How to Interpret and Adjust the Time Intervals for Rules to Be Pushed to Client Agents (299567)

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The default configuration results in a 19.5-minute interval between rule updates, as the following table shows.

Polling Interval	Deliberate Pause	Cache Load Time	Heartbeat Interval	Agent Download or Activation Time	Total Time
5 min	2.5 min	1 min	5 min	1 min	14.5 min

The polling interval specifies how often the Consolidator attempts to pick up changes and load the changes into its cache.

The deliberate pause is a registry-coded delay. After you make changes, the Consolidator waits for at least 2.5 minutes before it loads the changes for distribution to agents. This delay helps prevent the bandwidth consumption that would result from an excessive number of rule updates.

The cache load time is an approximation of how long it takes to load rules from the database into the Consolidator's cache for distribution to agents.

The heartbeat interval specifies how often the agent checks for new rules.

The download/activation time is an approximation of how long it takes the agent to download the rules and begin running them.

You can easily change some of these values from the MOM Microsoft Management Console. For example, if you want to accelerate rule updates by decreasing the agents' heartbeat interval and the Consolidators' polling interval, you can specify new values in the Global Settings container under Configuration.

However, consider the following factors before you revise settings:

• Review your need for heartbeating and service availability reporting. You can configure these settings globally on the Agent properties page under Global Settings.
• Consider a slight increase in the buffering time. Also, you can significantly increase the retry times in the event of communication failure and simultaneously reduce the number of retry attempts. These settings also are configured globally on the Agent properties page under Global Settings.
• Make configuration and rule changes in batches. All such changes are pushed out dynamically at the next heartbeat interval. For example, if you make changes only once a day, new configurations go out to agents only once a day.

Allow MOM to update the configuration changes, rather than forcing an immediate change by right-clicking the Rules node. The best practice is to schedule your configuration changes. You should not use the Force Configuration Changes option for every change or for high-volume, frequent changes, because this option consumes network bandwidth.

Changing the Agents' Heartbeat Interval

To change the heartbeat interval for all agents:

1. In the MOM MMC, expand Microsoft Operations Manager, expand Configuration, and then expand Global Settings.
2. In the right pane, right-click Agents, and then click Properties.
3. On the Heartbeat tab, specify the new heartbeat interval, and then click OK.

To change the heartbeat interval for an individual agent:

1. In the MOM MMC, expand Microsoft Operations Manager, expand Configuration, and then expand Agent Manager.
2. On the Managed Computers tab, select the agent machine name.
3. Under Settings, specify the new heartbeat interval, and then click OK.

Changing the Consolidator Polling Interval

1. In the MOM MMC, expand Microsoft Operations Manager, expand Configuration, and then expand the Global Settings container.
2. In the right pane, right-click Consolidators, and then click Properties.
3. On the Rule Change Polling tab, set the new polling interval, and then click OK.

Changing the Deliberate Pause Interval

To change the 2.5-minute deliberate pause interval, you must edit the registry.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32).
2. Browse to the following registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Mission Critical Software\OnePoint\Configurations\(your configuration name)\Operations\Consolidator\AgentConfig\

3. In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, double-click the InactivitySeconds value.
4. Enter a new value (in seconds) for the length of the deliberate pause, and then click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor.