SNMP Only - how properly identify Dell Servers - Help

[HP Systems Insight]

We have our SIM server behind a firewall and only SNMP 1.0 is allowed through. We configured our SIM server using the DELL method (compile/register dell mibs then configure new "Type" to correctly identify "Dell Server" using proper OID).

This method allows SIM to show "Dell Server" instead of "Unknown" for type BUT it does NOT show OS, Dell Model AND does not give us the Properties page and basically is not as good as it could be if we were able to use WMI (WBEM) to gain additional system info.

I'm hoping someone has some advice in one of two areas:

1) Is there a SNMP only way to more fully identify Dell servers and if so how? We'd like to make sure SIM reports at least the OS and the correct model (instead of "Dell Server") would be nice.

2) What would it take to get WMI/WBEM working through the firewall?

TIA.

MJ

[HP Systems Insight]

Sorry, I should also point out that we allow 2381 (SMH) for identification. But of course for the Dell servers these other protocols are NOT helping get full details of the Dells.

Also, when looking at the WBEM/WMI option we found that it requires RPC and random ports to work and this would not be acceptable with our configuration. Also, I know there is a way to lock down the random ports but my understanding tells me we would have to do the rpc port lock downs on every client.

Perhaps there is a proxy for WMI/WBEM that could help. Could we maybe run the Pegasus on a server in the intra and then only have to allow RPC from CMS to 1 inside server?

I hope this makes some sense. I don't claim to know a lot about the protocols, firewall rules, WMI, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

MJ

[Rob Buxton]

You don't mention the OS on the Dell, but I believe that by default Windows installs the WMI Service.
The default port for WBEM/WMI Access is 5989 so you could try that as access through the firewall.
In HPSIM, you need to ensure WBEM is Enabled globally, if you don't want to use it globally leave the global credentials blank and use the server specific wbem for the Dell Server. I use a domain account / password which seems to work for this and does pick up the OS details from the few Dell servers we have.

[HP Systems Insight]

Thanks Rob.

The OS on the Dells is Windows 2003. The problem is not enabling or configuring the WBEM/WMI port but the problem is the way it works over that port. We allow this port out but when the remote device responds it uses a random RCP port which will not make it back through the firewall...and as mentioned before locking down a fixed range that the remote servers would be able to use it NOT an option.

If we could put a proxy, some internal box that would not have to pass through a firewall for the WMI communication that would solve our problem but I have not seen anything out there that could do this.

It seems we may be stuck with limited information on the Dells because of our particular tight/secure setup.

I wonder if installing the SMH on a Dell would then be able to provide more info. We're working on building a Dell server with both OM and SIM and in order to install the VCRM we had to install the SMH on the Dell...

Thanks.

MJ