remote monitoring of windows 2003 server using performance monitor

Hi all....I'm trying to figure out how I can monitor my Windows 2003 Server using Performance Monitor on my laptop. I am working on a number of performance-related issues and am concerned that, especially for CPU tests, the PerfMon may be having an impact. As my server is temperamental at the best of times, I really don't want to upset it anymore than necessary. When I go through everything I see in my PerfMon, there's nothing I can see that can point me to the server. Now, it is possible that I've missed something as I've not had much coffee yet this morning (it is after all only 6 a.m.), but I'd appreciate your help...
I'm running WinXP Pro 5.1.2600.
Thanks for your help!
Chris

 

darth.pathos / Chris

Since no one else has posted - I will try to find out what you are doing and see if I may be of some small service.

I help an Admin access and do some things on Win 2003 and 2007 servers.
I am not an admin - not even close - but have some 2k3 and AD / RDC experience.
Don't know much about PerfMon - and its readings etc.
Have looked at it and tried some monitoring a while back.

But my question is - are you able to connect via RDC and wanting to know more about Perfmon use? Or are you asking how to connect so you can then use PerfMon?

Thanks
Chronk

 

Hey Chronk,
Thanks for replying. I am able to connect using RDC, and am listed as an admin on the server. My concern is that the server seems to be having a lot of problems, and I need to figure out why. In doing some basic testing, my CPU for example seems to be going crazy at really odd times (2 a.m. in the morning, as an example). We are a 24 / 7 operation, but there's maybe 6 people in the application "off hours", so seeing the CPU spiking doesn't make a lot of sense to me. While I was running PerfMon the other night, a thought occurred to me that maybe the PerfMon itself was impacting the CPU and potentially causing some of these spikes/peaks. I did a quick google search and have found some blogs advising to use PerfMon from another computer - so running it from my Laptop, monitoring my server. I just can't figure out how to do this, and none of the sites I read described how to do this. Basically I want to run PerfMon to monitor the server, but not run PerfMon on the server.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply......
Chris

 

darth.pathos,

I'm not sure if if will save on processing to monitor perfmon from your computer to the server - I found the following by doing a search for "remote" in perfmon's help.
Choosing the computer to use for monitoring
When monitoring computers remotely, you have some options for how to collect data.
...Centralized data collection (that is, collection on a local computer from remote computers that you are monitoring) ...However, it causes additional network traffic and might be restricted by available memory on the administrator's computer...

But as for how to implement it, hopefully this will help.

I was not able to access one of the servers I normally connect to (from home).
I am thinking if my home computer was a member of the domain it may?
I am really not sure and in my searches so far have not been able to do what you are wanting to do.

To add an item to a new MMC console for a remote computer

Click Start, click Run, type mmc, and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in, and then click Add.
Under Snap-in, double-click the item you want to add, and do the following:

Click Another computer, type the name of the computer you want this snap-in to manage, and then click Finish.
If a wizard appears, follow the instructions on the screen.
To add another item to the console, repeat step 3.
Notes

If a snap-in does not appear in the list, you must first install the program, device, or service administered by the snap-in on the remote computer.
If a dialog box or a wizard does not appear in step 3, you can only use the console item to administer your local computer.
If a console is saved to the per-user Administrative Tools folder (located at systemdrive\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools), it is then available in the Administrative Tools folder on the Programs menu.
To make an item subordinate to an item in the tree other than the console root, click the appropriate item in Snap-ins added to before you click Add in step 2.
Edit/Delete Message

 

Hey Chronk...Thank you so much for your help! I also cannot see my server from home, but I'll probably be going into work later today so will try it then. I'll post back if your tip works...thanks again for your time!
Chris