ELM Database Management

ELM supports Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 complete with the free introductory versions for archiving and reporting. Depending on the edition of ELM you're running, the database contains alerts, events, knowledge base articles and performance data. ELM can also manage the database for you by pruning old events or by aggregating and pruning collected performance data.

ELM stores a variety of information in its database:

• Alerts
• Events generated by ELM Server and Agents
• Software Inventory (Enterprise Manager Only)
• Event Log Records (Enterprise Manager and Log Manager only)
• SNMP Traps (Enterprise Manager and Log Manager only)
• Syslog Messages (Enterprise Manager and Log Manager only)
• Knowledge Base Articles (Enterprise Manager and Log Manager only)
• Performance Data (Enterprise Manager and Performance Manager only)

 

During Setup, a Wizard will launch for the creation of the database. In addition, event retention periods may be set (e.g., how long collected events remain in your database). By default, ELM is pre-configured at installation with the following data retention defaults:

• Errors are pruned at 3 weeks (applies to Alerts and Events)
• Warnings are pruned at 2 weeks
• Informational events are pruned at 1 week
• Audit Failure data is pruned at 4 weeks
• Audit Success data is pruned at 2 weeks

 

Any other value (e.g., 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 30 days, 1 year, etc.) may be specified.

First, an empty database to contain the collected data must be created. Thereafter, the appropriate tables and indices will be created automatically.

Reporting

ELM includes a robust reporting engine that enables administrators to create and schedule reports without requiring any additional software. Reports in ELM uses ASP.Net to produce and manage reports. Predefined reports are grouped into categories for easy reference. Reports can be viewed through the Console or a web browser. The URL to the Reports folder is defined during setup by specifying the name of the virtual directory.

All reports are stored in the Reports container in the ELM Console. This container, as well as individual reports, support the application of Windows Access Control Lists (ACLs). You can secure the entire container, or secure individual reports.