Microsoft Operations Manager 2000 (MOM) can forward alerts from one configuration group to another. Alert forwarding can provide MOM functionality to an organization's regional areas, while allowing a central administrative group to monitor alerts from the entire network. Alert forwarding enables Consolidators in one configuration group to send alerts to another configuration group, creating an efficient hierarchical alert management structure for large enterprise networks.
The central configuration group, the group to which alerts are forwarded, is called the master configuration group. Configuration groups that forward alerts to the master configuration group are called zone configuration groups.
Consolidators in a zone configuration group forward all alerts from their associated Agent Manager's managed computers to the master configuration group. Only alerts, and their associated events, are forwarded. Performance data and computer configuration data from the managed computers are not forwarded.
The following figure illustrates alert forwarding from two zone configuration groups to a master configuration group.
MOM inserts forwarded alerts and their associated events into both the zone and the master configuration group databases. You can manage alerts independently in both configuration groups. Changes you make to a zone alert's resolution status, owner assignment, or history do not affect that alert in the master configuration group. Changes you make to a master alert's resolution status, owner assignment, or history do not affect that alert in the zone configuration group. Duplicate alert suppression is also managed at each configuration group. Alerts are forwarded to the master configuration group before duplicate alert suppression runs.
Alert responses are also independent. The zone agent or Consolidator can carry out responses defined in the original processing rule. These responses are only carried out in the zone configuration group. When the alert is forwarded, alert processing rules in the master configuration group can apply a separate response. If you have a response for a forwarded alert that you want to run specifically in the master configuration group, you should define an alert processing rule for that alert response in the master configuration group, and specify to run the response on the Consolidator computer. If you specify to run the response on the agent computer, the response runs on the zone Consolidator computer.
Note
For an alert to be forwarded to the master configuration group, the processing rule that generated the alert must be installed in both zone and master configuration groups. You can ensure that the processing rule is in both configuration groups by installing the same Management Pack modules in both groups. If you create your own alert-generating processing rules, export the processing rules and import them into the other configuration group. If you do not export and import your processing rules, alert forwarding for those rules will not occur. You cannot simply create the same rules in both configuration groups.
If you create a processing rule in a zone configuration group, and this rule does not exist in the master configuration group, the response for the processing rule is carried out only in the zone configuration group. Processing rules that exist in a single configuration group allow you to manage those alerts locally. They are not forwarded to the master configuration group. Processing rules that exist only in the master configuration group can be managed locally, as well.
The zone Consolidator forwards alerts through its local agent to the master configuration group Consolidator, and then through the master Data Access Server (DAS) to the master database. Alert delivery through the agent is assured.
For more information about configuring alert forwarding, see the Installation Guide.