Hello Readers,
Recently I have been doing a lot of proactive monitoring of Lync 2013 to better my understanding of common SCOM/Lync Errors you may come across in the field. So in this post I will at the post of installing and configuring a Lync Watcher Node.
First of all we need to fulfil the recommended hardware minimum spec provided by Microsoft
CPU
One of the following:
- 64-bit processor, quad-core, 2.33 GHz or higher
- 64-bit 2-way processor, dual-core, 2.33 GHz or higher
Memory
- 8 GB
Network operating system
- 1 network adapter 1 Gbps
- Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, or
Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows Features
- The full version of .NET Framework 4.5.
- Windows Identity Foundation.
- Windows PowerShell 3.0.
Also you need a working SCOM Server with the Lync 2013 Management Packs install. If you dont have a working SCOM Server then check out one of my previous articles. The Complete Home Lync Lab: Part 5 Installing System Center Operation Manager 2012 R2
My Lab machine LW01.lyncme.local will be running Windows 2012 R2 with required Windows Features.
Once you have all you pre-requisites insert the Lync 2013 Media into the server. We only need to install the Core Lync Files.
Now insert your Lync Media and Run Setup.exe
Click Yes –> Click Yes
Click Install
Tick “I accept the terms” –> Press OK –> Once installation is complete you will be welcomed by the below window
Press Exit
We now need to install the System Center Agent and this can be done by publishing the Agent from SCOM. Launch Operations Console
Click Administration –> Right Click Device Management –> Click Discovery Wizard
Click Windows Computers –> Press Next
Tick Automatic computer discovery –> Press Next
Select Other User Account –> Enter Account Details for a Domain Administrator –> Press Discover
Select your Lync Watcher Node –> Press Next
Please Note: If your Windows Firewall is enabled you will not be able to discover your server
Press Finish
Once installation has completed, Press Close
We now need to configure the Lync Watcher Node as Proxy for Alerts in SCOM. The reason for this can be found on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj205118.aspx
Topic Last Modified: 2012-10-20
Because Lync Server 2013 does not use the central discovery process used in Microsoft Lync Server 2010, each Lync Server 2013 computer that you want to monitor must be able to self-report its existence to the management server. To make this possible, you must install the Operations Manager agent files on each of the computers to be monitored. After the agent files have been installed, you must configure the computer to act as a System Center proxy. Note that these procedures should be carried out after you have installed and configured Lync Server on these computers.
This is done by the following
Click Administration –> Click Agent Managed –> Right Click your Lync Watcher Node –> Press Properties
Press Security Tab –> Tick Allow this agent to act as a proxy and discover managed objects on other computers –> Press Apply –> Press OK
Warning: Now this is the part that will take a lot of time. SCOM will now go out and do health checks on the Lync Environment and this can take some time.
Launch Lync Management Shell or Windows Powershell on Your Lync Watcher Node
Enter New-CsTrustedApplicationPool -Identity “Your Watcher Node Name” -Registrar “Your Lync Pool Name” -ThrottleAsServer $True -TreatAsAuthenticated $True -OutboundOnly $False -RequiresReplication $True -ComputerFqdn “Your Watcher Node Name” -Site “Your Lync Site Name”
Enter New-CsTrustedApplication –ApplicationId “FriendlyName” -TrustedApplicationPoolFqdn “Your Watcher Node Name” -Port 5061
Enter Enable-CsTopology
To verify that the new trusted application has been created Enter Get-CsTrustedApplication -Identity ”Your Lync Watcher Node/urn:application:FriendlyName”
The Lync Watcher Node now needs a Lync Certificate
Launch Deployment Wizard on the Lync Watcher Node
Under Step 1: Install Local Configuration Store, Click Run
Press Next –> Press Finish once complete
Under Step 2: Setup or Remove Lync Server Components, Click Run
Press Next –> Press Finish –> You wont get a Completed Tick against this Step as theres no components for Lync Watcher Node
Under Step 3: Request, Install or Assign Certificates, Click Run
Press Request
Press Next –> Press Next –> Press Next –> Press Next –> Press Next
Enter a Friendly Name, Press Next
Enter Organization –> Enter Organization Unit –> Press Next
Specify Country/Region –> Enter State –> Enter City –> Press Next
Press Next –> Press Next –> Press Next –> Press Next
Press Next –> Press Finish
Press Next –> Press Next
Press Finish
Once complete press Close
Under Step 4: Start Services, Click Run
We now need to run WatcherNode.msi on your Lync Watcher Node, you can download it http://1drv.ms/1qhtObq
Launch Lync Server Management Shell, type the following command and then press ENTER (specify the actual path to your copy of Watchernode.msi):
Please Note: Command Authentication=TrustedServer is case-sensitive
Tick “I Accept the terms in the License Agreement” –> Press Install
Press Finish
Configure Synthetic Transactions
From the Watcher Node you need to Lync Management Shell or Windows Powershell will do. Enter the following command
New-CsWatcherNodeConfiguration -TargetFqdn “fe01.lyncme.local” -PortNumber 5061 -TestUsers @{Add= “sip:svc.watch1@lyncme.co.uk”,”sip:svc.watch2@lyncme.co.uk”}
TargetFqdn needs to be you Lync Pool and you will need a minimum of two test users
As you can see from below Watcher has now been enabled for all the services that are available in my Lync.
This post was based on Trusted Server Authentication there are more additional commands for Credential Authentication
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj205314.aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj205152.aspx
If you have configured Watcher as per this post you should intensely see errors within SCOM
This is because the test accounts are not configured as Lync Users. You need to ensure the test accounts are Lync Users within your environment then the errors will clear on next check.
This concludes this blog post
Andrew Price