1 ©2010 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice

Managing VMware ESX Environments with HP Network Management Center

Richard AntonickTechnical Architect

Melillo Consulting

Introduction

The HP Network Management Center

provides a full array of network management

capabilities. In addition, it can be used to

manage VMware ESX virtual environments.

This presentation describes a method for

using the NMC to provide event,

performance, configuration automation and

notification services for VMware ESX hosts

and virtual switches.

Assumptions

•Familiarity with the NMC products and

SNMP

•NMC products are installed, patched,

configured and integrated, as needed

•VMware ESX version 4.0 environment

•vSphere client will be installed on an

administration workstation

•Administrator/root access to the vCenter

server and all ESX host service consoles

•vSphere Management Assistant (VMA) and

VMware guests will not be covered

Tip: Get the version with vmware -v

Terms (1)

• vSphere - virtualizes and aggregates the

underlying physical hardware resources

across multiple systems and provides

pools of virtual resources to the

datacenter.

• vCenter server - provides a single point of

control of the vSphere datacenter.

• ESX - A virtualization layer run on physical

servers that abstracts processor, memory,

storage, and resources into multiple virtual

machines.

• ESX host – physical server.

Terms (2)

• vSwitch - A virtualized network switch

used by ESX server to manage traffic

between virtual machines, the service

console, and the physical network

adapters on the ESX server machine.

• Virtual machine – A software computer

that, like a physical computer, runs an

operating system and applications.

Multiple virtual machines can operate on

the same host system concurrently.

Terms (3)

• Service console - The command-line

interface for an ESX server system that

enables administrators to configure the

system. Available locally or remotely via

Telnet or SSH.

• vSphere client - An interface that allows

users to connect remotely to vCenter

Server or ESX from any Windows PC.

Components and Roles

The method features:

HP Network Node Manager for status polling,

management event and trap handling, including the

use of VMware MIBs

HP Performance Insight for virtual switch and server

management using the Device Resource and System

Resources report packs and including the Host

Resources MIB

HP Network Automation for configuration

management of ESX virtual switches

AlarmPoint Systems AlarmPoint Express for critical

event notification.

NNMi

• ESX Host Status Polling

• Console Display

– Inventory

– Custom groups

– Topology

• ESX trap receiver

• Custom poller for ESX-specific MIB objects

• Current host network performance with

iSPI for Performance

• AlarmPoint Express integration for

notification

Network Automation

Network Automation 7.60 uses the ESX APIs

to gain access to the vSwitch service so that

it can identify and manage the vSwitch

within the ESX server.

NA can isolate the vSwitch and manage it

just as if it were another physical network

device, using the same NA GUI and API

interfaces used with physical network

devices. The February, 2010 driver pack

must be loaded.

Performance Insight

• NNMi integration for node synchronization

• System Resources Report Pack

• The SysRes RFC 1514 Datapipe collects

the following data from the Host

Resources MIB:

– CPU utilization

– Memory utilization

– Number of page outs

– Run queue length

– Swap utilization

AlarmPoint Express

• Variety of destination device types

including alpha/numeric pagers, phones,

email, SMS

• Alert grouping by:

– function

– work shift

– other

• Scheduling and automatic rotation.

• Included with NNMi. Great value!

Tip: Additional functionality can

be licensed at any time.

VMware ESX Version 3.x SNMP Support

• Virtual Center Server

– vCenter Server SNMP agent functions only as a trap emitter.

– Sends vCenter alarms to the management server as traps.

– Does not support other SNMP operations, such as GET

– Configured via vSphere GUI.

• ESX host Net-SNMP agent (snmpd)

– Supports standard SNMP operations (GET, SET, as well as

trap)

– Access via the service console.

– Configured via manual editing of the SNMP configuration

text file (snmpd.conf).

– Generic SNMP MIB support via snmpd.

– Host Resources MIB support

VMware ESX Version 4.x SNMP Support

• Virtual Center Server (traps only)

• Net-SNMP agent

• VMware embedded SNMP agent

• hostd provides SNMP agent support

• Remote configuration via vicfg CLI - Manages

the SNMP agent on an ESX host from an

administration client (Windows XP/Vista or

Linux).

• Includes VMware-specific MIB support.

• NO RFC 1514 Host Resources MIB support.

Configuration Tasks (1)

1. Download and install vSphere client and

vSphere CLI onto an administration

workstation

2. Configure and enable SNMP on vCenter

server and ESX hosts

3. Download and load VMware MIBs,

including traps, into NNMi

4. Configure NNMi to discover/load ESX

servers and hosts and verify that they

were loaded

5. Import/verify that ESX hosts were loaded

into NA

Configuration Tasks (2)

6. Select NA ESX host driver

7. Verify that ESX vSwitches have loaded

into NA

8. Discover the vSwitch driver

9. Configure incidents in NNMi for ESX host

and server traps

10. Configure AlarmPoint for ESX messages

from NNMi

11. Verify/import ESX hosts into PI

Configuration Tasks (3)

12. Verify that PI is collecting system (host

resources) data from the ESX hosts and

producing reports

13. Verify that the NNMi iSPI for performance

is showing data for the ESX hosts

vSphere Client Installation

• The vSphere client runs faster on an

administration workstation than from the

vCenter server

• From a Windows XP or Linux workstation,

download the vSphere client by browsing

to the local vCenter server (ignore any

certificate errors)

• When the VMware vSphere 4 Welcome

page appears select the Download vSphere

Client link and install the package

vSphere CLI Download Page

vSphere CLI Installation Error

• When installing the vSphere client from the

vCenter server, the installation may fail on

Windows XP with error code 1603

• The workstation’s .NET Framework may

need to be upgraded. Refer to VMware

Knowledge Base article 1010723

vCenter Server SNMP Configuration

•Connect to the vCenter server

with the vSphere client

•Select Administration->vCenter

Server Settings->SNMP

•Enter the appropriate values

•Management server (trap

receiver

•Trap port

•Trap community string

vCenter Server SNMP Trap/Alarm

Configuration (1)

• Connect to the vCenter server with the

vSphere client

• Select an ESX host in the left pane

• Select the Alarms tab in the right pane

• Click on Definitions

• Double-click under the Defined in column

for a given row

• Click on the Actions tab

• Click Add

• Click on the Action item and select “Send

a notification trap” from the

pull-down menu.

vCenter Server SNMP Trap/Alarm

Configuration (2)

vCenter Server SNMP Trap/Alarm

Configuration (3)

vCenter Server SNMP Trap/Alarm

Configuration (4)

vCenter Server SNMP Trap/Alarm

Configuration (5)

vSphere CLI Installation

• Download the VMware vSphere CLI from

the VMware web site onto the

administration workstation:

– http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/vsphere/au

tomationtools/vsphere_cli

• Install the vSphere CLI:

– VMware-vSphere-CLI-4.0.0-161974.exe

vicfg-snmp Command Options (1)

The following are run from a command

window on an administration workstation:

• --communities | -c Specifies at least one

community.

• --enable | -E Starts the SNMP service.

• --disable | -D Stops the SNMP service.

• --port | -p Set SNMP agent port (default

161)

• --reset | -r Clears all previously specified

communities and targets

• --show | -s Displays the current SNMP

configuration

vicfg-snmp Command Options (2)

• --targets | -t Configures a trap destination

and trap port (default 162).

• --test | -T Sends a WarmStart trap

(.1.3.6.1.6.3.1.1.5.2) and validates the trap

configuration when adding or changing the

notification configuration.

• --vihost | -h Specify a vCenter server to run

the command against.

vicfg-snmp Authentication Options

• Command line

– --password (echoed to screen)

– --sessionfile - Password not revealed. Expires in 30 minutes

– --config - Password specified in a .visdkrc configuration file

in plain text

• Environment variable

• Credential store

• Current account using Microsoft Windows

Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI)

• Prompt the user for a password. Password

is not echoed to the screen.

Configure the ESX Host SNMP agent

• Run the vSphere CLI from the

administration workstation. Specify the

community string and trap destination and

enable the SNMP agent:

– “C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin\vicfg-

snmp.pl” --server burns.mjm.com --communities VMware

– vicfg-snmp.pl --server burns.mjm.com --targets em-

x64.mjm.com/VMWare

– vicfg-snmp.pl --server burns.mjm.com --enable

• The vicfg-snmp command will prompt for a

user name and password. The password

will not be echoed to the screen.

Configure the ESX Host SNMP agent (2)

The user name and password can be passed

on the command line but the password will

be echoed to the screen.

– vicfg-snmp.pl --server burns.mjm.com--username root --

password pw123456 --show

Tip: use option abbreviations and combine

commands to reduce typos and save

keystrokes

vicfg-snmp.pl --server burns.mjm.com -t em-

x64.mjm.com/VMWare –c VMWare -E

Confirm the ESX Host SNMP Agent

Configuration

Display the ESX host SNMP configuration:

– vicfg-snmp.pl --server burns.mjm.com --show

• Current SNMP agent settings:

• Enabled : 1

• UDP port : 161

• Communities : VMWare

• Notification targets :

• em-x64.mjm.com@162/VMWare

Confirm the ESX Host SNMP Agent Configuration

• Send a test trap to the NNMi server:

vicfg-snmp.pl --server burns.mjm.com --test

Sending test notification (trap) to all configured

targets...

Complete. Check with each target to see if trap

was received.

• A warm start trap should appear in the

NNMi Incident Browser.

Tip: the ESX host must be in the NNMi

inventory for the trap message to appear in

the Incident Browser.

ESX Host SNMP Trap Test

VMware MIBs List in Load Order

1. VMWARE-ROOT-MIB.mib

2. VMWARE-TC-MIB.mib

3. VMWARE-PRODUCTS-MIB.mib

4. VMWARE-SYSTEM-MIB.mib

5. VMWARE-ENV-MIB.mib

6. VMWARE-RESOURCES-MIB.mib

7. VMWARE-VMINFO-MIB.mib

8. VMWARE-AGENTCAP-MIB.mib

9. VMWARE-VC-EVENT-MIB.mib

Initial Configuration – NNMi Server

• Download VMware MIBs

– http://download3.vmware.com/software/sdk-api/VMware-

esx-mibs-1.0.0-160789.zip

• Load VMware MIBs into NNMi using the

MIB load ordered list

– For example: nnmloadmib.ovpl -load VMWARE-ROOT-

MIB.mib

• Load VMware trap definitions into NNMi

– For example: nnmincidentcfg.ovpl -loadTraps VMWARE-

VMINFO-MIB.mib

Tip: Create a folder outside of the NNMi

product tree for additional MIBs

Initial Configuration – NNMi Server

Create VMware server profile in NNMi

NNMi Device Profile for VMware ESX Host

Initial Configuration – NNMi Server

Load ESX hosts:

– Discovery by IP range

– Discovery by Enterprise OID (VMware is

.1.3.6.1.4.1.6876.4.1)

– Manual loading from the NNMi console by Discovery Seed

– Command line loading by Discovery Seed or by seed file

• nnmloadseeds.ovpl -n burns.mjm.com

• nnmloadseeds.ovpl -f ESX_hosts_to_load.txt

Tip: Create a script for loading seeds

NNMi Discovery by Enterprise OID

Verify ESX Host Configurations in NA

Config:

– Product:

• Vendor: VMware, Inc.

• Version: 4.0.0 065

• Build: 164009

• Full Name: VMware ESX 4.0.0 build-164009

• OS Type: vmnix-x86

• Product Line ID: esx

• API Type: HostAgent

• API Version: 4.0

Troubleshooting ESX Host SNMP

• From the ESX host service console:

– /usr/bin/snmpwalk –v 1 –c VMWare ray.mjm.com system

• From the NNMi server:

– %NNMInstallDir%\support\nnmsnmpwalk –c VMWare

ray.mjm.com system

• From PI – Use the MIB Browser application

from the PI Management Console

– Tools->MIB Browser

OR

– Start->HP Software->Performance Insight->MIB Browser

Verify ESX vSwitch Configurations in NA

Sample vSwitch configuration

Host server: ray.mjm.com

– Virtual Switch Name: vSwitch0

– MTU: 1500

– Ports: 64

– Ports Available: 54

– Physical NICs: key-vim.host.PhysicalNic-vmnic0

– Port Group: key-vim.host.PortGroup-

vSwitch0 Secure External

key-vim.host.PortGroup-VSA Management Network key-

vim.host.PortGroup-None-1LM47

key-vim.host.PortGroup-VM Network key-

vim.host.PortGroup-Service Console

PI System Utilization Reports

NNMi v.9 Support for VMware

HP recently announced additional support for

VMwWare in NNMi v9.0 Advanced

– VMware ESX Server and Virtual Machine Capability

discovery

• An ESX server node has a "VMware ESX Host"

capability.

• A VM node running on that ESX server node

has a "Virtual Machine" capability.

– Predefined node groups enable viewing of "VMware ESX

Hosts" and "Virtual Machines“.

– Tools → Find Attached Switch Port can find virtual machines

using the virtual machine's hostname, IP address, or MAC

address.

Resources (1)

• HP ITRC and support portal for NMC

products

– http://itrc.hp.com

– http://support.openview.hp.com

• NA community (BSA Essentials Network)

– https://www.www2.hp.com/

• AlarmPoint web site

– www.alarmpoint.com

Resources (2)

• VMware site

– http://www.vmware.com

• ESX Documentation

– http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/

– vsp_40_vcli.pdf

– vsp_4_snmp_config.pdf

– vSphere Basic System Administration

• VMware Communities

– http://communities.vmware.com/home.jspa

– http://communities.vmware.com/community/developer/mana

gementapi

Outcomes

• Leverage investment in existing

NMC products to avoid costs of

additional products

• Simplify operations by using

knowledge of current products

• Save time required for

implementing server

monitoring solutions

• Provide visibility of VMware

ESX servers

Questions?

©2010 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

To learn more on this topic, and to connect with

your peers after the conference, visit the HP

Software Solutions Community:

www.hp.com/go/swcommunity

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