Windows Application Performance Monitoring using WMI

Windows Application Performance Monitoring using WMI

Server Monitoring

Windows Application Performance Monitoring

Monitor the performance and health of Windows server roles and applications using WMI-based templates. Cloudmon supports twelve application templates covering Active Directory, DHCP, IIS, Microsoft SQL Server, Exchange, and more, with automatic template matching when a device is added.

Overview

Cloudmon monitors Windows applications through WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation), collecting performance data directly from the Windows server without requiring an additional agent beyond the Windows Probe. Each supported application has a dedicated template that defines the metrics Cloudmon collects and displays. When a Windows device is added, Cloudmon automatically selects the appropriate template based on the applications and roles installed on that server. Templates can also be selected or changed manually.

All monitored Windows application metrics are available under Servers → Windows (WMI), where each device is listed with its assigned template, vendor, boot time, and operating system. Clicking into a device opens the full performance detail view.

Supported Application Templates

Cloudmon provides WMI-based monitoring templates for the following Windows server roles and applications:

  • BizTalk Server
  • Cluster Services
  • Windows Defender Antivirus
  • DHCP Server
  • Exchange Server
  • Domain Controller
  • Internet Information Services (IIS)
  • Microsoft DNS Server
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • System Center Endpoint Protection
  • System Center Virtual Machine Manager

Adding a Windows Application for Monitoring

Navigate to Servers → Windows (WMI) and click the Add button. The Add/Edit panel is organized into three sections: Monitor Details, Configuration Details, and Alert Settings.

Monitor Details: basic identification details for this device.

FieldDescription
Probe*Select the Windows Probe that will poll this device. A Windows Probe is required for WMI discovery.
Display Name*A friendly name for this device as it will appear in the Cloudmon dashboard.
Hostname or IP*The IP address or hostname of the Windows server running the application to be monitored.
CredentialSelect the WMI credential set configured for this device. The credential must have domain administrator privileges on the target server.

Configuration Details: interval, templates, and grouping settings.

FieldDescription
Template*The application monitoring template to apply. Cloudmon automatically selects the appropriate template based on the applications detected on the server. For Windows Server 2012 devices, select the windows-server-2012 template explicitly. For all other versions, the general Windows template applies unless a specific application template is selected. For Active Directory monitoring, ensure the Active Directory or Domain Controller template is assigned.
IntervalThe polling and reporting interval for this device.
TagsOptional tags to group this device with others for reporting, alarm association, or filtering.

Alert Settings: configure rules, groups, and integrations.

FieldDescription
Alarm RuleSelect an alarm rule to apply to this device from the existing alarm rules configured under Settings → Configurations → Alarm Rules.
User GroupsThe user groups that should be notified when an alarm is raised for this device.
Third Party ServicesThird-party integrations (such as Slack, Teams, or ITSM tools) to notify when an alarm is raised for this device. User Groups and Third Party Services set here at the device level are automatically inherited by the attached alarm rule.

Click Save. Cloudmon will begin polling the device and populate performance data under the assigned template.

What Cloudmon Monitors

The performance metrics available for each Windows application depend on its assigned template. Across all supported templates, Cloudmon collects system-level metrics including CPU utilisation, memory utilisation, disk activity, and battery status from the System Metrics tab. Network interface bandwidth utilisation is available under the Interfaces tab. Active process monitoring gives visibility into running processes and their individual resource consumption.

Application-specific metrics are collected on top of the system baselines. For example, a DHCP Server template tracks lease activity and scope utilisation, an IIS template monitors request throughput and application pool health, and a Microsoft SQL Server template surfaces query performance and connection counts. The full set of metrics for each template is displayed in the System Metrics tab once the device is added and polling begins.

Time-series data for any metric can be viewed by clicking the chart icon next to that metric in the System Metrics tab, allowing you to inspect trends and identify the onset of performance degradation.

Alarms

Each alarm is built around a simple IF/THEN model, where you select a metric, set a threshold, and define what happens when it is breached. Alarm rule profiles are created under Settings → Configurations → Alarm Rules, then attached to a device by selecting the profile from the Alarm Rule field under Alert Settings. The User Groups and Third Party Services assigned in the same section are inherited automatically by the attached alarm rule. Learn more.

Troubleshooting

IssueWhat to check
Device added but no metrics appearingConfirm the Windows Probe is online and reachable. Verify the WMI credential uses a domain administrator account, as local accounts are not supported. Check that WinRM is running on the target server and that the Windows Firewall is not blocking WMI traffic on TCP port 135 and the dynamic RPC port range
Wrong template automatically selectedAutomatic template matching is based on the roles detected at discovery time. If the selected template does not match the application you want to monitor, open the device's Edit panel and change the Template field under Configuration Details. For Active Directory, select the Active Directory or Domain Controller template.
Device not appearing in the WMI listConfirm a Windows Probe was selected during the Add Device step, as WMI discovery cannot be performed through a Linux Probe. If the device still does not appear, navigate to Settings → Monitoring → Probes, open the relevant probe, and check the discovery status.
Metrics missing on some tabs but not othersProcess-level and application-specific metrics may take an additional polling cycle to populate after a device is first added. If metrics remain missing after several intervals, verify the correct template is assigned and that the application role is active on the target server.
Authentication errors or access deniedRe-check the WMI credential under Settings → Configurations → Credentials → WMI. Ensure the username is in domain\username format, the password is current, and the account has not been locked out or had its domain administrator privileges removed. Re-save the credential and allow one polling cycle for Cloudmon to retry.
LDAP metrics not appearing for Domain ControllerConfirm the device is assigned the Active Directory or Domain Controller template. Verify that the LDAP service is running on the Domain Controller and that WMI can access the directory performance counters. Check that the WMI credential has sufficient privileges to query Active Directory performance objects.