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Managing Monitoring of SQL Backups

This monitoring feature helps you get alerted when your SQL Databases backups in SQL Server are outdated and/or the database is unavailable

The Database Monitoring Agent monitors the backups taken for all databases on all configured SQL Database Instances. Each monitored database is represented in Nodinite as 1 Resource. Each SQL Backup returns its evaluated state which therefore can be monitored from the use of Monitor Views and external alerts can be pushed using any of the installed : Alarm Plugins.

Size checks for SQL Databases are grouped by the Category SQL Backup (global) and SQL Backup - Specific.

Category - SQL Backup
Example of a Monitor View filtered by the 'SQL Backup' and 'SQL Backup - Specific'

  • Your SQL Backups within the SQL databases(s) are listed in Nodinite as resources where the name of the SQL Database becomes the Resource name.
graph LR subgraph "Configuration" c["fal:fa-code 1 SQL Database"] --> r[fal:fa-lightbulb 1 Resource] end

What are the key features for Monitoring SQL Database Size Checks?

  • State Evaluation - Monitors and evaluates the state
  • Actions - Support for the execution of Remote Actions

What is evaluated for SQL Database Backup?

The different possible evaluated states for your SQL Backup are provided in the table below:

State Status Description Actions
Unavailable Resource not available Evaluation of the 'Last backup' is not possible either due to network or security-related problems Review prerequisites
Error Error state raised The database backup is over (older) than the error threshold value Edit
Warning Warning state raised The database backup is over (older) than the warning threshold value
Backup has never been taken (Missing backup)
Edit
OK Online The last backup taken is below threshold values Edit

TIP: The evaluated state may be reconfigured using the Expected State functionality that exists on every Resource within Nodinite.


How do I configure the thresholds for SQL Backups?

Monitoring of SQL Backups is enabled when the checkbox Enable feature Monitoring of SQL backups is checked from within the Remote Configuration dialogue for the Database Monitoring Agent. When checked, all databases for the SQL instance provided by the ConnectionString is monitored.

There are two different ways to configure thresholds for the category SQL Backup:

  1. Global configuration
  2. Specific configuration

The main differences between the SQL Backup and the SQL Backup - Specific are:

  • Global default threshold values are used in SQL Backup
    • Applies to all non-specific databases
    • Changes does not in any way interfere with any specific settings
  • Customized threshold values are used in SQL Backup - Specific
    • Applied on only one (1 specific) database
    • Changes does not in any way interfere with global settings

1. Global configuration

From the SQL databases tab the global settings are configured. You then need to click on the Size check tab.

Configure backups tab (6.1.0.0) Example of the Backups tab with global monitoring thresholds for backup related checks.

You can then edit the available properties.

  • Warning Time Span - The longest allowed timespan for warning on last backup
  • Error Time Span - The longest allowed timespan for error on last backup
  • Description - user-friendly description for resource
Timespan format is (days.hours.minutes.seconds)

The Application - is inherited from the SQL Database Instance being configured.

2. Specific configuration

Managing specific SQL Jobs is covered in the Edit thresholds remote action section below.


Actions

The Database Monitoring Agent categories SQL Backups and SQL Backups - Specific has support for remote actions. The following Actions are exposed:

  • Edit thresholds

Remote Actions Example of Remote Actions.

Edit thresholds

The following dialogue is on display after clicking the action button menu item Edit thresholds.
edit
Example of dialogue changing global thresholds to specific thresholds

The Default values are set using Remote Configuration. Review the Global configuration section of this document for further details.

NOTE: Category is changed to 'SQL Backups - Specific' when the threshold values are modified.

The time of the last backup taken presents if it exists, else the text will be Missing backup.

The same properties as described in the Global configuration are available and in addition the following can be managed:

  • Application - a way of grouping resources (by default the Application used for the SQL Instance is re-used)
  • Description - Short description for this specific size check

Save

You must click on the Save button or click on the Save and close button for any changes to be written to the agent and take effect on next synchronisation.
Save and Close buttons

NOTE: Depending on the synchronisation interval set for the agent, there might be a delay before the Web Client reflects upon the change. You can choose to force the agent to synchronize from the configuration of the Monitoring Agents.

Save and close, save, and close the dialogue.

Cancel, close the dialogue without saving any changes.


Next Step

Add or manage Monitor View

Database Monitoring Agent
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