VMware Cloud Community
MattG
Expert
Expert

Can vCAC assign vSphere tags to Blueprint and have vCOPs dynamically add the VM based on tags to Groups?

I want to be able to have vCAC associate Custom Properties with the vSphere objects it creates and have vCOPs act on that data.

For example,  a vCAC SQL Blueprint would automatically have the Tenant name and SQL App1 added as a vSphere tag to the VM that is created.   Then vCOPs could act on the vSphere tags to dynamically add the VM to precreated groups.

Does vCOPs 6.0 integrate with vSphere tags?

Can Groups in vCOPs 6.0 Enteprise have Super Metrics associated with them?  If so,  besides tiering,  what is the difference between Applications and Groups?

-MattG

-MattG If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
Reply
0 Kudos
5 Replies
mark_j
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

vROps v6.0.0 does not integrate with vSphere Web Client tags.

However, what you're asking for is a reflection of vCAC hierarchy (Tenant/Department) within vROps. That is possible today with a custom engagement with PSO (vROps v5.8-v6 to vRA v6.0-v6.1), OR you could wait for a generally available (GA) management pack to be released that will integrate vROps v6 to vRA v6.x. I've personally implemented this solution.

Groups can have Supermetrics associated to them. Groups would be the way to go, if possible. Application hierarchies still exist for legacy 5.x purposes, with Groups being more robust and being more a thing of the current/future. Applications were originally a big deal because they were pre-defined container types, with a pre-defined relationship hierarchy of Application>Tier>Resource. However that was only a big thing because Groups existed in the vSphere UI and not the Custom UI (so apps/tiers were all you HAD). Now that the UIs are merged, you'll see usage of Groups being far more common than the pre-defined "Application" container types.

Mark

If you find this or any other answer useful please mark the answer as correct or helpful.
MattG
Expert
Expert

Mark,

After I posted this,  I tried to add a tag to in vSphere 5.5 to VMs.  I then went into vROPs and created a group based on vSphere tags.  So apparently it works.   There is a box to dynamically update the group.  But it only seems to do it when you are editing the Group.   I cannot figure out how to get the Include Always to keep the Group up to date with the vSphere tags?

Also,  I have not been able to figure out how to associate Super Metrics with Groups.  Groups are not explicitly in SM Object Types,  but I can Environment,  where my Group resides.   Though I do not see this adding the SM to the group.

Thanks so much for the insight into Groups vs Applications!

-MattG

-MattG If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
Reply
0 Kudos
mark_j
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I'm sorry, I thought you meant that tags were automatically imported in to vROps as resources/hierarchy (they aren't). My bad. Yes, the tags will be represented as a resource property, which could be queried in the creation of a dynamic group. You keep this group up to date by selecting 'keep membership up to date' in the Group settings. It'll update the Group as it pulls updated vSphere tags from vCenter.

You'd enable the Supermetrics in the policy that is associated to a particular Group. Use a temp resource to test around with with a test policy, and set state (local) to force it enabled.At the bottom of the policy wizard, select the group(s) you want to assign the policy to.

v5.x Attrib/SM Packages+ v5.xConfiguration policies = v6.x Policy

If you find this or any other answer useful please mark the answer as correct or helpful.
Reply
0 Kudos
MattG
Expert
Expert

Mark,

Yeh I figured out that I wasn't assigning the SM with a policy.  Its working now.

So if Applications are legacy I am assuming I will use Groups to create Tiers?   I created a Group called Tier-DB and was able to Include Always with the Group that I created to represent an app.   Is this the recommended way to handle Apps going forward?

-MattG

-MattG If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
Reply
0 Kudos
mark_j
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Yes, by doing that you'd future proof yourself a bit and reap the benefits of all the built-in attributes of the Custom Groups. By contrast, Apps and Tier are blank and all stats must come from Supermetrics (ugly).

If you find this or any other answer useful please mark the answer as correct or helpful.