In this article, we will take a look at the features of the SharePoint Health Analyzer in SharePoint Foundation 2010 and some details on extending it by creating custom Health Rules.
What is the SharePoint Health Analyzer?
- Provides a tool for admins to schedule automatic checks
- Can maintain the farm health against potential configuration, performance and usage problems.
- Health checks are implemented through Health Rules
- Rules List is available on Central Admin - Monitoring - Health Analyzer - Review rule definitions. Use the Rule list to edit settings or disable the rule.
- Used at Farm level.
What is a Health Rule?
- Many health rules are provide OOTB and custom health rules can be created.
- Works on farm level and is a preventive aid.
- It monitors configuration, performance, availability or security.
- Designed to be short and simple. Should not place load on farm resources.
- Work on a periodic schedule as set by the Farm Administrator
- A Rule = Assembly - Derives from SPHealthAnalysisRule or SPRepairableHealthAnalysisRule
- Rule classes implement the Check() method: detect and report a health issue
- Repairable rules additionally implement the Repair() method
- The following inherited properties are also implemented in the Rule class - Summary, Explanation, Remedy, Category and ErrorLevel properties, AutomaticExecutionParameters property
- AutomaticExecutionParameters property - default settings for the timer job to schedule the Rule processing.
- Once the Health Rule is developed, it can be tested by instantiating the Rule class, invoking the Check() method and validating the method's return value.
- Deployment - can done through a Feature - in the FeatureActivate Event Handler, the Rule is registered by invoking the SPHealthAnalyzer.RegisterRule(Assembly) method.
- RegisterRule method - creates a timer job with the frequency based on Rule's AutomaticExecutionParameters property and adds an item for the rule in the Health Analyzer Rule list.
- In the long term, the deployment is usually handled through a Solution to provide ease of maintenance within the server farm.
How is Rule Administration handled?
- Rule Administration: Administrators view and edit settings for Health Rules via the Rules List through Central Admin.
- Rules List in the Object Model: SPHealthRulesList - Subclass of SPList
- Rules List: SPHealthRulesList.Local property (uses unmanaged resources - disposal handled by the developer)
Where can the Health Check Results be accessed?
- The Health check results are provided in the form of Status reports available on the Central Administration site.
- Reports contain info on the issue, the servers associated with the problem and steps for remedy.
- Automatic repairs are carried out where configured and are logged in the Status Report.
- Results of the latest health check: Central Admin - Monitoring - Health Analyzer Reports list
- Archived health check results: Central Admin - Monitoring - Health Analyzer - Review problems and solutions - archived reports
- In the Server Object Model, SPHealthReportsList (subclass of SPList) - through SPHealthReportsList.Local
Conclusion
I hope this article gave you a good overview of the Health Rule Analyzer and it's components. We also took a look at corresponding classes in the Server Object Model. The automated analysis and self-repair features can provide a valuable offering towards a stable and secure SharePoint implementation.