Updates (1/31/2009) - A couple of important notes where hotfixes are concerned.

• Critical Post-SP1 Hotfixes - Kevin Holman has agreed to keep a list of post-SP1 OpsMgr hotfixes up to date HERE. I agree with his methodology of applying latest hotfixes that supercede previous fixes. This minimizes the time spent applying hotfixes. Rather than duplicate his work, I’ll leave this note in place.
• Workaround for hotfix installation issue - As mentioned below, there are some fixes that are not applied correctly, but report they have. While that problem is supposed to be fixed any day now, until then use the workaround to force application HERE.

In doing some cleanup work in a couple of environments where customers are having issues, I have run into a couple of situations where missing post-SP1 hotfixes resulted in serious performance issues. Here are some thoughts on the topic, and some guidance in determining if the fixes were installed successfully.

Of greatest concern is how you are checking to see if the update was applied successfully. I’ve recently had a  couple of critical hotfixes report success but then discovered the fix was not really in place. That being said, running a WMI query or checking the Operational DB for a list of installed hotfixes is not always accurate.

A script sample is provided below to help you more accurately retrieve some of the critical DLL files and their versions.

NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, these notes are applicable to Essentials 2007 as well.

When installing hotfixes, ALWAYS perform the following actions

• Always read directions - Some hotfixes update DLL files, and others  provide Mgmt Pack updates (as with 951979) that you must import to affect the desired change. Be sure you understand which roles (agent, server, database) require installation of the hotfix.
• Always check file versions - For fixes that update .DLL files, we need to actually check the file system and make sure files were actually updated. I have seen more than one environment
• Check Pending Management - More than one of the critical post-SP1 fixes applies an update that must be applied to the agent as well. The agents requiring the update will appear in Pending Management for your  approval.

Important Post-SP1 Hotfixes

For All Environments

• 951979 - Problems occur on a management server that is running System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 when certain management packs are installed. Key File Updates: Delivers 4 mgmt packs (installed in the %programfiles%\System Center Hotfix  Utility\951979 directory that you must import.
  • Comments: This resolves several issues, including that annoying Performance Module cannot… that was introduced with SP1.
• 954903 - The Monitoringhost.exe process may consume all the CPU resources when a large amount of performance data is created by using a managed data source module in System Center Operations Manager 2007. This MP includes hotfixes 950853 and 951380. Key File Update: Mommodules.dll 6.0.6278.36 
  • Comments: I’ve seen a SQL cluster in a critical state returned to health with the application of this fix.
• 956240 - The SQL Server process may consume lots of CPU resources on the server that hosts the Operations Manager 2007 database after you make Operations Manager 2007 configuration changes. Key File Updates: Microsoft.mom.dataaccesslayer.dll  6.0.6278.37956689 - Web Application Template Wizard does not use specified RunAs account for Proxy authentication.Key File Updates: Momnetworkmodules.dll   6.0.6278.41
  • Comments: This contains a critical fix for a condition triggered by SNMP discovery that can crash the health service on your RMS or Essentials Server!

If you have Windows 2008 Servers in an OpsMgr Server or Agent Role

954049 - Description of the hotfix rollup package for System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 and for System Center Essentials 2007 Service Pack 1: July 25, 2008. Key File Updates: This rollup updates several files. Check the KB for a complete list.

If you have Connected Management Groups (not applicable to Essentials 2007)

956423- Reconnecting a management group with Tiering scenario sets incorrect MG

Key File Update: Microsoft.enterprisemanagement.operationsmanager.dll  6.0.6278.40

Checking for Successful Installation

I think it’s too much work to try and retrieve hotfix info via WMI or from the Operational database, when what we really care about is the file version - which is the only way we REALLY know many of these hotfixes are applied successfully.

File Versions Checklist

Here are the key files you’re looking for, and their version numbers.

• Mommodules.dll 6.0.6278.36 
• Microsoft.mom.dataaccesslayer.dll  6.0.6278.37
• Momnetworkmodules.dll   6.0.6278.41 
• Microsoft.enterprisemanagement.operationsmanager.dll  6.0.6278.40 (in Connected Mgmt Groups only)
• 954049 rollup - See the KB for a complete list

Script Sample: File Version Retrieval

This script could be easily be dressed up to run as a 2-state monitor to verify critical files are up to the desired revisions. This sample can be saved as a .VBS site and run from a command prompt to retrieve file versions of files listed above. Update the PATH to reflect the installation path of the OpsMgr or Essentials Agent or Server components on the target system.

dim strfiles, filesys, filetxt, getname, PATH

PATH = “c:\program files\System Center Operations Manager 2007\”
strfiles = “Mommodules.dll,Microsoft.mom.dataaccesslayer.dll,Momnetworkmodules.dll,Microsoft.enterprisemanagement.operationsmanager.dll  6.0.6278.40″

Set filesys = CreateObject(”Scripting.FileSystemObject”)

ArrayOfValues = Split(strfiles,”,”)

For Each filename In ArrayOfValues 
strTargetFile = filesys.GetAbsolutePathName( path & filename )
getname = filesys.GetFileName(strTargetFile)
version = filesys.GetFileVersion(strTargetFile)
WScript.Echo “Name:” & FileName & “, Version:” & version
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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 31st, 2009 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Essentials 2007, News, Operations Manager 2007. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.