Documentation Error - Operations Manager Online Guide

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One fine afternoon I was reviewing the Operations Manager 2007 Online Help on my Management Server to look into Custom Alert Fields.  It inaccurately states:

  1. In the Global Management Group Settings - Alerts dialog box, click New. 
  2. Click the Custom Alert Fields tab, and type the desired text in the custom fields. This text will be included with alerts generated by the managed objects of the Management Group.

Well, in following the steps you find that this option does not exist in the Alerts property for the Management Group.  Figuring that the online help in the product was not updated, I checked the same documentation on TechNet.  Well, it matches what the online help in the product states.

If you review the sealed Management Packs that are released by Microsoft, you will find that you cannot set an override to add a value to one of the 10 alert custom fields.  The only way is to set it when the alert is generated by the monitored object, which only affects the unique alert and not all alert rules.  If you are in a situation where you need to pass a custom field in your alert for a top-tier management solution that is responsible for alert notification to the appropriate team based upon the alert generated, as well as passing that field to the ticketing system so the ticket is also sent to that appropriate group, this is not an optimal solution by any means.  So, what are your options:

  1. Create a custom Management Pack and duplicate the rule(s) so you can work with the custom alert fields based upon your requirements.
  2. Develop a custom Product Connector, leveraging the Operations Manaager 2007 SDK.
  3. Implement logic at the top-tier management solution so that it evaluates the information passed in the alert (such as alert source, alert monitor, etc. and route appropriately).  This avoids creating a bottleneck with the product connector where things are queuing up and you get over your head having to manage these different custom fields at a granular level. 

Currently, the 3rd party product connectors such as Engyro, are impacted by the change in alert subscriptions compared to how this was available in MOM 2005. 

Now, with custom or unsealed Management Packs, the ability to set the alert custom fields is supported in the product.

 I hope this helps clarify any confusion or concerns.