Minimum Hardware Requirements for SIM?

[Jeremy Saunders]

Hi,

What's the minimum hardware spec for HP SIM?

Does it need to be installed on a Proliant or EVO, or will it run on a clone box?

I've looked up the spec and it does not state the hardware requirements.

Cheers,
Jeremy.

[Richard Edwards_4]

Depends on what OS you want to install it on, send me your email address as the attachement is to big, and I'll email the doc to you. Document lists all Hardware requirements for the associated OS's.

Hope this helps

richard.edwards@computacenter.com

[David Claypool]

The QuickSpec has the information you want. http://www.hp.com/servers/manage --> hpSIM --> QuickSpecs

There is no tie to running on HP hardware, although be aware that in debugging a problem, customer service may ask you to duplicate on an HP system just to eliminate that extra variable.

Please be aware that RAM size is very important. In recent testing, an Evo (2GHz P4, 256MB RAM) running hpSIM was virtually unusable because of all the swapping out to disk (512MB RAM is the minimum recommended). In another installation, I used a DL360G2 (1GB RAM, 1.4GHz PIII) and it's working like a dream.

[Jeremy Saunders]

Guys,

It will either run on Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 Server OS.

David, The quick specs has nothing mentioned against the "Management Server Hardware".

Let me explain why I am asking this question so you understand that I'm not trying to be a cheap <>.

We are a Cisco IP Tel specialist. The Cisco Call Manager servers are rebadged HP Proliant DL320 G2 servers. We are implementing an IP Tel solution for a customer that is an IBM house ONLY, running IBM Director to manage all their servers. Cisco have a locked down Windows 2000 Server OS running on their boxes, but it does incorporate the HP Insight Agents. We are pretty keen to install SIM and run it side by side with IBM Director, but don't want to ask the client to purchase a HP/Compaq box just for this exercise.

Richard, my e-mail address is jeremy.saunders@logicalis.com.au

Cheers,
Jeremy.

[David Claypool]

It's there, but it may not be obvious under Technical Specifications: http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/11824_div/11824_div.HTML#Technical%20Specifications

Management Server Hardware

System Memory
HP-UX - 1GB (2GB recommended)
Linux and Windows - 512MB (1GB recommended)

Processor
Minimum single CPU 733MHz (1.5 GHz or greater recommended)

Disk Space 300MB (2GB recommended if VCR on same system)

Management Server Operating System
HP-UX version 11i v1
HP-UX version 11i v2 *(1H, 2004)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 and 3.0 ES
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 and 3.0 AS
United Linux 1.0 SP3
Microsoft® Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 3 or greater
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server with Service Pack 3 or greater
Microsoft Windows 2000 International - International English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese (latest service pack available for each language)
Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 or greater
Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

Management Server Software
TCP/IP installed
SNMP services installed and active
WBEM providers installed and active for HP-UX 11i or greater
PostrgreSQL for HP-UX versions 7.3.4 and 7.4
PostrgreSQL for Linux versions 7.3.4 and 7.4 - for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 ES and AS as well as United Linux 1.0
Red Hat PostrgreSQL (rh-postgresql) 7.4.1 - for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0 ES and AS
Microsoft Data Engine 2000 (MSDE) with Service Pack 3 or later
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 with Service Pack 3 later

[Jeremy Saunders]

Okay...I see what you mean. It's just not laid out very clearly.

So if I'm running a Windows OS, then I need a minimum of 512MB (1GB recommended).

The Processor should be at minimum a single CPU 733MHz (1.5 GHz or greater recommended).

Disk Space requirements at minimum needs to be 300MB (2GB recommended if VCR on same system).

So as long as the hardware meets this spec, it does't matter what the brand, make or model is.

Thank you for clarifying this.

Cheers,
Jeremy.

[Jeremy Saunders]

Hang on...

in the HP Systems Insight Manager Installation and User Guide it states the following...

Windows Central Management Server

Operating System
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Service Pack 4
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server, Service Pack 4
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Note: The required Windows Service Packs must be installed for each of these operating systems. See the HP Systems Insight Manager Release Notes for details.

Hardware
- Any HP ProLiant IA-32 system with:
Minimum: 1.5 GHz processor with 512 MB RAM
Recommended: 2.4 GHz processor with 1 GB RAM
Free Disk Space of 500 MB recommended

Note: HP Netservers are not supported as central management servers, only as managed
systems.


So now I conclude that it needs to be run on a Proliant server with IA-32 Architecture. This conflicts with what it states on the web site, as per my previous post.

And what's with Windows 2003 Service Pack 1???

Can someone from HP please clarify this so that I can design a solution for a client without misleading them?

Thank you.
Jeremy.

[Rob Buxton]

If you want to design a solution that will definately work and that you will be able to escalate faults to HP about then going for a Proliant Server with the specifications indicated will work.

As other posts have indicated, HPSIM should install on other non-HP Servers, but there's not the same ability to diagnose faults.

I consider HPSIM to be a significant part of our infrastructure, so it resides on kit that has a degree of high availablility (e.g. Raid, dual power supplies) your solution needs to factor in this as well. Again the Proliant range offers that.

As for W2003, SP1 a bit pre-emptive!

I

[Jeremy Saunders]

I agree that it should reside on a quality server. As this customer is an IBM house, there should be no reason why I couldn't install it on an IBM NetServer, along side their IBM Directory management tool. This server still offers RAID, etc, etc.

Thanks for all your comments. I think HP need to sort out the acuracy of their doco, rather than just sit on the fence. If they don't take a hard stance, then they must support you in any scenario.

Cheers,
Jeremy.

[Darrin Rawls]

As a best practice, you should apply the latest service packs and security updates from the appropriate vendor (OS or other).

The vast majority of the qualification of Win2k3 was done on the "plain OS" so there are no issues there; we'll work to get the docs updated, thanks!

I have changed this post/answer b/c I originally had SP1 on the brain for XP, not Win2k3 (which isn't even publicly available yet, I don't think).

[Jeremy Saunders]

Darrin,

What about the hardware?

Cheers,
Jeremy.

[Darrin Rawls]

Like David stated, we specify minimum hardware specs that if followed should work across boxes. If calling into support though, this is a free tool from HP for management of HP equipment. You will probably get push back on a problem if it is installed on non-HP equipment. That being said, it should work.