vmax Guide v1.0 series

Nimsoft® Monitor™

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Contents 5

Contents

Chapter 1: VMAX

This description applies to VMAX probe version 1.03

Prerequisites and Supported Platforms

Requirements

Software: Nimsoft Robot 3.02 or newer

Java 1.6 or newer

Solutions Enabler CLI

Platform: Any supported Nimsoft Robot platform with Java 1.6 or newer

Solutions Enabler: Solutions Enabler CLI must be installed on the same system as

the vmax probe

EMC: Symmetrix VMAX

Installation Notes

■ Install the package into your local archive

■ Drop the package from your local archive onto the targeted robot(s)

■ Double-click the probe for initial configuration.

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Overview

EMC VMAX is an enterprise storage system used by larger organizations. The Nimsoft VMAX monitoring probe can handle all common monitoring and data collection tasks for VMAX users, providing Quality of Service (QoS) data and alarms whenever it detects sub-optimal performance in the VMAX system.

The VMAX probe uses the EMC Solutions Enabler (aka SYMCLI) to communicate with storage arrays. The CLI must have direct access to storage, with gatekeeper devices mapped to the server on which SYMCLI is running. The CLI also can be configured for remote access by running SYMAPI server on servers that have gatekeeper devices mapped. The probe transparently handles discovering local VMAX systems, as well as using remote service. The probe runs specific CLI commands and parses output to extract the important information. You can define alarms to be raised and propagated when specified thresholds are breached.

Chapter 2: Monitoring Capabilities

You can monitor the following components:

■ Array

■ Directors

■ Ports

■ Disk Groups

■ Disks

■ Device Pools

■ Devices

Chapter 3: Templates

Templates let you define reusable sets of monitors for various components. You define a template once, which defines a set of measurements you find useful, and then apply that template as necessary to achieve consistent monitoring everywhere.

See the Using Templates section for details.

Chapter 4: Initial Configuration 7

Chapter 4: Initial Configuration

Double-click the line representing the probe in the Infrastructure Manager to bring up the configuration interface.

It initially appears with the following defaults in the left pane of the window:

■ The All Resources hierarchy, which initially empty.

■ The QoS hierarchy, which contains all QoS definitions.

■ The Templates hierarchy, containing the templates available. Initially only the Sample Templates are present.

■ The Messages hierarchy containing all the messages definition.

See the section The NetApp Configuration Interface for a description of the interface and the different terms, elements, tool buttons and window panes involved.

Note: You must click the Apply button to activate any configuration modifications.

Chapter 5: Enter Probe Settings

You first configuration task is to tell the probe where Solutions Enabler CLI is installed.

Click the General Setup button on the toolbar ( ) to bring up the VMAX Probe Settings dialog. The following fields are available in the VMAX Probe Settings dialog:

Field Description

Solutions Enabler CLI Install Directory

The directory where Solutions Enabler CLI is installed

Log-level Sets the level of details written to the log file. Log as little as possible during normal operation, to minimize disk consumption.

0= Fatal errors.

1= Errors.

2= Warnings.

3= Information.

4= Debug information.

5= Debug information, extremely detailed.

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Enable GUI auto-refresh When you select this option, the user interface is refreshed each 60 seconds. This reflects the most current measured values from the checkpoints and status of the nodes in the tree structure that can be seen when navigating through the VMAX system appearing under a resource node.

If not checked, you have to press the F5 button to refresh the GUI.

Note: When pressing F5 to refresh, you will not get updated values until the next time the probe has polled the VMAX system. This interval is controlled by the Check Interval set on the properties dialog for the Resource.

Enter directory where CLI is installed, set auto-refresh as you prefer, and click OK.

Chapter 6: Add One or More VMAX Resources

Start by creating a resource that the probe can use to connect to the VMAX systems. This lets the probe collect and store data and information from the monitored components.

There are two ways you can register a resource:

■ Click the toolbar button for New Resources ( ), or

■ Right click the All Resources folder, and choose New Resource from the menu.

The Register Resource dialog appears which contains the following fields:

Field Description

Solutions Enabler Service Name

The name of the Solutions Enabler Service Name. Enter localhost for locally connected VMAX systems.

Default Group Here you can select which group you want the resource to belong to. Normally you just have the Default group.

Alarm Message Select the alarm message to be sent if the resource does not respond. Note that you can edit the message or define your own using the Message Pool Manager.

Check Interval The check interval defines how often the probe checks the values of the monitors.

Enabled Check the box to enable this monitoring for this resource.

Test button Click the test button to verify the Solutions Enabler Service and display a list of VMAX systems in the Connected Arrays box.

Chapter 7: The VMAX Configuration Interface 9

Enter appropriate Solutions Enabler Service Name. Enter localhost for local VMAX systems.

When finished, click the Test button. The probe discovers all the VMAX systems connected to the server indicated by Solutions Enabler Service, and they are presented in Connected Arrays list.

Click OK to save the Resource. Click the Apply button, and restart the probe.

Chapter 7: The VMAX Configuration Interface

The configuration window consists of a row of tool buttons and two window panes. In addition, a status bar is located at the bottom of the window, showing probe version information and when the probe was started.

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Chapter 8: The Browser (left-side) Pane

The left pane shows the monitoring groups containing the defined Resources, the QoS definitions, monitoring Templates, and Messages. Initially the Default Group, the standard QoS definitions, default Templates, and default Messages appear in the pane.

■ All Resources

Resources are Solution Enabler Services that can discover VMAX systems. User defines one or more service and probe will display VMAX systems discovered underneath the Resource.

: This symbol means the connection to the Solutions Enabler Service is OK

: This symbol means the Solutions Enabler Service is not available.

: This symbol means the probe is trying to connect to Solutions Enabler Service; the status is currently undetermined.

There are subordinate hierarchies under the VMAX system node:

■ The Auto Configurations hierarchy

One or more checkpoints (or templates) can be added to this node, using drag and drop to be used for auto configuring unmonitored devices. See the section Using Automatic Configurations for further information.

■ The Auto Monitors hierarchy

This node lists Auto Monitors, created for previously unmonitored devices, based on the contents added to the Auto Configuration node.

■ The All Monitors hierarchy

This node lists All Monitors, either defined by an auto configuration or manual creation.

■ The Equipment hierarchy

This node display equipment hierarchy in a VMAX system. User can drill down into various elements such as Directors, Disks, Device Pools, Devices and other physical elements of the VMAX system.

■ The Faults hierarchy

This node lists all alarms/faults raised in the VMAX system.

■ QOS

This hierarchy contains the standard QoS definitions included with the probe package. These can be selected when editing the monitoring properties for a monitor. To define your own QoS definitions, right-click the QoS node and choose New from the menu.

■ Templates

Chapter 9: The Content (right-side) Pane 11

This hierarchy initially contains the following sample templates:

■ Backend Device Monitors

■ Director Monitors

■ Storage Pool Monitors

■ Extended Device Monitors

■ Messages

This hierarchy contains messages associated with each alarm. They are grouped by the types of alarms.

Chapter 9: The Content (right-side) Pane

The right pane displays details about the item selected in the left pane, generally as a table.

Chapter 10: Toolbar Buttons

There are three toolbar buttons:

The Probe Settings button opens probe settings dialog box. (See Enter Probe Settings section)

The Register VMAX System button opens Register Resource dialog box (See Add One or More section)

The Create New Template button opens new template dialog box. See the Using Templates section for further information about templates.

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Chapter 11: Managing Messages

The messages associated with each alarm are stored in the Messages hierarchy of the browser (left-side) pane. You can customize the alarm text, and you can create your own messages. Messages are listed in Messages hierarchy of the left side pane.

You can add or edit messages as follows:

■ To edit an existing message, double-click the message either in the hierarchy on the left or in the table on the right.

■ To create a new message, right-click an item under the Messages hierarchy, and choose New Message from the menu.

Field Description

Identification Name The name of the alarm that the message applies to

Error Alarm Text The text of the message when the alarm is issued. See below for details.

Clear Alarm Text (OK)

The text of the message when the alarm is cleared. See below for details.

Error Severity You can choose the severity of the alarm as appropriate for your situation.

Subsystem string/id You can define a custom subsystem ID for each message. See the help for the Nimsoft Alarm Server (NAS) for more information.

Chapter 11: Managing Messages 13

Either way, this action launches the Edit Message dialog, which contains the following fields:

Note that you can use variables in the Error Alarm and Clear Alarm text to create a message that provides an operator with specific information about the condition.

Using variables is simple: as you type in the Alarm Text field, at the point where you want to use a variable, enter a dollar-sign ($). A dialog pops up with the following set of available variables:

$Resource: The resource referred to in the alarm message.

$Source: The source where the alarm condition occurs.

$Monitor: The monitor (checkpoint) referred to in the alarm message.

$Descr: The description of the monitor.

$Key: The monitor key (normally the same as the name of the monitor).

$Value: The value used in the alarm message.

$Oper: The operand to be combined with the value and the threshold in the alarm message.

$Thr: The alarm threshold defined.

$Unit: The unit to be combined with the value in the alarm message (for example Boolean).

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Chapter 12: Managing QoS Data and Alarms

You can display QoS definitions by clicking on the QoS node in the left pane. When you select it, all QoS definitions are displayed in the table in right pane.

You can add or edit QoS definitions as follows:

■ To edit an existing QoS definition, double-click on it either in the hierarchy on the left, or in the table on the right.

■ To define a new QoS definition, right-click the QoS node in the left pane and choose New QoS from the menu.

Either way, this action launches the QoS Definition dialog, which contains the following fields:

Field Description

Name The name of the QoS definition.

Group The group the definition belongs to.

Description Descriptive text about the QoS definition

Unit The units of the measurement, fully spelled out.

Unit Abbreviation A useful abbreviation for the units of the measurement.

Flag This group lets you choose how the value is to be treated; choose one.

None The value is a regular floating-point numeric, which can take any value.

Is Boolean The value should be treated as a Boolean. A value of zero (0) is considered to be false, any other value is true.

Has Max The value will not exceed the given maximum. This sets the maximum value on an axis when the value is graphed.

Chapter 13: Adding Monitors to be Measured 15

Chapter 13: Adding Monitors to be Measured

There are three different ways to enable monitors to be measured VMAX elements:

■ Manually selecting the monitors

This is done by navigating through the hierarchy appearing under resource node. When you select a folder in the hierarchy on the left, the monitors for it are listed on the right. Simply select the ones you want to monitor. See also the section Manually Selecting Monitors to be Measured.

■ Using templates

Templates are a useful for defining monitors to be measured on multiple VMAX systems. See the section Using Templates for further information.

■ Using Auto Configurations

Auto Configurations provide a powerful method for automatically adding monitors to be measured. "Auto Monitors" will be created when new devices come on line, with no need for you to reconfigure the VMAX probe to monitor them.

Example: When new disks are added to the VMAX system, the Auto Configuration feature, if configured, creates Auto Monitor(s) for the new disks and automatically starts monitoring them. See the section Using Auto Configuration for further information.

Chapter 14: Manually Selecting Monitors to be Measured

To select a monitor to be measured for a resource, simply select the resource in the left pane and browse the hierarchy appearing under the resource node. Select a folder in this hierarchy to list the associated monitors on the right. Then select the ones you want to monitor.

To Edit Monitor Properties

You can double click the on monitor itself, or right click and choose Edit from the menu to open the Monitor Properties dialog, which contains the following fields:

Field Description

Name This is the name of the monitor. The name will be inserted into this field when the monitor is created, but you are allowed to modify the name.

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Field Description

Description This is a description of the monitor. This description will be inserted into this field when the monitor is created, but you are allowed to modify it.

Value Definition This drop-down list lets you select which value to be used, both for alarming and QoS:

You have the following options:

The current value, meaning that the most current value measured will be used.

The delta value (current –previous). This means that the delta value calculated from the current and the previous measured sample will be used.

Delta per second. This means that the delta value calculated from the samples measured within a second will be used.

The average value of the last and current sample: (current + previous) / 2.

Active This activates the monitoring of the probe.

Enable Monitoring Selecting this option activates the monitoring.

Note that the monitor will also be selected in the list of monitors in the right window pane when this option is selected, and that you can enable/disable monitoring of the checkpoint from that list.

Alarms tab This tab describes the alarm properties for the monitor.

You can define both a high and a low threshold.

Initially the high threshold is set to a default value (or the current value. Set this value to match your needs.

The low threshold is initially disabled. If you want to use it, you must select another operator than "disabled" from the list and configure it to match your needs.

Operator Select from the drop-down list the operator to be used when setting the alarm threshold for the measured value. Generally speaking, exact equalities are not useful for values that vary with time.

Example: => 90 means alarm condition if the measured value is above 90. = 90 means alarm condition if the measured value is exactly 90.

Threshold The alarm threshold value. An alarm message will be sent if this threshold is exceeded.

Unit This field specifies the unit of the monitored value. (For example %, Mbytes etc.). The field is read-only.

Message ID Select the alarm message to be issued if the specified threshold value is breached. These messages are kept in the message pool. The messages can be modified as noted in the Managing Messages section.

Publish Quality of Service Select this option if you want QoS messages to be issued on the monitor.

Chapter 15: Using Templates 17

Field Description

QoS Name If Publish Quality of Service is enabled, you must select the name to be used on the QoS message issued.

Apply To You can apply this monitor to the current object only, or to all objects of same type the current object.

Note: Make special note of the selector at the bottom of the dialog called "Apply To." This lets you apply this monitor specifically to one object, or to all the objects of the same type, in which case it becomes an auto configuration.

Chapter 15: Using Templates

Templates let you define a reusable set of monitors for multiple components.

You can create various templates and define a set of monitors belonging to each. You can then apply these templates to any specific resource in the Resources hierarchy in the browser pane by dragging the template to the appropriate item and dropping it there.

To Create a Template

There are two ways to create a template:

■ Click the toolbar button for New Template ( ).

■ Right click the Templates node in the browser pane, and choose New Template from the menu.

In the resulting Template Properties dialog, specify a Name and a Description for the new template.

Note that you can also edit an existing template: Select one of the templates defined under the Templates node in the browser (left-side) pane, right-click it, and select Edit from the menu.

To Add Monitors to the Template

To add a monitor (checkpoint) to a template, drag it from the right pane and drop it on the template in the left pane.

You can then edit the properties for the monitors in the template, as described in the To Edit Monitor Properties section.

To Apply a Template to a VMAX system

Drag and drop the template onto the VMAX system in the Resources hierarchy. This assigns the monitors defined in template to the corresponding VMAX components.

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Chapter 16: Using Auto Configurations

Auto configurations provide a powerful way to apply monitors to objects by their type. You make an auto configuration by changing the Apply To selector in Monitor Property Dialog (see the To Edit Monitor Properties section for details).

Open the Auto Configurations hierarchy under the VMAX system to list all auto configurations that are currently applied to that array.

You can add or edit Auto Configurations as follows:

■ To edit an existing Auto Configuration, double-click it either in the hierarchy on the left or in the table on the right and choose Edit from the menu.

■ To define a new Auto Configuration, right click the Auto Configuration node in the left pane, and choose New Auto Configuration from the menu.

Either way, this action launches the Monitor Properties dialog. For details about this dialog, see the To Edit Monitor Properties section.

This dialog lets you define auto configurations for any type of object.

Chapter 1: VMAX 5

Prerequisites and Supported Platforms ....................................................................................................................... 5

Requirements ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

Installation Notes .................................................................................................................................................. 5

Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Chapter 16: Using Auto Configurations 19

Chapter 2: Monitoring Capabilities 6

Chapter 3: Templates 6

Chapter 4: Initial Configuration 7

Chapter 5: Enter Probe Settings 7

Chapter 6: Add One or More VMAX Resources 8

Chapter 7: The VMAX Configuration Interface 9

Chapter 8: The Browser (left-side) Pane 10

Chapter 9: The Content (right-side) Pane 11

Chapter 10: Toolbar Buttons 11

Chapter 11: Managing Messages 12

Chapter 12: Managing QoS Data and Alarms 14

Chapter 13: Adding Monitors to be Measured 15

Chapter 14: Manually Selecting Monitors to be Measured 15

Chapter 15: Using Templates 17

Chapter 16: Using Auto Configurations 18