Because all modules are loaded into a group containing the same list of servers, it is easy to monitor different kinds of data (for example, a set of laboratory servers).
To run Sentinel
Locate the directory where you copied Sentinel.exe.
Double-click Sentinel.exe to start the Sentinel program.
The following figure illustrates the type of information displayed in Sentinel:
As this figure shows, there are two modules: Objects.pfm (a Performance module) and Generic.svc (a Service module) loaded into the My Lab server group, and one module loaded into My Office. In addition, the Parport service is running on all servers in My Lab, and there are 252 event objects being used on the server MT02. MT05 is not connected, probably due to permissions or network problems.
As mentioned earlier, a server group contains a list of servers that are accessible to Sentinel through a network. Each server name specified in Sentinel must match the network name configured in the Control Panel Network icon on that server.
Each of the three module types in Sentinel gathers a different type of data:
To configure a Sentinel Service module
Start the Sentinel program.
In the Browser pane, right-click, and then choose Group, New.
Type a name (such as My Office) for the server groupyou are creating, and then choose OK.
Right-click the name of the group you just typed, and then choose New Server.
Type a server name, and then choose OK.
Right-click the group, and then choose New Module.
Select Service Module from the list, and then choose OK.
Your screen should appear as follows:
To select the services you want monitored by the Service module
From the Edit menu, choose Add Service. You can select a service that you want to browse, or you can type a service name.
Type a display name for the service. This name is displayed in the Sentinel grid.
Repeat the first two steps as necessary to list all services you want to monitor.
The figure below illustrates how you can set options in the Service tab if:
The following figure illustrates how the Sentinel Service module displays this information:
The following colored indicators notify you of your service's status:
| Stopped |
| Started |
| Paused |
| Unknown (network problems, lack of permissions, or service doesn't exist) |
To update status or to control the indicated services
To save the module for future use
Sentinel can distribute data it has collected from remote computers. This tool supports two types of remote data:
To enable database output, you must have DAO installed on the computer on which Sentinel is running. DAO is available in Microsoft Office and in other applications.
To create database output
From the Workspace menu, choose Data Output, and then select Database.
Select Output.
Browse to select a Microsoft Access database name, or type the name of the database.
The database can be manipulated from within Microsoft Access. Database format details will be published in the next update of the Sentinel tool.
Sentinel supports WinSock output of all data collected through a WinSock server mechanism. Sample WinSock clients for Sentinel will be made available in the near future. Several sample clients were created to:
