Windows servers can be monitored in one of two ways, and which one you pick depends on how much detail you need.
Option A: SNMP
Windows Server includes an SNMP Service feature that, once enabled, lets iPM poll basic system metrics the same way it does with network hardware.
- On the Windows host, install the SNMP Service feature (Server Manager, then Add Roles and Features) if it isn't already present.
- Configure a community string and, if you want to restrict access, the list of hosts allowed to query it — add the iPM server's IP.
- Allow inbound UDP 161 through the Windows Firewall for the SNMP service.
- Add the host in iPM using the Wizard, with matching SNMP details.
SNMP is quick to set up and covers CPU, memory, disk, and basic service status, but it's relatively shallow.
Option B: Agent-based monitoring
For deeper visibility — Windows performance counters, specific service states (like IIS or SQL Server), or event log conditions — installing a monitoring agent on the server gives iPM richer, faster-updating data than SNMP alone. Where available, prefer this option for servers running critical Windows-specific workloads.
What to monitor
- CPU and memory utilization
- Disk space per volume
- Status of key Windows services (for example, the SQL Server or IIS service, if the host runs one)
- Basic availability (ping, and a relevant TCP port such as 3389 for RDP or 443 for a web role)
As with Linux hosts, scope what you monitor to what the server actually does — a domain controller and a file server have very different things worth watching closely.