forest, allowing you to detect, diagnose, and resolve Active Directory problems.

Graphical flows illustrate the rate at which data is moving between domain controller (DC) components. Components display the value of key statistics and metrics. The power of Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console lies in its ability to provide visual and audible warnings if performance metrics exceed acceptable thresholds. Components change color to show you the source of the problem.

A range of reports and graphs provide you with detailed information about a DC. This information can be viewed on the screen, or printed.

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console provides various techniques to warn you when a DC is exceeding a threshold. You can set Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console to warn you when any component reaches a specific threshold. This way, warnings are displayed when individual components (for example, memory consumption or CPU usage) approach alarm levels and you can take steps to remedy the situation before they cause significant problems.

Using DrilldownsDrilldowns display detailed information about the DC you are analyzing.

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console is designed to help you locate and identify problem areas quickly using a visual representation of the major components in the DC being monitored. When you have isolated a problem, you can see a detailed breakdown by viewing a drilldown that displays the underlying statistics.

You can display drilldowns by clicking a component in the main screen or by clicking a drilldown button on the toolbar. You can modify the way drilldowns display information.

Each drilldown page contains displays that provide you with specific information about the components of your system. Drilldowns mainly use two different types of displays - tables and charts. Spotlight drilldowns have the following features:

• There is more than one way to view a specified drilldown.

• They can be configured to show all or some of the metrics associated with components.

• You can access further information about displays in drilldowns by moving the mouse over the displays, or by clicking or right-clicking on them.

• You can copy the data shown in drilldowns to other applications or save it to a file

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console provides the following drilldowns:

• Performance Drilldown

• Replication Drilldown

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• Configuration Drilldown

• DNS Drilldown

• LSASS Drilldown

• LDAP Drilldown

• FSMO Roles Drilldown

Performance DrilldownThe Performance drilldown displays information on the applications running on a DC, including

• the process name and ID of the application

• the percentage of CPU usage

• the physical memory usage in megabytes

To display the Performance drilldown

• Click the Performance drilldown button on the toolbar.

The following tabs are displayed:

• Top CPU Consumers Tab

• Top Memory Consumers Tab

• All Processes Tab

Top CPU Consumers Tab

The Top CPU Consumers tab displays information on the top ten CPU-consuming processes running on a DC.

The Top CPU Consumers tab displays the following information in a table:

Top Memory Consumers Tab

The Top Memory Consumers tab displays information on the top ten memory- consuming processes running on a DC.

The Top Memory Consumers tab displays the following information in a table:

All Processes Tab

The All Processes tab displays the following information in a table:

Table 2: Top CPU Consumer tab

Column Description

Process Name The process name of the application.

% CPU The percentage of CPU that the process is using.

Table 3: Top Memory Consumers tab

Column Description


Physical Memory (MB) The amount of physical memory in megabytes that the process is consuming.

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Replication DrilldownThe Replication drilldown displays

• the amount of traffic to and from the DC and its replication partners

• the length of the Replication Queue

• the number of updates remaining in the replication packet

• the number of objects received per second from replication partners and applied by the local directory service

• the name, path, size, and staging information for FRS replicas

• the occurrence of any replication collisions

The service used depends on the state of the domains being monitored. Brand new domains, created only with Windows 2008 R2 servers, use DFSR file replication to synchronize SYSVOL files by default. Older domains use NTFRS file replication by default. Domains that are brought up to Windows Server 2008 operations level or later use NTFRS replication by default, but can be migrated to use DFSR file replication. Although Windows Server 2003 R2 does support DFSR file replication, Windows Server 2003 R2 DCs replicate SYSVOL data only through the NTFRS file replication service.

Spotlight on Active Directory can show one or both of the NTFRS and DFSR actions in the Assistant pane, depending on the state of domains in the current forest. If all domains in the forest have been configured to use entirely NTFRS or DFSR file replication, then only the appropriate action is available. If domains in the forest have been configured to use different services, or if one or more domains in the forest are migrating from NTFRS to DFSR replication, then both actions are available.

The file replication actions available, when you right-click a server, depend on which services are active on the currently selected servers. If the selected servers are running NTFRS or DFSR file replication, then only the appropriate menu entries are available. If the selected servers are running different versions of file replication, or if one or more selected servers are migrating from NTFRS to DFSR file replication, then menu entries for both NTFRS and DFSR actions are available.

Table 4: All Processes tab

Column Description


Process ID The unique ID for the process.

% CPU The percentage of CPU that the process is using.

Physical Memory (MB) The amount of physical memory in megabytes that the process is consuming.

Virtual Memory (VB) The amount of virtual memory in megabytes that the process is consuming.

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To display the Replication drilldown

• Click the Replication drilldown button on the toolbar.


• Activity Tab

• Queues Tab

• Directory Partners Tab

• FRS Replicas Tab

• Collisions Tab

Activity Tab

This tab shows the amount of inbound and outbound traffic being received and sent by the DC to its replication partners.

The Activity tab displays the following graphs:

Queues Tab

The Queues tab displays

• the length of the Replication Queue

• the number of updates remaining in the replication packet

• the number of objects received per second from replication partners and applied by the local directory service

The Queues tab displays the following graphs:

Table 5: Activity tab

Graph Description

DRA Activity The amount of inbound/outbound replication traffic the DC is sending and receiving from its replication partners. The graph shows occasional bursts of high activity during replication events followed by periods of zero activity where no replication is taking place. Inbound activity is shown in orange. Outbound activity is shown in blue.

File Replication I/O Activity The amount of Kbytes/sec that have been read from the Active Directory database by the NTFRS or DFSR process (depending on the type of replication service used). Read activity is shown in orange, and write activity is shown in blue.

File Replication CPU Usage

The percentage of the CPU used by the NTFRS or DFSR process (depending on the type of replication service used).

Table 6: Queues tab

Graph Description

Replication Queues The number of directory synchronizations queued for the DC but not yet processed. It helps determine the replication backlog; the higher the counter, the higher the backlog. The Objects series indicates the number of Active Directory objects queued for synchronization by the Directory Replication Agent (DRA). The Files series indicates the number of files queued for replication by the NTFRS or DFSR file replication service.

Remaining Objects The number of object updates remaining in the current replication update packet that have not been applied on the local server.

Objects Applied per Second The rate at which the objects are applied to the Active Directory database.

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Directory Partners Tab

NOTE: If two or more links created contain the same information, then only one instance is displayed. If information is coming from a read-only domain controller (RODC), the link entry will be missing. RODCs do not contain naming contexts, and, therefore, will not display link information.

The Directory Partners tab displays the following information about inbound and outbound replication links.

FRS Replicas Tab

The FRS Replicas tab displays the following information about FRS Replicas.

Collisions Tab

The Collisions tab displays the following information about any collisions that occurred during replication.

Configuration DrilldownThe Configuration drilldown displays information on installed software, hotfixes, and installed network adapters.

Table 7: Directory Partners tab

Column Description

Replication Partner The name of the DC that the server is replicating with.

Link Direction Shows whether replication is inbound (coming to the server from this replication partner) or outbound (going to the indicated replication partner.)

Site The name of the site where the replication partner is located.

IP Address The IP address of the replication partner.

Enabled/Disabled Shows whether the connection to the indicated replication partner is enabled or disabled.

Transport Type The transport type being used for replication.

Options Shows whether or not the replication link was automatically generated by the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC).

Consecutive Failures The number of consecutive replication errors that have occurred.

Naming Context The naming context that can be replicated between the replication partner and the currently connected DC.

Last Status The result of the last replication attempt.

Last Replication Attempt The time at which the last replication was attempted.

Last Successful Replication The time at which the last successful replication was completed.

Consecutive Failures The number of consecutive replication errors that have occurred.

Table 8: FRS Replicas tab

Column Description

Replica Name The display name of the FRS Replica.

Replica Path The path to the FRS Replica.

Replica Size (MB) The path to the replica staging folder. This folder acts as a queue for changed files and folders to be replicated to downstream partners.

Replica Staging Path The size of the FRS Replica.

Replica Staging Size (MB) The size of the replica staging folder.

Table 9: Collisions tab

Column Description

Distinguished Name The distinguished name of the object involved in the replication collision.

Collision Time The time the collision occurred.

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To display the Configuration drilldown

• Click the Configuration drilldown button on the toolbar.


• Installed Hotfixes Tab

• Installed Software Tab

• Network Adapters Tab

Installed Hotfixes Tab

The Installed Hotfixes tab displays information on all installed hotfixes. A browser window in the lower half of the tab automatically opens to the corresponding support center home page for the installed operating system. As well, if a specific hotfix is selected, the browser window will automatically open to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article for that specific hotfix.

The Installed Hotfixes tab displays the following information::

Installed Software Tab

The Installed Software tab displays the following information about all software installed on a DC.

Network Adapters Tab

The Network Adapters tab displays the following information on all network adapters installed on a DC.

DNS DrilldownThe Domain Naming System (DNS) drilldown indicates whether the DNS entries are registered by the currently connected DC, registered by another DC in the forest, or not registered at all.

To display the DNS drilldown

Table 10: Installed Hotfixes tab

Column Description

Name The name of the installed hotfix

Description The description for the hotfix

Type The type of hotfix that is installed

Installed By The user that installed the hotfix

Installed Date The date the hotfix was originally installed

Table 11: Installed Software tab

Column Description

Application Name The application name of the installed software.

Table 12: Network Adapters tab

Column Description

Network Card The display name of the network card.

IP Address The IP address associated with the network card.

DNS Servers The DNS Servers associated with the network card. Multiple entries are separated by a | delimiter.

Is DHCP Enabled Whether DHCP is enabled for the network card.

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• Click the DNS drilldown button on the toolbar.

OR

Click the DNS Entries component on the home page and click Show me the DNS Drilldown.

The DNS drilldown displays the following information.

LSASS DrilldownThe Local Security Authority Subsystem (LSASS) drilldown displays information on database traffic and authentication requests.

To display the LSASS drilldown

• Click the LSASS drilldown button on the toolbar.

The LSASS drilldown displays the following information in graphs:

LDAP DrilldownThe LDAP drilldown displays detailed information regarding communications between clients and the DC.

To display the LDAP drilldown

• Click the LDAP drilldown button on the toolbar.

The LDAP drilldown displays the following graphs:

Table 13: DNS Drilldown

Column Description

Record The name of the DNS record.

Registration Status Whether the DNS record is registered or not.

Table 14: LSASS Drilldown

Graph Description

LSASS CPU Usage The percentage of the CPU used by the LSASS process.

LSASS I/O Activity How many bytes have been read from the Active Directory database by the LSASS process. Read activity is shown in orange.

How many bytes have been written to the Active Directory database by the LSASS process. Write activity is shown in blue.

Authentications The number of NTLM NT Lan Manager Authentications and Kerberos Authentications per second being handled by the currently connected DC. NTLM Authentications are shown in orange and Kerberos Authentications are shown in blue.

Directory Activity The number of directory read and write operations per second occurring on this DC. Read activity is shown in orange, and write activity is shown in blue.

Table 15: LDAP Drilldown

GRAPH description

LDAP Client Sessions The number of clients that currently have open LDAP sessions with this DC

LDAP Bind Time The amount of time necessary to perform the last LDAP bind. Consistently high values might indicate a hardware or networking problem.

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FSMO Roles DrilldownThe Flexible Single-Master Operation (FSMO) Roles drilldown indicates which DC owns each FSMO role. It also indicates which DC is the Global Catalog (GC) server.

To display the FSMO Roles drilldown

• Click the FSMO Roles drilldown button on the toolbar.

OR

Click one of the FSMO Roles components on the home page.

NOTE: You can also connect to a DC from the FSMO Roles drilldown by using the right-click menu. By default, the FSMO Roles drilldown collects only the FSMO roles for the domain where the DC is located. Select the Collect FSMO role holders from other domains check box to collect all FSMO roles in the forest. If selected, this check box is applied to all current connections as well as new future connections.

The FSMO Roles drilldown displays the following information.

Using ComponentsThe components on the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console home page correspond to the elements of the DC that is being diagnosed. Components change color to alert you to specific performance problems. You can get more detailed information about a component’s status by placing the pointer over the component to display its corresponding tip text, or by opening a drilldown to view the associated statistics in table and graph format.

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console displays the following types of components:

• Network Components

• Dataflow Components

• LSASS Components

• File Replication Components

• AD Store Components

• Active Directory Components

Directory Searches Per Second

The number of directory searches that are being executed per second on this DC.

LDAP Search Time The time taken for a simple LDAP search against the DC.

Table 16: FSMO Roles Drilldown

Column Description

FSMO Role The five main roles a server can fulfill. These include Domain Naming Master, Schema Master, Infrastructure Master, PDC Emulator, and RID Server.

Global Catalog and Intersite Topology Generator are not FSMO roles; they are listed here as extra information.

Domain Controller The network name of the computer that fulfills the associated FSMO role.

Domain The name of the domain to which the computer belongs

Site The site to which the computer belongs

IP Address The IP address of the computer

Table 15: LDAP Drilldown

GRAPH description

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• Operating System Components

Network ComponentsThe following table describes the Network components:

Dataflow ComponentsDataflows illustrate the rate at which data is moving through the system and change their speed and color to alert you to performance issues. You can display a dataflow as a flow and graph.

NOTE: Kerberos is the default authentication mechanism in most Active Directory forests and is more secure than the older NTLM authentication. NTLM authentications are performed in many scenarios. Primarily, they are performed by pre-Windows 2000 programs that use LanMan APIs. However, they may also be performed when Kerberos is unavailable or when Kerberos authentication fails.

NOTE: The following dataflow components are not available when running Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console on a server:

• LSASS Kilobytes Read

• LSASS Kilobytes Written

• NTFRS/DFSR Kilobytes Read

• NTFRS/DFSR Kilobytes Written

The following table describes the Dataflow components:

Table 17: Network Components

Network component Description

Connected Users The number of clients connected to this server. It does not show users connected to other applications that may be running on this computer; for example, Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server. It only shows the users that have established a Microsoft networking connection to the system. This component opens the Network drilldown.

LDAP Client Sessions The number of LDAP clients that have sessions with this DC. This component opens the LDAP drilldown.

Ping Time The ping time, or average round trip time, from the computer where Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console is running to the connected DC. This component opens the Network drilldown.

LDAP Bind Time The time it took for the last LDAP client to bind to this DC. This component opens the LDAP drilldown.

LDAP Search Time The time taken for a simple LDAP search against the DC. The time taken to bind to LDAP is not included in this value, providing a better representation of LDAP search performance.

Theoretical Bandwidth The level of network traffic graphed against a "theoretical" maximum bandwidth. The maximum bandwidth is calculated by totalling the capacity of all network devices reported by the operating system. This component opens the Network drilldown.

Table 18: Dataflow Components

Dataflow component Description

Authentications The number of Kerberos and NTLM Authentications per second handled by the DC. This component should show activity over time. Prolonged periods of high usage or zero activity should be investigated. The PDC Emulator tends to show higher values for Kerberos authentication than other DCs as many older programs only authenticate with a PDC. Client programs can also ask for NTLM authentication as a preference over Kerberos.

Directory Searches The number of search operations that have been requested by LDAP clients. This component opens the LDAP drilldown.

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Directory Reads The rate at which clients are reading data from the Active Directory Data Store. Global Catalog servers tend to have higher levels of directory activity than other DCs. This component opens the LSASS drilldown.

Directory Writes The rate at which clients are writing data to the Active Directory Data Store. Global Catalogs tend to see higher levels of directory activity than other DCs. This component opens the LSASS drilldown.

DRA Inbound KBytes The number of kilobytes per second the server receives through replication. This component opens the Replication drilldown.

DRA Outbound KBytes The number of kilobytes per second that the server sends through replication. This component opens the Replication drilldown.



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LSASS ComponentsThe following table describes the LSASS components:

File Replication ComponentsThe following table describes the File Replication components:

AD Store ComponentsThe following table describes the AD Store components:

LSASS Kilobytes Read How many kilobytes have been read from the Active Directory database by the LSASS process. The LSASS process is the part of Active Directory that is responsible for LDAP requests and for authentication requests. This component opens the LSASS drilldown.

LSASS Kilobytes Written How many kilobytes have been written to the Active Directory database by the LSASS process. The LSASS process is the part of Active Directory that is responsible for LDAP requests and for authentication requests. This component opens the LSASS drilldown.

NTFRS/DFSR Kilobytes Read How many kilobytes have been read from the Active Directory database by the NTFRS or DFSR process (depending on the type of replication service used). The process is the part of Active Directory that is responsible for file replication. This component opens the Activity tab on the Replication drilldown.

NTFRS/DFSR Kilobytes Written How many kilobytes have been written to the Active Directory database by the NTFRS or DFSR process (depending on the type of replication service used). The process is the part of Active Directory responsible for file replication. This component opens the Activity tab on the Replication drilldown.

Table 19: LSASS Components

LSASS component Description

CPU Usage The total amount of CPU used by the LSASS process. This component opens the LSASS drilldown.

Memory Usage The total amount of physical memory (RAM) available and the total amount used by the LSASS process. This component opens the All Processes tab on the Performance drilldown.

Replication Queue (DRA) The number of directory synchronizations queued for this server but not yet processed. This component opens the Replication Queues drilldown.

Table 20: File Replication Components

File Replication component Description

CPU Usage The total amount of CPU used by the NTFRS or DFSR process (depending on the type of replication service used). If you are using NTFRS and are migrating to DFSR file replication, this counter shows CPU usage for both NTFRS and DFSR services.

Memory Usage The total amount of physical memory used by the NTFRS or DFSR process (depending on the type of replication service used). If you are using NTFRS and are migrating to DFSR file replication, this counter shows CPU usage for both NTFRS and DFSR services.

Replication Queue The number of changes to files detected on this DC that have not yet been processed for replication. This component opens the Queues tab on the Replication drilldown.



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Active Directory ComponentsThe following table describes the Active Directory components:

Operating System ComponentsThe following table describes the Operating System components:

Table 21: AD Store Components

AD Store component Description

Database Size The total size in megabytes of the file that stores Active Directory. This file represents all of the data in the Active Directory and will grow as new objects are added.

Free Space Total drive space available.

Total Space The total drive space in use where Active Directory is stored.

Objects Applied/Second The rate at which objects are being applied to the Active Directory database. This component opens the Replication drilldown.

Remaining Objects The number of object updates remaining in the current replication update packet that have not yet been applied on the local DC. This component opens the Replication drilldown.

Table 22: Active Directory Components

Active Directory component Description

Replication Links The number of active replication links for the target DC. This component opens the Directory Partners tab on the Replication drilldown.

DNS Entries Shows whether or not the DC has registered the proper DNS entries with its DNS server. The component is running the DNS check from the computer where the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console is running on and not the DC to which it is connected. This component opens the DNS drilldown.

Schema Mismatches The number of replication errors that have occurred as a result of a schema mismatch since the last refresh of the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console.

DRA Errors The number of replication errors that have occurred since the last refresh of the Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console.

Table 23: Operating System Components

Operating System component Description

CPU Usage The total amount of CPU being used on the computer being monitored. It includes CPU consumed by all Windows processes. This component opens the CPU drilldown.

System Disk (Free Space/Total Space) The total unused disk space on the system disk (the disk that houses the Windows Operating System). There should be enough free disk space to accommodate the operational requirements of the Windows Operating System. Total space refers to the total size of the system disk.

Physical RAM The amount of physical memory (RAM) Windows is using. Physical memory usage normally remains close to the total amount of physical memory installed on the system unless the amount of physical memory exceeds the amount of virtual memory that Windows is using. Windows normally keeps some physical memory available for immediate reuse. This component opens the Memory drilldown.

Processor Queue The number of process threads (program execution units) waiting to be run on all processors. A sustained processor queue length can indicate processor congestion. This component opens the CPU drilldown.

Top CPU Consumer The process name that is consuming the most CPU on this DC. This component opens the Top CPU Consumers tab on the Performance drilldown.

Top Memory Consumer The process name that is consuming the most physical memory on this DC. This component opens the Top Memory Consumers tab on the Performance drilldown.

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Using IndicatorsIndicators give more information about the selected domain controller. The indicators include:

Table 24: Indicators

Indicator Description

Intersite Topology Generator Shows if the domain controller (DC) is an Intersite Topology Generator (ISTG). An ISTG considers the cost of intersite connections, checks if previously available domain controllers are no longer available, and checks if new domain controllers have been added. The Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) then updates the intersite replication topology accordingly.

Global Catalog Shows if the domain controller (DC) is a Global Catalog. The Global Catalog stores full replicas of all object attributes created within the domain and also partial replicas of all object attributes within other domains in the forest.

Schema Master Shows if the domain controller is the Schema Master for its forest. All changes to the schema of a forest must be made on that computer. There is only one Schema Master for a forest.

Domain Naming Master Shows if the domain controller is the Domain Naming Master for its forest. Each forest has only one Domain Naming Master. The Domain Naming Master is contacted whenever a new domain is added to the forest to ensure its name is unique.

RID Master Shows if the domain controller (DC) is the RID Master for its domain. The RID Master is responsible for handing out RID pools to the other DCs in a domain. A RID pool is used to generate RIDs, which are a part of every object created by Active Directory. There is one RID Master per domain.

Infrastructure Master Shows if the domain controller is the Infrastructure Master for its domain. Each domain has an Infrastructure Master, which is used to maintain the integrity of Active Directory's internal database.

PDC Emulator Shows if the domain controller (DC) is the PDC Emulator for its domain. The PDC Emulator acts like the PDC for pre-Windows 2000 applications and performs time synchronization for the enterprise. It is contacted by default when other DCs in the domain fail to authenticate. Password changes are duplicated here as well. There is one PDC Emulator per Active Directory domain.

RODC Indicator Shows if the domain controller (DC) is a Read-Only Domain Controller.

NOTE: This indicator is active on Windows 2008, 2008 R2, and 2012 servers only.

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9
Using Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports
• Understanding Web Reports

• Accessing Web Reports

• Viewing and Interacting with Web Reports

• Creating and Modifying Web Reports

• Creating Custom Graphs

• Setting Security

• Configuring the Web Report Subscription Service

• Using Preconfigured Reports

Understanding Web ReportsSpotlight on Active Directory has a separate web-based reporting component called Web Reports.

Web Reports provides a collection of preconfigured reports which allow report consumers to view data across multiple subsections of your organization. You can change relevant report parameters immediately using Quick Filters. Web Reports also provides a Web Report Wizard, which allows you to create customized reports based on any data available in your Web Reports database.

Web Reports features:

• A Web Report Wizard that allows you to quickly and easily configure and generate reports.

• The ability to group, insert, append, remove, and sort fields on reports. On-page Quick Filters allow you to change relevant report parameters quickly and easily.

• Configurable Report Parts that you can select and arrange on customizable reports.

• The ability to display report data in bar graphs and pie charts.

• Predefined role-based security settings.

NOTE: If you have builtin\Administrators privileges, you are automatically a member of [Web reports Administrators] group.

• A Report Subscription Service that allows you to notify users that reports have been generated. Subscription notices may be sent by email containing links to where the reports are located.

Accessing Web Reports

To access Web Reports

• Select Programs | Dell | Spotlight on Active Directory | Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports.

OR

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Click the Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports icon on your desktop.

OR

Select the Web Reports tab in the Topology Viewer.

TIP: If you do not have a desktop icon, you can also access the preconfigured reports by opening your web browser and going to the Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports home page at: http://IISSERVERNAME/SpotlightonAD/WebReport.asp.

IISSERVERNAME is the server where the Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports home page resides.

If typing in the URL for Spotlight on Active Directory Web Reports does not bring up a valid web page, ensure that ASP (Active Server Pages) is enabled on the IISSERVERNAME server. Also ensure that the necessary IIS Services are running properly on the server. Finally, check the security privileges on the web site and make sure appropriate permissions are set for administrative access to the site.

Types of Web ReportsWeb Reports hosts two types of reports: Custom Reports and Preconfigured Reports.

Custom ReportsYou can create custom reports using the Web Report Wizard. The Web Report Wizard allows you to build your own reports based on existing data sources. You can select fields, filters, format, grouping, and sorting options. Custom reports can be edited, depending on your security clearance within Web Reports. For more information about the Web Report Wizard, For more information, see Creating Custom Reports on page 85.

Preconfigured ReportsPreconfigured reports are specific to the application, and are delivered with the Dell product purchased. For more information about preconfigured reports, see Using Preconfigured Reports on page 104.

Viewing and Interacting with Web ReportsYou can filter Web reports, change grouping options, and view report information in the Report Information dialog box. For more information, see Viewing Report Information on page 85.

Browsing Web ReportsYou can browse Web reports in the following three ways:

• Using command buttons

• Using the treeview

• Using the file-based model

Using the Command ButtonsTIP: Different buttons appear depending on your location within Web Reports.

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The following table describes the command buttons at the top of the Web Reports home page.

Using the TreeviewWeb Reports uses a treeview as its main navigational tool. The treeview contains folders that expand to reveal subfolders and reports. When you select a folder from the treeview, the contents of the folder are displayed in the right pane in a file-based format. You can also select a report directly from the treeview.

The illustration to the left is an example of what the treeview may look like. Folders indicate a grouping of report information. Folders may contain subfolders or reports. When you click on a report, the contents appear in the right pane.

Using the File-Based ModelNOTE: Your files may look different than the preceding example depending on the information in each report.

Table 1: Command Buttons

Buttons Function

Returns you to the Web Reports home page.

Allows you to go up one level in the report structure.

Accesses the file menu, which includes the following options: New Custom Report, New Folder, Save, Save As, Save Report Settings, Export, Subscriptions, and Set Filter Defaults.

Opens the Web Report Wizard so you can edit a custom report.

Available only in the Subscriptions Wizard. Accesses the Subscriptions menu, which includes Export Selected Subscriptions, Import Subscriptions, and Configure Subscriptions.

Opens the Printer dialog box to allow you to print the report that you are viewing.

Shows you a preview of the printed report.

Appears only during preview. Closes the preview window.

Shows the Help for the reporting component.

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Web Reports uses a file-based model to display the available Web reports. When you select a folder from the treeview, the contents of the folder are displayed in the right pane in a file-based format.

The following table describes the interface elements in the right pane of the file-based format:

File Menu CommandsThe command items that appear on the File menu are available depending on where you are within Web Reports.

If you click File , the following menu items appear:

The following table describes the options on the File menu:

Table 2: Interface Elements

Element Usage

Folder Icon Identifies the listed object as a folder; reveals the subfolders and files contained within the folder.

Report Icon Identifies the listed object as a report.

Name Displays the title of the report.

The title is also a hyperlink that you can click to display the report in this pane.

Last Modified Displays the datestamp of the last time the report was modified.

Author Displays the name of the report author.

Edit Displays the Edit menu for the item.

For more information For more information, see Using the Edit Button on page 89.

Report Description Displays a description of the report on the second line of the item.

n reports, n folders. Indicates, at the bottom of the pane, the number of Web reports and subfolders in the main folder.

Table 3: File Menu Options

Option Description

New Custom Report Opens the Web Report Wizard to allow you to create the new report.

New Folder Opens the New Folder dialog box.

When you name the new folder, the application places the folder as a subfolder of the currently selected folder. If you want to add a folder to the main navigation tree, the Home node should be selected before you create the new folder.

Save Saves the changes, such as new sorting criteria, that you have made to an existing report.

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Save As Saves the changes you have made to an existing report, but gives you the option to change the name or location of the report.

Save Report Settings Allows you to save the current report settings, including filters, and create a shortcut for the selected report. <Host product writers may want to add a relevant example of a filter setting.>

Send To Allows you to create and send an email

Export Allows you to export the report content into one of the following formats:

• Microsoft Excel

• Text (as comma separated values)

• Text (as tab separated values)

• XML

• Word File

• HTML

• MHTML

Subscriptions Opens the Subscriptions Page.

Set Filter Defaults Allows you to reset the filters to the defaults.

Administrative Options

Allows you to modify the following administrative options:

• Email Server Configuration - select the STMP server to use for subscriptions and Web reports.

• Manage Custom Report Definitions - download or upload report definition files.

Table 3: File Menu Options

Option Description

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Viewing Report Information

At the lower-right of each report, there is an Information button that allows you to view the report options and notes for the selected report. For example, the following illustration shows information that you might see

after clicking .

Report Options include default filters and sort keys, as well as any quick filters and sort keys you selected using the Quick Filter options.

Notes include descriptions of the fields in the report, as well as any field descriptions that exist in the data source for the report.

Creating and Modifying Web ReportsYou can create and edit custom reports. For more information, see Creating Custom Reports and Editing Web Reports.

Creating Custom Reports

To access the Web Report Wizard

• Select File | New Custom Report.

OR

Right-click in the treeview and select New Custom Report.

You are taken to the Web Report Wizard home page.

NOTE: You do not have to follow the Web Report Wizard steps in order. If you know which screens you need to use, click the appropriate page tab on the left side of the Web Report Wizard to go to the appropriate page.

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From this page, you can determine the information that you want to include on your custom report.

Selecting a Data Source

To access the Datasource page of the Web Report Wizard

• Click Next on the Welcome page of the Web Report Wizard.

Selecting Fields

To access the Fields page of the Web Report Wizard

• Click Next on the Datasource page of the Web Report Wizard.

To select fields for your custom report

1. Select the fields you want to include from the Available Fields list.

2. Click the appropriate arrow button to move the fields to the Selected Fields list.

3. Click Next to proceed to the Filter page and then to other pages in sequence.

This button is only enabled when a field has been selected.

OR

Select the page you want to use from the list on the left side of the page.

OR

Click Finish to create the custom report.

Filtering Custom Reports

To access the Filter page of the Web Report Wizard

• Select Filter from the list on the left side of the page.

To select filter criteria for your custom report

1. Select a field from the list.

By default, this field is <none>.

2. Select an operator.

Operators appear in the list based on the field that you select.

3. Select a value from the list, or enter text in the box.

4. Click Add New Filter to define additional filters.

5. Indicate the appropriate predicate using the list.

6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 as applicable.

OR

1. If you have created a custom report, select the report from My Reports.

2. At the bottom of the screen, specify fields, operators, and values to define the filter.

3. Click to generate the report.

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To remove filter criteria from your custom report

1. Select the check box beside the filter you want to remove.

2. Click Remove Filters.

Filtering Preconfigured ReportsYou can apply filters to a preconfigured report using the Quick Filter options located at the bottom of the

screen. Specify fields, operators, and values to define the filter, and click to generate the report.

Grouping Web Reports

To access the Group page of the Web Report Wizard

• Select Group from the list on the left side of the page.

To select grouping options for your custom report

1. Select the fields you want to use for grouping from the Available Fields list.

2. Click the appropriate direction button to move the fields to the Grouped Fields list.

Sorting Web Reports

To access the Sort page of the Web Report Wizard

• Select Sort from the list on the left side of the page.

To sort your custom report

1. Select the field you want to use as your sort key from the list.

2. Select the sort order from the list.

3. Click Add New Sort Key to define additional sort keys.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 as applicable.

To remove sorting from your custom report

1. Select the check box beside the sort key you want to remove.

2. Click Remove Sort Keys.

Formatting Web Reports

To access the Format page of the Web Report Wizard

• Select Format from the list on the left side of the page.

To format your custom report

1. Select the appropriate Display Format.

2. Enter the number or percentage of top records you want to include in the report in the Show Top Records box.

For example, if you specify a number, you will get exactly that number of records. If you specify a percentage, you will get that percentage of the total number of records. The default is 100 percent.

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3. Click Advanced Summary Calculations to include summary information on your report.

a. In the dialog, click the summary calculation check boxes that are appropriate for your report.

You can only select summary calculations that pertain to the field type that you selected.

b. To view a detailed report, select the Show detail records check box. Otherwise, the result is a summary report.

c. Click OK.

4. To paginate the report, select Paginated and enter the number of lines per page.

Paginated Web reports display faster than web reports that are all on one page.

5. Select the Date/Time Display.

6. Select the Show quick filter bar if you want to display quick filters at the bottom of the custom report.

Describing Web Reports

To access the Description page of the Web Report Wizard

• Select Description from the list on the left side of the page.

To enter a description for your custom report

• Enter a description in the box.

Previewing Web Reports

To access the Preview page of the Web Report Wizard

• Select Preview from the list on the left side of the page.

You can preview the way your report looks at any time during the creation of the report. Preview information changes depending on the criteria and formatting you select for your report. If you want to make further changes to the report, you can return to any of the previous pages in the wizard before you save the report.

Saving Web ReportsWhen you are satisfied with the report you have created, you can save it. It will appear in the treeview under [My Reports]. If you select another page without saving a report, you must confirm your action. This is a reminder to ensure you do not lose your work unexpectedly.

To save a report

1. Select the Save or Save As command from the File menu.

If you have modified an existing report, the save command simply updates it, whereas the Save As command allows you to save the modified report with a new name.

2. In the Save As dialog, enter the report name in the Name field.

3. Click OK.

Editing Web ReportsYou can edit Web reports in the following ways:

• Using the quick filter bar at the bottom of the report

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• Using the Edit menu

• Using the Edit button

• Using the column headers on the Web reports

The following table describes the extent of editing for each type:

Using the Edit ButtonThe following commands are available from the Edit button, which is located at the right side of each folder and report in the file-based model.

For folders, the following commands are available:

For Web reports, the following commands are available:

Table 4: Editing Types

Type Description

Quick Filter Bar Allows you to change filter options and regenerate the report.

For more information, For more information, see Using Quick Filters on page 90.

Edit Menu Allows you to open the report, create a copy of the report in a different folder, move the report to a different location, rename or delete the report. You can open the Web Report Wizard to create a new report.

When a report listed in [My Reports] is selected, select Modify Report to open the Web Report Wizard with fields of the report pre-selected.

Edit Button Allows you to open the report, create a copy of the report in a different folder, move the report to a different location, rename or delete the report.

Column Header Allows you to add or remove fields in the report, and change group and sort options. For more information, see Changing Grouping OptionsChanging Grouping Options on page 91.

Table 5: Folder Commands

Command Description

Open Opens the selected report, or reveals the Web reports and folders contained by the selected folder, in the current window.

Open in New Window Opens the selected report, or reveals the Web reports and folders contained by the selected folder, in a new window.

Copy To Opens a dialog box for you to define the destination of the copied folder.

Move To Opens a dialog box for you to define the destination of the moved folder.

After the report is moved to the new location, the original is deleted.

Rename Opens a dialog box for you to rename the selected folder.

Delete Prompts you to verify that you want to delete the folder.

Edit Description Opens a dialog box for you to edit the description of the folder.

Table 6: Web Report Commands

Command Description

Open Opens the selected Web report, or reveals the Web reports and folders contained by the selected folder, in the current window.

Open in New Window Opens the selected Web report, or Web reports the reports and folders contained by the selected folder, in a new window.

Copy To Opens a dialog box for you to define the destination of the copied Web report.

Move To Opens a dialog box for you to define the destination of the moved Web report. After the Web report is moved to the new location, the original is deleted.

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Using Quick FiltersEach report may have a Quick Filter bar at the bottom of the page. This bar does not scroll with the report; it remains at the bottom of the displayed web page.

Figure 1: Quick Filters

To use Quick Filters

1. Select a field from the list.

2. Select an operator from the Table 7.

3. Define the filter criteria.

The criteria can be one or two values, depending on the operator.

NOTE: When using the DateTime filters, time is based on UTC, not local time.

4. Click .

Rename Opens a dialog box for you to rename the selected Web report.

Delete Prompts you to verify that you want to delete the Web report.

Modify Report Opens the Web Report Wizard to allow you to make any changes to the selected report, and save your custom Web report.

Table 7: Quick Filter Operators

Parameter Available IN Description

= All The field value equals the criteria value.

<> All The field value is not equal to the criteria value.

> All The field value is greater than the criteria value.

< All The field value is less than the criteria value.

<= All The field value is less than or equal to the criteria value.

>= All The field value is greater than or equal to the criteria value.

like All The field value is like the criteria value.

is NULL All There is no value for the criteria field.

is not NULL All There is any value except NULL for the criteria value.

between All The field value falls between the two criteria that you define.

is in All The field value is in the criteria that you define.

Note: When using the is in operator, you can multi-select in the Select a Value dialog box by holding down the CTRL key and clicking the items you want. The selected items will appear in the edit box as a list separated by semi-colons.

Table 6: Web Report Commands

Command Description

Field List Operators

Filter Criteria Cancel

InformationApply

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Changing Grouping OptionsAfter the report is generated, you can change the grouping options, by right clicking on the column headers or grouped headers.

Initially, the same options appear regardless of which column header you select. After you change the grouping options, the list changes to reflect your current settings.

The following table describes all the grouping options:

not in All The field value is not in the criteria that you define.

last Date, DateTime This operator allows you to select a time interval in the form nn uu, where nn is a number and uu is a unit of time. (For example, Last 5 Weeks, Last 3 days, and so on). The time interval is based on the current time.

most recent Date, DateTime This operator queries the database for the most recent entry for the specified field and then uses that value to find all records with a matching value. The value depends on the content of the database and is independent of the current time. "Most recent" could potentially mean a time long past, and will remain unchanged until the database is changed.

today Date, DateTime Today = from 12:00 AM to the current time.

yesterday Date, DateTime Yesterday = from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM yesterday.

this week Date, DateTime Start = Sunday of current week, End = today.

last week Date, DateTime Start = Sunday of previous week, End = Saturday of previous week.

this month Date, DateTime Start = 1st day of current month, End = today.

last month Date, DateTime Start = 1st day of previous month, End = last day of previous month.

this quarter Date, DateTime Start = 1st day of current quarter, End = today.

last quarter Date, DateTime Start = 1st of previous quarter, End = last day of previous quarter.

NOTE: Quarters start January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.

this year Date, DateTime This operator selects records with dates from January 1 of the current year to the current date.

last year Date, DateTime This operator selects records with dates from January 1 to December 31 of the last year.

weekdays Date, DateTime Filters weekdays only, Monday-Friday.

weekends Date, DateTime Filters Saturday and Sunday.

contains Description The field value contains the specified criteria.

does not contain Description The field value does not contain the specified criteria.

starts with Description The field value starts with the specified criteria.

ends with Description The field value ends with the specified criteria.

does not start with Description The field value does not start with the specified criteria.

does not end with Description The field value does not end with the specified criteria.

Table 8: Grouping Options

Option Description

Group By Groups the report by the selected field.

Ungroup Removes the grouping of the report by the selected field. This option is only available if you select a grouped field above the table.

Table 7: Quick Filter Operators

Parameter Available IN Description

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Sorting changes you make are automatically reflected in the Report Information dialog box, but no changes are retained upon exit from the page, unless you save the report.

Creating Custom GraphsSeveral standard Web reports provide graphs of data collected during analysis. The custom graph capability is a flexible tool that allows you to develop additional graphs and charts for data that is of particular interest to you.

Bar ChartsBar charts are useful for comparing data. They are also used to compare values across categories or to compare the contribution of each value to a total across categories (for example, stacked bars).

Pie ChartsPie charts are useful for viewing proportions or percentages. They visually represent the contribution of each value to a total sum of data, or the component parts of a whole. A pie chart is used to show how a part of something relates to the whole.

XY or Line GraphsA line graph is used to show continuing data, usually on a time scale. This kind of graph is used to show the effect of an independent variable (such as time) on a dependent variable. Line graphs are useful for determining trends.

For more information, see the following sections:

• Using the Graph Wizard on page 93

• Guidelines for Creating Bar Charts on page 94

• Guidelines for Creating Pie Charts on page 96

• Guidelines for Creating XY Graphs on page 97

Insert Field Adds a new field to the left of the selected field.

When you select this option, a scrolling list appears for you to select the new field.

Append Field Adds a new field to the right of the selected field.

When you select this option, a scrolling list appears for you to select the new field.

Remove Field Removes the selected field from the report.

Sort Ascending Sorts the field in ascending order.

Sort Descending Sorts the fields in descending order.

Remove Sorting Removes the sorting that you have indicated from the report.

Select Table Selects the entire table, for email, export, or copy.

Select Column Selects a single column, for email, export, or copy.

Send Selection To Allows you to create an email, containing selected content.

Export Selection Allows you to export the content in several possible formats.

Copy Copies the content into temporary storage.

Table 8: Grouping Options

Option Description

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Using the Graph WizardThe Graph Wizard contains several pages that support selection of the graph type, data source, and fields to be used to create your custom graph. You can also apply filters and select sorting options.

You can follow the wizard pages in order by selecting the Next button at the bottom of the page, or you can select the pages you need from the list in the left pane.

The Preview page is useful to show what the graph will look like. If you want to make adjustments, you can return to other wizard pages, by using the Previous button or selecting specific pages from the left pane. The Preview page then shows the updated graph.

NOTE: The pages following the field selection page are not available until you select allowable fields, as described in the guidelines.

When you are satisfied with the graph, select the Finish button to create the final version. You can then save the graph using the File | Save command.

To access the Graph Wizard

• Select File | New | Custom Graph.

OR

Right-click Reports in the treeview and select New Custom Graph.

To create a custom graph using the wizard pages in order

1. In the Welcome page, click Next at the bottom of the screen to move to the next page in the wizard. Use this button to advance through all the pages in this procedure.

2. In the Graph Type page, select the type of graph that you want:

• Bar Chart

• Stacked Bar Chart

• Pie Chart

• XY Graph

• XY Stacked Area Graph

3. In the Datasource page, select the data source for the graph.

These datasources reflect how data collected by analysis jobs is organized. Each datasource supports a different set of fields.

4. In the Fields page, select fields to be used for the three graph attributes.

Graph attributes vary depending on graph type, and there are restrictions on which fields and how many fields you can select. (See the guidelines for creating graphs.)

The availability of a selected field as a graph attribute is shown by the right arrow icon beside each graph attribute.

5. In the Filter page, you can select filter criteria to limit the data used to create the graph. This is useful in simplifying a graph.

• To define more than one filter, click Add New Filter. All filters are logically ANDed.

• To remove a filter, select the check box beside the filter and click Remove Filters.

6. In the Sort page, select the order in which the data will be displayed.

7. In the Format page, specify the format details, such as graph size and axis titles. To include a table of the data used to create the graph, select Show Data. (This option is enabled by default.)

8. In the Description page, enter a description for the graph.

9. In the Preview page, the resulting graph is displayed.

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If the wizard indicates too much data is present, define filters to reduce the data volume.

10. If you want to make changes, click Previous or select a wizard page from the list to the left of the graph; otherwise click Finish.

11. Select File | Save.

12. Enter a name for the report and save it to the My Reports folder.

To modify a saved graph or create a new graph based on an existing custom graph

1. In the Tree View under Reports, select [My Reports].

2. Choose a saved custom graph and select the associated Edit | Modify Report command at the right side of the list item.

The graph wizard opens, with values preselected from the saved graph you chose.

3. Modify values as required and select Finish.

4. Select File | Save As and provide a new name for the new graph.

Guidelines for Creating Bar ChartsThe following rules apply when you select fields for a bar or stacked bar chart:

• At least one data value must be selected.

• If only one data value is selected, you must select either a category label or a series label. You can select both.

• If more than one data value is selected, you do not require a category label, and you cannot select a series label.

• Only one series label can be selected, and only if a single data value is selected.

• Multiple data values and category labels can be selected.

The following are general rules regarding the display of bar and stacked bar charts:

• Fields selected as data values determine the size of the bars and the scale of the horizontal axis. These fields should contain statistical values.

• Fields selected as category labels affect the number of bars in the chart. Values of the category label fields are used to label the bars on the vertical axis.

• The Field selected as series label affects the number of the bars in the chart. Values of the series label are used in the legend. When a series label is not present, the legend values come from the data value field names.

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Examples of Field Selections for Bar ChartsTable 9: Field Selections

Field Selection Results

One Data Value:

File Size (KB)

One Category Label:

Server

The Data Value field provides data for the bars, the scale of the horizontal axis, and the label for the horizontal axis.

The number of values in the Category Label field determines the number of bars.

Values of the Category Label are used to label each bar.

Two Data Values:

Free Space (GB)

Used Space (GB)

The Data Value fields provide data for the bars, the scale of the horizontal axis, and labels for the legend below the graph.

The number of Data Value fields determines the number of bars.

Two Data Values:

Free Space (GB)

Used Space (GB)

One Category Label:

Server

The Data Value fields provide data for the bars, the scale on the horizontal axis, and legend labels.

The number of values in the Category Label field multiplied by the number of Data Value fields determines the number of bars.

Values of the Category Label are shown on the vertical axis.

One Data Value:

File Size (KB)

One Category Label:

Server

One Series Label:

Extension

The Data Value field provides data for all bars and the scale of the horizontal axis.

The number of values in the Category Label field and the number of values in the Series Label field determine the number of bars.

Values of the Category Label are shown on the vertical axis.

Series Label values determine the legend labels.

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Guidelines for Creating Pie ChartsThe following rules apply when you select fields for a pie chart:

• At least one data value must be selected.

• If only one data value is selected, you must select a series label.

• You can select only one series label and one multi-pie selection. If you select both, you can select only one data value.

• Multiple data values can be selected.

The following are general rules regarding the display of pie charts:

• Fields selected as data values determine the relative size of the pie wedges. When multiple data values are selected (and no series label), these fields are used as legend labels. These fields should contain statistical values.

• The field selected as series label affects the number of wedges in the pie chart. Values of the series label are used in the legend. When a series label is not present, the legend values come from the data value field names.

• The multi-pie selection field affects the number of pies in the chart. Values of this field are used to label the pies.

• Selecting more than one data value and a series label generates a pie for each data value field. The data value field is used as a label for the pies.

Examples of Valid Axis Selections for Pie Charts.

Table 10: Valid Axis Selections

Axis Selection Results

Two Data Values:

Free Space (GB)

Used Space (GB)

Each Data Value field provides data for a pie wedge.

The number of Data Value fields determines the number of wedges.

Data Value field names are used as legend labels.

One Data Value:

Used Space (GB)

One Series Label:

Logical Disk

The Data Value field provides data for the pie wedges.

The number of values in the Series Label field determines the number of wedges.

The values of the Series Label field are used as legend labels.

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Guidelines for Creating XY GraphsThe following rules apply when you select fields for an XY or XY stacked area graph:

• One X-Axis Value must be selected.

• At least one Y-Axis Value must be selected.

• Multiple Y-Axis Values can be selected.

• Only one Series Label can be selected, but this limits the number of Y-Axis Values to one.

The following are general rules regarding the display of XY graphs:

• Points on a line are plotted from a pair of x-axis/y-axis values.

• The field selected as the x-axis value determines the x-axis scale.

• Fields selected as y-axis values and the series label affect the number of lines in the graph.

• Values of the series label are used in the legend. When a series label is not present, the y-axis value field names are used in the legend or the vertical axis name.

The following are general rules that apply when you create a XY graph:

• The X and Y values determine successive points on a line.

• In most cases, the X-axis value is a date or time field.

• The series label values determine with which line the point is associated.

Two Data Values:

Free Space (GB)

Used Space (GB)

One Series Label:

Logical Disk

Each Data Value field provides data for the wedges in its pie.

The number of Data Value fields determine the number of pies.

The names of the Data Value fields are used to label the pies.

The number of values in the Series Label determine the number of wedges in each pie.


One Data Value:

File Size

One Series Label:

Extension

One Multi-Pie Selection:

Server Name

The Data Value field provides data for the pie wedges.

The number of values in the Series Label field determines the number of wedges in each pie.


The number of values in the Multi-Pie Selection field determines the number of pies.

The values of the Multi-Pie Select field are used to label the pies.



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Examples of Valid Axis Selections for XY Graphs

Setting SecurityWeb Reports includes a flexible solution for report security, which allows you to assign certain permissions to users, and enable different views of the reporting tree depending on user needs and security requirements.

Web Reports supports two types of security:

• Role-based SecurityRole-based Security

• File-based permissions which requires NTFS manipulation of your network.

This is the responsibility of the Preconfigured product.



One X-Axis Value:

Date

One Y-Axis Value:

Used Space (GB)

The Y-Axis Value field data creates points for each X-Axis Value field value and a line is drawn to connect these points.

The Y-Axis Value field name is used for the Y-axis label and values of this field determine the scale.

X-Axis Value field values determine the scale of the X-axis.

One X-Axis Value:

Date

Two Y-Axis Values:

Used Space (GB)

Used Space (%)

Values in each Y-Axis Value field are plotted on a separate line, for each X-Axis Value field value.

The Y-Axis Value field names are used for the legend labels and the values of these fields determine the scale of the Y-axis.

One X-Axis Value:

Date

One Y-Axis Value:

Used Space (GB)

One Series Label:

Server Name

The Y-Axis Value field data creates points for each X-Axis Value field value.

The number of values of the Series Label determines the number of lines in the chart.

The values of the Series Label are used as Legend labels.

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Role-based SecurityRole-based security provides an initial layer of security for your Web reports. Three local security groups, each with preconfigured permissions, are created when Web Reports is installed. Web Reports provides the following three local security groups in a role-based security scheme:

• Web Report Administrators

• Web Report Authors

• Web Report Users

The effect of role-based security is uniform for all Web reports. All three security groups have access to the report site, and all Web reports therein; however, the roles (Administrator, Author, User) provide different permissions that can restrict the ways Web reports can be manipulated.

The default membership in these security groups places administrators in the Web Report Administrators role, and all others in both the Web Report Authors and Web Report Users roles. To customize the memberships for your implementation, you can add or remove users from the default groups. Administrators can specify which users belong to which roles by modifying their membership in these local security groups. The role-based security scheme is easier to manage than the file-system permissions security scheme, as the changes to these security groups immediately affect all Web reports.

The following table shows the default roles associated with each action:

Table 12: Default Roles and associated actions

Action User Author Administrator

Accessing the site

Exporting Web reports

Saving report settings in My Reports folder

Saving report settings in any folder

Creating Custom Reports

Saving Custom Reports in My Reports folder

Saving Custom Reports in any folder

Creating new folders in My Reports folder

Creating new folders in any folder

Copy folders or report within My Reports folder

Copy folders or Web reports to and within My Reports folder

Copy folders or Web reports to and within any folder

Move folders or Web reports with My Reports folder

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Configuring the Web Report Subscription ServiceThe Web Reports subscription service generates specific Web reports on a regular schedule. You can use the Subscription Wizard to set up and schedule the report subscription service.

To access the Subscriptions page

• In the folder view, select File | Subscriptions.

This opens the Subscriptions page.

From this page you can:

• Click Add to access the Subscription Wizard.

• Click Modify to modify an existing subscription.

• Click Remove to delete a subscription from your subscription list.

• Click Run Now to run a subscription earlier than its scheduled time.

NOTE: The Show subscriptions for all users check box is available only to administrators. To access the Configuration dialog box using the Subscriptions | Configure Subscriptions menu item, you must have administrator privileges and be the administrator of the computer where Web Reports is installed.

Move folders or Web reports from any folder to My Reports folder

Move folder to and within any folder

Rename folders or Web reports in My Reports folder

Rename folders or Web reports in any folder

Delete folders or Web reports in My Reports folder

Delete folders or Web reports in any folder

Edit folder descriptions in My Reports folder

Edit folder descriptions in any folder

Enable subscriptions for Web reports in My Reports folder

Enable subscriptions for Web reports in any folder

Set Filter Defaults

Table 12: Default Roles and associated actions

Action User Author Administrator

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• Click Refresh to refresh the list of displayed subscriptions.

The Subscription Wizard Welcome Page

To access the Subscription Wizard

1. On the Subscriptions page, click Add.

This opens the Subscription Wizard Welcome page. From this page, you can configure the report subscription service.

2. Click Next to access the Schedule page.

Scheduling the Subscription ServiceYou can schedule the interval, start date, and exact time you want the subscription to run.

Subscriptions can be run on the following intervals: Now, Once Only, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Quarterly. If you select Daily, you have the option to specify whether you want the subscription to run every day, weekdays, or every specified number of days. If you select Weekly, you can specify the days of the week you want the subscription to run, and the number of weeks apart. If you select Monthly, you can specify which months, and which date during the month.

To schedule the subscription

1. Select the interval.

2. Enter the time of day you want the subscription to run in the Start Time box.

3. Enter the date you want the subscription to start in the Start Date box.

4. Click Next.

Sending the SubscriptionYou can specify the method for sending the subscription on the Action page of the Subscription Wizard. Web Reports can be sent by email, or copied to a file location, an FTP site, or a web site.

To send a subscription by email

1. Select Email in the Send to box.

2. Select the format in the Format box.

You can specify Inline HTML, HTTP Link, MHTML Attachment, Excel Attachment, Word Attachment, CSV Attachment, CSV Inline, TSV Attachment, TSV Inline, or XML Attachment.

3. Enter the recipient's email address in the To: line.

You may also specify other recipients in the CC: and BCC: lines.

4. Enter a subject for the Subject line.

NOTE: When sending a subscription by email, the SMTP From address cannot contain spaces.

5. Click Next.

To send a subscription to a file location

1. Select File Location in the Send to box.

2. Select the format in the Format box.

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You can specify HTML, MHTML, Excel, Word, CSV, TSV, or XML.

3. Enter the UNC File Path for the file location.

You may also choose to overwrite old copies of Web reports or include the date and time in the filename of generated Web reports.

4. Click Next.

To send a subscription to an FTP site

1. Select FTP Site in the Send to box.

2. Specify the format in the Format box.


3. Enter the name of the FTP server, user name, password, and directory.

The default FTP user name is “anonymous”. You must re-enter the password to confirm it. You may also choose to overwrite old copies of Web reports or include the date and time in the filename of generated Web reports.

NOTE: FTP passwords are neither stored nor transmitted securely. Valuable passwords should not be used for this purpose.

4. Click Next.

To send a subscription to a web site

1. Select Web Site in the Send to box.

2. Specify the format in the Format box.


3. Enter the URL for the web site.

You may also choose to overwrite old copies of Web reports or include the date and time in the filename of generated Web reports.

NOTE: In order to send subscriptions to file locations, FTP, and web sites, you must have write privileges for these directories/virtual directories. This setting has to be set manually, as write privileges are not granted by default.

4. Click Next.

Selecting Web Reports for the SubscriptionYou can select specific Web reports from the list of available Web reports to include in the subscription.

To select Web reports to be included in the subscription

1. Click Add to view the list of reports.

2. Select a Web report, and click Next.

If the Web report has filters applied to it, you will be taken to the Filter page of the Web Report Wizard so you can modify the filter settings.

3. Click Finish, and click Next.

Selecting a User AccountThe Web reports in your subscription are generated under a specific user account.

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To select a user account for the subscription

1. Enter the user name, password, and domain for the user account you want to use.

2. Click Next.

Displaying SubscriptionsYou can specify a display name for the subscription.

To give the subscription a display name

1. Enter a display name for the subscription in the Display Name box.

2. Click Finish.

This name is displayed in your list of current subscriptions.

Importing and Exporting SubscriptionsNOTE: You must have administrative rights on the IIS server to import a subscription.

You can import or export existing subscriptions.

To import a subscription

1. Select File | Subscriptions.


2. Select Subscriptions | Import Subscriptions.

3. Enter the file name of the subscription you want to import.

OR

Browse to the file you want to import.

4. Enter a user name and password to use when generating the subscription.

5. Enter the domain name for that user name.

6. Click OK.

Once you have configured a subscription, you can export it to a file.

To export a subscription

1. Select File | Subscriptions.


2. Select Subscriptions | Export Selected Subscriptions.

You are prompted to save the file.

3. Click Save.

This opens the Save As dialog box. Enter a name for the subscription and browse to where you want to save the file, or accept the default.

4. Click Save.

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Using Preconfigured ReportsSpotlight on Active Directory Web Reports provides a collection of preconfigured reports, which allow report consumers to view data across multiple subsections of your organization.

For more information, see:

• Preconfigured Reports in Spotlight on Active Directory Topology Viewer

• Accessing Web Reports

• Filtering Preconfigured Reports

To view a preconfigured report

1. Click the name of the report you want to run.

The report is generated and displayed immediately, using data collected in Discovery and Analysis tests.

2. To view report options, click at the lower right of the screen.

3. You can apply filters to the report. See Filtering Preconfigured Reports on page 87 for more information.

Preconfigured Reports in Spotlight on Active Directory Topology ViewerSpotlight on Active Directory preconfigured reports are organized into the following categories:

• My Reports (shown only in the web browser)

• Summary Reports

• Server Health

• Directory Replication

• File Replication

• Time Synchronization

• DNS

• Group Policy Objects

• Inventory

You can access these preconfigured reports by clicking the Web Reports tab in the Topology Viewer.

Summary ReportsSummary reports provide an overall status on your network environment. The following table lists these reports and their descriptions:

Table 13: Summary Reports

Report Description

Corporate Active Directory At A Glance Provides a complete update on the Active Directory forest on an hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly basis. You can also view the percentages of total requests (Authentications, Exchange Client Usage, Directory Changes, DNS Interaction, and Replication) per domain controller (DC).

Domain Controller At A Glance Provides a complete update on the specified DC on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

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Server HealthServer Health reports consist of several report categories that focus on domain controllers in your Active Directory forest. The following table contains a full list of report categories and their descriptions:

Directory ReplicationDirectory Replication Reports provide diagnostic information regarding the status of replication in your forest, such as slowest replication links, sites that are slowest to replicate, object tracking, replication failures, and domain controllers with missing replication links. The following table lists these Web reports and their descriptions:

Table 14: Server Health Reports

Report Description

Processor Utilization Identify servers having the highest CPU usage over a specified period of time. You can select a report for the top five or ten servers for either the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

Use these Web reports to help pinpoint performance problems and down time.

You can also use the Processor Utilization Hourly Report to view data alphabetically by server name in the database. By default, it renders for the time period “Today”.

Physical Memory Utilization Identify servers having the highest physical memory usage over a specified period of time. You can select a report that shows either the top five or ten servers for either the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

Page Faults Identify which servers have the highest average number of pages faults per second within either the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

SMB Connections Identify which servers have the largest number of SMB connections within either the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

Alerts Identify performance or service status alerts over a specified period of time. You can select an alert report for either of these types with a time period criteria of the past day, week, or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

LDAP Response Time Identify servers having the slowest LDAP responsiveness over a specified period of time. You can select a report that shows either the top five or ten servers for either the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

LDAP Query Execution Time Identify servers having the slowest LDAP query response time over a specified period of time. You can select a report that shows either the top five or ten servers for either the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

Disk Space Identify domain controllers with the lowest amount of disk space on the drive hosting the directory service database within the past week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report. Additional Web reports identify disk space usage by domain or site.

Use these Web reports to help determine which domain controllers require upgrades to their disk subsystems.

Event Log Errors Identify event log errors that occurred during a specified period of time. You can select a report for either the past day, week, or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

Lingering Objects Records pertaining to the Lingering Objects test results (detection of the lingering object existence on the domain controller after long disconnection or restoring from back-up operation). You can view a report for the past day, week, or month. You can also customize a date range.

Authentications Identify Authentications on a daily or hourly basis.

Exchange Client Usage Identify Exchange Client Usage on a daily or hourly basis.

Directory Changes Identify Directory Changes on a daily or hourly basis.

DNS Interaction Identify DNS Interactions on a daily or hourly basis.

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File ReplicationFile Replication Reports provide diagnostic information regarding the status of file replication, intra-site replication, and inter-site replication, such as slowest replication paths, average intra-site and inter-site replication times, and replication links. The following table lists these Web reports and their descriptions:

Time SynchronizationTime Synchronization Reports identify issues with time differences between domain controllers and their W32Time Parents.

The following table lists these Web reports and their descriptions:

Table 15: Directory Replication Reports

Report Description

Replication Time Contains the following:

Intra-Site Replication Time

Provide Top N list of domain controllers that have the slowest replication links, and display the domain controllers for which the replication times are greater than 30 minutes or 1 hour, in the past week or month.Use these Web reports to render Average Intra-Site Replication Daily and Average Intra-Site Replication Hourly to show the average replication times for each day or each hour respectively.You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

• Inter-Site Replication Time

The same Web reports are supported as for Intra-Site Replication Time, above.

• Replication Time from FSMO Role Holders

Discovers the servers that take the longest time to receive replication updates from the various FSMO role holders. It also records replication times hourly and daily from the PDC Emulator.

Domain Controllers without Replication Links

Identifies the domain controllers that do not have any replication links.

Find Replication Failures Identifies replication links that do not replicate.

Use this report to determine whether changes made to replication partners are also replicated to a selected server.

Object Tracking Identifies whether tracked objects are identical on two or more domain controllers.

Table 16: File Replication Report

Report Description

Intra-Site Replication Time Provide time required for intra-site file replications. You can select a report for the top N servers with slowest replication paths and for replication links that took longer than 30 minutes or one hour in either the last week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

Inter-Site Replication Time Provide time required for inter-site file replications. You can select a report for the top N servers with slowest replication paths and for replication links that took longer than 30 minutes or one hour in either the last week or month. You can also use filters to prepare a custom report.

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DNSDNS Reports provide information regarding domain name system servers, such as bind and query times, and missing DNS records. The following table lists these Web reports and their descriptions:

Group Policy ObjectsGroup Policy Objects Reports provide information regarding group policy objects (GPOs) within a domain, such as GPO synchronization and replication.

The following table lists these Web reports and their descriptions:

InventoryInventory Reports provide information on the components of your Active Directory forest, such as domains, servers, sites, FSMO roles, Global Catalogs, and groups. The following table lists the available Web reports and their descriptions:

Table 17: Time Synchronization Report

Report Description

Domain Controllers Having Time Difference Greater Than Threshold

Identifies DCs whose time difference is greater than the specified threshold.

Domain Controllers Having Time Difference With W32Time Parent

Identifies the average time difference between DCs and their W32Time Parent.

Top Domain Controllers With Greatest Time Difference

Lists the top N DCs with the greatest difference in time from that of their W32Time Parent.

Table 18: DNS Reports

Report Description

DNS Bind Time Provides information regarding DNS Bind Times over the past day, week, or month. You can also apply filters to customize the report.

Use this report to determine the availability of the DNS servers used by the DC.

DNS Query Time Provides information regarding DNS Query Times over the past day, week, or month. You can also apply filters to customize the report.

Use this report to determine the response level of the DNS servers used by the DC.

Missing DNS Records Provides a listing of servers with missing DNS records.

Use this report to determine which DCs have failed to register DNS records.

Table 19: Group Policy Objects Reports

Report Description

Group Policy Objects Lists GPOs in a selected domain. You can drill down to get detailed information regarding DC replication.

Use this report to determine what GPOs exist in a domain and what DCs they are being replicated to.

Group Policy Objects Synchronization Status

Lists GPOs and their synchronization within a selected domain. You can drill down to get detailed information regarding DC synchronization history.

Use this report to identify what GPOs are not synchronized in a selected DC.

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:

Generating Report DataNOTE: For more information on running then aforementioned analysis tests, refer to Detecting Active Directory Problems on page 29.

In order to generate data for preconfigured reports, you must run the analysis tests provided in the Topology Viewer. Certain analysis tests generate data for certain preconfigured reports. The correlation between tests and reports is as follows:

Table 20: Inventory Reports

Report Description

Domains and Directory Objects Directory Objects - contains the following:

• User Objects - lists all user objects in your forest by domain.

• Group Objects - lists all group objects in your forest by domain.

• Computer Objects - lists all computer objects in your forest by domain.

• Organization Unit Objects - lists all OUs in your forest by domain.

• Group Policy Objects - lists all GPOs in your forest by domain.

Domains - lists all the domains in a given forest, along with the number of sites, domain controllers, and directory objects associated with each domain.

Sites and Replication Links Replication Links - contains the following:

• Intra-Site Replication Links - lists all Intra-Site Replication Links in your forest.

• Outgoing Inter-Site Replication Links - lists all Outgoing Inter-Site Replication Links in your forest.

• Incoming Inter-Site Replication Links - lists all Incoming Inter-Site Replication Links in your forest.

Sites - lists all the sites in a given forest.

Domain Controllers and Roles Domain Controller Roles - contains the following:

• Schema Masters - lists all Schema Masters roles in your forest

• Infrastructure Masters - lists all Infrastructure Masters roles in your forest by domain.

• RID Masters - lists all RID Masters roles in your forest by domain.

• Domain Naming Masters - lists all Domain Naming Masters roles in your forest by domain.

• PDC Emulators - lists all PDC Emulators roles in your forest by domain.

• Inter-Site Topology Generators - lists all Inter-Site Topology Generators roles in your forest by domain.

• Global Catalogs - lists all Global Catalogs in your forest by site by domain.

Domain Controllers - lists all DCs in your forest.

Domain Controllers by Domain - lists all DCs in your forest by domain.

Domain Controllers by Site - lists all DCs in your forest by site.

Forests Lists all forests in your Active Directory.

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Table 21: Report and Analysis Test Correlation

Report Name Analysis Test Names

Summary

• Corporate Active Directory At a Glance

• Domain Controller at a Glance

• Verify Server Health

• Discovery

• Directory Objects Collector Task (you can initiate this scheduled task through the Windows Scheduler)

Server Health

• Processor Utilization

• Physical Memory Utilization

• Page Faults

• SMB Connections

• Alerts

• LDAP Response Time

• LDAP Query Execution Time

• Disk Space

• Event Log Errors

• Lingering Objects

• Authentication

• Exchange Client Usage

• Directory Changes

• DNS Interaction

• Verify Server Health

Directory Replication

• Replication Time • Verify Directory Replication Health


• Domain Controllers Without Replication Links

• Replication Time from FSMO Role Holders


• Find Replication Failures • Verify Directory Replication Health


• Object Tracking• Find Replication Failures

• Track Object Replication

File Replication

• Inter Server Replication Time

• Inter Site Replication Time• Verify File Replication Health

Time Synchronization

• Domain Controller's Having Time Difference Greater Than Threshold

• Domain Controller's Having Time Difference With W32Time Parent

• TOP Domain Controller's With Greatest Time Difference

• Check W32Time Differential

DNS

• DNS Bind Time

• DNS Query Time

• Missing DNS Records

• Verify DNS Health

Group Policy Objects

• Group Policy Objects

• Group Policy Objects Synchronization Status

• Check GPO Synchronization

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Inventory

• Intersite Replication Links

• Outgoing Intrasite Replication Links

• Incoming Intrasite Replication Links

• Sites

• Schema Masters


• RID Masters

• PDC Emulators


• Global Catalogs

• Domain Controllers

• Domain Controllers by Domains

• Domain Controllers by Site

• Forests

Discovery

Inventory

• User Objects

• Group Objects

• Computer Objects

• OU Objects

• GPO Objects

Directory Objects Collector Task (you can initiate this scheduled task through the Windows Scheduler)

Table 21: Report and Analysis Test Correlation

Report Name Analysis Test Names

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10
Using Distributed Collection of Analysis Test Data (Collectors)
• Using Distributed Collectors

• Installing Distributed Collectors

• Adding Sites and Servers to Distributed Collectors

• Viewing Managed Sites and Servers

• Configuring Collectors

• Upgrading Distributed CollectorsUpgrading Distributed Collectors

• Updating Collector Status

• Uninstalling Distributed Collectors

Using Distributed CollectorsThe Distributed Collection of Analysis Test Data feature localizes data collection and processing before the data is transferred to the central Diagnostic Services. This feature supports site collection where a distributed collector runs all tests for each domain controller (DC) in the site, and targeted collection where a distributed collector runs all tests for a specific DC.

Distributed collectors are installed manually or through the Collector Management Console to additional servers on the network.

This feature is made up of several components:

• Diagnostic Services

• Collector Service

• Collector Management Console

Diagnostic ServicesThe Diagnostic Services component is responsible for managing the test execution schedule.

By default, Diagnostic Services run all tests, using a default collector, which can cause a heavy load on the host system. Distributed collectors reduce this load by allowing other servers to share data collection and test execution. Thus, network usage is reduced. Distributed collectors are configured to manage entire sites and/or specific servers, and to run any tests against the servers in their managed list. The distributed collectors process the request, and send back only the final results to the Diagnostic Services.

If a required distributed collector is unavailable, the default collector is used to execute the tests. Multiple collectors can be involved in a single test execution if the test is operating against several servers.

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Collector ServiceThe Collector Service is running on host computers listening to the specified port. It waits for Diagnostic Services to send test requests. Once the test request is received and validated, the test is executed, and the results are returned to the server for processing.

Collector Management ConsoleThe Collector Management Console allows you to specify distributed collectors to handle test requests against specific sites or servers. This helps to reduce the load on the central Spotlight on Active Directory server.

Using the Collector Management Console, you can push a distributed collector to any server with which the Diagnostic Services communicates using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). You can view the status of the installed distributed collectors, view the DCs that collector is managing, and configure the listening port of the collector so that it can operate in a firewalled environment.

The Collector Management Console, you can:

• install distributed collectors on host computers

• remove distributed collectors from host computers

• assign servers to distributed collectors

• present statistics on distributed collectors

The Collector Management Console is a component of the Spotlight on Active Directory installation. It can be installed on the same servers as the Spotlight on Active Directory and/or different servers.

Installing Distributed CollectorsDistributed collectors are installed:

• Using the Collector Management Console

NOTE: You can install remote collectors, which are collectors not installed in the same location as the Diagnostic Services. Using remote collectors reduces traffic load over slow links and works better in firewalled environments.

• Using the Spotlight on Active Directory Installation CD

Using the Collector Management Console

To install distributed collectors using the Collector Management Console

1. From the Collector Management Console:

Select Action | Install Distributed Collector.

OR

Right-click the Collectors root node and select Install Distributed Collector.

OR

Select Install Distributed Collector from the Actions pane.

2. Enter the name of the distributed collector.

The name can be letters and numbers only. You cannot use special characters such as spaces or underscores.

112

3. Enter the host name of the server on which the distributed collector is to be installed.

The name should be a fully qualified domain name if the server is in a different forest than the local computer.

TIP: The default listening port is 9605.

4. Enter the name of the listening port that collector will use to receive information.

5. Enter a user name and password to execute tests.

6. Re-enter the password.

7. Click OK.

The distributed collector is automatically installed.

Using the Spotlight on Active Directory Installation CDIf you have the WMI disabled, distributed collectors cannot be automatically installed, or if you cannot install distributed collectors via the Collector Management Console, you have to manually install them. You manually install distributed collectors using the Spotlight on Active Directory installation CD.

You cannot install the Distributed Collector on the same computer as Spotlight on Active Directory.

TIP: It is recommended you install Diagnostic Services before installing Distributed Collectors.

You can install the Spotlight on Active Directory Distributed Collector using autorun.exe, which is provided in the installation package.

To install the Spotlight on Active Directory Collector

1. Launch autorun.exe.

2. From the left pane, click Install. Click the Install button next to Spotlight on Active Directory Distributed Collector.

3. Click Next in the Welcome dialog box.

4. Read and accept the license agreement. Click Next.

5. Click Next to enter your domain user name and your password to run the distributed collector service.

6. Click Next to enter the Diagnostic Services server name, Listening Port, and Collector Name where the collector will reside. Click Next.

NOTE: By default, the Listening Port is 9605, and the collector name is Collector.

7. Click Next again.

8. Click Finish.

Adding Sites and Servers to Distributed CollectorsTIP: If a site or server is not checked, it is being managed by another distributed collector. The name of that distributed collector is indicated in parenthesis to the right of the site or server.

When you first launch the Collector Management Console and view the properties of the distributed collector, every site and server is checked to indicate that the distributed collector is managing those sites and servers.

To assign sites and servers to a distributed collector

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1. Select a distributed collector.

2. Check which site and/or server you would like the distributed collector to manage.

The Confirm Collector Assignment dialog appears. This dialog tells you that this site and/or server is being managed by another distributed collector, and asks if you would like to manage this site and/or server.

3. Click OK.

The check box is checked indicating the distributed collector is now managing the site and/or server.

Viewing Managed Sites and ServersYou can view which default collector or distributed collector is managing which sites or servers.

To view managed sites or servers

1. Click the Collectors root node.

2. Select the default collector or a distributed collector.

You can view a list of managed sites or managed servers in the Properties area.

The Properties section appears listing all sites and servers. Those sites and servers that are checked are being managed by the selected collector.

Configuring CollectorsThe configuration of Collectors Services is controlled through the Collector Management Console. You can configure the listening port - a port the collector service should use to communicate with the Diagnostic Services.

To configure the listening port

1. Right-click the default collector or a distributed collector.

OR

Double-click the name of the default collector or distributed collector.

2. Click View <name of Collector>.

3. Enter the listening port in the Listening Port box.

4. Click Apply.

Upgrading Distributed CollectorsUpgrade your distributed collectors if:

• the version number and the icon to the left of the Distributed Collector name in the Installed Collectors pane are red in the Collector Management Console

• you see the following message “The Distributed Collector requires upgrade” when you hover your mouse over the distributed collector name

While you can upgrade distributed collectors using the Collector Management Console, we recommend uninstalling your current version of the Distributed Collector and installing the new version. This helps avoid potential issues when Diagnostic Tests are executed when the Distributed Collector and the Diagnostic Test Engine versions are not the same.

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To upgrade the Distributed Collector

1. Click the Distributed Collector requiring an upgrade.

2. Click Upgrade <Distributed Collector name> from the Actions pane.

3. Enter the User name and Password used to execute the tests.

4. Re-enter the Password.

5. Click OK.

Updating Collector StatusWhen you log onto the Collector Management Console, you may want to update the status of the collector to see if any changes had occurred to the collector.

To update the collector status

1. Select the default collector or distributed collector.

2. Click Update Collector Status from the Actions pane.

Uninstalling Distributed CollectorsYou can uninstall distributed collectors:

• Using the Collector Management Console

• Using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel

Using the Collector Management Console

To uninstall distributed collectors using the Collector Management Console

1. From the Collector Management Console:

Select Action | Uninstall <Distributed Collector name>.

OR

Right-click the distributed collector and select Uninstall <Distributed Collector name>.

OR

Select Uninstall <Distributed Collector name> from the Actions pane.

2. Click Yes in the Confirm dialog.

Using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel

To uninstall distributed collectors using Add/Remove Programs

1. Click Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add or Remove Programs | Spotlight on Active Directory Distributed Collector.

2. Click Remove.

3. Click Yes to confirm you want to remove the distributed collector from your computer.

115

If you uninstall a distributed collector using this method, the distributed collector is still registered with the Diagnostic Services. You have to use the Collector Management Console to remove the registration information. For more information, see Using the Collector Management Console on page 115.

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Index
Aaction results
clearing, 58

saving, 58

actions and results, 57

adding sites and servers to collectors, 113

analysis tests, 29

configuring impersonation options, 15

deleting, 39

naming, 40

pausing and resuming, 39

running tests using the Assistant Pane, 40

scheduling, 37

scheduling tests with impersonation options, 37

scheduling tests with notification options, 38

Assistant pane, 10, 40

Assistant, 10

Directory Replication Testing pane, 10

DNS Testing pane, 10

File Replication Testing pane, 10

Native Tools, 10

Resolve DFSR File Replication pane, 11

Resolve Directory Replication pane, 10

Resolve NTFRS File Replication pane, 11

Resolve Time Synchronization pane, 11

Status/Performance Testing pane, 10

Time Synchronization Testing pane, 10

Autogrouping, 62

Bbrowse reports, 81

browsing

by domain, 11

by grouping, 11

by site, 11

Ccanceling

pending actions, 57

Center on Group, 63

Center on Server, 12

changing reports, 88

clearing

action results, 58

Collapse, 63

Collector Management Console, 112

collector service, 112

collectors, 111

adding sites and servers, 113

collector service, 112

configuring, 114

Diagnostic Services, 111

distributed, 111

distributed, manually uninstalling, 115

distributed,installing, 112

distributed,manually installing, 113

distributed,uninstalling, 115

updating status, 115

viewing managed sites and servers, 114

Computer Objects web report, 108

Configuration Drilldown

Installed Hotfixes Tab, 72

Installed Software Tab, 72

Network Adapters Tab, 72

configuring collectors, 114

configuring impersonation options for analysis tests, 15

Configuring Subscriptions, 100

connecting

to a domain or domain controller (DC), 8

creating

a Favorite, 12

creating custom topology views, 60

Ddatabases supported, 20

default analysis test options, 19

default settings, defining for Topology Viewer, 19

defining default settings for Topology Viewer, 19

deleting

a Favorite, 13

a link, 45

scheduled analysis tests, 39

deleting custom topology views, 60

Description page, 88

DFSR

logging, 52

properties, 25

restarting, 51

starting, 51

stopping, 51

DFSR logging

disabling, 52

enabling, 52

setting the log file details, 53

setting the number of log files generated, 53

setting the number of messages per log file, 53

Diagnostic Services, 111

Directory Replication reports, 105

Directory Replication Testing pane, 10

discovering the topology, 8

Displaying Subscriptions, 103

117

distributed collection of analysis test data

see also collectors, 111

distributed collectors, 111

installing, 112

installing manually, 113

manually uninstalling, 115

uninstalling, 115

upgrading, 114

DNS reports, 107

DNS Testing pane, 10

domain

connecting to, 8

Domain Controllers web report, 108

Domain Naming Masters web report, 108

Domains Controllers by Domain web report, 108

Domains Controllers by Site web report, 108

drilldowns

Configuration Drilldown, 71

DNS Drilldown, 72

FMSO Drilldown, 74

LDAP Drilldown, 73

LSASS Drilldown, 73

Performance Drilldown, 68

Replication Drilldown, 69

EEdit button, 89

edit reports, 88

editing

a Favorite, 13


editing custom topology views, 61

entering a description for your custom report, 88

Expand, 63

FFields page, 86

File menu commands, Reports interface, 83

File Replication

managing, 50

File Replication reports, 106

File Replication Testing pane, 10

file-based model for reports, 83

Filter page, 86

filtering

Preconfigured reports, 81, 87

force replication between two unconnected servers, 47

forcing replication, 47

Forest discovery options, 21

Format page, 87

formatting custom reports, 87

GGlobal Catalogs web report, 108

GPO

logging, 52

properties, 25

GPO logging, 54

disabling, 55

disabling advanced logging, 55

enabling, 55

enabling advanced logging, 55

Group Objects web report, 108

Group page, 87

Group Policy Objects reports, 107

Group Policy Objects web report, 108

Group Together, 64

grouping options for reports, 91

groups

Autogrouping, 62

Center on Group, 63

Collapse, 63

Expand, 63

Group Together, 64

Ungroup, 64

Iimpact of changing topology views, 17, 60

Incoming Intra-Site Replication Links web report, 108

information button, 85

Infrastructure Masters web report, 108

installing distributed collectors, 112

integrating with Operations Manager, 27

Inter-Site Topology Generators web report, 108

Intrasite Replication Links web report, 108

introducing Spotlight on Active Directory, 65

introduction

Spotlight on Active Directory, 65

Inventory reports, 107

Llaunching

Spotlight on Active Directory Diagnostic Console, 58

logging

NTFRS, DFSR and GPO, 52

MManagement Action Results tab

Completed Actions, 57

118

overview of, 57

Pending Actions, 57

managing

replication links, 44

managing File Replication, 50

managing GPO logging, 54

manually installing distributed collectors, 113

manually uninstalling distributed collectors, 115

My Favorites, 12

Nnaming

analysis tests, 40

Native Tools, 10

NTFRS

logging, 52

properties, 24

restarting, 51

starting, 51

stopping, 51

NTFRS logging

disabling, 52

enabling, 52

setting the log file details, 53

setting the number of log files generated, 53

setting the number of messages per log file, 53

OOperations Manager

integrating, 27

Operations Manager options, 21

options

database options, 20

default analysis test options, 19

Forest discovery, 21

Operations Manager, 21

Web Reports, 22

Organizational Units web report, 108

Outgoing Intra-Site Replication Links web report, 108

Pparts of the Topology Viewer interface, 9

pausing


PDC Emulators web report, 108

pending actions, canceling, 57

Performance Drilldown

All Processes Tab, 68

Top CPU Consumers Tab, 68

Top Memory Consumers Tab, 68

preconfigured reports

Alerts Reports, 105

Authentications Reports, 105

Corporate Active Directory At A Glance Report, 104

Directory Changes Reports, 105

Disk Space Reports, 105

DNS Bind Time Report, 107

DNS Interaction Reports, 105

DNS Query Time Report, 107

Domain Controller At A Glance Report, 104

Domain Controllers and Roles, 108

Domain Controllers Having Time Difference Greater Than Threshold Report, 107

Domain Controllers Having Time Difference With W32Time Parent Report, 107

Domain Controllers With Greatest Time Difference Report, 107

Domain Controllers without Replication Links Report, 106

Domains and Directory Objects, 108

Event Log Errors Reports, 105

Exchange Client Usage Reports, 105

Find Replication Failures Report, 106

Forest Report, 108

Group Policy Objects Report, 107

Group Policy Objects Synchronization Status Report, 107

Inter Server Replication Time Report (File Replication), 106

Inter Site Replication Time Report (File Replication), 106

Inter-Site Replication Time Report (Directory Replication), 106

Intra-Site Replication Time Report (Directory Replication), 106

LDAP Query Execution Time Reports, 105

LDAP Response Time Reports, 105

Lingering Objects Reports, 105

Missing DNS Records Report, 107

Object Tracking Report, 106

Page Faults Reports, 105

Physical Memory Utilization Reports, 105

Processor Utilization Reports, 105

Replication Time from FSMO Role Holders Report (Directory Replication), 106

Replication Time Report, 106

Sites and Replication Links, 108

Sites Report, 108

SMB Connections Reports, 105

Preconfigured reports, filtering, 81, 87

Preview page, 88

previewing reports, 88

119

properties

DFSR properties, 25

DNS properties, 23

general properties, 22

GPO properties, 25

latency properties, 26

local changes properties, 26

NTFRS properties, 24

operating system properties, 23

replication properties, 24

time sync properties, 23

QQuick Filter bar, 90

Rremoving filter criteria from your custom report, 87

removing sorting options from a custom report, 87

renaming

a Favorite, 14

Replication Drilldown

Activity Tab, 70

Collisions Tab, 71

Directory Partners Tab, 71

FRS Replicas Tab, 71

Queues Tab, 70

Report Information button, 85

report types, 81

reports

file-based model, 83

reports interface

command buttons, 82

reports treeview, 82

resetting layout of topology view, 61

Resolve DFSR File Replication pane, 11

Resolve Directory Replication pane, 10

Resolve NTFRS File Replication pane, 11

Resolve Time Synchronization pane, 11

restarting

DFSR, 51

NTFRS, 51

resuming

paused analysis tests, 39

RIDMasters web report, 108

running

analysis tests using the Assistant Pane, 40

Ssaving

action results, 58

scheduling

analysis tests, 37

analysis tests with impersonation options, 37

analysis tests with notification options, 38

Scheduling the Subscription Service, 101

Schema Masters web report, 108

Scroll Bars, 11

Select, 12

all, 12

DCs in Domain, 12

Server Roles, 12

Selecting a User Account, 102

selecting filter criteria for custom reports, 86

selecting grouping options for custom reports, 87

Selecting Reports for the Subscription, 102

selecting topology views, 17, 60

Sending the Subscription, 101

server

connecting to, 8

Server Health reports, 105

setting

default options for Topology Viewer, 19

time sync parameters, 55

Sort page, 87

sorting a custom report, 87

Spotlight on Active Directory

Introduction, 65

starting

DFSR, 51

NTFRS, 51

Status/Performance Testing pane, 10

stopping

DFSR, 51

NTFRS, 51

Subscription Page, 100

Subscriptions

configuring, 100

Summary reports, 104

supported databases, 20

system properties, 23

system views, summary of, 17, 59

TTime Synchronization reports, 106

Time Synchronization Testing pane, 10

To select a user account for the subscription, 103

To send a subscription by email, 101

To send a subscription to a file location, 101

To send a subscription to a web site, 102

To send a subscription to an FTP site, 102

Topology Viewer interface, parts of, 9

Topology Viewer tools, 11

120

topology views

creating custom, 60

deleting custom, 60

editing custom topology views, 61

impact of changing, 17, 60

resetting layout of, 61

selecting, 17, 60

summary of system views, 17, 59

types of reports, 81

UUngroup, 64

uninstalling distributed collectors, 115

updating collector status, 115

upgrading distributed collectors, 114

User Objects web report, 108

USN Journal Size

increasing, 54

Vviewing

analysis test results, 41

viewing managed sites and servers, 114

Wweb reports

Alerts Reports, 105

Authentications Reports, 105

Computer Objects Report, 108

Corporate Active Directory At A Glance Report, 104

Directory Changes Reports, 105

Disk Space Reports, 105

DNS Bind Time Report, 107

DNS Interaction Reports, 105

DNS Query Time Report, 107

Domain and Directory Objects Report, 108

Domain Controller At A Glance Report, 104

Domain Controllers and Roles Report, 108

Domain Controllers Having Time Difference Greater Than Threshold Report, 107

Domain Controllers Having Time Difference With W32Time Parent Report, 107

Domain Controllers Report, 108

Domain Controllers With Greatest Time Difference Report, 107

Domain Controllers without Replication Links Report, 106

Domain Naming Masters Report, 108

Domains Controllers by Domain, 108

Domains Controllers by Site, 108

Domains Report, 108

Event Log Errors Reports, 105

Exchange Client Usage Reports, 105

Find Replication Failures Report, 106

Forests Report, 108

Global Catalogs Report, 108

Group Objects Report, 108

Group Policy Objects Report, 107, 108

Group Policy Objects Synchronization Status Report, 107

Incoming Intra-Site Replication Links Report, 108

Infrastructure Masters Report, 108

Inter Server Replication Time Report (File Replication), 106

Inter Site Replication Time Report (File Replication), 106

Inter-Site Replication Time Report (Directory Replication), 106

Inter-Site Topology Generators Report, 108

Intrasite Replication Links Report, 108

Intra-Site Replication Time Report (Directory Replication), 106

LDAP Query Execution Time Reports, 105

LDAP Response Time Reports, 105

Lingering Objects Reports, 105

Missing DNS Records Report, 107

Object Tracking Report, 106

Organizational Units Report, 108

Outgoing Intra-Site Replication Links Report, 108

Page Faults Reports, 105

PDC Emulators Report, 108

Physical Memory Utilization Reports, 105

Processor Utilization Reports, 105

Replication Time from FSMO Role Holders Report, 106

Replication Time Report, 106

RID Masters Report, 108

Schema Masters Reports, 108

Sites and Replication Links Report, 108

Sites Report, 108

SMB Connections Reports, 105

User Objects Report, 108

Web Reports options, 22

121

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