This blog has been quiet for some time because I was quite busy with all kind of stuff. Anyway, this time I would like to share a tool I created to compare management packs in SCOM /SCOM or SCOM/SCSM, SCSM/SCSM management groups. In real life it is hard to compare the current management packs installed in management group A (Source) versus management group B (Target). This happens for example, if you want to have a comparison between your SCOM integration environment and your production environment. You probably want to know which management packs are equal in both management groups or which are missing in management group A and which management packs are missing in management group B compared to each other.
The tool looks like this..
How does it work? First you need to set your credentials and server FQDN for each of the management groups by selecting the “Connection Settings…” within the menu…
and set the credential, click save…
This will create a “config.xml” file in your application directory. The password is encrypted…
Next click “Get Source MP to XML” and “Get Target MP to XML”, this will connect to the source and target management group and get all management packs which are imported in each management group and create an “MPSource.xml” and “MPTarget.xml” file in your application directory. It will look like this…
If you just click “Compare MPs”, the tool displays all management packs that are EQUAL in green color, management pack name (MP Name), is the criteria…
In the “MP Comparison Criteria Selection” you are able to select what the comparison criteria is, in this case the management pack name (MP Name)…
If you select “Show difference by…” and click “Compare MPs” the tool will show which management packs are MISSING/DIFFERENT in each management group according to the selected criteria…
If you click “Export Excel” and and you have Excel installed on the computer you are running the tool, it will dump the result into an Excel sheet…
Because you are able to connect to each management group separately and create the “MPSource.xml” and/or “MPTarget.xml”, you are able to compare management groups which are not connected through the network nor reachable in any way. Just copy the tool to each management server, connect and create the XML files. Then copy both files “MPSource.xml” and “MPTarget.xml” into the same directory and run the tool offline. Cool huh?
The cool thing is, you are able to connect to SCOM 2012 and SCSM 2012 management groups.
Requirements:
- SCOM 2012 / SCSM 2012
- .NET Framework 4.5
- SCOM 2012 SDK Binaries (included in the download, not necessary if you have the SCOM console installed)
- Excel 2013 (optional)
I have tested the tool, but let me know if you run into a problem….
Update:
13.03.2015 Version 1.0.1 – Fix when reloading XML, Form Resize
Nice tool. Will this compare the actual pack contents as well? Or just the names/ids/versions?
Hi
Thx, well I just compare the properties name, display name and combination of it like name + version. If you use correct versioning of your MPs it works perfectly. Probably in most cases you just want to compare name + Version to figure out if you updated or installed a management pack.
Cheers,
Stefan
Silect has a tool (MP Studio) that compares the contents of MP’s as well as comparing management groups. It can even remediate by deploying…
Hi
I know, my goal was / is not to replace nor copy Silect. My intention was/is to build a small tool to compare quickly in a light weight way, for free :). If you are comfortable using Silect and you have the money go for it.
Cheers,
Stefan
What a great tool, Stefan 🙂 Keep up the good work. I will certainly use this
Hi,
Cool, thx 🙂
Cheers,
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
as all the nice things at Technet Gallery are basically gone: Where would I find this nice tool from you now?
There even was a similar one (https://www.systemcenter.ninja/2010/11/comparing-management-packs-between-scom.html), but that is gone, too.
Thanks a lot for your hard work!