Chapter 7. MOM 2005 Database Fundamentals

The operational database is the choke point of every MOM 2005 management group. Before an alert is displayed in the Operator console, it is first written to the database. Before a notification on an alert can be sent, it goes through the database. The Operator console is a giant filter for all of the agent-collected information in the database. The Administrator console can't administer the management groups' configuration settings without interacting with this database.

The health of this database directly impacts the performance and health of the MOM 2005 management group. The MOM OnePoint database , which is the actual name of the operations database, doesn't operate alone. Other databases on the management groups' SQL Server perform supporting roles, so management group health is dependent on these as well.

This chapter teaches you how these databases interact, how to maintain them, and how to protect them (through backup and restore). It also addresses the functions and maintenance of the databases involved with MOM 2005 Reporting.

This chapter does not go into detail about SQL Server administration, but rather presents some the basic SQL Server tools and database administration tasks that will be relevant to the MOM 2005 administrator.

Chapter 2 covered the sizing exercises that are necessary for the installation of the OnePoint database. Basically, this is to calculate the amount of data flowing into the database on a daily basis and the desired frequency of grooming, which deletes data from the database. If you estimate well and perform the calculations correctly, the database size will remain fairly constant.

Chapter 5 covered the grooming settings that are configured in the Administrator console. These settings are adjustable, but you must be careful to strike the correct balance between removing the unnecessary data and keeping the data you need there.

What the setup and Administrator console interfaces don't give you are mechanisms to back up and restore the MOM 2005 database and to perform other administrative tasks interactively. They don't provide visibility into the SQL Server jobs that are used to groom and reindex the database. To perform these tasks, you have to use the SQL Server Enterprise Manager and the SQL Query Analyzer tools. Fortunately, for this type of maintenance you do not have to be a SQL database administrator (DBA) to use these tools effectively. Don't be intimidated by diving into the heart of MOM.