How to Monitor Exchange 2010 Environment using System Center Essentials 2007 SP1 and up

Recently I needed to configured system center essentials for monitoring Exchange 2010 environment and there is a few tasks to complete for it to work and its very similar to SCOM config.

Prerequisites:

1.      System Center Essentials 2007 SP1 and UP

2.      Monitoring Agent installed and updated on all exchange 2010 servers in the organization.

3.      Exchange 2010 Management Pack - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=7150bfed-64a4-42a4-97a2-07048cca5d23&displaylang=en

4.      SCE Agent Update for exchange 2010 -  For Operations Manager 2007 SP1, install KB 971541 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=167911) For Operations Manager 2007 R2, install KB 974144 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=167912)

Process:

1.      After deploying SCE agent to all exchange 2010 servers in the organization check for pending agent updates on the exchange 2010 server on SCE console go to administration -> Device Management -> Pending  Management and search for the exchange 2010 servers object, if there is any exchange server agent waiting for update approve the update deployment by right click on the object and Approve.

2.      on each exchange server 2010 object in SCE allow agent proxy, go to administration -> device management -> agent managed right click on each exchange server -> properties -> security TAB and enable "Allow this agent to act as proxy and discover managed objects on other computers"

3.      Installing Exchange 2010 management pack, go to administration -> on the action panel -> import management pack -> on the opened wizard - > Add - > from disk -> choose the management pack from the location u have extract it after download.

4.      Mack sure that the management pack for exchange 2010 is listed on the management pack list

5.      On each exchange 2010 server install the SCE monitoring update for Exchange 2010, double click on the downloaded update -> an installation weird will start press on "Agent Update"

6.      Restart SCE agent on each exchange server, go to Services.msc - > restart OpsManager agent service.

7.      Check if all exchange servers are monitoring the exchange application, go to monitoring -> Microsoft Exchange Server -> Exchange 2010 -> Server state. Mack sure all the exchange servers in the organization are listed.