4.29 MBS_Replication

Use this Knowledge Script to monitor replication status and performance for a Mailbox server. This script raises an event when a threshold is exceeded and generates data streams for the following metrics:

  • Replication latency

  • Number of pending replication transactions

  • Replication rate

  • Number of replications in the copy and replay queues

This script also monitors the availability of the File Share Witness, a requirement for using the cluster continuous replication (CCR) functionality in Exchange Server 2007. CCR enables the continuous and asynchronous updating of a second copy of a database with the changes that have been made to the active copy of the database. The File Share Witness is a file share that is external to a cluster and helps determine the status of the cluster.

4.29.1 Prerequisite

The AppManager agent (netiqmc service) must have permission to access the File Share Witness folder to collect data for File Share Witness usage on a two-node CCR cluster.

4.29.2 Resource Objects

  • Exchange2007_MailboxServer

  • Exchange2010_MailboxServer

  • Exchange2013_MailboxServer

  • Exchange2016_MailboxServer

  • Exchange2019_MailboxServer

4.29.3 Default Schedule

By default, this script runs every 15 minutes.

4.29.4 Setting Parameter Values

Set the following parameters as needed:

Parameter

How to Set It

General Settings

Communicate only with Exchange servers in the local domain?

Select Yes to test only Exchange servers in the same domain as the server on which you run the MBS_Replication job. The default is No.

When this option is unselected, the job attempts to contact all Exchange Servers in your organization. These attempts will fail if the Exchange accounts in one domain do not have access to other domains.

Job failure event notification

Event severity when job fails

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which the MBS_Replication job fails. The default is 5.

Monitor Replication Agent

Event Notification

Raise event if replication agent is not running?

Select Yes to raise an event if the replication agent is not running. The default is Yes.

Event severity when replication agent is not running

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which the replication agent is not running. The default is 5.

Start replication agent if not running?

Select Yes to start the replication agent if it is not running. The default is Yes.

Threshold - Maximum timeout for starting replication agent

Set the maximum length of time the script can attempt to start the replication agent before timing out and raising an event. The default is 60 seconds.

Raise event if replication agent fails to start?

Select Yes to raise an event if the script cannot start the replication agent. The default is Yes.

Event severity when replication agent fails to start

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which the script cannot start the replication agent. The default is 5.

Monitor Replication Copy Status

Comma-separated list of mailbox stores to ignore

Specify a list of mailbox stores, separated by comma, for which the replication status will not be monitored.

Event Notification

Raise event if replication is unhealthy?

Select Yes to raise an event if replication is unhealthy. The default is Yes.

This script uses the Get-StorageGroupCopyStatus cmdlet to determine the status, or health, of the replication function. If the status is Failed or Not Supported, then replication is considered unhealthy. Replication is also considered unhealthy if the number of transactions in the copy queue or the replay queue exceeds the threshold you set.

Threshold - Maximum length of copy queue

Set the maximum number of transactions that can be waiting in the copy queue before an event is raised. The default is 3 transactions.

Threshold - Maximum length of replay queue

Set the maximum number of transactions that can be waiting in the replay queue before an event is raised. The default is 20 transactions.

Event severity when replication is unhealthy

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which replication is determined to be unhealthy. The default is 5.

Data Collection

Collect data for copy queue length?

Select Yes to collect data for charts and reports. When enabled, data collection returns the number of replication transactions in the copy queue for the monitoring period. The default is No.

Collect data for replay queue length?

Select Yes to collect data for charts and reports. When enabled, data collection returns the number of replication transactions in the replay queue for the monitoring period. The default is No.

Monitor File Share Witness

Raise event if File Share Witness is unavailable?

Select Yes to raise an event if the File Share Witness is unavailable. The default is Yes.

Event severity when File Share Witness is unavailable

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which the File Share Witness is unavailable. The default is 15.

Monitor File Share Witness Usage on Two-node CCR Setup

Data Collection

Collect data for File Share Witness usage on two-node CCR setup?

Select Yes to collect data for charts and reports. When enabled, data collection returns the percentage of usage for the File Share Witness in a two-node cluster continuous replication environment. The default is No.

Monitor Replication Latency

Event Notification

Raise event if replication latency exceeds threshold?

Select Yes to raise an event if replication latency exceeds the threshold you set. The default is Yes.

When this parameter is set to Yes, the Extended ESE performance counters in the registry are enabled. The following updates are made automatically in the registry values:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ESE\Performance

Value Name: Show Advanced Counters

Data Type: REG_DWORD

Value: 1

Threshold -- Maximum replication latency

Set the maximum number of milliseconds allowed for replication latency before an event is raised. The default is 20000 milliseconds.

Event severity when replication latency exceeds threshold

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which replication latency exceeds the threshold you set. The default is 15.

Data Collection

Collect data for replication latency?

Select Yes to collect data for charts and reports. When enabled, data collection returns the total latency for the monitoring period. The default is No.

Monitor Replication Rate

Event Notification

Raise event if replication rate exceeds threshold?

Select Yes to raise an event if the replication rate exceeds the threshold you set. The default is Yes.

Threshold -- Maximum replication rate

Set the maximum number of replications allowed per minute before an event is raised. The default is 10000 transactions.

Event severity when replication rate threshold exceeded

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which the replication rate exceeds the threshold you set. The default is 15.

Data Collection

Collect data for replication rate?

Select Yes to collect data for charts and reports. When enabled, data collection returns the replication rate for the monitoring period. The default is No.

Monitor Pending Replication Transactions

Event Notification

Raise event if pending replication transactions exceed threshold?

Select Yes to raise an event if the number of transactions waiting to be replicated exceeds the threshold you set. The default is Yes.

Threshold -- Maximum number of pending replication transactions

Set the maximum number of transactions that can be awaiting replication before an event is raised. The default is 500 transactions.

Event severity when pending replication transactions exceeds threshold

Set the severity level, from 1 to 40, to indicate the importance of an event in which the number of transactions waiting to be replicated exceeds the threshold you set. The default is 15.

Data Collection

Collect data for pending replication transactions?

Select Yes to collect data for charts and reports. When enabled, data collection returns the number of pending replication transactions for the monitoring period. The default is No.