First Time Tour
- Chandler Berry
VitalSigns is a multi-faceted monitoring tool, optimized for Admins and Executives alike. This page is designed to show several key features of the application, without getting bogged down with tech speak, or complicated instructions.
Basic Functionality
The VitalSigns suite of programs is simple to install and upgrade; guides to do so can be found at New Installations and Upgrade Installations. Configuring VitalSigns is also simple to do, and the guide to setting that up can be found at Getting Started With VitalSigns.
The VitalSigns website offers the ability to monitor a great number of different devices and server types simultaneously. This monitoring happens in the background, so a VitalSigns page does not explicitly have to be open for the service to operate. The VitalSigns site exists as a portal to view the status of all connected servers for a snapshot of their current status.
Dashboard
The main page of VitalSigns (the homepage if you will) is the Overall Dashboard page. On the Dashboard page the user can quickly see the overall state of all connected servers and devices, and quickly ascertain if there are any problems in the entire environment.
This page dynamically fills up as different types of applications, servers, and devices are added to the VitalSigns Environment. These new items populate both the list on the right hand side of the page as well as the widgets on the main part of the page.
In addition to this page, VitalSigns also has 3 other Dashboard pages, the Financial, Issues and Executive Summary dashboards.
Servers
One of the most important pages in VitalSigns, the Servers page contains a list of all currently monitored servers and applications.
On this page each server can be examined in further detail than the Dashboard view allows, and causes for issues can be found and explained.
Alerts
VitalSigns can be set up to send alerts based on user-defined parameters to multiple users via email. Through a 3rd party app, alerts can even be sent via SMS Text Messages.
Hours and Destinations/Escalation and Alerts Settings can be set up on the Alert Settings page in the Configurator, as well as a list of Alerts caught, and actions taken in response on the Alert History tab.
Reports
VitalSigns has the ability to generate an immense amount (88 distinct Reports!) dynamic graphical Reports on a vast array of data about the VitalSigns environment.
These Reports are fully customizable in scope and can have multiple filters applied to them. Every Report can be set up to be printed out, or exported to Excel.
PowerScripts
PowerScripts are an implementation of PowerShell scripts that can be run directly from the VitalSigns interface. These scripts are a great way to allow lower level admins to accomplish tasks that would otherwise require them knowing Admin credentials. This averts the risk of giving out Admin credentials to just anybody, as VitalSigns encrypts and stores the credentials locally. PowerScripts can be added from the PowerScript Settings page.
Audit
PowerScripts that have been previously run appear in an audit page on the Microsoft Settings Configurator page. This Audit page shows what PowerScript was used, when it was used, and by whom. Each audit entry can also be expanded to show even more information about the PowerScript, and its specific usage.
Usage
PowerScripts can be utilized from a couple locations, including the Exchange Mailboxes & Users Key Metric, and Office 365 Mailboxes & Users Key Metric pages. The full functionality of those pages is covered on their respective documentation pages. On the page, specific users/mailboxes can be selected from the list to run PowerScripts against.
