Basic ESX information

[CA1248225]

I'm experienced with Windows 2003 servers running on DL380s, and am currently looking to run a similar server with VMWare ESX server.

I'm aware that you can install the management agents on it, but does that cover everything?

What I'm interested in is:

- If I have concerns about a RAID array, how do I get to the Array Configuration Utility or Array Diagnostic Utility?
- How do I get to the System Management Homepage and get an over all system picture?

I realise these are probably silly questions, but.. any help appreciated.

[Chris Rosan]

Joshua,

ACU - you can use the ACU on the smartstart CD, or there is an ACU that you can use during the POST process.

There is a command line ACU for Redhat, which may or may not work on ESX. From what i've read, ESX is VERY loosely based on Redhat (very chopped up), so if you match the ESX kernel version (2.4 or 2.6) with the Redhat release - 2.1 & 3 for 2.4 kernel, and Redhat 4 for 2.6 Kernel, you may be able to use the ACUCLI.

Unless you need to make changes on the fly, i'd use the smartstart ACU though, it's much easier. DL380 can only have 6 drives so unless you are using an MSA external storage, i wouldn't imagine you'd need to do many changes on the fly anyway.

Same for the SMHP. I'd suggest testing installing the SMHP from the applicable Redhat version above to test it.

OTHERWISE - It looks like they have the Insight management agents for ESX, so you could setup HPSIM on another machine, and use it as a central portal for monitoring ALL your HP hardware (desktops & printers) as well as other hardware. We are currently implementing it and it's making life easier (I have around 30 servers).

[CA1248225]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for this, but the major selling point of buying a higher end system over a low end is the ability to do things like change hard a failed hard drive while the system is running.

If we need to shut down to do this, it makes virtual servers look a whole lot less attractive.

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi Joshua,

there are Agents for VMware ESX, and are accessed by System Management Homepage. I just checked and I can browse via https to port 2381 on an ESX 3.0 server, and could login to SMH. I could see the status of the various server components. I did not see any ACU, though.

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/24882.html

But if you need to replace a failed hard disk on a smart array controller, you don't need any software tools. Just take the dead disk out, put the new disk in and the controller will automatically rebuild the data to the new disk, all while the system is online.

If you want to change the configuration (add extra disks to the array or reconfigure it), then you would need ACU.

Regards,
Stephen

[Mark. P.T. Kramer]

It's great HP has moved the location of all its drivers (!), but that means the above link no longer works.

So, someone, please, where can I get the ESX 3.5 agents?