You can define additional
collection sets that draw information from a number of different
sources, using one of three collector types: T-SQL Query, SQL Trace, and
Performance Counter. A fourth collector type, Query Activity, collects
the same information as the Query Statistics system collection set.
Creating custom
collection sets requires the use of a number of stored procedures
including sp_syscollector_create_collection_set and
sp_syscollector_create_collection _item. Unfortunately, you cannot
create custom collection sets using the Management Studio interface.
However, once they are created, you can manage their upload
configuration and schedule using Management Studio as with the system
collection sets.
You can create custom collection sets for a variety of purposes, including the following:
Longer-term storage of DMVs such as the missing index DMVs. These DMVs are limited to the last 500 missing indexes reported by the
query optimizer, so storing a regular snapshot of these DMVs in the MDW
can overcome this limitation.
Creating a customized compliance solution
with policy-based management, for example, uploading the results of
policy checks from multiple servers to the central MDW for a centralized
compliance-reporting solution.
Collecting customized Performance Monitor counters
as part of a broader baseline. Despite the Server Activity system
collection set including a number of performance counters, additional
counters not included in this set may be required.
A brief example in listing 1
demonstrates the T-SQL code for creating a custom set called
Performance Baseline, which includes a number of performance counters.
Example 1. Creating a custom collection set for performance counters
-- Create a Custom Collection Set containing three Performance Counters
use msdb;
declare @collection_set_id_1 int
declare @collection_set_uid_2 uniqueidentifier
exec [dbo].[sp_syscollector_create_collection_set]
@name=N'Performance Baseline'
, @collection_mode=0
, @description=N'Custom Performance Counters'
, @target=N''
, @logging_level=0
, @days_until_expiration=5
, @proxy_name=N''
, @schedule_name=N'CollectorSchedule_Every_5min'
, @collection_set_id=@collection_set_id_1 OUTPUT
, @collection_set_uid=@collection_set_uid_2 OUTPUT
declare @collector_type_uid_3 uniqueidentifier
select @collector_type_uid_3 = collector_type_uid
from [dbo].[syscollector_collector_types]
Where name = N'Performance Counters Collector Type'
declare @collection_item_id_4 int
exec [dbo].[sp_syscollector_create_collection_item]
@name=N'PerfCounters'
, @parameters=
'<ns:PerformanceCountersCollector xmlns:ns="DataCollectorType">
<PerformanceCounters Objects="$(INSTANCE):Buffer Manager" Counters="Page
life expectancy" />
<PerformanceCounters Objects="$(INSTANCE):General Statistics"
Counters="User Connections" />
<PerformanceCounters Objects="LogicalDisk" Counters="Avg. Disk sec/Read"
Instances="*" />
</ns:PerformanceCountersCollector>'
, @collection_item_id=@collection_item_id_4 OUTPUT
, @frequency=5
, @collection_set_id=@collection_set_id_1
, @collector_type_uid=@collector_type_uid_3
|
Once the custom set is created using the code in listing 1,
it will appear in Management Studio as a new collection set, at which
point you can configure its upload settings in the same manner as we
covered earlier for system data collection sets.
Finally,
the benefit of collecting and uploading data is, of course, to enable
reporting on it, and in that regard a number of powerful reports are
included to work with the system collection sets.
