SIM 5.1 and VM guest (Windows) management via WMI/WEBM/SNMP, etc.

[jftwp]

I have SIM 5.1 and I'm not using the HP-extra-cost VMM pack.

I do, however, want to be able to manage Windows 2003 VMs via SIM 'integration' which, to my understanding, entails the following:

1. Enable global protocol setting for WBEM on the SIM server and, in that same config screen/page, enter in the WBEM/WMI logon credentials as needed to access your given VM server/s being managed.

2. Make sure the WMI service is running on your VMs (it does by default on Win2k/2k3) and that SNMP settings for community/security, etc. are setup correctly (they are; I swear).

Despite this, not all my VMs are showing up in SIM. I've seen screenshots in HP's own manuals showing this wonderful world wherein SIM shows not only the host data info (with SIM agents v7.6 running directly on the ESX hosts), but every VM running within each host -

---

nice and tidy.

Of course it's nice and tidy for them... it's in a manual! See link. But in the real world, for those of us not privy to detailed information about how, EXACTLY, to set all this up between SIM, the VMs, and the ESX hosts involved, it's a bit trying of an experience.

So, does anyone have experience in setting this up for best possible management/options in an HP SIM 5.1 environment? Thanks anyone/everyone.

[RobBuxton]

You might want to check out the HPSIM Forum.

But here's how I set up HPSIM and WBEM.

I enable wbem globally but leave the global credentials blank.

From HPSIM, click on the server name and (sorry I'm at home so cannot give exact details) use the Tools Tab and then select System Protocol settings.

Enter specific wbem credentials there for each VM Guest.

I also maintain a BAT file that uses the mxnodesecurity command line utility to set password details and keep this up to date if I need to change the password.

The reason I don't use the global settings is I've had issues with wbem conflicting with other HPSIM data collection methods.

Also, you don't need SNMP. wbem should provide the info you need.

Also, you should get 7.70 of the software as it fully supports ESX 3.0.1

[skearney]

WBEM or not, you should be able to discover your VMs via ICMP ping and at least see a node entry for them.

[Ken_Cline]

Wow! Talk about a blast from the past! Greetings Shawn...long time no hear from. You going to make VMworld this year?

[skearney]

Hey Ken! I poke in here from time to time to add my $.02 :-).

I'd like to make it to VMworld, but alas that's up to the powers that be. I was sad I didn't make it last year.

[jftwp]

Thanks Rob.

I am running 7.6b of the agents. I can see the ESX hosts themselves just fine in SIM, and those are managed just fine. Alerts are generated when there are hardware issues, system reboots/system inaccessible, etc.

It's the Virtual Machines within each ESX host that I want to see show up in SIM.

We own the VMM pack for 4 hosts, but I'm hesitant to deploy it within SIM. I've 'heard' that it's not at all entirely necessary if you don't want to have SIM become a 'VirtualCenter' of its own. DEFINITELY want to keep VirtualCenter and SIM separate where vmotion and provisioning is concerned.

So do you concur with others in the HP SIM forums (which I just spent an hour or so scouring as regards ESX 3.0.1 / VM management within SIM) that VMM pack is entirely optional?

Since all my ESX hosts (8) are visible in SIM just fine, my focus is now on getting SIM to see the darned VMs within them.

There is no documentation that I have found that explains "How to see detail within your ESX 3.0.1 VMs in SIM 5.1 using WBEM/WMI." I sure wish there were one, because there seem (again, referring to the HP forum posts) numerous different ways--yet with no true, single consensus--to achieve this.

Regardless, I will take your advise and disable global user credentials for WBEM and then set the credentials separately on each and every virtual machine, individually. Sounds like a lot of work, but I'll at least test a few to see if this approach works for us.

The 'Tools' tab does not seem to have any 'System Protocol' settings. I think it's after you search for / select a given VM that you go into Options / Protocol Settings / System Protocol Settings. That's where I do it for each individual VM, correct?

You also noted that SNMP is not needed and that WBEM should give me plenty of data/info. I realize that's true for any Windows guest VM out there, but for the ESX 7.7 SIM agents, you DO need SNMP, correct?

Before doing any of the above, I will upgrade the ESX host agents (all are 3.0.1 here) to v7.7 just to make sure we're on the same page / rev with software versions.

I just want to see this work. It seems to be confusing a fair amount of admins out there in the HP forums, so I don't feel too moronic.

[jftwp]

I don't think the WBEM stuff is working at all between SIM and the underlying VMs I'm trying to manage.

Running SIM 5.1

ESX SIM agents v7.7

Guest is Windows 2003 sp1 (with WMI service running).

I've been very careful in configuring the user account / WBEM credentials on the SIM side and on the VM side.

I have noticed that Windows guests have 3 'WMI' related services, however. On mine (all seem the same by default), they are as follows:

Windows Management Instrumentation (Started / Automatic)

Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions (Not started / manual)

WMI Performance Adapter (Not started / manual)

To confirm, does only the first one need to be running to communicate with SIM?

Here's the output of running Options / Identify Systems in SIM... Note how it pretty much says "your WBEM/WMI has problems, bub."

***************

Starting identification process...

Checking for known running web servers.

Checking for System Management Home Page and other HP web agents.

The System Management Homepage is not supported on this system.

Checking for WBEM support on system.

This system does not have any SMI-S CIMOM installed

This system doesn´t have a server CIMOM installed, or cannot connect to it using all credentials specified

Running WBEM rules based identification.

Cannot get ComputerSystem WBEM/WMI data from the system

Running WS-Man identification.

Checking for SNMP support on system.

The system did not respond to SNMP, verify security settings and community strings.

Running SNMP base Cluster identification using common cluster MIB.

This was not a system with the common cluster MIBs supported.

Running HP ProLiant management agent identification

The system does not support SNMP.

Running HP NetServer identification.

The system does not support SNMP.

Running HP-UX SNMP identification.

The system does not support SNMP.

Running SNMP System Type Manager identification.

The system does not support SNMP.

Checking for DMI protocol support.

DMI is globally disabled, skipping DMI identification.

Running DMI System Type Manager identification.

DMI is globally disabled, skipping DMI identification.

Running HP-UX DMI identification.

DMI is globally disabled, skipping DMI identification.

Running HP/Compaq Desktop identification.

DMI is globally disabled, skipping DMI identification.

Running HP DMI Desktop identification.

DMI is globally disabled, skipping DMI identification.

Running Generic DMI identification.

DMI is globally disabled, skipping DMI identification.

Checking for SSH protocol support.

The SSH protocol is not supported on this system

Running Storage identification.

Did not detect WBEM support on this system. Will not attempt storage identification. If this is a storage host, check WBEM credentials and make sure the providers and CIMOM are operational on the host.

Storage identification completed.

Running HP Service Guard Identification.

The system is not part of HP Service Guard cluster

idPluginStart.IPMCompatible

Running VM identification.

Checking for license data on system.

SMH trust status is false.

Running limited data collection for common attribute.

Done with limited data collection, checking retrieved data.

Building system relationships.

System identification done with this system.

[RobBuxton]

Just to clarify, Globally wbem should be enabled - just don't enter any credentials there.

SNMP is not needed on the VM Guests, yes it is needed on the VM Hosts. On the Host SNMP gets configured either via the install asking questions or a pre-configured input file.

Not at work, cannot recall the name of the WMI Service, but the top one looks right, it's installed by default in Windows.

The credentials should be of the form domain\account and should be entered for each VM Guest in HPSIM. Not the Host.

The output does indicate wbem has not accessed the wbem details.

As regards VMM, it does provide the ability to manage everything from a single console. But there do seem to be some issues with VMM interfering with VMotion. We've pulled the VMM Agent from the VMHosts because of that.

[skearney]

It's unclear to me from your explanation whether SIM 'sees' your VMs. Do your VMs not appear in SIM at all, or is your problem related to the information reported about them?

If the former, you need to run a discovery first. The VMs, of course, need to be network reachable. Without VMM, SIM does not discover VM through the ESX host. You can add the VMs one by one to SIM using IP or system name, or you can add the IP addresses to the ping-sweep list. Do not waste your time with WBEM until there is a node entry for the VM in SIM.

Once the VMs show up in SIM, then you can worry about whether WBEM/WMI is working. There is a command line tool... I believe it's called wbemdisco... that you can run from the SIM CMS. That can help debug issues with WBEM. Other than verifying the credentials have been entered correctly, the most common problem I've had is the Pegasus service on the CMS going off into the weeds. If all else looks good, try restarting this service and/or SIM before running Identify task on the VM again.

[jftwp]

Thanks both... more info...

\* Globally I definitely have wbem enabled - no credentials there at the global level.

\* I do not have SNMP configured on the VM Guests; only on the VM hosts... and I can see/view all the detail on each of the 2 3.0.1 hosts running 7.7 on the agents. I'm just trying to get this working with these 2 hosts and their VMs before I upgrade other ESX hosts.

\* Rob noted the credentials should be of the form domain\account and should be entered for each VM Guest in HPSIM. Ok---but in my case I'm not using a domain account; just a local account with no admin rights (heard that's not required) and password verified tested, so I'm entering into SIM (via my test VM's Tools/Links - System Protocol Settings) and definitely not on the host.

\* Yes, the output does indicate wbem has not accessed the wbem details. Very much agreed----something it blocking collection of this data! But what? Once that's finally figured out, I'll be golden.

\* Yes, SIM 'see's my VMs. The data about them is extremely basic/limited, however. They should up as 'unmanaged' 'virtual machine guest' and nothing more. Thus, my problem is (skearney) entirely about the information (lack thereof) reported about them.

\* Yes, I always add the VMs by either name or IP. DNS is fine, so either approach works. I just get a complete lack of data and do NOT want to install the VMM pack on the hosts. There are definitely 'node entries' for the VMs in SIM. The problem is all about WBEM.

\* I will search for the 'wbemdisco' tool (is that from HP?). I checked the 2 Pegasus services on the CMS and they're running. I'll try restarting these 2 services and/or SIM itself and see if this helps (as well as the tool---once I can locate it).

Will follow up; thanks for the replies.

[jftwp]

Okay... following up:

I restarted the (already running/seemingly fine) Pegasus services and SIM itself. Same result / can't get WBEM to communicate with the VM. Same output when running Options / Identify Systems (WBEM noted as not being able to communicate / not available, etc.)

I located the wbemdisco tool is located in the SIM installation directory (java applet if running at cmd line with JRE installed), along with a brief 'troubleshooting' doc I found at HP's site: ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/storageworks/smisproviders/smis_troubleshooting.pdf

Despite all that, I'm still having no luck. The tool reports back (no matter what credentials I try, even if I put multiple credentials in for that particular VM, it fails --- always with CIMCLIENT_ERR_CONNECTION_FAILED.

Let me ask you guys this: When you run Options / Identify Systems from SIM on your happy-WBEM-reporting/functioning VMs, does yours note that 'CIMOM' isn't installed? I mean, you wouldn't expect it to be, right? These are just VMs running and why would they even have CIMOM servers on them (based on the definition of CIMOM and 'storage management' in that little pdf I noted above)?

Are either of you specifying a port in the system protocol settings for each VM (Rob)? If so, what port number? WBEM seems to (per Google at least) use 5988 or 5989 (over SSL).

Still searching for the key here... thanks for the help.

[skearney]

Seems like to me that either there is something wrong with the WMI service on the guest or there is a firewall coming into play somehwere. If it were just a credentials issue, I would think you'd see a different error message from wbemdisco.

One quick test on the WMI service would be to login in to the VM and run 'wmic' from the command line. At the prompt, run the 'service' command which should list all the windows services.

Do you have any physical Windows hosts that are successfully talking WBEM? WBEM should show up in the protocol list along with SNMP, etc in the system page.

[dduell]

I am having this exact same issue currently. I will be interested in hearing the answer to this. Only difference in my environment is that we have the VMM Pack on our ESX hosts, and use SNMP on all boxes.

We recently moved all of our boxes to a new SIM server. At that time, any VMs that were currently in use show up in SIM as Virtual Machines, and everything is filled out properly. Since that time, we can't figure out what is different or has changed, but SIM will no longer fill out the data on any new VMs.

[jftwp]

Problem resolved.

We're not using the VMM pack at all, however.

In my case, the following factors result in WBEM/WMI data being successfully collected from the given VM node in SIM 5.1:

\* VM, when performing a manual discovery, must have the SNMP service settings verified with particular attention paid to community settings/entries and level of 'read create'.

\* This, when correct, at least for us, allows SIM to properly 'discover' the given VM in the first place. Discovery (whether manual or scheduled/auto) would not pick up some of our VMs due to a screw-up with the build which has since been corrected.

\* Use a local ADMIN account on the VM being managed. I've made it all the same on all our VMs and have since updated our VM templates with it as well. If I did NOT use an Administrator-equivalent account, the Options / Identify Systems function, when run against the given VM, would report that it could not collect WBEM/WMI data from the system. I also tried adding the account to 'Power Users', etc. and various levels, but in the end if the account belonged to the local admins group then data collection worked. This isn't supposed to be necessary (admin rights) but it is... at least here. And that just plain works, so I'm sticking with it. Too much other stuff to work on to tshoot much further.

\* The WBEM account credentials can be specified either at the 'Global' protocol level or individually for each VM.

\* The Options / System Properties page for any existing VM's in SIM need to have the "System Property Lock" set to "Unlock" just before you attempt to run Options / Identify Systems, in order to "Allow the Discovery and Identification processes to change system properties".

That's about it. Thanks for all feedback.

[dduell]

I am still at a loss as to why ours aren't showing up. I have checked and double checked everything mentioned, and can't find any reason for the data to be blank, especially since I can see the VMs listed under the ESX hosts, but it just doesn't seem to be communitcating to the Guests that they are VMs and linked to a host.

[RobBuxton]

I might be seeing the same issue on a new HPSIM server that we're building.

Unlike my existing HPSIM server, this one is virtual.

I've set up WBEM to be the same, and parts are working as it has successfully used wbem to connect to our CommandView EVA server and retrieve the storage info via the SMI-S connector.

But, whenever I try and use this to identify the VM Guest servers (mainly W2K3) I get the error:

Running WBEM rules based identification.
Cannot get ComputerSystem WBEM/WMI data from the system.

I don't install / use SNMP on the guest servers as I've not needed to in the past.

I cannot see any obvious differences between the setup on the existing physical HPSIM server and this new virtual one.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

I ended up moving my HPSIM/VMM server to a physical box due to the network latency. The HPSIM server is extremely network intensive and this could be the reason it is failing. As for seeing the VMs, either use VMM which you can deploy by either opening up the security stance of your ESX server or by manually deploying the hpvmmagent software using scp from the HPSIM host to get it over to the ESX server then installing it. If you do not have VMM, then put HPSMH on each of the VMs and things also start to show up. HPSMH does not require hardware agents installed to work.

HPSIM looks for WBEM, HPSMH, SSH, SNMP when it starts it identify. Generally it needs HPSMH and SNMP.

Best regards,

Edward

[RobBuxton]

Edward,

I've used just WBEM on the guest servers before and it worked okay. I've got an existing HPSIM installation and that works as I'd expect.

As for VMM we've got it but it's disabled at the moment. Everytime we enable it we start getting VMotion errors.

There's other threads in this forum about that. I've got Hp/VMware looking at it at the moment.

I think we'll be okay with HPSIM on a virtual server, the site isn't too big.

cheers,

Rob.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

I thought the same thing... I never tracked down the reason for the issue with performance. I do not have many machines running so was always curious. HP does say it is best on a physical box and well I had a few hanging around so I used one.

Cool on just using WBEM.... I should open that up on all the servers sometime...

Best regards,

Edward

[RobBuxton]

I've resolved this here. The workaround isn't exactly intuitive, but this did seem to work here.

From HPSIM I rechecked the WBEM was enabled globally and this time entered valid credentials under the global setting.

I changed a selected vm guest server to use global settings and re-Identified this server. The virtual server now appeared as a VMware Virtual Platform as expected.

I then removed the global settings, reset the vm guest server to use specific settings and re-identified previously configured servers.

They all now appear as Servers with the VMware Virtual Platform as the description.

No SNMP or HP SMH's are needed.

Now if only VMM would stop upsetting the VMotion processes we'd be sweet!