The more I work with #vROPS (vRealize Operations Manager) the more I love it (I know that it has a little bit of a learning curve).
The more I work with #NSX the more I love it (hell-yeah… the learning curve might be even bigger).
In both cases I did a lot of training and consulting work during 2016 and it is about time to bring those two solutions together and maximize our benefits. If you have licenced NSX and vRealize Operations Manager in the advanced edition you can make use of the SDDC Management pack, which includes the management pack for NSX 3.0.
In the following I want to give you a quick rush over the installation and features of the mentioned management pack.
Make sure you fulfil the current technical requirements before you install the vROPS extension (May 2016):
NSX for vSphere
– versions 6.1.x or greater
vRealize Operations Manager
– versions 6.1.X and 6.2. (not compatible with 6.0.X)
vSphere
– version 5.5 or greater
Download the Management pack in form of a PAK-file from VMware’s solution site and upload it in the vRealize Operations Manager (Submenu Administration -> Solution).
Once you have uploaded the file, finish the process (it might take a few minutes, therefore grab a coffee) and you can find the new solution in the corresponding menu.
Configure the new adapters of the management pack to collect the relevant information from your existing NSX manager and it’s connected vCenter.
Configure the credentials to both of the systems….
…and enter the relevant component information….
… voila… that’s it….The Network Devices Adapter can be used to included physical leaf & spine devices into your #vROPS installation (Haven’t had the chance to use this feature so far).
So what do we get with this new management pack?
1. New dashboards: giving you a high-level (but still detailed) overview about current Alerts and potential problems within your NSX setup
2. New Alerts & Symptom definitions: Please check them out to get a feeling what potential problems might occur within your NSX environment.
Filter your Alert & Symptom View to adapter type NSX to gather only NSX MP relevant information.
3. New environment views: To get quick access to relevant components you are interested in monitoring
4. New policy options: To make sure you can adjust the NSX analysis, alarms, symptoms to your (your objects) specific needs.
5. 100% Integration in your current #vROPS operational process
I know many companies currently wasting the potential and power of #vROPS (even though they have licenced it). At the moment I feel like being on a crusade to align vRealize Operations Manager better to the business & infrastructures needs. IMO the management pack 3.0 is a must-have if you are currently using both solutions.
You want further information?
Check the manual, this high-level functionality video on youtube or get free (& quick) hands-on with VMware’s #HOL-SDC-1624 VMware NSX and the vRealize Suite