Updating and Monitoring SharePoint Servers

Maintaining SharePoint servers depends on the ability to proactively anticipate problems before they happen. Subsequently, the ability to intelligently monitor a SharePoint server is key toward the establishment of a robust maintenance plan. In addition, proactive patching and updating of a SharePoint server is necessary to secure the system against unauthorized access and downtime. Several different approaches can be used effectively to handle these tasks.

Using Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 to Simplify Management of SharePoint

Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2000/2005 is an enterprise-class monitoring and management solution for Windows environments. It is designed to simplify SharePoint server management by consolidating events, performance data, alerts, and more into a centralized repository. Reports on this information can then be tailored depending on the environment and the level of detail needed and extrapolated. This information can assist administrators and decision makers in proactively addressing SharePoint server operation and any problems that exist or may occur.

Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 (or the previous iteration, MOM 2000) can be further extended through the addition of the SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Management Pack for MOM, which contains built-in event and performance analysis tools specifically written to ensure smooth functionality of a SharePoint Portal Server environment. Deployment of a MOM solution in a SharePoint environment would not be complete without installation of this tool.

Many other intrinsic benefits are gained by using MOM, including but not limited to

• Event log monitoring and consolidation

• Monitoring of various applications, including those provided by third parties

• Enhanced alerting capabilities

• Assistance with capacity-planning efforts

• A customizable knowledge base of Microsoft product knowledge and best practices

• Web-based interface for reporting and monitoring

Utilizing Windows Update to Patch SharePoint

Windows Update is a website that scans a local system and determines whether there are updates to apply to that system. Windows Update is a great way to update individual SharePoint servers, but this method is sufficient for only a small number of systems. If administrators choose this method to update an entire large SharePoint farm, there would be an unnecessary amount of administration. In addition, care should be taken with Windows Update because one of the settings is to automatically download and install patches on a scheduled basis. It is wise to test all patches instead, to avoid potential downtime.

Utilizing Software Update Services for SharePoint Patch Management

Administrators face increased administration and management duties when using Windows Update to keep up with server packs (SPs) and updates for anything other than small environments. In response, Microsoft created the Software Update Services (SUS) client and server versions to minimize administration, management, and maintenance of mid- to large-sized organizations. SUS communicates directly and securely with Microsoft to gather the latest SPs and updates.

NOTE

The latest iteration of Software Update Services is known as Windows Software Update Services (WSUS), and includes built-in support for patching SQL Server and other applications.

The SPs and updates downloaded onto SUS can then be distributed to either a lab server for testing (recommended) or to a production server for distribution. After these updates are reviewed, and approved by an administrator, SUS can then automatically update systems inside the network. More information on SUS can be found in Chapter 15, "Implementing and Validating SharePoint Security."

NOTE

Windows Software Update Services can be downloaded from Microsoft at the following address: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus.

Making Use of Various Patch Management Tools

Maintaining a consistent level of patches and security fixes across a SharePoint farm or entire organization is a challenge. These challenges can be minimized if using SUS, as previously explained. In addition to SUS, however, Microsoft provides other utilities to make maintenance and management of SPs and updates easier. They include but aren't limited to

• QChain Safely chains updates together to allow multiple updates to be installed with only one reboot.

• Microsoft Security Notification Service Subscribing to this service ensures that administrators are notified as security-related updates become available.

• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) Both a graphical and command-linedriven tool that improves on the capabilities of the HFNetCHK tool. It scans for common system security misconfigurations (in products such as Windows, IIS, SQL Server, Internet Explorer [IE], and Office) and missing security updates for other products as well. More information on MBSA can be found in Chapter 15.