Setting Up Central Auto-Reaction Methods 

Use

In the monitoring architecture, you can react automatically to an alert using auto-reaction methods. These methods are automatically started in the case of an alert and by default are executed in the system in which the alert occurs.

As of SAP Web Application Server 6.10, you can define central auto-reaction methods in the monitoring architecture in the context of the central monitoring of mySAP.com components. The auto-reaction methods are not started in the system, in which the alert occurs, but rather in the central monitoring system. In this way, it is possible for reactions to events that occur in monitored components to be performed immediately in a central location.

Prerequisites

·        The central monitoring system (abbreviated to CEN in the following) has a release status of at least SAP Web Application Server 6.10.

·        The monitored SAP components have a release status of at least release 4.6B with a kernel as of 4.6D AKK patch level 692.

·        The monitored SAP components are connected to CEN using the CCMS agent SAPCCM4X. The agent must have a release status of at least version 6.10.

You can determine the version of the CCMS agent by calling it with the option -v (such as: sapccm4x -v). The version is the number after the term kernel (Such as: 20010110, compiled at Aug 19 2001, kernel 6100_0_104 platform 00230_32bit).

Monitored SAP components with SAP R/3 3.1 and systems and components that are centrally linked using the SAPCCMSR agent (such as values in the Operating System Monitor) formally belong to CEN (see Monitoring SAP R/3 3.x Systems). Therefore, auto-reaction methods can always be started centrally here. You can therefore find the relevant MTE classes in the list of the MTE classes of CEN.

Constraints

You cannot assign any central auto-reaction methods to the MTE classes that belong to the application servers of CEN as described below. In this case, use the conventional assignment using a local auto-reaction method.

Procedure

Perform all configuration steps for the central auto-reaction method only in CEN.

...

       1.      Choose CCMS ® Configuration ® Alert Monitor, or call transaction RZ21.

       2.      The Monitoring: Properties and Methods screen appears. Choose Technical Infrastructure ® Method Execution ® Assign Central Auto-Reactions.

       3.      The Maintain Central Auto-Reactions screen appears. On this screen, you can perform all work steps to define, assign, and edit central auto-reaction methods. A normal first step is to create a central auto-reaction method from an existing (local) auto-reaction method and to then assign this to the desired MTE class in the desired system. You can make the following settings:

Creating, Editing, or Deleting a Central Auto-Reaction Method

You can execute any auto-reaction method centrally that is defined as an auto-reaction method in the central system. The method does not need to be known in the monitored system.

You can also use the predefined auto-reaction methods of the monitoring architecture for this. These are, for example:

·        Automatic Alert Notification

·        Automatic Execution of Operating System Commands

To have an existing auto-reaction method executed centrally, follow the procedure below:

       4.      In the Defined Central Auto-Reactions subwindow, choose Create (). On the following dialog screen, enter the desired auto-reaction method in the input field next to the Create with Template button, or use the input help, which provides a list of all released auto-reaction methods. Choose Create with Template.

You can also use an existing central auto-reaction method as a template for a new auto-reaction method. To do this, select the desired method in the Defined Central Auto-Reaction subscreen and choose Copy ().

       5.      The Monitoring: Methods screen appears. The settings are copied from the template, with the exception that the indicator Only in central system, triggered by CCMS agent is activated in the Execute Method group box of the Control tab page. Therefore, you do not usually need to change the settings, other than to enter a name for the central auto-reaction method.

       6.      Save your entries. The system then displays the method immediately in the Defined Central Auto-Reactionssubscreen.

To create a new central auto-reaction method, follow the procedure below:

...

       1.      In the Defined Central Auto-Reactions subwindow, choose Create (). In the following dialog screen, enter the desired name for the method in the input field next to the Create button and choose Create.

       2.      The Monitoring: Methods screen appears. Enter the desired settings for the method (for more information about creating auto-reaction methods, see Defining, Releasing, and Transporting Methods) and ensure that you activate the radio button Only in central system, triggered by CCMS agent.

       3.      Save your entries. The system then displays the method immediately in the Defined Central Auto-Reactionssubscreen.

To edit a central auto-reaction method, follow the procedure below:

...

       1.      In the Defined Central Auto-Reaction Methods subscreen, select the desired method and choose Edit.

       2.      The Monitoring: Methods screen appears. Make the desired changes to the method definition and ensure that the selection field Only in central system, triggered by CCMS agent is activated.

       3.      Save your changes.

To delete a central auto-reaction method, follow the procedure below:

...

       1.      In the Defined Central Auto-Reaction Methods subscreen, select the desired method and choose Delete ().

       2.      Confirm that you want to delete the method. If the method is used in an assignment, the system will also inform you of this, and ask whether you want to delete the method and all of its assignments.

Assigning a Central Auto-Reaction Method

Enter the MTE classes and system to which you want to assign a central auto-reaction method. The system checks the assignment regularly.

...

       1.      In the System ID subscreen, select the desired systems, and the desired MTE classes in teh MTE Class subscreen, to which you want to assign a central auto-reaction method. You can always select multiple systems and MTE classes.

Different systems usually have different MTE classes. After calling the function, the MTE classes of the local system are displayed first. To include the MTE classes of other systems in the list, select the desired systems and choose MTE Classes of System (). The system then displays the MTE classes of the selected system in the list of MTE classes.

       2.      In the Defined Central Auto-Reactions subscreen, select the desired method that you want to assign to the selected MTE classes of the selected systems.

       3.      Choose Assign Central Auto-Reaction Method (₎. The system then immediately displays the corresponding assignments in the lower subscreen.

Perform these steps for all desired central auto-reaction methods.

Assigning a Central Auto-Reaction Method from the Alert Monitor

In practice, of the procedures described here, you will use the assignment of MTE classes to a central auto-reaction method most frequently. To make this procedure simpler, you can also call it directly from the Alert Monitor (transaction RZ20).

...

       1.      Start the Alert Monitor by calling transaction RZ20.

       2.      Activate the maintenance functions by choosing Extras ® Activate Maintenance Functions.

       3.      Expand the monitor set that contains the monitor that you require, and choose Load Monitor, or double-click the desired monitor.

       4.      Select the MTEs to whose MTE classes you want to assign a central auto-reaction method, and choose Edit ® Node (MTE) ® Assignment ® Central Auto-Reaction Method.

In this way, you can also very quickly assign a central auto-reaction to all MTE classes of performance attributes in a monitor. To do this, select all nodes by choosing Edit ®Selections ®Select ®All nodes (MTE), before switching to the administration of central auto-reactions.

       5.      The Central Auto-Reactions screen appears. The desired systems and MTE classes are selected, meaning that you now only need to select the desired method.

       6.      Choose Assign Central Auto-Reaction Method (₎. The system then immediately displays the corresponding assignments in the lower subscreen.

Deleting an Assignment of a Central Auto-Reaction Method

In the lower subscreen, the system displays the existing assignments of central auto-reaction methods. To delete assignments, select one or more rows of this table and choose Delete Assignment ().

The central auto-reaction methods are always started under the user in the client that activated the central method dispatcher (to do this, choose Technical Infrastructure ®Method Execution ®Activate Central System Dispatching in transaction RZ21). As the client is also of great importance for automatic alert notification, ensure that you are in the client from which the mails are to be sent when you activate the central system dispatching.

If you have activated the central system dispatching using the wrong user or in the wrong client, first deactivate it by deleting the job SAP_CCMS_CENSYS_DISPATCHER in transaction SM37. The job is controlled by the event SAP_CSM_TRIGGER_CENSYS_DISPATCH. Then reactivate the central system dispatching using the correct user in the desired client.

Result

Alerts in the assigned MTE classes of the monitored systems now trigger an auto-reaction in the central monitoring system.

Questions and Answers

Can I see whether a central auto-reaction method is assigned to an MTE in the monitored system?

Yes. In the Alert Monitor, select the desired MTE and choose Display Details (). The system displays the Monitoring Attributes - Detail Data screen. In the General Details list, look for the Definition Status column. For a central auto-reaction method, AL_TD_DEF_CEN_CHECKED is entered here. Use the Technical View: Status Autoreaction, to find out whether a local or central auto-reaction method is set for the nodes of a monitor, and if so, which method is set.

If I assign an auto-reaction centrally and then also enter an auto-reaction method locally in the monitored system, what happens?

CEN will reconcile the data through the agent connection after an hour at most. The locally assigned method is overwritten by the centrally assigned method.

Can I see in CEN whether alerts are waiting for central processing?

Yes. The alert data is stored in the table CSMCENTOOL until it is processed.