INF: How to Run NetMon Based on a Specific Error Occurring

ID: Q198473


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5
  • Microsoft SQL Server, Enterprise Edition, version 6.5
  • Microsoft SQL Server, Small Business Server Edition, version 7.0


SUMMARY

This article discusses a method to trigger the Network Monitor (NetMon) utility to run based on a specific error happening. You can set up SQL Enterprise Manager to respond automatically to SQL Server events, either by executing a task that you have defined or by sending an e-mail and/or a pager message to an operator that you have specified.


MORE INFORMATION

The example included in the procedure below will start the NetMon utility based on the SQL Server logging a user-defined error message. This example will also use the Windows NT AT Scheduler. Because the Scheduler can only be defined with future events, the initial error message may not appear in the capture, but subsequent occurrences will be captured. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q192251 : How to Schedule a Task on a Remote Computer



The example included in the procedure below requires the Network Monitor tool to be installed on the same computer as SQL Server. NetMon will capture all network traffic between specific computers. For additional information about how to install NetMon or read NetMon traces, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q148942 : How to Capture Network Traffic with Network Monitor


How to automate running NetMon.exe based on a user defined error message

The example below is useful in capturing events that occur with a high frequency. To automate NetMon, perform the following steps. If you need additional information about how to accomplish any of the tasks below, refer to the appropriate topic in SQL Server Books Online.
  1. Create a new alert and supply the following values:
    
          Name: My Test alert
          Severity: 016 - Miscellaneous User Error
          Error Message Contains this text: << Text of message >>
          Tasks to Execute: Startup Netmon
    
          Optional: Alert Notification Message to send to Operator: "User
          Errors are occurring"
      


  2. Create a new task and supply the following values:
    
          Name: Startup Netmon
          Type: TSQL
          Database: your_database_here
          Command: exec RunNetmon
    
          Options: Write to the Windows NT application event log on failure
          NOTE: This check box is available in the New Task dialog box.
      


  3. Create a table with the following structure:
    
          CREATE TABLE dbo.TempTime
          (Sched_Time char (5) NOT NULL ,
          Last_run datetime NOT NULL)
      


  4. Create a stored procedure called "RunNetmon" using this code:
      
       create procedure RunNetmon
       as
    
       -- We may only want this stored procedure to run once on demand.
       -- If the error occurs frequently the following stored procedure will
       -- only allow it to run once in a day. Otherwise, this sample will start
       -- multiple sessions of Netmon.exe on the server.
    
       if  (select count(*) from TempTime
       where convert(char(8),Last_run,3)  = convert(char(8),getdate(),3)  ) = 0
    
       begin
       print'table is empty. Inserting row...'
    
       insert into TempTime (Sched_Time, Last_run) values (
       convert(char(2),datepart(hour,getdate() )) +":"  +
       convert(char(2),datepart(minute,getdate()) +1) ,getdate() )
    
       -- Adds 1 minute to the current time for the scheduled time.
       declare @mytime1 char(32)
       declare @mystring varchar(255)
    
       select @mytime1 =  (select Sched_Time from TempTime)
    
       -- Compose the scheduled task from NT AT scheduler
       select @mystring = "AT " + @mytime1 +
       " /interactive c:\winnt\system32\netmon\netmon.exe /buffersize:15728640
       /autostart"
    
       -- Load AT scheduler
       exec master..xp_cmdshell @mystring
    
       -- Display the current scheduled events
       exec master..xp_cmdshell "AT"
    
       end
       else
       print 'This stored procedure has already run today. '
     


Additional query words: prodsql Trigger Unable to read Login packet

Keywords : SSrvAdmin SSrvErr_Log SSrvStProc
Version : WINDOWS:7.0; WINNT:6.5
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: April 17, 1999
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