INF: How to Run NetMon Based on a Specific Error Occurring (198473)

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.

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:

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. '