- 6 minutes to read

Configure MSMQ Monitoring

Note

Before any monitoring and remote configuration can be performed, you must first install the Message Queueing Monitoring Agent and create a Monitoring Agent Configuration. First-time users start here.

From the MSMQ tab you can manage any number of MSMQ Servers; Each with its own set of properties.
To monitor and control one or more MSMQ Servers you must provide some basic connection details.
MSMQ Tab

Configuring the connection

Remember to click on the Save button to persist changes. It may take some time (depending on the user-defined synchronization interval) for Nodinite to reflect on changes.

Add MSMQ Server

Click the Add button to add a new MSMQ Server to monitor, repeat as needed.
png_MSMQAccordion

  • Click the Accordion to expand the connection configuration

png_MSMQBasic

  • Enable MSMQ monitoring - When checked this specific MSMQ configuration will be monitored
  • Configuration name - user-friendly name for this MSMQ connection. Also becomes the default Application name for all monitored Resources.
  • Description - (optional) user-friendly short description for this configuration.
  • Name or IP - The Host name or IPv4 address of MSMQ server used by the Message Queueing Monitoring Agent to connect to the MSMQ Server.

Remove MSMQ Server

Click the Remove button to remove the configuration for monitoring the MSMQ Server with queue Resources to Monitor.
Remove Button
Here's an example of the 'Remove' button to remove MSMQ Server configuration from monitoring

Instead of removing an MSMQ Server you can simply disable monitoring. This will keep your configuration.

Enable MSMQ Server

A disabled Monitoring Configuration is clearly marked with a ban sign. Only disabled servers can be Enabled.
Disabled MSMQ Server
Disabled MSMQ Server has a ban sign to mark the actual server being disabled

Click the checkbox to re-enable monitoring of MSMQ Server related Resources.
EnableMSMQMonitoring
MSMQ Server Monitoring is enabled when the checkbox is checked

Disable MSMQ Server

You can stop monitoring the MSMQ Server without removing the configuration by disabling the selected configuration. An enabled Monitoring Configuration does not have the ban sign. Only enabled MSMQ Servers can be Disabled.
EnabledMSMQserver
Enabled MSMQ Servers does not have a ban sign.

Un-check the checkbox to disable monitoring of MSMQ Server related Resources.

Included queues options

In the Advanced tab, you can select which type of queues to include in monitoring.

  • Get private queues - Get all private queues from server
  • Get public queues - Get all public queues from server. NOTE: MSMQ Agent must be installed on a domain joined Windows Server
  • Get system queues - Get system queues from server (Dead-letter, Transactional dead-letter and Journal)
    Advanced Tab
    Options for queues to include in monitoring

Thresholds tab

From within the Thresholds tab you can manage the following queue monitoring properties :

    1. Global - Default values used when not overridden by a specific setting
    1. Specific queue settings - Overrides global configuration on named queue
    1. Queue exclusion filter - use one or more RegEx expressions to remove queues you do not want to monitor

Service Bus Queue Thresholds Tab
Queue tab with global and specific thresholds.

You can provide different global thresholds for different configurations (e.g. different subscriptions).
Global Thresholds
Global thresholds for Azure Service Bus Queues

The following settings are available:

  • Queue thresholds:
    • Time-based evaluation
    • Number based evaluation
      • Count Evaluation Type
      • None
      • Fixed
      • Percent
      • Which comes first (both)

Time-based evaluation

Time-based evaluation is always evaluated. If you do not want to perform evaluation based on time then simply provide long enough thresholds.

State Name Data Type Description
Warning TimeSpan Timespan 00:05:00 (5 minutes) The age of first message on the queue to trigger Warning alert
Error TimeSpan Timespan 01:10:00 (1 hour 10 minutes) The age of first message on the queue to trigger Error alert

Count based evaluation

Count Evaluation Type
Here's an example of the Count Evaluation Type

None

If you select the None option for Count Evaluation Type then monitoring is not based on the number of messages in the queue.

Fixed

If you select the Fixed option for Count Evaluation Type then monitoring is based on the number of messages in the queue.

State Name Data Type Description
Warning Count integer The number of messages to go above on the queue to trigger Warning alert
Error Count integer The number of messages to go above on the queue to trigger Error alert
Percent

If you select the Percent option for Count Evaluation Type then monitoring is based on the quota set for the queue.

State Name Data Type Description
Warning Count Limit % integer The percentage to go above on the queue to trigger Warning alert
Error Count Limit % integer The percentage to go above on the queue to trigger Error alert
Which comes first (both)

If you select the Which comes first (both) option for Count Evaluation Type then monitoring is based on both Fixed and Percent.

Specific queue settings

You can provide specific thresholds for named service bus queues belonging for each subscription.
Specific Queue Thresholds
Add one or more named queues to provide specific settings

Each specific queue needs to be identified by its queue name. You can also provide a user-friendly description.
Specific Queue Configuration

Important

Private queues must be prefixed `private$'

The rest of the properties are the same as already described in the global configuration.

Tip

It is much easier to perform specific configurations using the Edit threshold menu item available on the Actions button in the list of queues (Resources) with Monitor Views with Remote Actions Option checked.

Queue exclusions filter

Resources can be excluded using a RegEx based filter. You can Add and Remove as many RegEx expressions as you like.

Example #1: Remove all queues that starts with the letter '_'

^[_].*

Filter Example #1
Example 1: Remove all queues starting with the letter '_'

You can also use the filter to remove everything that do not match your provided RegEx expression, like ^((?!ONLYLIKEMYNAME).)*$

Whenever you apply one or more filters the configuration accordion will reflect this by displaying a filter icon to help you know there is an exclusion filter being used.
Filter icon
Here's an example of filter icon whenever exclusions are configured

Important

We have had many support incidents with reports of missing queues due to this functionality. If you miss out a queue in your Monitor Views then first make sure your filters are not the ones responsible for this. Remember; With great power comes great responsibility


Next Step

Add or manage a Monitoring Agent Configuration
Install Message Queueing Monitoring Agent