Notes & articles

Tips for configuring SQL Response in your network environment

This article addresses common network issues when installing, configuring and running SQL Response.

• Where should I install the Alert Repository?
• Monitoring servers through a firewall
• Authentication issues
• Monitoring SQL Servers across different domains
• Configuring email issues

Where should I install the Alert Repository?

We recommend you install the Alert Repository on a dedicated network server that is in the same domain as the SQL Servers you want to monitor.

If possible, use a stand-alone machine for the Alert Repository that is not running any other resource-intensive applications.

Note: SQL Response performance depends more upon available bandwidth between the Alert Repository server and the monitored SQL servers than on bandwidth between the the Alert Repository and the SQL Response client.

The Alert Repository will accept connections from any Windows user in the same domain as the SQL Response client.

Monitoring servers through a firewall

If possible, install the Alert Repository on a server so that there isn't a firewall between that server and the SQL Servers you want to monitor.

If your network configuration prevents this, then we recommend that you use a VPN link between the Alert Repository and the monitored SQL Servers.

You can set up WMI DCOM to work through a firewall. You will need to configure each server you want to monitor separately.

More information

The following web pages explain more about configuring WMI DCOM to work through firewalls:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms809327.aspx
(MSDN: Using Distributed COM with Firewalls)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa393613.aspx
(MDSN: Setting Namespace Security with the WMI Control)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa393266.aspx
(MSDN: Securing a Remote WMI Connection)

For information on specifying a fixed port for WMI connections, see:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb219447(VS.85).aspx
(MSDN: Setting up a Fixed Port for WMI)

Note: If your organisation uses network address translation (NAT) then you may not be able to monitor SQL Servers that are subject to it.

Authentication issues

Only authenticated domain users can connect to the Alert Repository to view alerts.

The Alert Repository service account should have administrative credentials on all the monitored machines and SQL Server instances. This account should:

• be a member of the SQL Server instance SYSADMIN fixed server role (required for the SQL connection)
• have local Windows Administrator privileges on the machine running the SQL Server instance (required for the WMI connection)

If this is not the case, then we recommend you create an account with these privileges.

If you want to specify an account other than the Alert Repository service account for SQL Response to use when logging in to an individual server, then see Changing the Windows login credentials for a specific computer.

Changing the Alert Repository service account

If you subsequently change the account name or password after SQL Response has been installed (for example, if the account requires a change of password for security reasons), you will need to specify the new details in the properties of the Alert Repository service using Windows Services. You cannot update the credentials within the SQL Response interface.

To do this, follow these steps on the computer hosting the Alert Repository:

1. From the Control panel, select Administrative Tools, and then select Services.
2. Right-click the entry for SQL Response Alert Repository Service and select Properties.
3. In the Logon page, enter the details for the account.
4. Re-start the service.

Monitoring SQL Servers across different domains

If your SQL Servers are split across several domains, and the domains have a trusted link between them, you can create a single user account with administrative rights on all domains.

If you are using SQL Server authentication, you can specify different SQL Server authentication details for each monitored SQL Server.

If your domains do not allow connections between them, you can install an Alert Repository on each domain; each Alert Repository service monitors SQL Servers on its own domains. You can then connect in turn to each Alert Repository to view alerts on that domain.

Configuring email issues

SQL Response only supports SMTP mail servers.

Email link doesn't open the alert in SQL Response?

The hyperlink in the alert email should open the relevant alert in the SQL Response client. If SQL Response is not already running, clicking the link should also start the SQL Response application.

Ensure that you have installed the SQL Response client on the same computer you are using to view the email.

The link included in the email alert uses Asynchronous Pluggable Protocols (APP) to launch the SQL Response client and display the appropriate alert, as described in this article:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa767914(VS.85).aspx
(Registering an Application to a URL Protocol)

SQL Response creates a registry key that associates the sqlresponse:// hyperlink with the SQLResponse.exe program file:

HKEY_CLASSES_Root\sqlresponse\shell\open\command

This key specifies the path to open the SQL Response client. By default this path is:

"C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Response 1\SQL Response Client.exe" /openlink %1

If you are running Outlook from a Citrix server, you may need to edit the path defined in the registry key.

Alert raised in a different Alert Repository?

If the alert has been raised by a different Alert Repository to the one that you are currently connected to, then you will be prompted to connect to the correct Alert Repository to view the alert. This will disconnect you from the current Alert Repository.