SQLServer

This document describes the SQL Server functionality of PandoraFMS discovery.

Introduction

This plugin is designed to monitor SQL Server databases by executing queries that extract information crucial for assessing the performance and status of the databases. This information includes metrics such as the number of connections, query counts, and restart status. These data points will be reflected in PandoraFMS through modules that provide statistical value within an agent representing each database.

It's important to note that this plugin is specifically developed for use with Pandora FMS Discovery. Unlike other plugins, it doesn't generate agents through XML; instead, all the discovered information is returned in the JSON output of the plugin.

Prerrequisites

This plugin establishes remote connections to the databases it monitors, so it's essential to ensure connectivity between the Pandora FMS server and these databases.

In turn the following permissions are required for the user that is used to connect.

VIEW SERVER STATE:

To execute the SELECT @@VERSION query.
To query sys.dm_os_sys_info (server uptime).
To query sys.dm_exec_requests (active requests on the server).
To query @@MAX_CONNECTIONS (maximum connections allowed).
To run sp_who 'ACTIVE' (active sessions on the server).

SELECT:

To execute custom queries on specific database tables or views.

Parameters and configuration

Parameters

--conf Path to the configuration file.
--target_databases Path to the configuration file containing database targets.
--target_agents Path to the configuration file containing agent targets.
--custom_queries Path to the configuration file containing custom queries.

The configuration file (--conf)

agents_group_id= The ID of the group where agents will be created.
interval= The monitoring interval for agents in seconds.
user= The connection user.
password= The password for the user.
threads= The number of threads used for agent creation.
modules_prefix= The prefix for module names.
execute_custom_queries= Activate with 1 to enable the use of custom queries.
analyze_connections= Activate with 1 to enable connection monitoring.
engine_uptime= Activate with 1 to enable runtime monitoring.
query_stats= Activate with 1 to enable query statistics monitoring.

monitor_long_queries = Activate with 1 to enable query statistics long queries.
monitor_latch_requests = Activate with 1 to enable query statistics latch requests.
monitor_full_scans = Activate with 1 to enable query statistics full scans.
count_databases = Activate with 1 to enable databases count.
retrieve_memory_statistics = Activate with 1 to enable memory statistics.
retrieve_locks_statistics = Activate with 1 to enable locks statistics.
check_engine_performance = Activate with 1 to enable engine performance.
retrieve_buffer_statistics = Activate with 1 to enable buffer statistics.
retrieve_users_information = Activate with 1 to enable user information.
retrieve_cluster_state = Activate with 1 to retrieve cluster state.
retrieve_logs_statistics = Activate with 1 to enable logs statistics.
monitor_active_users = Activate with 1 to enable active users.
retrieve_transactions_statistics = Activate with 1 to transaction statistics.
monitor_filegroups_space = Activate with 1 to enable file groups space.
monitor_user_reserved_space = Activate with 1 to enable user reserved space.

monitor_backups = Activate with 1 to enable to monitor backups.
agent_per_database     = Activate with 1 to enable agents creation.
db_agent_prefix        = prefix to the databases
scan_databases         = Activate with 1 to monitor databases

Example

agents_group_id = 10
interval = 300
user = sa 
password = HHgD85V@
threads = 1
modules_prefix = 
execute_custom_queries = 1
analyze_connections = 1
engine_uptime = 1
query_stats = 1
monitor_long_queries = 1
monitor_latch_requests = 1 
monitor_full_scans = 1
count_databases = 1
retrieve_memory_statistics = 1
retrieve_locks_statistics = 1
check_engine_performance = 1
retrieve_buffer_statistics = 1 
retrieve_users_information = 1
retrieve_cluster_state = 1
retrieve_logs_statistics = 1 
monitor_active_users = 1
retrieve_transactions_statistics = 1
monitor_filegroups_space = 1
monitor_user_reserved_space = 1

monitor_backups = 1
agent_per_database     = 1
db_agent_prefix        = PANDORA-
scan_databases         = 1

The file content for "--target_databases" should consist of a list of target databases, with each database separated by commas or lines. The format for each database can be any of the following:

ip
ip:puerto
ip\instancia

Example

172.17.0.4:1433\DEVENV
172.17.0.2:1433\PRODENV

The file content for "--target_agents"

should consist of a list of agent names, with each agent separated by commas or lines. These agent names will be used to associate the information from each target database with the corresponding specified agent name, instead of letting the plugin generate agent names automatically.

The position of each agent name in the list should match the position of the target database in its own list. In other words, the name for the first target database should be the first name in this list, considering that blank lines are ignored. This ensures that the information is correctly associated with the desired agents.

Example

agente1,,agente3
agente4
agente5,agente6,agente7,,agente9

Custom queries (--custom_queries)

 should be specified as modules that you want to monitor. These modules should follow a specific structure, which is as follows:

check_begin: Module opening tag.
name: Module name.
description: Module description.
operation: Type of operation.
datatype: Module data type.
min_warning: Minimum warning threshold configuration.
max_warning: Maximum warning threshold configuration.
str_warning: Warning string configuration.
warning_inverse: Activate inverse interval with 1 for warning threshold.
min_critical: Minimum critical threshold configuration.
max_critical: Maximum critical threshold configuration.
str_critical: Critical string configuration.
critical_inverse: Activate inverse interval with 1 for critical threshold.
module_interval: This interval is calculated as a multiplier of the agent's interval.
target: Custom query.
target_databases: Database agents for which the module will be created.
check_end: Module closing tag.

Example

check_begin
name Select 1 
description Number of invalid objects
operation value
datatype generic_data
min_warning 5
target SELECT 1;
target_databases all
check_end

check_begin
name NumeroConexiones
description Number of connections
operation value
datatype generic_data
min_warning 10
target SELECT COUNT(*) AS NumeroConexiones FROM sys.dm_exec_sessions WHERE is_user_process = 1;
target_databases pandora
check_end

check_begin
name lista_table_size.MB
description table size in MB
operation full
datatype generic_data
target SELECT SUM(reserved_page_count) * 8 / 1024.0 AS TamañoMB FROM sys.dm_db_partition_stats WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID('lista');
target_databases pandora
check_end

Manual execution

The plugin execution format is as follows:

./pandora_mssql \
--conf < ruta al fichero de configuración > \
--target_databases < ruta al fichero de configuración que contiene las bases de datos objetivo > \
[ --target_agents < ruta al fichero de configuración de agentes > ] \
[ --custom_queries < ruta al fichero de configuración que contiene las consultas personalizas > ]

For example:

./pandora_mssql \
--conf /usr/share/pandora_server/util/plugin/mssql.conf \
--target_databases /usr/share/pandora_server/util/plugin/targets.conf \
--target_agents /usr/share/pandora_server/util/plugin/target_agents.conf \
--custom_queries /usr/share/pandora_server/util/plugin/custom_queries.conf

 

Discovery

This plugin can be integrated with Pandora FMS Discovery. To do this, you should load the ".disco" package, which you can download from the Pandora FMS library.

https://pandorafms.com/library/ 

image-1687944678469.png

Once loaded, you can monitor Microsoft SQL Server environments by creating Discovery tasks from the Management > Discovery > Applications section.

image-1687944760619.png

For each task, the following minimum information will be requested:

image-1684830969832.png

You can also adjust the task configuration to customize the desired monitoring:

image-1684831036543.png

Successfully completed tasks will have an execution summary with the following information:

image-1684831071407.png

Tasks that do not complete successfully will have an execution summary that records the errors encountered.

Agents y modules generated by the plugin

The plugin will create one agent for each target database.

Instance metrics

server_startup
Monitors the uptime (in days) of the database server
locks_used
 Monitors percentage of used lock and lock owner blocks
workspace_memory
 Monitors amount of memory that is used for executing processes such as hash, sort, bulk copy, and index creation operations
average_waittime
 SQL Server Average Lock Wait Time

 Each agent will contain the following modules if "engine_uptime" is activated:


restart_detection

It will be 0 if an unexpected restart is detected, and 1 if this is not the case. When a server restarts unexpectedly, there can

be a disruption in database access, and potentially, transactions or data may not be saved correctly, leading to data integrity issues.

If "query_stats" is activated, each agent will contain the following modules:

queries The total number of queries. Monitoring queries is essential for understanding the workload running on the server and assessing the overall system performance. By monitoring the total number of queries, you can identify activity spikes, optimize performance, and detect potential issues such as inefficient or excessive queries.
update The number of UPDATE queries. UPDATE queries are used to modify existing data in the database. Monitoring UPDATE queries is important to assess the frequency and efficiency of data updates. You can identify UPDATE queries that affect a large number of rows or have a significant impact on server performance. This allows you to optimize queries, review table structures, or take measures to reduce the load generated by updates.
delete The number of DELETE queries. DELETE queries are used to remove data from the database. Monitoring DELETE queries is useful to assess the frequency and efficiency of data deletions. You can identify DELETE queries that affect a large number of rows or have a significant impact on server performance. This allows you to optimize queries, review table structures, or take measures to reduce the load generated by deletions.
insert The number of INSERT queries. INSERT queries are used to add new data to the database. Monitoring INSERT queries allows you to assess the frequency and efficiency of data insertions. You can identify INSERT queries that are generating a high load on the server or may be causing performance issues. This enables you to optimize queries, review table structures, or consider strategies like deferred insertion to enhance performance in high-concurrency environments.

If "analyze_connections" is activated, each agent will contain the following modules:



session usage The number of current connections relative to the total maximum connections. Monitoring session usage in SQL Server is important for optimizing performance, identifying locking issues, enhancing security and auditing, and efficiently planning server resources.

If "retrieve_memory_statistics" is activated, each agent will contain the following modules :

lock_memory
 Monitors amount of allocated lock memory in Bytes
connection_memory
Monitors amount of connection memory in Bytes
optimizer_memory
 Monitors amount of optimizer memory in Bytes
sqlcache_memory
Monitors amount of SQL cache memory in Bytes
total_memory
Monitors total amount of dynamic server memory in Bytes

Si esta activado retrieve_locks_statistics:

retrieve_locks_statistics
Monitors the number of deadlocks per second
lock_timeouts
Monitor the number of lock-timeouts per second
lock_requests
 Monitor the number of lock-requests per second
lock_waits
Monitor the number of lock-waits per second

Si esta activado retrieve_buffer_statistics:

buf_cachehit_ratio
Percentage of pages found in the buffer cache without having to read from the disk
free_connections
Monitors % free connections to SQL Server instance
page_reads
Monitors the number of database page reads per second
page_writes
Monitors the number of database page writes per second

Si esta activado monitor_latch_requests:

latch_waits
Monitors the number of latch requests per second

Si esta activado monitor_full_scans:

full_scans
Monitors the number of full scans (table or index) per second

Si esta activado check_engine_performance:

server_cpu
Monitors % of CPU usage by SQL Server instance
io_busy
Monitors % of I/O busy for SQL Server instance
server_io
Monitors % of I/O busy for SQL Server instance

Si esta activado retrieve_users_information:

active_connection_ratio
Monitors ratio of active connections to total allowed connections
locked_users
 Monitors the number of users suspended by locks
blocked_users
Monitors the number of users suspended by locks
active_users
Monitors the number of users currently logged onto the server

Si esta activado monitor_long_queries:

long_queries
Monitors long running queries (in seconds)
long_queries_string
Complete output of long running queries

Si esta activado retrieve_cluster_state:

aag_cluster_quorum_state
State: < desc >. Monitors AlwaysOn WSFC quorum State.
aag_cluster_members_state
State: <  desc >. Monitors AlwaysOn WSFC nodes state
aag_synchronization_health
State: <desc >. Monitors the synchronization health of an availability group
aag_replica_synchronization_health
State: < desc >. Role: < role > . Monitors the synchronization health of an availability replica
aag_replica_connected_state
State: < desc >. Role: < rol > .Monitors connected state of an availability replica
aag_replica_recovery_health
State: < desc >. Role: < rol> . Monitors the recovery health of an availability replica
aag_replica_operational_state
State: < state >. Role: < rol >. Monitors the Current operational state of the availability replica
aag_db_replica_synchronization_state
State: < desc >. Monitors the synchronization state of databases on availability replica
aag_listener_state
State: < desc >. Role: < rol >. Monitor the AlwaysOn availability Group Listener state

Database metrics

If monitor_active_users is enabled :

active users
Monitors the number of active user transactions per database

If retrieve_transactions_statistics is enabled:

transactions
Monitors the number of transactions per second
active transactions
Active Transactions

If retrieve_logs_statistics is enabled:

log_flush_waits
Monitors the number of log flush waits per second
log_file_growths
Monitors the usage (growth) of the transaction logs
log_file_shrinks
Monitors the usage (shrinking) of the transaction logs
logfile_size
Monitors logfile size
logfile_usage
Monitors free space in log files

If monitor_backups is enabled:

backup_status_minutes
Monitors number of minutes since last backup
backup_status_last_backup
Monitors when last backup was done

If monitor_filegroups_space is enabled:

fg_free_space
Monitors free space in filegroups

If monitor_user_reserved_space is enabled:

Monitors reserved space in user tables
Monitors reserved space in user tables
Monitors reserved space free data % in user tables
Monitors reserved space free data % in user tables

The plugin will also create one module for each custom query defined in the configuration file.