There are many ways to verify that a Microsoft Exchange mail server is running. You can check mail delivery, tcp-ports, services and more. No single test will provide a complete picture of the status of your Exchange-server, hence this how-to will describe how to combine several tests to have a reliable set of services that together provide the complete picture of the exchange servers status.

This how-to primarily covers how to Monitor Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. We assume you already have the latest op5 Windows agent NSClient++ installed and running on your Exchange-server.

Configuring the tests/services

The test we will configure are:

• Checking standard Exchange-related network services
• Checking your mail system end-to-end using check_email_delivery
• Checking Exchange core win32-services
• Checking Exchange-related performance counters

Checking standard Exchange-related network services

Scan the host (your Exchange-server) the web-gui-function ‘Scan host for generic network based services’. Select the services you want to Monitor, for example pop, imap, smtp, and https.

Checking your mail system end-to-end using check_email_delivery

Add a new check-command:

command_name: check_email_delivery

command_line: $USER1$/check_email_delivery –plugin “/opt/plugins/check_smtp_send -H $ARG1$ –mailto $ARG2$ –mailfrom $ARG3$ -U $ARG4$ -P $ARG5$ –header ‘Subject: op5 Monitor Test'” –plugin “/opt/plugins/check_imap_receive -H $ARG6$ -U $ARG4$ -P $ARG5$ -s SUBJECT -s ‘op5 Monitor Test’
This new check-command requires that you supply six check_command_args in your servicedefinition as following:
ARG1: smtp server hostname/ip
ARG2: to-address
ARG3: from-address
ARG4: user account
ARG5: user password
ARG6: imap server hostname/ip

Configure an example service:

service_name: Email Delivery
check_command: check_email_delivery
check_command_args:smtp.domain.com!op5-user@domain.com !op5-user@domain.com!op5-user!secret!imap.domain.com

Checking Exchange core win32-services

Depending on the role of the exchange server, create the one that corresponds best with our exchange server

Configure the new service:

service_name: Exchange Core Services
check_command: $USER1$/check_nrpe -H $HOSTADDRESS$ -c CheckServiceState -a ShowAll $ARG1$
check_command_args:
MSExchangeIS,MSExchangeTransport,MSExchangeSA,MSExchangeMailSubmission,W3SVC
service_name: Exchange FrontEnd Services
check_command: $USER1$/check_nrpe -H $HOSTADDRESS$ -c CheckServiceState -a ShowAll $ARG1$
check_command_args: MSExchangeSA,MSExchangeADTopology,MSExchangeRPC,W3SVC
service_name: Exchange Edge Transport Services
check_command: $USER1$/check_nrpe -H $HOSTADDRESS$ -c CheckServiceState -a ShowAll $ARG1$
check_command_args: MSExchangeADTopology,ADAM_MSExchange,MSExchangeTransport
Note: Take a look at Microsoft Technet for a complete list of Exchange services.

Checking Exchange-related performance counters

Since Exchange win32-services can be reported as running even though they’re not doing their work, we want to even check some of the most important performance counters. This will act as an early warning system for Exchange problems.

Configure the new services:

service_name: Messages in all Queues
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: MSExchangeTransport Queues(_total)Aggregate Delivery Queue Length(All Queues)!MaxWarn=3000 MaxCrit=5000
Comment: Shows the number of messages queued for delivery in all queues. Threshold: Should be less than 3,000 and not more than 5,000.
service_name: Messages not yet processed
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: MSExchangeIS Mailbox(_Total)Messages Queued for Submission!MaxWarn=40 MaxCrit=50
Comment: Shows the current number of submitted messages not yet processed by the transport layer. Threshold: Should be below 50 at all times. Shouldn’t be sustained for more than 15 minutes.
service_name: Messages Submitted per Second
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: MSExchangeTransport Queues(_total)Messages Submitted Per Second!MaxWarn=100 MaxCrit=200
Comment: Shows the number of messages queued in the Submission queue per second. Determines current load. Compare values to historical baselines.  Threshold: –
service_name: Messages Delivery per Second
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: MSExchangeTransport Queues(_total)Messages Completed Delivery Per Second!MaxWarn=100 MaxCrit=200
Comment:  Shows the number of messages delivered per second. Determines current load. Compare values to historical baselines.   Threshold: –
service_name: Messages Average bytes
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: MSExchangeTransport SmtpReceive(_total)Average bytes/message!MaxWarn=300 MaxCrit=500
Comment:  Shows the average number of message bytes per inbound message received. Determines sizes of messages being received for an SMTP receive connector.   Threshold: –
service_name: Messages Received per Sec
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: “\MSExchangeTransport SmtpReceive(_total)\Messages Received/sec”!MaxWarn=500 MaxCrit=1000
Comment:  Shows the number of messages received by the SMTP server each second. Determines current load. Compare values to historical baselines.   Threshold: –
service_name: Messages Sent per Sec
check_command: check_nrpe_win_counter
check_command_args: MSExchangeTransport SmtpSend(_total)Messages Sent/sec!MaxWarn=100 MaxCrit=200
Comment:  Shows the number of messages sent by the SMTP send connector each second. Determines current load. Compare values to historical baselines.   Threshold: –
Note: Take a look at Microsoft Technet for a complete list of Exchange performance counters.

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