One of the key selling points in SCSM is the way it integrates with other systems and how it populates and updates the SCSM CMDB automatically!
By configuring connectors for System Center Configuration Manager, System Center Operations Manager and Active Directory you have a dynamic CMDB in just a few mouse clicks and yes it is that easy
You can be and feel like:
Believe me this is a “Good” position to be in!
This post will not go into detail on setting up the connectors for SCCM and AD but will focus on SCOM and how you can use SCOM to automatically populate your CMDB.
Customer request – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
A common question I got from every customer is I want a Dynamic CMDB but what about the non standard objects?
Wait let me picture the setting.
In nearly every SCSM project you end up in a sort of stand off.
Most times it is just like the scene from The good, the bad and the ugly.
There is always a person which has has waited the whole session on SCSM and how it integrates, with his question. He has thought thoroughly about his question and from his experience and knowledge on “other” products. He is waiting to pull the trigger with his question.
And when he pulls the trigger on his question:
“Yeah, Microsoft but what about the non Microsoft products? We have “tons” of other stuff like VMware, Oracle and Linux?” A nasty smile followed by “You cannot use Microsoft for these so how are you going to populate these?”
The room is filled with silence and all eyes are on you. From my experience you can wait for the ugly to stand by him, he is the person who has been working with the “old” system and don’t want to migrate.
“Yeah without these we cannot use a dynamic CMDB how are YOU going to cope with that?”
Now this is exactly the position I want to be in! I know these guys and if you watched “The Good, The Bad and the ugly” you know you need to change this into your favor or remove the bullets from one of them, which leaves you with one left. The one which is slow on the trigger, because he is using old ammo!
Now you need some help to remove the guys’ bullets right?
The solution
First the Linux systems, this is not really an issue ever since 2012 we can monitor these with SCOM and once monitored you can pull them with the SCOM CI connector to SCSM.
The next parts are harder, this is where third party solutions come into play.
This particular case was solved by Opslogix who provide both VMware as well as Oracle monitoring in SCOM.
So done deal, right?
Well one would think so, so I installed the VMware pack in SCOM and waited for all VMware components to be discovered. There is a great manual accompanied to easily install the components in SCOM and additional information can be found at the site’s of
Dieter Wijckmans – Jedi and MVP – Test drive Opslogix VMware management pack
Stanislav Zhelyazkov – MVP – First Look at OpsLogix’s VMware Management Pack
Arjan Vroege – System Center Dashboarding Guru – OpsLogix VMware Management Pack and Dashboarding capabilities
Prepare SCSM for SCOM CI Connector
You first need to install the SCOM management packs, just import them in SCSM.
These packs can be found in the install directory of SCSM:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2\Service Manager\Operations Manager 2012 R2 Management Packs\
After Importing these packs you can import the OpsLogix management packs:
Before the actual import you need to add two depended management packs which are required by the OpsLogix packs.
NOTE*** The Microsoft.SystemCenter.Visualization.Library.mpb file is a Bundle and NOT the MP!
You can find the management packs on the SCOM installation media in the folder “ManagementPacks” Again be sure you use the MPB of the Microsoft SystemCenter Visualization Library !
After this you can import the OpsLogix Management packs in SCSM:
After adding the management packs you can add the OpsLogix VMware classes to the SCSMAllowlist
You can use the PowerShell Script below in a PowerShell Session: (Be sure to change the drive if you installed service manager on an alternative drive)
Import–Module ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center\Service Manager 2012\Powershell\System.Center.Service.Manager.psd1’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.Cluster’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.Datacenter’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.Datastore’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.ESXServer’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.Network’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.vCenter’ Add–SCSMAllowListClass –ClassName ‘OpsLogix.IMP.VMWare.VirtualMachine’
The last thing to do is configure the SCOM CI Connector, in order to do so you require a Service Account with SCOM Administrator rights.
In SCSM navigate to Administration\Connectors
And Add the Operations Manager CI Connector.
Make sure you select all management packs for synchronization:
Now the last step is Synchronize the connector to synchronize your VMWare components into SCSM.
Views
The last step will be you create views in your Configuration Item pane to show the VMware components in SCSM.
Recap
If you want to walk away alive in the session or show down on SCSM Dynamic CMDB, you need to know how to remove the Bullets from the bad
Although I like to think of walking away like Clint Eastwood smoking a cigar and spitting in the sand, I still require the bullets to shoot back.
Opslogix packs provide me the a perfect way to remove the bullets from the bad and silence the Ugly once and for all !
and not only this they have an excellent support team which is open to suggestions and improvements on their products!
Credits all go to OpsLogix Support!
During testing this solution I discovered the original VMWare pack had an issue, since SCSM would like to look at things from a Configuration Item perspective it is required classes are underneath the Configuration Item Abstract class, Which they weren’t!
Since this is not a minor change I was really impressed by the support delivered, they redesigned (replaced) the VMWare classes below the configuration item class which makes them inherit the correct properties to be in SCSM! All within one week.
So be sure to check for the latest version from the VMWare pack by OpsLogix and how you can fill your dynamic CMDB.
http://www.opslogix.com/products/vmware-intelligent-management-pack
FYI. I requested for a management pack to use in SCSM for easily viewing the VMware classes and it is been created as we speak,
Thanks Guys!
Regards,
Oskar Landman
