Adding the vCenter server to BMC Server Automation

This topic explains how to set up a VMware environment for management by BMC Server Automation. It includes the following sections:

• Before you begin
• To add the vCenter server to BMC Server Automation
• To configure the vCenter server in BMC Server Automation
• Where to go from here

Before you begin

Ensure that your environment meets the requirements described in Reviewing-minimum-requirements-for-VMware-environments. 

To add the vCenter server to BMC Server Automation

You can add a vCenter server to BMC Server Automation in either of the following methods:

• Add a vCenter server as an agent-based managed server
• Add a vCenter server as an agentless managed object (AMO) that communicates with some other agent-based Windows proxy server.

To add an agent-based vCenter server

1. Install the Windows agent on the vCenter server, as described in Installing an RSCD agent (Windows).

   Note

   Previous versions of BMC Server Automation required the installation of a special vCenter agent. That requirement no longer applies, as you now install the Windows agent on the vCenter server.

2. Open the c:\windows\rsc\exports file and edit the permissions. Follow whatever permission guidelines you are using for exports or users or users.local files.
3. Open a command window and run the following command from the system on which NSH is installed:
   agentinfo <vCenterServerHostname>
   The agentinfo command displays various types of information, including an entry for the OS. The OS should be a Microsoft Windows OS and the letters "VC" should be appended on the same line, which signifies that it is a Windows computer with vCenter running on it.
4. From within the BMC Server Automation Console, add the server as a managed server to a server group by right-clicking a server group and selecting Add Server.

To add a vCenter server as an agentless managed object (AMO)

1. From the BMC Server Automation Console, add a Windows proxy server as a managed server to a server group (right-click a server group and select Add Server). Ensure that the RSCD agent installed on the Windows proxy server is of the same version as the BMC Server Automation Application Server.

   Note

   You cannot install an RSCD agent on a vCenter that is an AMO.

2. Right-click the server group in the Servers folder, and select Virtualization > Add VMware Virtual Center.
3. On the Add a new agentless managed object - Properties page, add the name or IP address of the VMware vCenter master server.
   Optionally, add a brief description.
4. Under Properties, locate the AGENTLESS_MANAGED_OBJECT_PROXY_HOST property, and edit its property value by browsing to the name of the Windows system configured as the proxy host.
5. Click OK and then click Finish.
   The agentless managed object for the VMware vCenter server is added to the folder that you specified.

To configure the vCenter server in BMC Server Automation

1. From within the BMC Server Automation Console, select Configuration > Property Dictionary View.
2. Browse the Built-in Property Classes > Connection class.

3. Click the Instances  tab, and perform the appropriate action:

   • For an agent-based vCenter server, create a Connection instance using the following naming convention: Connection_<nameofVCenterEnrolled>
     For example, if your vCenter server was added into BMC Server Automation with the name prodvcs02.example.local, you would name the instance Connection_prodvcs02.example.local. This new instance contains the connection details for the vCenter server.
   • For a vCenter agentless managed object (AMO), a new Connection instance was automatically created when you added the agentless managed object (in the previous step). The name of the instance is Connection_<agentlessManagedObjectName> (where <agentlessManagedObjectName> is the name of the Citrix XenServer object). Proceed to the next step to update the existing instance.

   Note

   Your user role must have the appropriate RBAC permissions to create or update the Connection instance. Otherwise, the association between the instances will not be created and the server will not be enrolled.
   
   After creation of the connection instance, a connection PSI is automatically created for the server in virtualization and the value of VIRTUAL_ENTITY_CONNECTION is set to the CONNECTION PSI that is created.

4. Set the following properties for the new Connection instance:

   Property	Value
   CONNECTION_URL	Enter the web URL of the SDK of the vCenter server (for example, https://<vCenterServerName>/sdk). Note: This name should match the VMware vCenter server name registered in BMC Server Automation.
   CONNECTION_USER	Enter the name of an administrator of VMware vCenter, or another user with required privileges. If you need to provide a domain name with the username, enter it here as <domainName\userName>
   CONNECTION_PASSWORD	Enter the password of the user that is mentioned in the above property.

5. Save the instance.
6. Run an Update Server Properties Job (New > Administration Task > Update Server Properties Job) against the vCenter server.
7. Distribute the vCenter configuration object on the vCenter server:
   1. From the BMC Server Automation Console, navigate to the Jobs folder.
   2. Right-click a job group and select New > Administration Task > Distribute Configuration Objects.
   3. Provide a name for the Job and click Next.
   4. Expand the Global Configuration Objects list, select the VMware vCenter Server object, and add it to the Selected Configuration Objects section. Click Next.
   5. On the Targets panel, select the agent installed on the vCenter host or the vCenter AMO.
   6. Click Finish, and execute the job. For details, see Distributing-configuration-objects.
8. If you added the vCenter server as an AMO, go to the Windows server that you configured as the proxy for the vCenter AMO, and locate the AssetImplConfig.xml configuration file in the <RSCD_Dir>\daal\Implementation\BMC_VMware_VirtualInfrastructureManager_win64\win64 directory (where <RSCD_DIR> is typically C:\install\BladeLogic\RSCD\). In this configuration file, set the assetImpl_proxyCapable option to a value of true.

Where to go from here

Now that you have set up the VMware vSphere environment, you are ready to perform various vSphere management tasks, as discussed in Managing-a-VMware-vSphere-environment.