I am trying to manuall create Threshold Files from existing Data Collection Set (DCS) Templates using the information contained in http://blogs.technet.com/b/clinth/archive/2013/01/08/how-to-create-a-threshold-file-for-the-pal-tool.aspx.
Several of the templates I am working with selected "All Counters" for certain categories in PerfMon.
The "All Counters" option in the "Add Counters" dialog in PAL is always greyed out. I played with editing a DCS Template XML file, extracting an "All" (i.e. \Network Interface(*)\*) value and then manually pasting this in. PAL took it, but this is very tedious having to already reproduce the templates in PAL threshold files.
How can the "All Counters" be enabled?
Also, there are Categories that are available in PerfMon on my servers that do not show up when I remotely connect to them via the "Browse Counters". Are there any limitations/settings that would create this circumstance?
Thanks in advance for any help regrading these questions,
Frank
Comments: ** Comment from web user: ClintH **
Hi Frank,
Thank you for the feedback.
A PAL analysis must have a primary counter such as \Processor(*)\% Processor Time. Multiple counters such as \Processor(*)\* cannot be selected because the tool is not designed to parse all of the counters in that say. This is because each counter measures different things. For example, \Processor(*)\% Processor Time will be analyzed differently than \Processor(*)\% User Time.
So, for each counter you want analyzed, create a separate PAL analysis.
Also, keep in mind that you can inherit from other thresholds files. There is no need to cover \Network Interface(*)\Total Bytes/sec because it is already covered in the Quick System Overview threshold file. You can just inherit from other threshold files and all of those threshold will be inherited to your threshold file. With this in mind, focus on the counter that are specific to your threshold file.
I have a blog entry that describes how to create a threshold file in PAL. I hope this helps.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/clinth/archive/2013/01/08/how-to-create-a-threshold-file-for-the-pal-tool.aspx
Thank you,