http://www.quest.com/spotlight-on-windows/
Runs on: Windows 2000, XP, 2K3 (Vista/Server 2008?)
Do you like snazzy looking graphs, arrows, and flashing lights? If so, then Quest Spotlight on Windows is the tool for you!
I know, I know - after reading that first sentence, you're probably thinking that this is a tool for people with short attention spans. Truth is, IT folks are constantly multi-tasking, so we need something that will give us the information we need as soon as possible. It may appear like we have a short attention span, but really, we are thinking about 10 other things at the same time...!
Got a red blinky light? Spotlight will help you...
When server (or heck, even workstations) problems arise, it is difficult to track down exactly what is going on. We as technicians are left with the tedious task of sifting through the process manager, reading page after page of event logs, starting up perfmon, etc. before we get on the right track and isolate the problem.
Install Spotlight on Windows, point it at your troubled server, and let it begin its calibration period (you can still get pertinent information while it is calibrating).
By using its innovative dashboard interface, Quest's Spotlight line of diagnostic tools can make it VERY easy to "spot" and isolate a problem quickly. Also nifty is the ability to drill-down to the problem areas from the main dashboard window which also feature some helpful tips/advice.
Quest also makes Spotlight products for Exchange, Oracle, SQL, Active Directory and others for more focused troubleshooting. I can vouch for the SQL tool, we used it at one of my previous jobs to track down an elusive problem, and literally within 30 seconds, we had tracked down a record lock issue. Unlike Spotlight on Windows, the other tools are not freeware.
A word of warning
While this is indeed a great tool, I would recommend that only one or two people use it against a particular server/workstation at a time, since it does live data polling. The more people you get running Spotlight against a particular computer, the more taxing it is on the monitored box.
From the product overview:
For a busy IT professional, it is nearly impossible to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve every component affecting Windows Operating System (OS) performance using manual methods. Without a clear view of I/O and system activity, you learn of performance issues only after problems erupt.
With its unique graphical view of the Windows OS internals, Quest® Spotlight® on Windows empowers you to quickly identify and eliminate bottlenecks in the Windows environment. Displaying the real-time flow of data within your Windows OS, Spotlight enables you to quickly identify and resolve performance problems.
Please Note: Spotlight on Windows is unsupported freeware. The license key is provided in the download package and expires one year after installation. To renew, please revisit this website. An activation key will be made available prior to the expiration date of your current key.
Likes:- Easy to read data
- Cool interface
- Drill-downs to problem areas
Dislikes:
- None yet, still evaluating.
1 comments:
We use this tool extensively in our ~350 server environment and love it. What is also nice is that SoW captures a history in 5 minute increments, as well as archiving any alarms that are raised. I do wish SoW could report or graph against this data, but it does not. Not that I'm complaining - it is freeware after all.
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