Monday, March 1, 2010

CEIP, ODR and the lot. What are they and why should I use them? Part II: CEIP explained

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Postings in the same series:
Part   I: ODR explained 
Part III: AEM explained, its origin
Part IV: AEM explained, how to configure it
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Where ODR (Operational Data Reports) gives an insight view about how the SCOM Management Group is being used, mostly targeted at the MPs, CEIP (Customer Experience Improvement Program) focuses on a relatively small – but very important – part of SCOM: the Console. Without it, we only have the Web Console and PS….

CEIP collects information about the local computer where the Console is run from about how all users of the Operations Console use Operations Manager so that Microsoft is able to identify trends and usage patterns.

The term local is important here, since CEIP is enabled on a per computer basis, that is a computer where the full blown SCOM Console is installed. This is different compared to ODR, this is only enabled once.

Also on servers running Windows 2008 Server, UAC is at play. So when CEIP is going to be enabled, be sure to run the SCOM Console with elevated permissions otherwise this message pops up while trying to do so:
image

Also good to know is:

  1. Spyware and SPAM, not related in any way with CEIP
    No. CEIP is no spyware. Nor does it generate in any kind way SPAM nor does it collect personal information like E-mail addresses or the like. Even better, Microsoft is a member of the Anti-Spam Technical Alliance, an industry group actively seeking to reduce unwanted e-mail messages.

  2. Can I see the information being send out collected by CEIP?
    No. This has to do with the way CEIP has been setup. Basically it is a fully automated process which has been made in a such a manner not to disturb the user in any kind of way. So everything happens in the background. CEIP has been designed in such a way it can handle millions of customers to join the program. Therefore a special format is used so the Microsoft servers can efficiently process all the data. Due to this encoding it is difficult for most customers to review the information.

Want to know more? Check these two links out:

  1. Microsoft SCOM Privacy Statement
  2. CEIP Explained

OK, now the answer to the question: How to activate CEIP?

Easily done.

  • Open the SCOM Console (with elevated permissions on W2K08/Vista/W7) with an account with Admin permissions
  • Go to Administration > Settings > General > Privacy
  • The first tab is all about CEIP. Set it to Join the Customer Experience Improvement Program (recommended)
    image
  • Click Apply > Yes.

Now you are helping Microsoft making the SCOM Console a better product. Thank you! :)

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