Enable out-of-the-box monitoring exclusions in Server Configuration Monitor (SCM)

Out-of-the-box profiles in SCM allow the ability to ignore specified changed values in SCM hardware or software inventory profiles using exclusion rules for common scenarios.

You may want to stop monitoring specific values in hardware and software monitoring, as those changes may represent false positives. For instance, you can:

• Exclude total memory from hardware inventory monitoring on virtual machine node types.
• Exclude any driver names that contain the word "Remote" from software inventory monitoring.

Exclusions can be applied only to profiles with SolarWinds Information Service (SWIS) query (internal query) elements.

To exclude hardware or software data from change detection, take one (but not both) of the following actions:

• Copy the out-of-the-box profile and edit the SolarWinds Information Service (SWIS) query directly.
• Create an exclusion rule directly in the database using .NET DataSet syntax (not SQL syntax).

To copy an out-of-the-box profile in SCM:

1. Navigate to Server Configuration Monitor Settings, either from the link in the upper right of the Server Configuration Monitor Summary page or by going to Settings > All Settings > Server Configuration Monitor Settings.
2. Click the Manage Profiles tab (if it is not selected by default).
3. Select the SW inventory profile, and then click Copy.
4. Rename the copied profile.
5. Edit the SWIS query in the new profile.
6. Save the new profile.

Copied profiles are a type of custom profile, so they are not displayed in List Resources. They are also not detected in Network Discovery and not displayed in the SCM candidates resource. Only out-of-the-box configuration profiles are detected there.

To create an exclusion rule in the database:

Use the database table (definition table [SolarWindsOrion].[dbo].[SCM_QueryElement_ExclusionRules]), and insert content manually as needed. See the example of the database table below that can be used to create the following exclusion using .NET DataSet syntax (not SQL syntax).

According to Microsoft documentation*, the LIKE operator has limitations such as: Wildcard characters are not allowed in the middle of a string. For example, 'te*xt' is not allowed.

• Exclude total memory from hardware inventory monitoring on virtual machine node types.
• Exclude any driver names that contain the word "Remote" from software inventory monitoring.
• Exclude any changes that relate to operating system update KB123 for Node 3.

The first two rules listed in the table below already exist in the database, but are not active. To activate one of these rules, use the following**:

UPDATE [SolarWindsOrion].dbo.[SCM_QueryElement_ExclusionRules] SET Active = 1 WHERE ID=?
		

The third rule in the table below is an example of a rule that can be created, but it does not currently exist in the database.

Table name: [SolarWindsOrion].[dbo].[SCM_QueryElement_ExclusionRules]

NodeID	ProfileID	ElementDisplayAlias	ExclusionQueryWhereCond	ExcludedColumns	Active
NULL	2 (SW inventory)	Software Installed	WHERE Model = 'Virtual Machine'	TotalMemoryB;someOtherColumn	1
NULL	1 (HW inventory)	Drivers	WHERE NAME LIKE '%remote%'	NULL	1
3	2	OS Updates	WHERE Name = 'KB123'	NULL	1

 INSERT INTO [SolarWindsOrion].[dbo].[SCM_QueryElement_ExclusionRules](
			[NodeID]
			,[ProfileName]
			,[ElementDisplayAlias]
			,[ExclusionFilter]
			,[ColumnsToExclude]
			,[Active]
			) VALUES (
			2,
			'SW Inventory',
			'OS Updates',
			'WHERE Name = ''KB123''',
			NULL,
			1
			)
		

*Disclaimer: Please note, any content posted herein is provided as a suggestion or recommendation to you for your internal use. This is not part of the SolarWinds software or documentation that you purchased from SolarWinds, and the information set forth herein may come from third parties. Your organization should internally review and assess to what extent, if any, such custom scripts or recommendations will be incorporated into your environment.  You elect to use third party content at your own risk, and you will be solely responsible for the incorporation of the same, if any.

**Scripts are not supported under any SolarWinds support program or service. Scripts are provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. SolarWinds further disclaims all warranties including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose. The risk arising out of the use or performance of the scripts and documentation stays with you. In no event shall SolarWinds or anyone else involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the scripts be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the scripts or documentation.