Pimp My Report: How to beef up the Operating System Configuration Report

The Server OS MP contains some nice reports, one of them being the Operating System Configuration Report. However, this Report could use some extra power and besides that, more ease in its usage.

When this Report is run it needs a selection of a Group of an Object. Wouldn’t it be nice to rebuild this Report in such a manner that all monitored servers are covered by default?

Also this Report shows by default these items:

1. Serial Number
2. Physical Memory (KB)
3. Logical Processors
4. System Drive
5. Install Date
6. Windows Directory
7. Service Pack Version
8. CSD Version
9. Build Number
10. Operating System Version Display Name

Which is nice. But while were at it, why not add these items as well?

1. Operating System Version
2. IP Address
3. Install Directory
4. Virtual Machine
5. Install Type
6. Logical Processors
7. Active Directory Site
8. Principal Name
9. Organizational Unit
10. Active Directory SID

When this Report is created it can be published or saved to a MP in order to be used again with a simple double click on the mouse button. This posting is about how to create such an extended Report.

First a Group needs to be created which is dynamically populated. This Group will be used by the Extended Operating System Configuration Report. So whenever a new Windows server is being monitored by SCOM, it will show up automatically in that Report. No need for additional actions!

1. Open the SCOM Console with Admin Permissions;
2. Go to Authoring > Groups > right click, select Create a New Group;
3. Give it a logical Name with a solid description and save it to a NEW MP;
4. Click Next > click on the Dynamic Members link > click Create/Edit Rules;
5. In the drop down menu select Windows Operating System > click the Add button > select as Property the item Display Name > select as Operator the option Matches wildcard and as value an asterisk (*). Now it looks like this:
   
6. OK > Next > Next > Create. The Group is now created;
7. Check its members. It should be equal to all monitored Windows Servers.

Now the Report will be created using the Group we just made.

• Open the SCOM Console with Admin Permissions;
• Go to Reporting > Microsoft Generic Report Library > open the Custom Configuration Report;
• Click the Add Group button > select the Group we have created earlier;
• In the Report Fields section, select these options:
  Serial Number
  Physical Memory (KB)
  Logical Processors
  System Drive
  Install Date
  Windows Directory
  Service Pack Version
  CSD Version
  Build Number
  Operating System Version Display Name
  Operating System Version
  IP Address
  Install Directory
  Virtual Machine
  Install Type
  Logical Processors
  Active Directory Site
  Principal Name
  Organizational Unit
  Active Directory SID
• In the From field, open the dropdown menu and select Advanced and create an offset of 7 days for instance;
• Run the Report;
• Tweak when needed;
• Publish or save the report to a MP for later usage.

The System Engineers will love this report since it tells them much needed information about their Windows Servers.