problems monitoring ESX server from HP SIM

[rlagutin]

The established software on HP SIM server:

1. Systems Insight Manager 5.3 â Windows (HOTFIX53_001.jar Ð§Ñ , 19.02.2009, 8:42 MSK) + HP Virtual Machine Management Pack 3.6.1
2. HP SIM install on OS Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition Service Pack 1 (CPU 2Ð Ð³Ñ , RAM 1Ð Ð , HDD 10Ð Ð )
3. Additional the established software on HP SIM server:
- HP System Management Homepage 3.0.0
- HP Version Control Repository Manager
- Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
- Microsoft SQL  Server Native Client
- Microsoft SQL server Setup Support Files (English)
- Microsoft SQL Server VSS Writer
- Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
- MSXML 6.0 Parser
- OpenSSH Services 5.1p1-3
- Pegasus WMI Mapper v2.6

*- All above listed software is included into distributive HP SIM 5.3 and is established
at installation HP SIM, another software not specified in the list on server HP SIM
it is not established.

The established software on ESX server:

4. Version ESX server, monitoring which do HP SIM - VMware ESX Server 3.5.0 build-123630 (ESX 3.5.0 Update3)
On ESX server installed ESX Agent and HP VMM Agent. Services Pegasus and Ws-man (defaulted when installing ESX server)
Below specified versions established software on ESX server:
- pegasus: pegasus-2.7.0-119451
- ws-man: cim-smwg-1.0.0.1-119451
- HP SIM Agent: hpasm-8.2.0-286.vmware30 (version - 8.2.0)
- HP SIM SMH: hpsmh-3.0.0-68
- HP SIM VMM Agent: hpvmmagent-4.7.0.1069-esx  (version - 3.6)

ESX Agent (hpmgmt-8.2.0-vmware3x.tgz) on ESX server i install just from Service Console ESX server, when at installation agent occurs installation all required at installation packages smh, hpasm, sensors network, storage, and so on.,  as well as MIB bases in the manner of .so files and configuration /etc/snmp/snmp.conf and snmpd adjustment daemon.

/etc/snmp/snmp.conf has following type:

# Following entries were added by HP Insight Management Agents at
#      Wed May 20 17:50:31 MSD 2009
dlmod cmaX /usr/lib/libcmaX.so
rwcommunity  1qaz@WSX  127.0.0.1
rocommunity  public  127.0.0.1
rwcommunity  1qaz@WSX hpsim.local.ru
rocommunity  public hpsim.local.ru
trapcommunity public
trapsink hpsim.local.ru public
syscontact  Lagutin Roman
syslocation  207
# ---------------------- END --------------------
# Sample snmpd.conf containing VMware MIB module entries.

# This is a simple snmpd.conf that may help you test SNMP.
# It is not recommended for production use. Consult the
# snmpd.conf(5) man pages to set up a secure installation.


# VMware MIB modules. To enable/disable VMware MIB items
# add/remove the following entries.
dlmod SNMPESX            /usr/lib/vmware/snmp/libSNMPESX.so

Installation HP VMM occurs from console HP SIM server (no problems with installation hp vmm)

Open services and ports on Service console ESX server (configuration esxcfg-firewall occurs automatically under installation ESX Agent):

Incoming and outgoing ports blocked by default.
Enabled services: CIMSLP VCB VmmService swISCSIClient CIMHttpsServer snmpd sshClient vpxHeartbeats smbClient LicenseClient sshServer

Opened ports:
        hp-sim              : port 2301 tcp.in
        hpim                : port 2381 tcp.in
        sim-cert            : port 280 tcp.out


Credentials used in HP SIM

Sign-On Credentials
Administrator (for Windows servers, Administration account)
root (for ESX server, super user account)

Credentials SNMP
Read snmp community : public

Privilege Elevation not used
In to the Global Protocol Settings all by default
HP SIM and ESX server are in one network segment, intermediate firewall is not present

My questions:

1. After the made operations Discovery and Identify on HP SIM, ESX server comes up for list servers HP SIM, when managment ESX server occurs on following protocols:
Management Protocols HTTP:, WBEM:1.0, SMH:2.0, SNMP:1.0, SSH:SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_3.6.1p2
So is got that standard operations in HP SIM and after standard installetion ESX agent on ESX server, given ESX server managment with use protocol SNMP v1, but that potentially not safely, as name community  in this version SNMP protocol, it is not ciphered at data base communicationses on this protocol. How to learn HP SIM and ESX server to communicate on SNMP more new version (v2 или v3)?


 (see attached zip file, file main.jpg)

2. After the made operations Discovery and Identify on HP SIM, ESX server comes up for list servers HP SIM, when managment ESX server occurs on following protocols:
Management Protocols HTTP:, WBEM:1.0, SMH:2.0, SNMP:1.0, SSH:SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_3.6.1p2
If choosed in console HP SIM given ESX server and thеn to choose More Information à Properties, that is openned window with following contents:

Properties: 193.1.1.250

Property Pages are unavailable for this managed system.

Cause: Property Pages may not be defined for this
Operating System type or the system may be acting as a
WBEM storage proxy and has not had the native CIMOM
identified.

Resolution: Check the SIM release notes for supported
operating systems.  For systems running as a storage
proxy, enter credentials for the native (non-proxy) WBEM
CIMOM on this managed system and re-identify the system.

Information  on given problem i not found. What this error and as it to correct?
                                                                                                                                                                            (see attached zip file, file main.jpg)

3. In list protocols and services management in HP SIM there is a service WS-MAN. Under execution operations identify ESX server on HP SIM in field StdOut, appears following informations:

Running WS-Man identification.
The system did not respond to WS-Management, verify credentials.

Сredentials on HP SIM i use only administrative, for ESX server - super user â rootâ (UID 0, GID 0). Used given protocol WS-MAN for management ESX server? If yes, then that it for an error and as it to correct?

(see attached zip file, file Identify Systems.jpg)

4. I have not understood the work mechanismTreshold.
For ESX server in Configure à Virtual Machine Management à Set Performance Thresholds, i used following parameters:

Threshold Name;Threshold Interval (Min);Threshold Value,Measured Interval (Min);Measured Value

Processor Utilization,10;10,00%;10;15,00%
Memory Utilization;30;80,00%;30;40,00%
Network Throughput;30;4000,00KB;30;50,32KB
Storage Throughput;30;3000,00KB;30;43,44KB

I done testing during 1 hour:

For time a testing loading CPU did not fall more low 15%

- In 16:40  i set parameters Threshold for ESX server, when main accent on operating Threshold Processor (10% during 10 min)
- In 16:40 got notice Threshold Processor
- In 16:54 got next notice Threshold Processor
- In 17:16 got next notice Threshold Processor
- In 17:29 got next notice Threshold Processor
- With 17:29 before 17:40 i no got notice Threshold Processor

I not understood the work mechanism Thresholds, as loading CPU did not fall more low 15% on time my test, as notice Threshold Processor were to come each 10 min. I understand that after as Threshold operate, timeout Threshold zeroized and system waits 10 min. Test shown other results, explain what mechanism of work Threshold in HP SIM?

5. In HP SIM there is a possibility send SMS notice .
- For send use onlyTAP protocol or there are other possibilities, without considering SMS GATEWAY?
- I can for example buy GSM modem Siemens MC35i Terminal: http://www.mc35i-terminal.ru/ and used he for send SMS from HP SIM?
- Whether there are for you concrete examples of solutions of sending SMS through HP SIM with use GSM modem?

In attach file screenshots in jpg format

[Rob Buxton]

1. HP are slowly moving away from SNMP towards WBEM. Also consider that VMware is moving to ESXi. So you may want to consider that.

2. Not sure, whas the Server ID'd as an ESX Host Server? If not then recheck that SNMP community names and allowed hosts is correct.

3. You can specifiy system specific wbem credentials. You might want to try that.

4. I've not tested the thresholds enough

5. You could use a Custom Command. That can be passed parameters, you can format the output and call what you want.

[rlagutin]

Thank you, Rob!

1. That is for monitoring ESX i can used only SNMP v1?

2. That is option is accessible for ESX, it at me the system identification is not correct?

3. I use accaunt - superuser for my ESX (root, uid 0, gid 0), what special credentials?
WS-MAN supported for monitoring ESX, yes or no?

4. Рк, the question remains opened, i do not understand as works thresholds for ESX and VM in hp sim.

5. It is possible more in detail where it is possible to esteem about it, whether is best practicals


For me it is very important, dares to use HPSIM or not