Adding VM managers in distributed mode

In advanced VM management, you can add distributed VM managers directly from the BigFix Inventory user interface by selecting a VM Manager tool installation and specifying the VM manager details. Alternatively, you can add VM managers manually by creating configuration files.

Before you begin

9.2.7 VM Manager Tool, starting from update 1.5.0.0, is enhanced to attempt to automatically fix the most common problems with the VM manager connection parameters. This feature is disabled by default. To enable this feature, go to Management > Advanced Server Settings and change the setting of vmman_fix_parameters_enabled parameter to true. While fixing connection problems the VM Manager Tool can connect using the HTTP protocol when the defined HTTPS connection is not available. This setting is enabled by default. To disable switching protocol from HTTPS to HTTP, go to Management > Advanced Server Settings and change the setting of vmman_http_connection_allowed parameter to false. For more information, see: Advanced server settings.

About this task

You can add distributed VM managers by using the user interface or by manually creating configuration files. The user interface method is recommended because the configuration is stored and sent to the selected VM Manager tool installation automatically.

Procedure

  1. In the top navigation bar, click Management > VM Managers.
  2. Click New.
  3. Select the VM Manager tool installation where the connection configuration will be stored and from which the configuration will be sent to the VM manager.

    Provide values for the following fields:

    Data Source of VM Manager tool
    The data source associated with the VM Manager tool installation. The list shows only data sources that are not disconnected.
    Computer Name of VM Manager tool
    The name of the computer on which the VM Manager tool is installed. The field allows you to choose any currently installed VM Manager tool.
    Data Source Computer ID
    The identifier of the computer on which the selected VM Manager tool is installed. This value is populated automatically based on the selected data source and computer name.
    Restriction: A VM Manager tool installation that is in the Uninstallation: Successful state cannot be selected when adding a VM manager.
  4. Select the virtualization type and provide the required connection details such as the URL and credentials.

    The URL format and credential requirements depend on the virtualization type. For more information, see: Supported virtualization types.

  5. Click Create. The connection to the VM manager is created and its status is Pending.
  6. Select the VM manager and click Test Connection.
    The test might take a few minutes. Refresh the panel. If the VM manager connection is properly configured, the connection test status changes to Successful.

Results

You have created a distributed VM manager. Its status remains Pending until the data is collected from the VM manager, uploaded to the BigFix server, and transferred to BigFix Inventory during the import of data.

Important: The first configure action can overwrite the distributed VM Manager tool application configuration because the VM Manager tool configuration and all of its VM managers are sent together.
Restriction: VM managers that are linked to a VM Manager tool that is uninstalled but not fully removed cannot have their configuration edited.
Note: After a VM Manager tool is deleted from the VM Manager Tools panel, its associated VM managers are hidden from the VM Managers report.

Alternative method: adding VM managers by using configuration files

If you cannot use the user interface, you can add distributed VM managers manually by creating configuration files and running the VM Manager tool from the command line.

Before you begin

This method is intended as a fallback. VM managers that are added through configuration files are displayed in the BigFix Inventory user interface. However, their configuration can be changed only by editing the corresponding configuration files or by using the VM Manager tool command-line interface.

To enable automatic parameter fixing when using configuration files, go to the BES Client\LMT\VMMAN\config directory, open the vmmmainconf.properties file, and change the setting of the vmm_fix_parameters_enabled parameter to true. To disable switching protocol from HTTPS to HTTP, change the setting of the vmm_http_connection_allowed parameter to false. For more information, see: VM Manager Tool settings.

Procedure

  1. Go to the BES Client\BFI\VMMAN\config directory.
  2. Copy the vmmconf_template.properties file and rename it to vmmconf_name.properties. This file now represents a new VM manager.
    Attention: Each time you create a VM manager configuration file, use the vmmconf_template.properties file as a template. Do not copy and edit configuration files that you previously created for a different VM manager. After you load the configuration file for the first time, an ID is generated for a VM manager. Each ID must be unique. When you copy and edit an existing configuration file, the ID is duplicated.
  3. Edit the file and specify the following parameters:
    vmm_url
    Specify the web address of the VM manager. You can specify either a full URL or only the host name or IP address.
    For example, vmm_url=http://192.0.2.0/wsman.
    Important: The default URL differs depending on the virtualization type.
    • vCenter
      • https://<vCenter_IP_address>/sdk/vimService.wsdl
    • RHV-M
      • https://<RHV-M_IP_address>/ovirt-engine/api
    • Hyper-V
      • https://<Hyper-V_IP_address>/wsman
    • 9.2.12 Citrix Hypervisor (formerly XenServer)
      • https://<Citrix-hypervisor>
    • 9.2.17 Nutanix Prism Element
      • https://<NUTANIX_PRISM_ELEMENT_IP_ADDRESS>:9440/PrismGateway/services/rest/v2.0
    • 11.0.6 Nutanix Prism Central
      • https://<NUTANIX_PRISM_CENTRAL_IP_ADDRESS>:9440/api/nutanix/v3
    vmm_type
    Specify the type of the VM manager. The possible values are VMWARE_V_SPHERE, MICROSOFT_HYPER_V, KVM_RHV_M, XEN_MANAGER, ORACLE_VM or NUTANIX.

    For example, vmm_type=MICROSOFT_HYPER_V.

    vmm_login
    Specify the user name that is used to access the VM manager.
    For example, vmm_login=administrator\cluster.com.
    Important: VM managers use different definitions of users:
    • For Microsoft Hyper-V, you must use the Administrator account. The user is defined as user_name\domain or user_name@domain. For example: test\cluster.com or test@cluster.com.
    • For VMware, the user is defined as domain\user_name, for example: cluster.com\test.
    • For RHV-M, the user is defined as user_name@domain, for example: test@cluster.com.
    • 9.2.12 For Citrix Hypervisor (formerly XenServer), the user is defined as user_name, for example root.
    • 9.2.14 For Oracle VM Server for x86, the user is defined as user_name, for example: test.
    • 9.2.17 For Nutanix, the user is defined as user_name, for example: test.
    vmm_password
    Specify the password that is used to access the VM manager. The password is encrypted and saved when you load the configuration files.

    For more information about optional parameters, see Configuration parameters.

  4. Save the configuration file. To establish the connection, you must run the VM Manager tool and load the configuration file.

What to do next

Run the VM Manager Tool.