How to Set Up System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) on Windows Server 2025

System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) is Microsoft’s enterprise monitoring platform designed to provide agent-based, deep visibility across Windows servers, applications, and infrastructure. Unlike lightweight exporters, SCOM delivers intelligent alerting through Management Packs — curated knowledge packs that encode Microsoft’s best practices for monitoring specific technologies including Windows Server OS, IIS, SQL Server, and Active Directory. Running SCOM 2022 against a Windows Server 2025 environment gives you a unified Operations Console, performance data collection, state-based health monitoring, and integration with Azure Monitor for hybrid cloud scenarios. This guide covers the end-to-end setup of SCOM 2022 on a dedicated management server running Windows Server 2025, from SQL prerequisites through Management Pack imports and agent deployment.

Prerequisites

Windows Server 2025 for the SCOM Management Server role (minimum 8-core CPU, 16 GB RAM, 100 GB disk)
SQL Server 2019 or SQL Server 2022 for the OperationsManager and OperationsManagerDW databases (can be a separate server)
SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) for SCOM Reporting
Active Directory domain with the management server and monitored hosts joined to the same or trusted domain
SCOM 2022 installation media or ISO
A dedicated low-privilege domain service account for the SCOM Data Access Service (e.g., DOMAINsvc-scom-das)
Local Administrator rights on the management server

Step 1: Prepare SQL Server for SCOM

SCOM requires two SQL databases: OperationsManager (operational data) and OperationsManagerDW (data warehouse for reporting). Prepare the SQL Server instance and verify connectivity:

# Run on the SQL Server — verify instance name and check collation
Invoke-SqlCmd -Query "SELECT @@SERVERNAME, SERVERPROPERTY('Collation'), SERVERPROPERTY('ProductVersion')"

# SCOM requires SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS collation
# Set if different (requires SQL restart in some cases)
# Invoke-SqlCmd -Query "ALTER DATABASE OperationsManager COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"

# Pre-create the databases with appropriate sizes (SCOM can also create them during setup)
Invoke-SqlCmd -Query @"
CREATE DATABASE [OperationsManager]
  ON PRIMARY (NAME = N'MOM_DATA', FILENAME = N'D:SCOMOperationsManager.mdf',
              SIZE = 2048MB, MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 512MB)
  LOG ON (NAME = N'MOM_LOG', FILENAME = N'L:SCOMOperationsManager.ldf',
          SIZE = 512MB, MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 256MB)
"@

Invoke-SqlCmd -Query @"
CREATE DATABASE [OperationsManagerDW]
  ON PRIMARY (NAME = N'MOM_DW', FILENAME = N'D:SCOMOperationsManagerDW.mdf',
              SIZE = 4096MB, MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 1024MB)
  LOG ON (NAME = N'MOM_DW_LOG', FILENAME = N'L:SCOMOperationsManagerDW.ldf',
          SIZE = 1024MB, MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 512MB)
"@

Write-Host "SCOM databases created"

Step 2: Install Required Windows Features on the Management Server

# Install prerequisites on the SCOM Management Server
$features = @(
    "Web-Server",
    "Web-Windows-Auth",
    "Web-ISAPI-Ext",
    "Web-ISAPI-Filter",
    "Web-Net-Ext45",
    "Web-Asp-Net45",
    "Web-Default-Doc",
    "Web-Static-Content",
    "Web-Mgmt-Console",
    "NET-Framework-45-Core",
    "NET-Framework-45-ASPNET",
    "NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45",
    "NET-WCF-Pipe-Activation45",
    "NET-WCF-TCP-Activation45",
    "WAS-Process-Model",
    "WAS-Config-APIs"
)

Install-WindowsFeature -Name $features -IncludeManagementTools -Restart:$false

# Install SQL Native Client and ODBC driver (download from Microsoft)
# Run VC++ Redistributable x64 2015-2022 if not present
Get-WindowsFeature -Name $features | Select-Object Name, InstallState | Format-Table -AutoSize

Step 3: Install SCOM Management Server

Mount the SCOM 2022 ISO and run setup.exe. Alternatively, use an unattended installation for consistency:

# Unattended SCOM Management Server install
# Mount ISO first: Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath "D:SCOM2022.iso"
$setupArgs = @(
    "/silent",
    "/install",
    "/components:OMServer,OMWebConsole,OMReporting",
    "/SqlServerInstance:SQLSERVER01SCOM",
    "/DatabaseName:OperationsManager",
    "/DWSqlServerInstance:SQLSERVER01SCOM",
    "/DWDatabaseName:OperationsManagerDW",
    "/ActionAccountUser:DOMAINsvc-scom-action",
    "/ActionAccountPassword:P@ssw0rd123!",
    "/DASAccountUser:DOMAINsvc-scom-das",
    "/DASAccountPassword:P@ssw0rd123!",
    "/DataReaderUser:DOMAINsvc-scom-reader",
    "/DataReaderPassword:P@ssw0rd123!",
    "/DataWriterUser:DOMAINsvc-scom-writer",
    "/DataWriterPassword:P@ssw0rd123!",
    "/WebSiteName:`"Default Web Site`"",
    "/WebConsoleAuthorizationMode:Mixed",
    "/SRSInstance:SQLSERVER01SCOM",
    "/UseLocalSystemActionAccount",
    "/AcceptEndUserLicenseAgreement:1"
)

Start-Process "E:setup.exe" -ArgumentList $setupArgs -Wait -NoNewWindow

After installation completes, open Operations Console from the Start menu or %ProgramFiles%Microsoft System CenterOperations ManagerConsoleMicrosoft.EnterpriseManagement.Monitoring.Console.exe.

Step 4: Import Management Packs

Management Packs (MPs) are XML-based monitoring definitions. Import the essential Windows Server and application MPs immediately after installation:

# Connect to SCOM Management Group via PowerShell
Import-Module OperationsManager
New-SCOMManagementGroupConnection -ComputerName "SCOM-MGMT01"

# Import Windows Server OS Management Pack from the local catalog
# MPs are located in Program FilesMicrosoft System CenterOperations ManagerServerManagement Packs
$mpPath = "C:Program FilesMicrosoft System CenterOperations ManagerServerManagement Packs"

Get-ChildItem -Path $mpPath -Filter "*.mp" | 
    Where-Object { $_.Name -match "Windows.Server|Microsoft.Windows.InternetInformationServices|Microsoft.SQLServer" } |
    ForEach-Object {
        try {
            Import-SCOMManagementPack -FullName $_.FullName
            Write-Host "Imported: $($_.Name)"
        } catch {
            Write-Warning "Failed to import $($_.Name): $_"
        }
    }

# List imported Management Packs
Get-SCOMManagementPack | 
    Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -match "Windows Server|IIS|SQL" } |
    Select-Object DisplayName, Version, Sealed | 
    Format-Table -AutoSize

Step 5: Deploy Agents to Monitored Windows Servers

SCOM agents can be push-installed from the Operations Console or deployed manually. The push method requires WinRM and Administrator access from the Management Server to the target:

# Push-install SCOM agent to a list of servers
$targetServers = @("WS2025-WEB01", "WS2025-DB01", "WS2025-APP01")
$managementServer = "SCOM-MGMT01"

foreach ($server in $targetServers) {
    $installTask = Install-SCOMAgent `
        -DNSHostName $server `
        -PrimaryManagementServer (Get-SCOMManagementServer -Name $managementServer)
    
    Write-Host "Agent install initiated for $server - Task ID: $($installTask.Id)"
}

# Check pending agent approvals (if manual approval is required)
Get-SCOMPendingManagement | Select-Object HostName, AgentVersion, PendingAction | Format-Table -AutoSize

# Approve all pending agents
Get-SCOMPendingManagement | Approve-SCOMPendingManagement

For manual agent installation on a target server, copy the agent MSI from the management server and install:

# On the target server — manual agent install
$agentMsi = "\SCOM-MGMT01AgentInstallMOMAgent.msi"
$mgmtServer = "SCOM-MGMT01"
$mgmtGroup  = "SCOM-MG01"

Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList @(
    "/i", $agentMsi,
    "/qn",
    "MANAGEMENT_GROUP=$mgmtGroup",
    "MANAGEMENT_SERVER_DNS=$mgmtServer",
    "MANAGEMENT_SERVER_AD_NAME=$mgmtServer",
    "USE_MANUALLY_SPECIFIED_SETTINGS=1"
) -Wait -NoNewWindow

Start-Service -Name "HealthService"
Get-Service -Name "HealthService" | Select-Object Name, Status, StartType

Step 6: Configure SMTP Notification Channel

# Create an SMTP notification channel
$smtpChannel = Add-SCOMNotificationChannel `
    -Name "SMTP-AlertChannel" `
    -SmtpServer "smtp.yourdomain.com" `
    -SmtpPort 587 `
    -FromAddress "[email protected]" `
    -Subject "SCOM Alert: {AlertName} on {ComputerName}"

# Create a subscriber (recipient)
$subscriber = Add-SCOMNotificationSubscriber `
    -Name "OpsTeam" `
    -DeviceList @(
        New-SCOMNotificationRecipientDevice `
            -Name "Email" `
            -Protocol "SMTP" `
            -DeviceAddress "[email protected]" `
            -Channel $smtpChannel
    )

# Create a subscription for Critical and Warning alerts
Add-SCOMNotificationSubscription `
    -Name "CriticalAlerts" `
    -Channel $smtpChannel `
    -Subscriber $subscriber `
    -CriteriaString "Severity = 'Critical' OR Severity = 'Warning'"

Write-Host "SMTP notification channel configured"

Step 7: SCOM Dashboards and Azure Monitor Integration

# Check health state of all monitored Windows computers
Get-SCOMClass -DisplayName "Windows Computer" | 
    Get-SCOMClassInstance | 
    Select-Object DisplayName, HealthState, InMaintenanceMode |
    Sort-Object HealthState | 
    Format-Table -AutoSize

# Get open alerts sorted by severity
Get-SCOMAlert -Criteria "ResolutionState < 255" | 
    Sort-Object Severity -Descending | 
    Select-Object Name, MonitoringObjectDisplayName, Severity, TimeRaised |
    Select-Object -First 20 |
    Format-Table -AutoSize

# Enable Azure Monitor integration (requires Azure Connected Machine Agent)
# Set-SCOMManagementGroupConfiguration -EnableAzureMonitorIntegration $true
# Requires workspace ID and key from Azure Log Analytics

Write-Host "SCOM Operations Console summary complete"

Conclusion

System Center Operations Manager provides enterprise-grade monitoring for Windows Server 2025 environments that require deep integration with Microsoft technologies, Active Directory-based discovery, and intelligent state-based alerting grounded in Microsoft’s own operational knowledge. By completing this setup — SQL prerequisites, Management Server installation, Management Pack imports, agent deployment, and SMTP notifications — you have a fully operational SCOM Management Group. As your environment grows, extend coverage by importing additional Management Packs for SQL Server, IIS, Active Directory, and Hyper-V, and leverage SCOM’s Azure Monitor connector to unify on-premises and cloud monitoring in a single pane of glass.

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