Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored? - Open Source Network Monitoring and Systems Management

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3916 Views 11 Replies Latest reply: Mar 27, 2013 10:27 AM by Mark Clegg

Mark Clegg

8 posts since
Nov 19, 2012

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Jan 8, 2013 11:26 AM

Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Hi

I'm trying to add a new windows service to the list of services to be monitored, but the new service isn't being discovered or reported against on the selected devices.

Other services/event log etc are reporting correctly so I know that WMI\DCOM security is setup correctly.

The service I'm trying to add is the Microsoft SCCM Agent, so I've created a new windows service by clicking the Add Service option under Infrastructure / Windows Services, as follows

Name: CcmExec
Description: SMS Agent Host

Service Keys: CcmExec

Monitored Start modes: Auto

I'm pretty sure I've got this right, (Except for Service Keys: - what is that?)

If I go to the device itself, re-model it, and goto Windows Services under Components, the newly added service doesn't appear, but I can then add it manually.

zenwin.log then lists the service as running for the device when it's polled, but within the Zenoss web console, it jsut shows as unknown. When the device is next re-modelled, however, it is removed from the list.

Have I missed a step here, I want to add this service to all our monitored Windows devices so that it's picked up automatically during modelling.

Thanks in advance

Mark

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Tags: wmi, windows, monitoring, zenwin, services

hydruid
262 posts since
Nov 5, 2012

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1. Jan 8, 2013 6:34 PM (in response to Mark Clegg)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Mark,

Did you set the Microsoft SCCM Agent service on the server to start automatically? Unless I'm mistaken, Zenoss will monitor each service that is set to start automatically.

I will test on one of my servers to confirm this functionality.

Hydruid

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hydruid
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2. Jan 8, 2013 6:47 PM (in response to hydruid)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Mark,

I was wrong.....I changed a service from manual to automatic and started it, then remodeled the server, and the new service did not show up.

I will look into this and let you know what I find out!

Hydruid

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hydruid
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3. Jan 8, 2013 6:56 PM (in response to hydruid)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Mark,

I was able to manually add a service to be monitored. Is the CcmExec you mentioned a service (controllable thru services.msc) or is it only a process that is running (ex. CcmExec.exe) ?

Hydruid

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Mark Clegg

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Nov 19, 2012

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4. Jan 9, 2013 3:22 AM (in response to hydruid)

Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Hi Hydruid, thanks for your esponses.

In answer to your questions, yes CcmExec is a standard windows service, and is set to start automatically. It can be controlled via services.msc.

"wmic services list" shows the following information for it...

AcceptPause	FALSE
AcceptStop	TRUE
Caption	SMS Agent Host
CheckPoint	0
CreationClassName	Win32_Service
Description	Provides change and configuration services for computer management systems.
DesktopInteract	FALSE
DisplayName	SMS Agent Host
ErrorControl	Normal
Name	CcmExec
PathName	C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\CCM\CcmExec.exe
ProcessId	3904
ServiceSpecificExitCode	0
ServiceType	Own Process
Started	TRUE
StartMode	Auto
StartName	LocalSystem
State	Running
Status	OK
SystemCreationClassName	Win32_ComputerSystem
SystemName	????????????????
TagId	0
WaitHint	0

From which I've used the Caption and Name fields to create my service definition in Zenoss.

All I can think is I've got the wrong fields, but I can't see what's wrong.

Mark

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hydruid
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5. Jan 10, 2013 9:21 AM (in response to Mark Clegg)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Mark,

I found the solution

Add the service like you did before, and it will show up as 'Status Unknown'.

Then go to Infrastructure -> Windows Services -> Click on the CcmExec Service -> for Enable Monitoring? (zMonitor) Set Local Value: Yes

Remodel the server and it should change it to 'Status Up'!!!!

Hydruid

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Mark Clegg
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6. Jan 10, 2013 10:00 AM (in response to hydruid)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Hi

Thanks for the update, I had already tried that, but I doesn't help.

If I go into the re-modelled device, the new windows service isn't even listed. This is why I think I've got the service definition wrong.

I'm currently trying different combinations of "CcmExec" and "SMS Agent Host" in the service definition fields.

Mark

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hydruid
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7. Jan 10, 2013 11:25 AM (in response to Mark Clegg)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

Mark,

Alternatively you could add the service back, make the changes I mentioned,
and then 'Lock' the service. The lock will stop it from being
changed/removed after a remodel.

Hydruid

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Mark Clegg
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8. Jan 10, 2013 11:51 AM (in response to hydruid)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

That's a thought.

I also notice that 4.2.3 has just been released, so I'm going to try that too.

Thanks

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hydruid
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9. Jan 10, 2013 12:35 PM (in response to Mark Clegg)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

I just saw that too! Time to upgrade

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Mark Clegg
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10. Mar 27, 2013 7:17 AM (in response to hydruid)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

I've just got back to this topic, and have a little more information that may help throw some light on the problem.

I've been working on granting the zenoss windows account we use, the minimum level of security required to monitor our servers by following this excellent article.

I find that most windows services are monitored correctly, but the ones I add to Windows Services in zenoss myself, are never detected and monitored.

If, however, I add the zenoss windows account to the local Administrators group on a monitored server, then the new services are correctly picked up and monitored.

So my question/line of research is now...

What additional security changes do I need to make, to allow the new services to be correctly monitored, without having to resort to a local admin account?

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Mark Clegg
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Nov 19, 2012

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11. Mar 27, 2013 10:27 AM (in response to Mark Clegg)
Re: Core4: How to add a new Windows Service to be monitored?

... and the answer is...

For a least security model, running...

sc sdset SCMANAGER <new SDDLstring>

... as described at thread/12048 does not grant the zenoss account access to all services, but just a subset.

To get access to monitor all services, you also need to change teh security descriptor on each service you wich to monitor, using...

sc sdset <servicename> <new SDDLstring>

where the new SDDL string is the current value for that service, plus the additional ACE string for the zenoss account... (A;;GR;;;zenoss-account-SID)

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